Israelite was entirely dependent for the fruit of I the earth upon the rain. That which marked the superiority of his land (or, rather, God's land) over the land of Egypt was that, while the latter had its river, and water-courses, yearly overflowing and bringing fruit-fulness, his land was watered with the rain of heaven, and so also was one where water sprung from hillside and valley." For the land whither thou goest in to possess it, is not as the land of Egypt, from whence ye came out, where thou sowedst thy seed, and wateredst it with thy foot, as a garden of herbs:but the land whither ye go in to possess it, is a land of hills and valleys, and drinketh water of the rain of heaven:a land which the Lord thy God careth for:the eyes of the Lord thy God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year, even unto the end of the year." (Deut. 11:10-12.)But from this very fact, while thus blessed with unsurpassed fertility when there was abundance of rain, if that was withheld, famine was the inevitable result. Blessed position for them, had they been but faithful to Him who never could disappoint those who looked to Him! We know that temporal prosperity was for Israel the sure index of their spiritual condition, hence as soon as unfaithfulness and sin on their part reached a climax, rain failed, and barrenness and poverty resulted. This was foretold while yet. they were in the wilderness:" If thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God . . . thy heaven that:is over thy head shall be brass, and the earth that is under thee shall be iron. The Lord shall make the rain of thy land powder and dust." (Deut. 28:15, 23, 24.) It was alluded to in Solomon's prayer at the dedication of the temple:"When heaven is shut up, and there is no rain because they have sinned against Thee." (i Kings 8:35.)It was illustrated in the history of Ahab. It was used as an argument by the prophets in leading Israel to repentance:"Neither say they in their heart, Let us now fear the Lord our God, that giveth rain, both the former and the latter, in his season:. . . Your iniquities have turned away these things." (Jer. 5:24, 25.)Sometimes, the more plainly to mark His dealings, He caused it to rain in one part of the land and not in another:"And I caused it to rain upon one city, and caused it not to rain upon another city:. . . Yet have ye not returned unto Me, saith the Lord." (Amos 4:7, 8.)The rain was needed at and soon after sowing time to cause the seed to sprout and grow-this was the early rain:it was also needed toward the close of the season, to bring to maturity what had progressed so far. If the early rain were withheld, there could be no sowing; if the latter rain failed, there could be no reaping.

Passing from the literal to that of which it was the type, we find Israel's history, both past and future, an illustration of God's dealings, as based upon their state. Beginning with the deliverance from Egypt, and planting in the land (which, in the mind of God, were consecutive events), we have what might be called " the early rain "- "the love of thine espousals. . . . Israel was holiness unto the Lord." (Jer. 2:2.) Under Samuel, David, Jehoshaphat, and other faithful ones, we have more showers of refreshing connected with this period of their history. A long period of spiritual death succeeds, until again God brings near a cloud, heavier, fuller of rain than any before; what would, in fact, have been (and will yet be) a cloud of the latter rain. The Lord Jesus Himself was presented to them, ready to pour forth all the rich blessings which are yet in reserve. The time of fruit was not to be yet, and rejecting Him they have been left in drought ever since, and will be until they repent, and having their sins blotted out, times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. Meanwhile the vineyard, so long unfruitful, has been thrown open for the boar of the forest to waste (Isa. 5:) But what was in hardness refused, God, whose gifts and calling are without repentance, has yet in reserve for them. " He shall send Jesus which before was preached unto you." He, their true King, whose favor is as a cloud of the latter rain, shall come. He shall come as rain upon the mown grass, and poor Israel shall at last blossom and bud and fill the face of the earth with fruit. How beautiful it is to see all nature rejoicing, the trees of the field clapping their hands, the desert blossoming as the rose, shadows of that blooming forth and fruit-bearing of what will indeed be then God's "pleasant plant"! The nation at last, as a "watered garden," will say to Him, who long and often came seeking fruit in vain, "Let my Beloved come into His garden, and eat His pleasant fruits." (Song 4:16.)

It is well, however, to mark the stages of this blessing. " In those days, and at that time, saith the Lord, the children of Israel shall come, they and the children of Judah together, going and weeping:they shall go, and seek the Lord their God. They shall ask the way to Zion with their faces thither ward." (Jer. 1. 4, 5.) "I will pour upon the house of David, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications:and they shall look upon Me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for Him, as one mourneth for his only son, . . . every family apart, and their wives apart." (Zech. 12:10,12.) When Israel repents, the latter rain will come; nay, their very repentance is, as it were, the first droppings of that mighty shower which bring all past flowers of promise to fruit of accomplishment. "Thou visitest the earth and waterest it:Thou greatly enrichest it with the river of God which is full of water:Thou preparest them corn, when Thou hast so provided for it. Thou waterest the ridges thereof abundantly:Thou settlest the furrows thereof:Thou makest it soft with showers:Thou blessest the springing thereof. . . . The pastures are clothed with flocks; the valleys also are covered over with corn; they shout for joy, they also sing." (Ps. 65:9-13; Isa. 62:4, 5; Hos. 2:19-22.)

But deeply interesting and delightful as the consideration of all this is, have we not truth here which will apply to the Church of God ? Earthly things are types of heavenly, and principles remain unchanged. Beginning at Pentecost, we have the early rain-that shower which fell on dry soil and quickened dead souls, by the incorruptible seed of the Word of God, into life. How fresh and bright all was at the first! Neither property, as in the case of Barnabas, and many others, nor life itself, as with Stephen, could be withheld. But in a little while it had to be written of some, " I am afraid of you," of others, "Thou hast left thy first love." The subsequent history of the church has been but a repetition of Israel's departure from God, with resulting barrenness, and darkness deepening on, till God in mercy granted some measure of recovery. But it may be asked, Does not the Spirit dwell in the Church; do we have to wait "till the Spirit be poured out upon us from on high?" Surely not; yet where self-will and unbelief hinder and quench the Spirit, the effect is much the same as though He were not present. So we see to-day a dryness, not merely in the professing church, but even among God's own people. Then the longing question rises in the hearts of those who "sigh and cry," Is there riot something for the Church to answer to the latter rain in Israel? True, our coming Lord will forever banish all drought; but ere He comes, is there nothing of a general awakening amongst the saints of God-a bringing to maturity of some, at least, of that promise of fruit there was at the beginning ? We read that after the midnight cry had gone forth, all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. May there not be something corresponding to this ? The cry has gone forth, but has there been such a general response as we might be led to expect? We would not dictate to our ever blessed God, but we would learn from all His ways of love not to limit Him. Is there to be no going forth of the gospel in greater power and blessing, to gather in many precious souls ere the day of grace ends ? We may not answer definitely, but at least for us as for Israel the path is plain, – repentance, prayer, returning to the Lord, putting off all ornaments (all boasting in attainment) to see what He will do with us.
Coming nearer home is the wondrous testimony raised up in these last days, once characterized by faith, love, and hope, singleness of eye, devotedness of heart, loyalty to the Person of our ever blessed Lord-is this light to flicker out, quenched by pride, strife, worldliness? Enough has occurred, and is occurring, to make one tremble; on the one hand assumption, and a high hand, dangerously resembling Diotrephes, in 3 John; on the other, looseness and indifference to Christ's person and honor, which needs to heed the stimulating word in 2 John. What is to become of the testimony ? Is it any sign of a spiritual mind to quietly fold our hands and say, "God never restores a ruined testimony?" True, perhaps, but may He not strengthen and freshen the things that remain, and recover very many of His scattered sheep ? What limit is there here, but that which coldness and unbelief imposes ? If there is straitness, we know where it is. If the heart of an apostle was enlarged unto his brethren, what shall we say of His heart who gave His own blessed Son ?

To come nearer home still:to each one individually, there was a time when Christ was the chiefest among ten thousand, perhaps He is less so now. Once, God's Word was rejoiced in as when one findeth great spoil; now, perhaps, a hasty occasional glance, in a perfunctory way, is all that is given to it. Once, prayer, alone and in fellowship with others, was the " vital breath and native air." God was very near, unseen things were very real. Now, perhaps, all this is changed. Something has turned the heart from Christ, and oh! what leanness! It will not do to put off these things from us with a general acknowledgment that we all need a closer walk with God. We need to ask ourselves if this is true of us, and if so, does God intend that we should continue in such a state till death takes us to Christ, or He comes for us. Surely there is not a line of scripture to warrant such conclusion. Oh! beloved brethren! our God would have us each and all to taste and drink more deeply from the eternal fullness of that well which is even now within us. Let there be hearty confession, true lowliness, a rending of the heart-a cry to God, and would not that of itself be the beginning of a season of blessing to our own souls, overflowing into other souls, until, who knows where the blessed result would end ? Shall we say of these things as they did of Ezekiel's message, " Doth he not speak parables ?" or shall we bow our knees with our hearts in a whole-hearted prayer, " O Lord, revive Thy work "?