THE LATTER RAIN AND THE REFRESHING

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Tuesday, May 12, 1885

FromAdvent Review and Sabbath Herald, Vol. 62, No. 19

THE LATTER RAIN AND THE REFRESHING

A CORRESPONDENT writes that he understands the position taken in the article on “The Judgment of the Great Day,” in the REVIEW of April 7, is that the latter rain is not poured out upon the church till probation is ended for all; and he asks a further explanation of the subject.

The article referred to did not undertake to discuss particularly the time and nature of the latter rain. The position taken, however, in regard to the time of probation, was that both righteous and wicked stand at that point together. We do not see that the probation of one class can end before that of the other. This seems evident from the nature of the work in the heavenly sanctuary. The end of probation is the close of the ministry of Christ as mediator in the sanctuary. And when that work is done all cases are decided. When the righteous are accepted, the wicked are rejected, and then there is no more work of mercy to be done for them.

As set forth in the article referred to, the close of this line marks a new era in the experience of both the righteous and the wicked, the former receiving special blessings, to which such passages as Acts 3:19; 2 Pet. 1:19; Rev. 2:28; 3:20; and 22:16 apply, and the latter (the wicked) receiving special judgments as embodied in the seven last plagues. At the same time we understand that at an indefinite period before the close of probation is reached, the latter rain, or a special outpouring of the Spirit, commences upon the church, and the time of trouble commences upon the wicked. The latter rain continues with the church till Christ comes, culminating after the close of probation, in the blessing of Acts 3:19, and the other texts referred to; the time of trouble continues upon the wicked till Christ comes, culminating, in their cases, after probation ends, in the seven last plagues.

This distinction seems to be necessary from the fact that there are evidently some blessings promised which cannot come upon the church till they are sealed and placed beyond the danger of falling, just as there are some judgments which cannot fall upon the wicked till their probation is ended, and mercy is clean withdrawn. The passage in Acts 3:19 locates very clearly the time of this special blessing for the people of God. “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out [Gr. ὅπως, so that] the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.” This clearly teaches this special refreshing after the blotting out of the sins of the people of God, and as a consequence of that work in their behalf.

But when this refreshing has once been received by the saints, it would seem impossible for them to lose it. When the day dawns to them and the morning star has arisen in their hearts (2 Pet. 1:19; Rev. 22:16), they can no more fall into darkness. When they have opened the door so that Christ comes in to sup with them, and they with him (Rev. 3:20), they can no more lose his presence. But before they reach this state, before their probation ends, they receive a great outpouring of the Spirit, the beginning of the latter rain, by which they are enabled to close up their final work for the world. Under the influence of this blessing we understand they will go forth proclaiming the Sabbath more fully, and setting forth all the truth with mighty power. This will be the loud cry of the closing stage of the third angel’s message; when this is done, and probation ends, then they receive that final measure of blessing, as set forth in the texts referred to, which fits them up to pass through the time of trouble without a mediator.

According to this view, the term “latter

rain” embraces all that is mentioned in the texts above, as Acts 3:19, etc., begins to apply at a later point of time, covers a longer period, and includes more; just as the expression, “the time of trouble,” while it includes the seven last plagues, begins before the plagues commence, and embraces more than they contain.

The relation of these divisions of the work may be clearly understood by grouping together the principal facts and dates, as in the following arrangement.

Latter Rain. Hos. 6:3.


Loud cry of the message.	Probation ends. Saints sealed. Refreshing. Acts 3:19. Day Star arises, and Day dawns. 2 Pet. 1:19; Rev. 3:20.	Christ comes.

Time of Trouble. Dan. 12:1.


World hears and rejects message.	Probation ends. Seven last plagues.	Christ comes.

It will be seen from this arrangement that the latter rain and the time of trouble cover the same period. The first part of the time is devoted to the closing up of the last message of mercy to the world, during which, under the first outpourings of the latter rain, the saints utter the proclamation in great power; and the wicked, under the infliction of those judgments which constitute the first division of the time of trouble, hear and reject the message. Probation ends, and the latter rain culminates in a final blessing upon the church, and the time of trouble culminates in the seven last plagues upon the wicked. This view of blessing to come upon the saints as they receive the seal of God at the close of probation, does not in any wise conflict with the position that the saints are to pass through an experience represented by “Jacob’s trouble” (tsarah, distress), just before their translation.