FORMER & LATTER RAIN

INDUCTIVE BIBLE TOPIC STUDY

FORMER & LATTER RAIN

By Dennis Schmidt 9/2007

RETURN TO THE: BIBLE PAPERS HOME PAGE

This paper discusses the early (former) and latter rain, its meaning and its significance. The former rain fell in October when planting took place. The early rains symbolized God's dealing with Israel. God planted a people to be called by His name. The people rejected God. After some period of time, God will restore the people of Israel to their original place. The latter rain fell in March/April which ripen and matured the crop. The latter rain symbolizes Israel's restoration, God's blessings and God's use of the Israel. All scriptures are from the King James' version Bible.

INDUCTIVE COMMENTS:

THEME: LATTER DAY RAINS CONNECTION WITH GOD BLESSINGS TO ISRAEL:

God planned an end time harvest of souls, by Jews, for His Kingdom.

Hosea 6:1-3 "Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up. {2} After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight. {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." God in the latter days will bless His people Israel by re-calling them & saving them.

PURPOSE: GOD'S RESULTS: The Jewish people will bring a revival to the earth.

Isaiah 2:2-3 "And it shall come to pass in the last days, <that> the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. {3} And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem." Also see Micah 4:1-5

Zechariah 8:22-23 "Yea, many people and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the LORD. {23} Thus saith the LORD of hosts; In those days <it shall come to pass>, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard <that> God <is> with you."

Zechariah 14:16 "And it shall come to pass, <that> every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles."

James 5:7-8 "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. {8} Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh."

1 Peter 1:23 "Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth & abideth forever."

KEY VERSE:

WHO: God mainly by Bible authors Moses, Hosea, Zechariah, Matthew, John, James, and Paul

TO WHOM: Elected Hebrew Christians (Fulfilled Jews)

WHAT: LATTER DAY RAINS CONNECTION WITH GOD BLESSINGS TO ISRAEL:

God planned an end time harvest of souls, by Jews, for His Kingdom.

See Romans 11:25 - 27 & also Zechariah 13:1 - 14:9.

Romans 11:25-27 "For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. {26} And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: {27} For this <is> my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins"

James 5:7 "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." Husbandman waited.until he received early & latter rain

Israel's believed that just as the seasonal rains came to revive the earth, God's favor would come to revive his people.

WHY: SOWING: God does the sowing, & we do the harvesting of God's work.

Hosea 10:12 "Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for <it is> time to seek the LORD, till he come and rain righteousness upon you."

Luke 8:5 "A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it." See also parable of sower Matthew 13:3-12 & 18-23

2 Corinthians 9:6 "But this <I say>, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully."

Galatians 6:7-9 "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. {8} For he that

soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. {9} And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not."

WAY: RAIN'S - CAUSE & EFFECT: Rain produces growth of both trees (fruits) and weeds (tares). Early rain starts the seed off. Latter heavy rain gave them growth. God supplies the rain.

Leviticus 26:4 "Then I will give you rain in due season, and the land shall yield her increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit."

Deuteronomy 11:14 "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."

Jeremiah 5:24 "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."

Joel 2:23 "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>."

Zechariah 10:1 "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 every one grass in the field."

Zechariah 14:17 "And it shall be, <that> whoso will not come up of <all> the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain."

James 5:7-8 Be patient..unto the coming of the Lord: God will cause the results He wants. He will cause the Jewish people to be saved (Romans 11:20). He will use the Jewish people to save other (Zechariah 8:22-23).

1 Corinthians 1:7 "So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ:"

1 Thessalonians 2:19 "For what <is> our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? <Are> not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?"

WHEREAS:

144,000 JEWISH WITNESSES: God will use 144,000 Jewish people from the 12 tribes to witness to the earth. A might revival will occur.

Revelation 7:3-4 "Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. {4} And I heard the number of them which were sealed: <and there were> sealed an hundred <and> forty <and> four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel."

Revelation 14:1 "And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty <and> four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads."

Revelation 14:4 "These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, <being> the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb."

2 JEWISH WITNESSES: God will use 2 particular Jewish people to witness to the whole earth.

Revelation 11:3-7 "And I will give <power> unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred <and> threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. {4} These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth. {5} And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed. {6} These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will. {7} And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them."

Olive trees are a symbol of Israel or Jewish peoples in scriptures.

Signs and wonders will follow their ministry.

Revelation 11:11-12 "And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them. {12} And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them."

WHERE: Earth

WHEN: All Times

WHILE: TARES, THORNS, & WEEDS: As the fruit matures so will the tares.

Matthew 5:45 "That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust."

Matthew 13:24-25 "Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: {25} But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way."

Matthew 13:30 "Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn."

Hebrews 6:7-8 "For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God: {8} But that which beareth thorns and briers <is> rejected, and <is> nigh unto cursing; whose end <is> to be burned."

WANT: HARVEST: Rewards of God's blessing on man's labors.

Matthew 9:37 "Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly <is> plenteous, but the labourers <are> few;"

Luke 10:2 "Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly <is> great, but the labourers <are> few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest."

John 4:35 "Say not ye, There are yet four months, and <then> cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest."

Galatians 6:9 "And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not."

PAPER OUTLINE:

I) LATTER DAY RAINS CONNECTION WITH GOD BLESSINGS TO ISRAEL:

II) SOWING:

III) RAIN'S - CAUSE & EFFECT:

IV) TARES, THORNS, & WEEDS:

A) HARVEST:

B) 144,000 JEWISH WITNESSES:

C) 2 JEWISH WITNESSES:

V) GOD'S RESULTS:

I) LATTER DAY RAINS CONNECTION WITH GOD BLESSINGS TO ISRAEL:

God planned an end time harvest of souls, by Jews, for His Kingdom.

See my paper: "Israel & Jewish People in God's Plan" for more information on this subject.

See my paper: "God's Plan and Purpose for the Ages" for more information on this subject.

See Romans 11:25 - 27 & also Zechariah 13:1 - 14:9.

James 5:7 Husbandman waiteth..until he receive..early & latter rain

Israel's believed that just as the seasonal rains came to revive the earth, God's favor would come to revive his people.

II) SOWING: God does the sowing, & we do the harvesting of God's work.

See my paper: "Walk as Jesus Walked" for more information on this subject.

Hosea 10:12 "Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for <it is> time to seek the LORD, till he come and rain righteousness upon you."

Luke 8:5 "A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it." See also parable of Sower Matthew 13:3-12 & 18-23

2 Corinthians 9:6 "But this <I say>, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully."

Galatians 6:7-9 "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. {8} For he that

III) RAIN'S - CAUSE & EFFECT: Rain produces growth of both trees (fruits) and weeds (tares). Early rain starts the seed off. Latter heavy rain gave them growth. God supplies the rain.

Leviticus 26:4 "Then I will give you rain in due season, and the land shall yield her increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit."

Deuteronomy 11:14 "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."

Zechariah 10:1 "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 every one grass in the field."

Zechariah 14:17 "And it shall be, <that> whoso will not come up of <all> the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain."

James 5:7-8 Be patient..unto the coming of the Lord: God will cause the results He wants. He will cause the Jewish people to be saved (Romans 11:20). He will use the Jewish people to save other (Zechariah 8:22-23).

1 Corinthians 1:7 "So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ:"

1 Thessalonians 2:19 "For what <is> our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? <Are> not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?"

IV) TARES, THORNS, & WEEDS: As the fruit matures so will the tares.

See my paper: "Christian Growth" for more information on this subject.

Matthew 5:45 "That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust."

A) HARVEST: Rewards of God's blessing on man's labors.

Matthew 9:37 "Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly <is> plenteous, but the labourers <are> few;"

Luke 10:2 "Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly <is> great, but the labourers <are> few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest."

John 4:35 "Say not ye, There are yet four months, and <then> cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest."

Galatians 6:9 "And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not."

B) 144,000 JEWISH WITNESSES: God will use 144,000 Jewish people from the 12 tribes to witness to the earth. A might revival will occur.

See my paper: "End Times Events - Day of the Lord" for more information on this subject.

Revelation 14:1 "And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty <and> four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads."

C) 2 JEWISH WITNESSES: God will use 2 particular Jewish people to witness to the whole earth.

Olive trees are a symbol of Israel or Jewish peoples in scriptures.

Signs and wonders will follow their ministry.

V) GOD'S RESULTS: The Jewish people will bring a revival to the earth.

See my paper: "Restoration of the Kingdom of God to Israel" for more information on this subject.

See my paper: "Man's Greatest Need - Relationship with God" for more information on this subject.

1 Peter 1:23 "Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth & abideth forever."

RETURN TO THE: BIBLE PAPERS HOME PAGE

This page is maintained by Dennis Schmidt. Please send your questions or comments to (dennisschmidt@att.net)