Growing up, the falling of rain engendered fun, play and outright tomfoolery. But we grew up(and sadly out of it), and we came to regard the rains with a lot more caution and reflection. A little while ago, it came upon me as I was meditating on the scriptures, that we could learn a little more from the rain that might help our human living after all.
The scriptures are full of the phraseology and symbolism of the rain — and Isaiah takes this particular imagery and uses it to demonstrate quite effectively the manner that God pleases to save and bless men:
Isa 45:8 Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness: let the earth open, and let them bring forth salvation, and let righteousness spring up together; I the LORD have created it.
Notice the following:
- Falling rain – the righteousness of God
- The earth receiving the rain and vegetation springing up – salvation/ righteousness springing up
Does this imply then that there is:
- A righteousness which we receive from God, as the soil receives rain from the heavens
- A righteousness which springs up from the heart, a consequence of the righteousness from above. Notably, this righteousness cannot spring up until the righteousness from above is received into the heart.
- The human will that consents to receive the word — the ground that drinks in the rain coming from above
- A transformation of the person — a springing up of new verdure as a result of the rains.
Notice this ideas as expressed in this disparate commentary:
The creative energy that called the world into existence is in the Word of God. This Word imparts power; it begets life. Every command is a promise; ACCEPTED BY THE WILL, RECEIVED INTO THE SOUL, it brings with it the life of the Infinite One. It TRANSFORMS the nature and recreates the soul in the image of God[the righteousness springing from the heart]1
The word of God(His promises and commands) — is symbolised by both rain and the seed. Note that the planting of the seed occurs before the watering : “Paul planted the seed, Apollos watered and God gave the increase”. Paul’s planting was by a preaching of the gospel, Apollos watering was by the very same work, a preaching of the gospel.
1Co 3:5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers BY WHOM YE BELIEVED, even as the Lord gave to every man?
1Co 3:6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.
The transformation of character — the growth of new foliage.
Heb 6:7 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:
Heb 6:8 But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.
The man that receives the blessings of God — and many of them often and undeservedly — and does not in gratitude to God bring forth good works, but rather multiplies sin in his life , is nigh unto cursing and his end is destruction.But the man that receives the blessings of God, undeservedly, and in gratitude receives them and brings forth good fruit — his faith is shown by his good works — will receive blessing from God.
From another angle — the reception of the rain by the earth mirrors the reception of the love of the truth into the heart, by which a man can then obey the truth. In this view, the truth is like a seed buried in the heart, and the love of the truth is the rain(the activating factor in the germination of the plant).
2Th 2:10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved
If we should positivise this statement in regard to the persons referred to, it would read: “they received the love of the truth, and thus were saved”. Salvation is thus a consequence of accepting a love for truth — which falls abundantly on us in due season like the rain do. The rains fall in season. In the Middle East, the historical context in which the authors wrote, there were 2 rain seasons – the early and the latter rain.
“The word for the former rains, yoreh, comes from the same root as to shoot or cast, or teach! Like an arrow being shot to its target, or information being directly delivered from teacher to pupil, the yoreh rains are sent down to soften up the ground, ready for the first round of planting. In fact, God’s teaching is also compared to the sending of rain in Deuteronomy 32:2,
“May my teaching drop as the rain, my speech distill as the dew, like gentle rain upon the tender grass, and like showers upon the herb”.
The three letter root for the word geshem(גשם) is also the root for the word lehitgashem(להתגשם), which means to fulfill or realise something. Making something come into being that was not, the way that rain causes things to sprout up into life from shrivelled, buried and invisible seeds
If the rain falling from above can bring shriveled, buried and apparently lifeless seeds to life , what can faith in God’s promises, The Living Word/ the seed of truth, do to the soul?
Isa 55:10 For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:
Isa 55:11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
God can call into existence things that only exist in seed form – the seeds of his word and his promises. And we can see them as if they already are, with eyes of faith“2
Notice that in the reception of the gifts of God, He expects us, not just to be recipients of these gifts, but givers as well. “That it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater.” Not just a consumer, but a producer; a thinker and not a mere reflector of other men’s thoughts. “Seed to the sower and bread to the eater”– Our lives and testimonies a living letter that can be read TO other men and BY other men. “Seed to the sower and bread to the eater”. Means by which other men are blessed. Sower (the man that teaches others) and eaters(the man that is seeking help, encouragement and blessing), ought to be fed from the granary of the mature man in Christ.
In another view, it is the word of God that brings to life that which was sown in the heart. The word of God, preached perhaps by another minister, or studied in the past, lying in the heart apparently forgotten — is brought to life and light in the season of the rains — in another season of preaching. Men, then, are not converted by rapture but in season.
“As winter’s chill may cause the tiny seed to fall
To lie asleep till waked by summer’s rain
The heart grown cold will warm and throb with life anew
The Master’s touch will bring the glow again”
– Stuart Hamblen
Jas 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
In the previous context, James highlights the oppression of the just and the prosperity of the wicked before the coming of the Lord then proceeds to show that the judgment of this class of men is sure but will come in due season. To illustrate this fact, he uses the imagery of the patient farmer awaiting his harvest — not until he has received the early rains(to soften the ground and germinate the plants), and the latter rains(to ripen the plant for the harvest) does he know the season of harvest is nigh.
Notice then, that:
- The punishment of the wicked in the plan of God is not arbitrary. It happens in due season.
- The reward of the righteous is also not arbitrary but in season.
Ecc 3:1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
Ecc 3:2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
Gal 6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
Gal 6:8 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.
Gal 6:9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
Gal 6:10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith
The patience of the saint is therefore exhibited practically in this :
- Not being weary in well doing — knowing that well doing shall in season be rewarded.
- Watching for opportunities to do others good, especially those of the faith.
Mat 5:43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
Mat 5:44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
Mat 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.
Mat 5:46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?
Mat 5:47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?
Mat 5:48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
God, in his sphere, dispenses indiscriminate blessings on a world that hates him, that would not want him to rule over them — a world that curses him, despitefully uses and persecutes his children. But in patience and loving-kindness, the sun, without fail arises to shine on the just and the unjust. His rain, falls indiscriminately on the field of righteous as well as of the wicked. We are to deal with our fellow men, by this template. To do indiscriminate goodness to all men is thus:
- to love our enemies(the opponents of the gospel and of holy living, the despisers of them that are good, the inveterate enemies of righteousness )
- To bless those that curse us
- To do good to those that hate us
- To pray for those who persecute us
- Ellen White, Signs of the Times Apr 11, 1906. Par. 7 ↩︎
- https://www.oneforisrael.org/bible-based-teaching-from-israel/the-former-latter-rains-in-israel/ ↩︎
Clear, loved “Men are not saved by rapture but in season” also the theme of patience as we wait for the rain to water the seemingly dormant seed.
“Here is the patience of the saints” — clearly nature has a lot to teach us esp concerning God’s dealings with us.