“Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord; His going forth is prepared as the morning; and He shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain.” Hosea 6:3
How essential and extensive is rain, especially that “rain” of which God speaks? In the book of Isaiah, the Lord gives us an illustration and application of the rain and snow by saying: “For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall My word be that goeth forth out of My mouth.” (55:10) It is important to recognize that this rain and snow come from heaven. God speaks of that which is of divine origin, with an eternal and holy intent. With regard to the essential nature of the rain, it is His word, the extent of which is beyond measure or understanding. That which is certain is that this faithful God does speak through His divinely inspired word, and work to bring about His purposes in the salvation of men, and the building up of the church, so that His glory can and will be revealed in her in a lost and dying world.
As to the manner and measure of it raining, and the amount of the rain, the Lord speaks of the former and latter rain. Both are essential to the producing of a crop, both for the purpose of seed but also for bread. The promise of God is that he will provide both, and an abundance of rain. How can we be sure? Again, we are shut up to Him, and His faithfulness. He is the God of creation, and the sustainer of life, and for everything that He would have us to trust Him for He will provide abundantly. The Apostle Paul made this abundantly clear when he said: “He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with also freely give us all things?” (Romans 8:32) Paul is speaking of heavenly and earthly things here, the spiritual blessings in Christ abundantly supplied to the believer according to his calling, and the communion that he has with Christ. But there is the physical aspect of his blessing and provision. The promise is that one way or another, He will provide, never failing to provide for every need, according to His riches in Christ Jesus. So, what is to be the reaction, and result in the life, of every believer who is brought face to face with the promises of God concerning the “first and latter rains,” the outpouring of Christ’s Spirit, and the diffusion of God’s words? There is but one reaction, and that is to bow down and worship the Father, the Son, all by the Spirit. He is to be worshipped as the only true and living God, faithful and true, able to do the exceeding abundantly above all that we could ask or think, “…according to the power that workeh in us.”
In the book of Joel, God admonishes Israel to return to Him with all of her heart. (2:12) In that call, the Lord reveals Himself to Israel through the prophet Joel, by declaring: “…for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest him of the evil.” (2:13) The Lord goes on in His address to Israel by declaring all that He will do in delivering them from a “northern army,” promising to do “great things.” Then He comes to the matter of rain, as He did in the writings of Hosea. He declares, “Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God: for He hath given you the former rain moderately, and He will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, AND the latter rain in the first month.” (2:13) Here is the promise of the blessing to those who will hear.
Dear Father, Pour forth Thy word. In Jesus’ name, Amen.