Conditions For Rain
As a worldwide church we Seventh-day Adventists have been praying for the latter rain to fall for a very long time. We believe in all ten of the Commandments; we have in various places at the same time humbled ourselves, gathered together and prayed, seeking God’s face; we believe that it is only by the grace of God in the shed blood of His Son Jesus Christ who died for us that man finds salvation.
We hold to the doctrine that the relevance of the sanctuary message is presently true, that what was carried out in the tabernacle and the temples on earth were but a pattern of that which is currently going on in heaven. Even in the Heavenly Sanctuary (the only prominent church that professes belief in this doctrine officially); the signs all around us have screamed for decades that Christ’s coming is right at the door and we pray for the latter rain. And yet the rain has not shown evidence of falling! Why!?….
Well, have we truly met ALL qualifications for the Holy Spirit to begin to abide with us in His fullness? As individuals maybe, but as the body of Christ are we spotless from ALL corruption? I’d like to draw your attention to Deuteronomy 11 starting from verse 10 and ending in verse 21.
Verses 11 and 12 hold close relation with the Sanctuary and its feasts. The feasts were dependent upon the farming cycle which in turn was heavily dependent on “the rain of heaven”.
Verses 13 and 14 clearly show that diligent keeping of God’s commandments led to the reception of the former and latter rain in order to yield their harvest. The keeping of God’s law brings the rain! But what was the chief hindrance or danger that God warned us would bring a closing of this vital water source? What would bring our downfall in keeping the whole law? Sabbathbreaking? Covetousness? Dishonouring our parents?
Verse 16: “Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them.”
Deception which leads to the worship of other gods. That would be the second commandment: no idolatry. This verse no doubt is related to Christ’s prophetic message on the Mount of Olives (Matt 24, Luke 21 [and part of 17] and Mark 13). This warning applied specifically to the apostles who would receive the former rain (Matt 24:4,5; Mark 13:5,6; Luke 21:8) and, by deduction, to those who will receive the latter rain (Mark 13:21-23; Matt 24:23-26).
Verse 17 of Deuteronomy 11 reveals the consequences of ignoring the Lord’s counsel: the heavens would shut up and there would be no rain. This was the story of Elijah’s call to ministry! In his time Elijah had to contend with false teachers, priests and prophets who worshiped false gods in groves and high places. Referring back to Matthew 24:26, its interesting to note that a desert is the opposite of a grove and a secret chamber is not as revealing as an idol altar set on a hill, places of idol worship that are all over the Old Testament books. Could it be that we have a similar situation? We only need look through the curses of Deuteronomy 28 to verify that. So what counters this? Moses continues in chapter 11 verses 18-21:
“Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes. And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt write them upon the door posts of thine house, and upon thy gates: That your days may be multiplied, and the days of your children, in the land which the LORD sware unto your fathers to give them, as the days of heaven upon the earth.”
It’s time to be sealed beloved. It’s high-time that we settle into the truth spiritually and mentally such that we cannot be moved and diligently teach our children to do the same. It is never too early to surround our children with the Law of God alone for it is the transcript of God’s character, and God is love. We ought to be like Him.
“Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” (Matthew 5:48)
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” (Romans 12:1-2)
“Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.” (Philippians 3:15)
“My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.” (James 1:2-6)
In no way should we think that of our own works we will reach perfection, that’s impossible. Only God is holy and we should do our part to make the effort to change from habits that God has revealed to us are contrary to His will, even His Law. And from God’s many warnings against idolatry and considering it is one of the commandments, we would do well to look into our history to see where we as a church erected an altar and misplaced our attribution of deliverance from Egypt to another deity.
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Thandeka Moyo is an organic farmer with a heart for serving others and a newfound love for history. He lives in the outskirts of Lilongwe, Malawi where he spends most of his time tending to the garden or conducting personal research. He also tutors students conducts jobs in his pick-up truck.