Something powerful is happening in the leadership of the Seventh-day Adventist church. You have to see this; you have to hear it. There is a challenge for all of us right here.
Pr Ted Wilson here delivers stirring message calling for revival and humility and urging us to pray for the out pouring of the latter rain! Ask and you shall receive! Even so, come Lord Jesus.
The concept of God's Spirit being given in an early and latter rain experience grew out of the agricultural cycle in Palestine. The first time we read about the early and latter rains is in Deuteronomy 11:13, 14 where God told Moses, "'And it shall be that if you earnestly obey My commandments which I command you today, to love the Lord your God and serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul, then I will give you rain for your land in its season, the early rain and the latter rain, that you may gather in your grain, and new wine, and your oil.'" In the agricultural cycle, the early rain came in the fall when the winter wheat was planted, and it helped the seed to sprout and take root. The latter rain came in the spring and prepared the grain for harvest. The prophet Hosea makes the spiritual application of the agricultural cycle to the gift of the Holy Spirit, "Let us know, let us pursue the knowledge of the Lord. His going forth is established as the morning; He will come to us like the rain, like the latter and former rain to the earth" (Hosea 6:3, emphasis supplied).
Throughout her writings, Ellen White puts the early and latter rains within two contexts, historical and experiential. Historically, the early rain came at Pentecost and the latter rain will come just before the close of probation. Experientially, the early rain comes to the individual at the time of surrender to Jesus and baptism. This is emphasized by Peter on the Day of Pentecost, "'Repent, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit'" (Acts 2:28). The latter rain comes experientially when it is shared by all of God's people historically,
just before the close of probation.
As the early rain enabled the seed to take root and sprout in the agricultural cycle, the early rain experientially enables the gospel seed to take root in the heart and to grow. Experientially, the later rain completes the spiritual maturing process and prepares the followers of Jesus for the finishing of the gospel work on earth and translation.
Early Rain An Ongoing Experience
A simple illustration taken from the family vegetable garden points out the importance of receiving new in-fillings of the Holy Spirit and growth under the early rain. If a vegetable garden is planted in the spring and the plants receive a good drink of water but receives no water after planting, there will be no harvest in the late summer. So it is with the early rain experience. There must be fresh supplies of strength and grace from the Spirit's presence for the Christian to grow spiritually. The apostles received continued in-fillings of the Holy Spirit. When Jesus sent them out two-by-two, they were given power to heal and cast out demons (Mt. 10:8). This power came from the Spirit. After Jesus' resurrection, He breathed on them and said "receive the Holy Spirit" (John 20:22). Then they received the Holy Spirit again on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4). Following Pentecost they were filled with the Spirit again as they prayed in a group (Acts 4:31).
Ellen White gives us solemn warning if we do not seek fresh in-fillingsof the Spirit, "At no point in our experience can we dispense with the assistance of that which enables us to make the first start [early rain]. The blessings received under the former rain are needful to us to the end. . . . We may have had a measure of the Spirit of God, but by prayer and faith we are continually to seek more of the Spirit. . . . If we do not progress, if we do not place ourselves in an attitude to receive both the former and the latter rain, we shall lose our souls,and the responsibility will lie at our own door." (TM, p. 507).
In this growth process under the early rain, the latter rain is the next logical step in the spiritual-maturing process. The latter rain is the final infusion of power that brings the early rain experience to its fulfillment.
Don't Put Off Growth Under The Early Rain
"Many have in a great measure failed to receive the former rain. They have not obtained all the benefits that God has thus provided for them. They expect that the lack will be supplied by the latter rain. When the richest abundance of grace shall be bestowed, they intend to open their hearts to receive it. They are making a terrible mistake. . . . Unless we are really advancing in the exemplification of the active Christian virtues, we shall not recognize the manifestations of the Holy Spirit in the latter rain. It may be falling on hearts all around us, but we shall not discern or receive it." (RH, 3-2-97, emphasis supplied).
Suddenness Of The Latter Rain
Another reason we cannot put off preparation under the early rain is that when the latter comes it will be so sudden we will not have time to prepare for it if we are not doing so now.
In the Daily Bulletin of the General Conference, February 5, 1893, we are told, "I saw the latter rain was coming as suddenly as the Midnight Cry and with ten times the power'" (p. 152).
Again we are told, "There will be an accumulation of divine agencies to combine with human effort that there may be the accomplishment of the work for this last time. The work will most assuredly be cut short in a most unexpected manner." (Lt. 43a, 1890).
Fitting-Up Time
The period and experience of the early rain is the fitting-up time for the latter rain. If spiritual growth under the early rain is neglected, the latter rain will not be received nor recognized when it comes.
By Pr. George E. Rice
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