THE LATTER RAIN

Bible Study

Written by

Pastor Janice L. Williams

SCRIPTURES PRINTED IN RED ARE WORDS SPOKEN BY JESUS.

BIBLE STUDY FOR WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 16th-23rd, 2009

KJV = KING JAMES VERSION * BIBLE TRANSLATION USED FOR THIS BIBLE STUDY

LET'S LOOK AT SOME WORD DEFINITIONS FOR THIS BIBLE STUDY

• FORMER RAIN - The outpouring of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost that established the church.

• PENTECOST- Christianity * Christian celebration: A Christian festival celebrated the seventh Sunday after Resurrection Sunday that  commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles.  Also called Whitsunday.  U.K. term Whit Sunday [please review #11 "PENTECOST, Holy Spirit Baptism" Weekly Bible Study]

• LATTER RAIN - The current and coming move of the Holy Spirit that will bring the churches work to completion and culminate in THE SECOND COMING OF JESUS CHRIST, WHICH WAS AND IS ABOUT TO OCCUR.
• ZION - Hebrew transliterated Zion or Sion, is a term that most often designates the Land of Israel, and it's capital, Jerusalem.  The word is found in texts dating back almost three thousand years.  It commonly refered to a specific mountain near Jerusalem, on which stood a Jebusite fortress of the same name that was conquered by David, and named the City of David.  The term Zion came to designate the area of Jerusalem where the fortress stood, and later became a metonym for:
• 1. Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem
• 2. The City of Jerusalem [literal geographical meaning of Zion]
• 3. In the Bible, Mount Hermon - located in the extreme northeast of Israel - is sometimes called Mount Sion.  Deuteronomy 4:48 KJV
• 4. Holy City Of God - Revlation 21:2 KJV
• 5. The New Jerusalem - Revelation 21:2
• 6. The entire Promised Land to come, in which, according to the Bible, God dwells among his chosen people: born again believers in the body of Christ who have been birthed into the family of God by the Holy Spirit.  PLEASE REVIEW #29 "YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN" Weekly Bible Study.  [Revelation 21:2 thru 7 KJV * 2/And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.  3/ And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.  4/ And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.  5/ And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new.  And he said unto me, write: for these words are true and faithful.  6/ And he said unto me, It is done.  I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end.  I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.  7/ He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.]

Longing for Zion, started with the deportation and enslavement of Jews during the Babylonian captivity.  This longing for Zion was later expressed by Christian Black slaves in the United States, and after the civil war by blacks who were still oppressed.  To this degree, Zion symbolizes a longing by displaced peoples for a safe homeland.  For others it has taken on a more spiritual meaning, such as a longing for a spiritual homeland like in heaven.   

JOEL 2:23 thru 32 KJV

• 23/ 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.  24/ AND THE FLOORS SHALL BE FULL OF WHEAT, AND THE VATS SHALL OVERFLOW WITH WINE AND OIL.  25/ AND I WILL RESTORE TO YOU THE YEARS THAT THE LOCUST HATH EATEN, THE CANKERWORM, AND THE CATERPILLAR, AND THE PALMERWORM, MY GREAT ARMY WHICH I SENT AMONG YOU.  26/ AND YE SHALL EAT IN PLENTY, AND BE SATISFIED, AND PRAISE THE NAME OF THE LORD YOUR GOD, THAT HATH DEALT WONDEROUSLY WITH YOU: AND MY PEOPLE SHALL NEVER BE ASHAMED.  27/ 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.  28/ AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS AFTERWARD, THAT I WILL POUR OUT MY SPIRIT UPON ALL FLESH; AND YOUR SONS AND YOUR DAUGHTERS SHALL PROPHESY, YOUR OLD MEN SHALL DREAM DREAMS, YOUR YOUNG MEN SHALL SEE VISIONS: 29/ AND ALSO UPON THE SERVANTS AND HANDMAIDS IN THOSE DAYS WILL I POUR OUT MY SPIRIT.  30/ AND I WILL SHOW WONDERS IN THE HEAVENS AND IN THE EARTH, BLOOD AND FIRE, AND PILLARS OF SMOKE.  31/ THE SUN SHALL BE TURNED INTO DARKNESS, AND THE MOON INTO BLOOD, BEFORE THE GREAT AND TERRIBLE DAY OF THE LORD.  AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS, THAT WHOSOEVER SHALL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD SHALL BE DELIVERED:  FOR IN MOUNT ZION AND IN JERUSALEM SHALL BE DELIVERANCE, AS THE LORD HATH SAID, AND IN THE REMNANT WHOM THE LORD SHALL CALL.  

THE LATTER RAIN PROPHECY, BY THE PROPHET JOEL, WILL BE SUCH A TREMENDOUSLY POWERFUL OUTPOURING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, THAT JESUS TOLD US, ALL THOSE THAT BELIEVE ON HIM WILL DO THE SAME WORKS THAT HE DID AND EVEN GREATER WORKS.  JESUS HEALED THE SICK, RAISED THE DEAD, & BLESSED THE POOR TO BECOME RICH. [PLEASE REVIEW #17 "SPIRITUAL GIFTS" Weekly Bible Study.]

II CORINTHIANS 8:9 KJV

FOR YE KNOW THE GRACE OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, THAT, THOUGH HE WAS RICH, YET FOR YOUR SAKES HE BECAME POOR, THAT YE THROUGH HIS POVERTY MIGHT BE RICH.

JOHN 14:12 KJV

• VERILY, VERILY, I SAY UNTO YOU, HE THAT BELIEVETH ON ME, THE WORKS THAT I DO SHALL HE DO ALSO; AND GREATER WORKS THAN THESE SHALL HE DO; BECAUSE I GO UNTO MY FATHER.

JESUS TOLD HIS DISCIPLES THAT HE WAS GOING AWAY, BACK TO THE FATHER IN HEAVEN.  BUT, THAT HE WAS GOING TO SEND BACK THE HOLY SPIRIT/THE POWER OF GOD, TO INDWELL MAN:  

 ACTS 1:8 KJV *BUT YE SHALL RECEIVE POWER AFTER THAT THE HOLY GHOST IS COME UPON YOU: 

 AND JESUS STATED THAT ONE DAY HE HIMSELF WOULD RETURN. [PLEASE READ JOHN 14:16 thru 28 KJV]

JOHN 14:29 KJV 

AND NOW I HAVE TOLD YOU BEFORE IT COME TO PASS, THAT, WHEN IT IS COME TO PASS, YE MIGHT BELIEVE.

PLEASE BE SURE TO CHECK BACK WITH US WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 23rd-30th, 2009, FOR THE NEXT WEEKLY BIBLE STUDY