'And it shall come to pass, if ye shall hearken diligently unto My commandments which I command you this day, to love the LORD your God, and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul, that I will give you the rain of your land in his due season, the first rain and the latter rain, that thou mayest gather in thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil, and I will send grass in thy fields for thy cattle, that thou mayest eat and be full. Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them; And then the LORD'S wrath be kindled against you, and He shut up the heaven, that there be no rain, and that the land yield not her fruit; and lest ye perish quickly from off the good land which the LORD giveth you. 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.' (Deuteronomy 11:14-18).
* 'The first (early) rain' - Falling in the middle of October to January, preparing ground for seeds.
* 'The latter rain' - Falling in March and April, bringing on the harvest.
(ref:Bible marginal notes)
'Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God:
for He hath given you the former rain moderately,
and He will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month.
And the floors shall be full of wheat, and the fats shall overflow with wine and oil.
And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller,
and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you.
And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God,
that hath dealt wondrously with you: and My people shall never be ashamed.
And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel,
and that I am the LORD your God, and none else:
and My people shall never be ashamed.' (Joel 2:23-27)
'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.
Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.' (Jas 5:7)
* This is Israel centred, and will be the result of their repentance, at the coming of the Lord. I think of Acts 3:18-19, where Peter calls on Israel to repent:-
'Repent ye therefore, and be converted,
that your sins may be blotted out,
when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;
And He shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you:
Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things,
which God hath spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began.' (Act 3:19-21)
Thank you
In Christ Jesus
Chris