December 27 – What Is the “Latter Rain”?

TODAY’S BIBLE READING CHALLENGE:
  Zechariah 10:1-11:17
  Revelation 18:1-24
  Psalm 146:1-10
  Proverbs 30:33

Zechariah 10:1 — David Wilkerson believes the “latter rain” is spiritual, talking about a revival movement of the Holy Spirit. While the timing of the “latter rain” is a matter of eschatological dispute, Wilkerson adds a helpful caution to his desire for Holy Spirit revival: “Many so-called Holy-Ghost movements vanished quickly because they were man-centered, focusing on gifts, blessings, self-improvement, happiness.”

However, we’re probably safer taking a narrower interpretation. Within the context of the chapter, it’s referring to God’s future dealing with Israel and not the Church. Note the frequency of the word “again”:

• “I will bring them again … they shall be as though I had not cast them off” (Zechariah 10:6)
• “they shall remember me … turn again” (Zechariah 10:9)
• “I will bring them again” (Zechariah 10:10)

Zechariah 10:4 — John MacArthur identifies this as a Messianic prophecy:

• He notes “the corner” is the “precious cornerstone” in Isaiah 28:16, the “stumbling stone” of Romans 9:32, and described in 1 Corinthians 1:23, Ephesians 2:20, Daniel 2:34, and Matthew 21:44.
• He compares “the nail” to Eliakim in Isaiah 22:23, where “the Eliakim nail will be cut off, not the nail that is referring to Christ.”
• He argues that the “battle bow” is identified with Zechariah 9:13 and Revelation 19:11.

Zechariah 11:12-13 — 1 Peter 1:11 comes to mind. Zechariah must have wondered why God included this, and it wasn’t until Matthew 27:9-10 that it was identified as a Messianic prophecy. The New Testament attributes it to Jeremiah, the first of the prophets in the Hebrew Bible.

Zechariah 11:16 — God is raising up a bad shepherd? Similar to the lying spirit of 1 Kings 22:23, in order to bring judgment upon His people.

Revelation 18:4 — In 2 Corinthians 6:17, God says to come out from unbelievers; if you lose your father, He will be a father to you.

Revelation 18:24 — Many people wonder why God doesn’t judge the wicked. The problem is that their timetable isn’t God’s. God will judge the wicked – He keeps track of every wrong.

Psalm 146:4 — Note the contrast – man returns to his earth (dirt), as opposed to the Maker of the earth (Psalm 146:6). Trust in the LORD!

Proverbs 30:33 — As James 1:20 tells us, “For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.”

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