ASK OF THE LORD RAIN IN THE TIME OF THE LATTER RAIN

This is ‘one of the most beautiful scriptures in the Old Testament in reference to prayer and God’s manner of answering’, DAVID BARON.

God exhorts His people to ask Him for rain. The Old Testament, written in the Middle East, constantly stresses that the God of Israel and He alone is the giver of rain, Jer. 14. 22. The Creator and Sustainer of the universe is Sovereign of the weather. The latter rain is the spring rain. The autumn or former rains prepared the soil. The spring rains matured the crops for harvest. Both former and latter rains are promised by the Lord to His obedient people, Deut. 11. 13-15.

Rain was indispensable for life in Israel. Thus, the rain includes all other temporal blessings and symbolizes all spiritual ones. Israel shall yet enjoy the full provision of her Shepherd King; God is the giver of every good and perfect gift, giving us richly all things to enjoy, Jas. 1. 17; 1 Tim. 6. 17.

God’s promise is the incentive to pray. He exhorts us to seek His blessing and promises to grant it. The promises of God are the fuel on the altar of His people’s prayers. It is in answer to believing prayer that He bestows His gifts. So often we forget this! James reminded his readers ‘ye have not, because ye ask not’, Jas. 4. 2; God is well able to answer prayer. He delights to do so. The Lord Jesus promises that what we ask in faith we shall receive, Matt. 21. 22. Can we not take Him at His word?

God’s liberality is the index of His response. He says that if asked for rain He will give ‘pouring rain’, DAVID BARON. He is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask, Eph. 3. 20. Thus He glorifies His grace and encourages us to trust Him and to value prayer. We can never ask too much.

God’s fatherly concern secures the individualization of His promised blessings. To each is given ‘grass in the field’. Not one is left out of the bountiful provision.

The Lord knows all His people intimately. He is able to bless each of us personally with the very blessing that we most need. Seek that promised blessing as you seek His face today.