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Are you receiving the latter rain? It is falling now! | Part A

The King James Version (KJV) is mostly used in these lessons. Click here to access the KJV online.
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Sincere Christians have anticipated with longing the “Latter Rain,” or the promised “refreshing” of the Holy Spirit that they expect will get them ready to give the Loud Cry just before the return of Yahushua to set up the kingdom of heaven on earth. An overlooked verse in Deuteronomy reveals that the “Latter Rain” is quite different than what has been expected and it is already being poured out!

The Iroquois Theatre, Chicago, Illinois, in December 1903

The Iroquois Theatre, Chicago, Illinois, in December 1903.

When the Iroquois Theatre opened on November 23, 1903, it was widely exalted as an example of what theaters should be. The location, near the police-patrolled Loop shopping district, was very safe. The Chicago Daily News trumpeted: “No theater anywhere is handsomer than the Iroquois. Except L’Opera in Paris, no theater I ever saw is so resplendently spirited in architecture.”1 The Chicago Tribune was even more effusive in its praise, declaring:

A playhouse so splendid in its every appointment, so beautiful in its every part, so magnificent and yet so comfortable, Chicago has heretofore not been able to call its own. The Iroquois is certainly unrivaled in perfection among the regular amusement places of the west, and it is doubtful if the east can boast more than one or two houses that are its equal.2

Advertisements and playbills lauded the building as “Absolutely Fireproof.”3

Thirty-eight days later, on December 30, the theater was filled to capacity. An estimated 2,100-2,200 people squeezed in for a matinee performance. At least 200 patrons—mostly women and children—had no seats but were allowed to stand in the back and sit in the aisles.

Shortly into the second act, a muslin curtain caught fire. Within two minutes, the entire fly gallery above the stage was engulfed in flames. Eddie Foy, an actor in the play, tried to prevent a dangerous stampede of the audience by encouraging, “Keep your seats. It is nothing. It will be out in a minute. Play, Dillea, play!”4 Musical director, Joseph Dillea, followed Foy’s advice and played on.

The Iroquois Theatre fire aftermath (Chicago, Illinois)

Bodies were piled 10 feet deep inside doorways locked, or insufficient for the mass of people pressing behind.

Over 600 people died as a result of the fire, most within minutes.

This one tragedy in an “Absolutely Fireproof” building—a fire that was dismissed as “Nothing. It will be out in a minute”—remains the deadliest single-building fire as well as the deadliest theater fire in US history.

The theatergoers, hearing the fire dismissed as nothing more than a minor inconvenience, had no idea that, even as they sat listening to the orchestra play, flames were racing ever closer, hungrily devouring everything in their path. They expected a pleasurable conclusion to a pleasant outing. They expected to return home in a couple hours time.

The reality was events were already occurring which would prevent hundreds from ever realizing their expectations.

The somber truth is that this very same scenario is being repeated today, but this time, much more is at stake: the eternal salvation of multitudes.

The Early Rain

The outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost was a spiritual event of stupendous significance.

And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. (Acts 2:1-4, KJV)

The tremendous gift of the Holy Spirit poured out without measure, provided the impetuous, the power, to enable the early believers to take the gospel message to the known world in a single generation. This was the arrival of the promised “Comforter” and it was poured out as the “early rain.”

What is even more precious to believers today, is the discovery of a text in the Old Testament that promises a repeat of this gift, only this time, in “latter rain” power. “Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in Yahuwah your Eloah: 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, KJV)

Precious promise! An outpouring of the Holy Spirit to purify the soul and life, to get a people ready to meet Yahushua in the skies and give them power to take the last warning message to the world. Many believers look to this promised event with longing. They yearn for purification. They want to cooperate with Heaven in taking the Loud Cry (last warning) to the world, and they pray for Yahuwah to send the latter rain to prepare them for earth’s closing scenes.

Tragically, many are making the exact same mistake the people made at the Iroquois Theater, as they settled back in their seats and calmly listened to the music, fully expecting to return home after the performance. They are putting the expected latter rain off to the future while, at this very moment, events are transpiring that can very well prevent them from joining with Yahushua when he returns soon to set up Yahuwah's kingdom on earth.

To understand why this confusion has occurred, it is necessary to understand what the early and latter rains in Palestine were, and what they are when used as symbols.

Rainstorms

I grew up in the gently rolling hills of wheat country. It was very dry and arid. Annual precipitation was about 20 inches (50 cm.), mostly from fall and spring rains and winter snows. The farmers had perfected the art of dry land farming. They would plant winter wheat in the autumn. It would sprout and begin to grow. When winter came, the young wheat would wait, protected from severe cold under a sheltering blanket of snow. When the spring rains fell, the wheat grew to maturity quickly. It then dried out under the hot summer sun before being harvested in July.

This yearly cycle was similar, in many ways, to how grain was grown in the arid climes of Palestine. Farmers planted in the fall. They harvested barley in the spring and wheat in the summer. Israelite farmers were dependent upon two rainy seasons to grow their crops. The “early rain” fell shortly after planting in the fall. This sprouted the grains and began their growth.

The “latter rain” fell at the end of the growth cycle, in the spring, and brought the grains to maturity. The latter rain insured a bountiful harvest.

It is not surprising that the Spirit of Inspiration would choose to use the early and latter rains as symbols of the spiritual growth and maturation of believers at Pentecost and, again, just before Yahushua’s return.

Yes, but…what is it?

So…the latter rain is the Holy Spirit. But what, specifically, does that mean? How does it get the believer ready for Yahushua's soon return?

The answer to this question reveals a thrilling truth: the latter rain has already started! It is being poured out now!

Yahushua explained the special work of the Holy Spirit, stating:

I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.

And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:

Of sin, because they believe not on me;

Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;

Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.

I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.

Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. (John 16:7-14, KJV)

The Holy Spirit is given to instruct! To educate the humble learner in the truths of Heaven. The “latter rain,” then, is advanced truth!

This fact is established by two important verses, hidden in the book of Deuteronomy: “Give ear, O ye heavens, and I will speak; and hear, O earth, the words of My mouth. My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass.” (Deuteronomy 32:1-2, KJV)

The latter rain is doctrine. It is new light! To stand in the sight of a holy Yah without a mediator requires the restoration of truths long hidden. Truths buried under layers of ignorance, superstition and man-made traditions are restored under the life-giving showers of the latter rain.

And this is already happening!

Increasing Light

Those who cling to old customs and hoary errors have lost sight of the fact that light is ever increasing upon the path of all who follow [Yahushua]; truth is constantly unfolding to the people of [Yah]. We must be continually advancing if we are following our Leader. It is when we walk in the light that shines upon us, obeying the truth that is open to our understanding, that we receive greater light. We cannot be excusable in accepting only the light which our fathers had one hundred years ago. If our God-fearing fathers had seen what we see, and heard what we hear, they would have accepted the light, and walked in it. If we desire to imitate their faithfulness, we must receive the truths open to us, as they received those presented to them; we must do as they would have done, had they lived in our day.5

Increased light is a tremendous gift. Yahuwah empowers His children by gifting them with ever increasing knowledge, wisdom and comprehension of the deep things of Yah. Infinite love is demonstrated by not withholding any truth, which when accepted, will strengthen and equip the soul on its earthly journey. When His people hunger and thirst for His rays of light, the Father never disappoints them.
 


1 Amy Leslie, quoted in Chicago Death Trap: The Iroquois Theatre Fire of 1903, by Nat Brandt, p. 25.
2
W. H. Hubbard, ibid.
3
Brandt, p. 5.
4
Christopher Cerf, The Experts Speak, p. 247.
5
Ellen G. White, Historical Sketches, p. 197.
6
Ellen G. White, Manuscript Releases, No. 209, pp. 431-432.
7
The Home Missionary, September 1, 1894.


WLC Source: https://www.worldslastchance.com/end-time-prophecy/the-latter-rain-is-falling-are-you-receiving-it.html