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The Pattern of the Rain

THE PATTERN OF THE RAIN

**I. GOD SENT THE RAIN AT APPOINTED TIMES **

A. There is a Biblical pattern for the rain.

That I will give you the rain of your land in his due season, the first rain and the latter rain, that thou mayest gather in thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil. - Deuteronomy 11:14

1.	There are definite times or seasons of rain in Israel.	

2.	The rain is a symbol of Holy Ghost outpouring.

3.	God has appointed times of Holy Ghost outpouring. 

B. God appointed the times of the harvest.

Neither say they in their heart, Let us now fear the LORD our God, that giveth rain, both the former and the latter, in his season: he reserveth unto us the appointed weeks of the harvest.

– Jeremiah 5:24

1.	The rain was sent in relation to the growing of the 			harvest.

2.	God knows what amounts of rain are needed to 			produce the harvest.

3.	God has appointed times of the harvest of the souls 			of men.

C. There are three Hebrew words used to refer to the rains of different seasons.

II. THE FORMER RAIN

A. _Yoreh – _Used in reference to the early or former rain.

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 unto the earth. - Hosea 6:3.

1.	The early or former rains begin in autumn in the 			latter part of October or beginning of November. 

2.	The rains lasted for a definite period of time.

3.	The first outpouring was for a predetermined time.

B. Prepared the soil for the seed.

Psalms 65:9-10 – Thou visitest the earth, and waterest it: thou greatly enrichest it with the river of God, which is full of water: thou preparest them corn, when thou hast so provided for it.

Thou waterest the ridges thereof abundantly: thou settlest the furrows thereof: thou makest it soft with showers: thou blessest the springing thereof.

1.	The soil is hard after a dry season.

2.	The land is softened by the rain to prepare the 			earth for plowing and sowing seed.

3.	The soil was saturated for germinating 				the seed. – _the springing _of the corn.

C. Pentecost was the first outpouring of the Rain.

1.	The former rain was given moderately.

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. – Joel 2:23.

2.	The Holy Ghost rain was sent to prepare the 			world for the seed of the Gospel.

3.	The feast of Pentecost was the celebration of 			the firstfruits.	

III. THE WINTER RAIN

A.	_Geshem – _Used in reference to the winter rain also 			referred to as the rains.

Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered themselves together unto Jerusalem within three days. It was the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month; and all the people sat in the street of the house of God, trembling because of this matter, and for the great rain. – Ezra 10:9.

For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone;

  • Song of Sol. 2:11 (The Bridegroom called at the season of the spring ‘early’ rains after the winter rain.)

    1. The heavy winter rains fall from the middle of

      December thru January.

    2. These were showers mingled with dry times.

B. There have been many outpourings of the Holy Ghost.

1.	The first Great Awakening.

2.	The second Great Awakening.

3.	The Azusa Street Revival.

4.	The Welsh Revival.

C. A dry season followed the winter rains.

1.	The dryness strengthens the stalk.

Corn in the Bible does not refer to maize or Indian corn. Corn in the Bible refers to wheat.  The wheat stalk has knots all up the stem.  They are God’s wonderful provision to keep the stalk erect.  If a wheat stalk hasn’t got those knots, it would bend over in the wind and the grain would be lost.   

2.	The dry time is as needful as the rain.

3.	There was heavy dew in the night even in the dry 			season.

IV. THE LATTER RAIN

A. _Melqosh – _Used in reference to the latter rain.

Hosea 6:3 – 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 unto the earth.

1.	The latter or spring rains fall in March or April.

2.	The rain was for the harvest.

B. The latter rain matured the grain before the final harvest.

Thus hath the Lord GOD shewed unto me; and, behold, he formed grasshoppers in the beginning of the shooting up of the latter growth; and, lo, it was the latter growth after the king's mowings. – Amos 7:1

1.	The rain was necessary to bring the fruit to full 			maturity.

2.	The last Holy Ghost outpouring will perfect the 			Bride of Christ. 

3.	The mature sons of God will be revealed in God’s 			timing. 

For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. – Romans 8:19, 8:23

Adoption is the placing of a mature son. The first fruits of Pentecost did not produce full maturity of the sons of God.  Why would Paul be waiting for something he already had?	

C. Pray for the rain

Ask ye of the LORD rain in the time of the latter rain; so the LORD shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain, to everyone grass in the field. – Zechariah 10:1.

1.	According to the Word of God.	

2.	It is the season of the latter rain.	

3.	The greatest rain is yet to come.

Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. – James 5:7