Spoken
Word no. 161
The
latter Rain is the Harvest Rain
Brian Kocourek, Pastor
May 9th,
2010
Now, this morning we will start with the second half of this sermon of
brother Branham’s which he entitled, the Spoken Word is the Original Seed. And
since the first 180 paragraphs took us 160 sermons to get through We could be
here in this sermon when the rapture takes place. We began this series on
January 13th 2008, and we are now into May 9th, 2010, so
it has taken us literally 2-1/2 years and 160 sermons to get through one half
of this sermon brother Branham preached in 1962, which I feel is one of the
most important sermons of His ministry. If the Lord tarries, it could take us
another 2-1/2 years to complete this, but only He knows for sure. So let’s pick
up and read the first few paragraphs and he comes back from the lunch break and
begins to talk to the people again until he gets caught up in that conduit of
the spirit again.
1
Oh, that's fine, brother...?... He wants to say about his...?... That's just it.
Brother Ed, that's what it is. Oh, isn't that wonderful. I like that old
test...?...Now, the car radio is hooked up, what this thing here is a, for
here. Everybody feeling good now? Well now, we'll start right in now until
midnight, and then we'll... We are so happy that the Lord has helped us and
blessed us. Now, before we start again, let's just have a little word of prayer
to the One Who we're talking to.
2
Gracious heavenly Father, You hear the testimony of this godly, saintly, old
man. Down through the age him and his little wife, working together, and how
that she had to hold on to You and beg You to make a preacher out of her
husband, and here he is. And then when he was laying there dying, the best
doctors in the country saying that he's gone, he can't live but a few hours,
it's done, his body's eat up with cancer; he could never walk another step, the
infection in his ankles and so forth has done took him away. And here he is,
years later, still going. We're just so thankful, Father. It goes to prove that when the Word is planted, then watered, It'll
bring forth the crop. Now, we pray, Father, that You'll let us lay out the
words this afternoon from Thy Word. It is Thy Word, and we want to lay It out just the way It is, and then You water It, Lord,
with the Spirit. We ask, as we commit ourselves with the message to You,
that You use us in Jesus' Name. Amen.
Now, I want you to notice here that brother Branham
stays faithful to his theme which he took from Genesis 1:11 which tells us that every seed must bring forth after it’s kind, and
basically this means that each seed has within it the attributes and
characteristics of the original seed, and every other seed that is produced off
from that original seed must bear in it’s nature the same characteristics and
attributes that were in that original seed. And
he talks here in this paragraph about the crop that will come froth from that
seed once that seed has been watered. So keep in mind two things as he teaches
us, …
1) we are dealing with the life that is in the seed
coming forth into manifestation.
2) That manifestation can not take place until there has
been a watering that is used to bring the life in the seed to the place of
manifestation of the life of the seed into a fully mature crop. Now, let’s
hurry along with the introductions as we briefly read the next couple
paragraphs.
3
Now, to hurry right up. My wife was telling me this morning about how hard the
people, you know, and their legs cramping and things, the ladies, and more
people like myself getting a little old and have to stand around like that. I
appreciate that, your loyalty. And now, we'll get right straight back to the
message and go on. I don't want to be in too much hurry, and yet I want to
hurry up enough to try to get it finished this afternoon if I possibly can.
Then as soon as we're finished, we're going right straight then to Tifton,
Georgia, not for a continued meeting; we're at the high school auditorium there
just for one night; that's tomorrow night, and just a preaching service; and
I'll have some ordinary little text or something I preached on right here,
because it's just to visit with the people there. They haven't got a regular
stayed meeting or anything.
4
So we... And now we left off this morning speaking on our text found over in
Genesis the 1st chapter, the 11th verse, mainly: "The Spoken Word is the
Original Seed." And now my purpose this morning and today is to try to
explain to the people--try to explain to the people of my action, and now, why
that I have did the things that I have done. And realizing that these tapes are
being taped and will be sent out, many people probably'd be hearing them after
I am away from here, if Jesus tarries; but I want to say that I believe the
Word of God, that It--that is the Truth.
Now, in this next paragraph
brother Branham begins to get down to business again. And what he shows here is
that it seems like not much had been happening in the mission and evangelistic
fields, and so he offers some words of explanation as to what he thinks has taken
place.
5 Now, we left off where that of the
last days, what's happened to the ministry
of the evangelists that a few years ago were just burning the country up
and seems like all of them have just stopped. Now, I don't mean they're off the field. They're still going, but
there's no results, seems like. They're not getting anywhere. See? What's
the matter? The field's done sowed. See?
Now, remember, don't forget...
Now, notice that he
identifies what had to that point taken place in the evangelism is that the
main events had been the sowing of the Word. That’s what the great revivals of
the 40, 50, was all about. And then in
the 60’s something happened. The sowing had been done, as we read of in the
first half of this sermon, where he identified the Pentecostals had sown there
organization seeds, and the evangelicals had sown there organizational seeds,
and the Son of Man had come sowing the Word.
Spoken
word original seed 62-0318M P:130 All right. Now, there has
been three different kinds of seeds planted: A denominational: Billy Graham; he was a head planter. Oral Roberts for the Pentecostal...
Pentecostal seed's been planted. (I'm talking about organization now.) And then the Word's been planted. Now,
you'll have to understand, folks. I ain't saying this no more 'less God tells
me. I want you to get this good and clear. Three seeds has been planted. That's
the reason the planting's just about over (See?), all over. Seeds must be
planted before the rain falls (That right?) or otherwise the Spirit. Now,
you're going to disagree there, but hold on just a minute. See? Seeds must be
planted and then the rain falls to water the seed. Is that right? Now, I
want... Is there anybody in here that understands Hebrew, knows Hebrew words?
All right, you look it up if you want to. 131
Now, we're hearing so much, and so many organizations and everything else talk
about we're in the latter rain. Nonsense. No such a thing. Now, oh, I...
Something's happening. I can just see it passing before me. It's done caught
the Spirit. See? Amen. I know this is Truth; it's THUS SAITH THE LORD. By vision (See?), just moving and coming...
Can't hardly get--look down here. Every time I look; I see it just moving up in
front of me like that and breaking off, and move this way, and look this way.
I've been trying to watch some fellows setting around down here. Look away and
everywhere I look, it's like there it is. See? All right, let's go back and try
it again now, be sure I got it in there. I don't know what's exactly happened
along that line. Look.
So you see the planting has been done, but then there
must be a watering or another rain come, a latter rain that will be what is
called a harvest rain, in order to bring into manifestation the life that was
planted. And what I would like to look
at this morning is that this latter rain works in conjunction with the planting
rain in order to water the life of the seed that had already been planted in
order to bring up that crop unto a fully matured planting of the Lord.
Now, we know the original Seed was the first born son
of God, the eldest son in a vast family of brothers as we see in Romans 8: 29 For whom he did
foreknow,..
Now, those whom he foreknew are those that were in his
mind before the foundations of the world as we see in Ephesians 1:3-4 Blessed
be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us (hath
blessed us, so it has already been done) with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: 4 According as he hath chosen us in him (when?) before
the foundation of the world, that we should be holy
and without blame (that
means totally justified, because to be justified is though you never did do it,
or as David said, Blessed is the man in whom the Lord does not impute iniquity.
So it doesn’t say you never did it, but you just don’t get credit for it. And
anyway, notice that we were chosen in him, in his mind before the world was
even framed, to be found in a certain condition, that is one that is holy for
remember,, he said, “Be ye holy for he is Holy” And if we are to be as he is,
then can only come as a result of our having the same seed life that was in
him. Therefore we are spotless, and without blame, totally justified by what he
did, not what we could do for ourselves.
And then we find that this is the condition that we
are to be found in at his presence.
“that
we should be holy and without blame before him” Or in his presence. Now then Paul goes on to say, 5 in love Having
predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, (Now,
when did he predestinate us to the adoption of sons? Before the foundations of
the world while we were just a thought in his mind.)
And notice it was according to the good pleasure of his will, (And not only
that but this predestination to the adoption of sons, has some attributes and
characteristics, when he says next …) 6 To the praise of the glory of his grace,
wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. So we see that it
is Grace that brings us to this condition, and nothing we could do for
ourselves, it is all that he has already predestined in us before you even had
one thought about it. That is why Paul can say in Romans 8…
Romans
8: 29 For whom he did
foreknow,(past tense, those he
already had foreknown, when? He tells us in Ephesians 1 before the world was
even framed, that’s when…And those that were in him as seeds, ) he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
And so we see that this
predestination includes being conformed to the image of God’s eldest son in a
vast family of brothers. And so he then takes us down the path towards that
conformity as we see in the next verse.
30 Moreover
whom he did predestinate,(whom he did
predetermine,)
them he also called: (that is step one in our coming into the image
of the eldest son. He calls us…) and whom he called, them he also justified: (Now,
we know we are justified by Faith and faith is a revelation, so all he calls he
gives revelation, and ) and whom he justified,(and whom he gives
revelation,) them
he also glorified. And that word glorified was translated from the
Greek word, Endoxazo which means to manifest or express the opinion, the values
and judgments of God. In other word, we will have the very mind of Christ if we
are be conformed to his image.
Now, we know by what we have read in scripture this
morning that There is to be a latter rain at the end time that will produce a
manifestation or fruit or crop as we see in various places in Scripture. But
what I want you to see is that in Romans where we are taught what that
manifestation is to be, we see that it is a conformity to the first born son
because we have the same Holy Spirit in us that was in and raised Him up.
Paul says in Romans 8:11 But if the Spirit of him that
raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the
dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
Now, a mortal body is not one that has gone to the
grave, but the word mortal means one that is capable of death. And if it has
died it is no longer capable, so he is speaking of a quickening of these bodies
that wee are now in. Therefore if we have been born into one body by one spirit
then it is a matter of just one last thing for the manifestation of that life
in us to come into manifestation, and that is the latter rain, or harvest rain
that will produce that crop. And knowing this Paul says,
12 Therefore,
brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.
13 For
if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify
the deeds of the body, ye shall live. In other words, Paul is telling us we must die
to self and get focused on what God has called us to be, and that is sons of
God fashioned in the very image of his firstborn son. Then Paul says, …14 For
as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear;
but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba,
Father. So it is not a matter of fear but of life. He says we have received the
spirit of adoption, whereby we are identified with our father who is the
creator of the heavens and the earth, so what could you possibly fear when you
daddy is present.
I remember as a kid we
would get into stone fight with the neighbor boys, and it could get scary at
times because some of those boys could chuck a pretty large stone our way, but
when my Father came out, and I ran behind him, I knew I was protected then. And
so our Father has come down with a shout, and it ought to be relaxation time,
knowing that we have nothing to fear what is coming upon this world.
Then Paul says, 16 The
Spirit (not a spirit, but The Spirit
God’s Spirit)
itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: Not
our identifying with him, but He actually came down to identify with his
children and to pluck us out from the oncoming storms of judgment.
17 And
if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be
that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. (glorified together,
that means endoxazo together, having the same values, the same opinions, the
same judgments as he has. )
18 For
I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared
with the glory (the doxa. God’s very
opinion, God’s values, and God’s judgments) which shall be revealed
in us. (revealed in us, do you get what he is saying. Then those
things shall come into manifestation in our very lives) 19 For
the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth
for the manifestation of
the sons of God. (notice it has been a
waiting time, a time of patience, waiting for the crop to bear it’s fruits or
what and who it is. You see the fruit bears testimony to the life in the seed.
The fruit is the manifestation of the seed life. What life is in that seed when
it bears it’s fruit you will without any doubt know and be able to recognize
what seed life it was.) And the sons of God can only manifest son fruit as the
eldest or firstborn son did, and that is through obedience. For you see it
wasn’t the miracles that God identified with His Son, it wasn’t what God did,
it was the obedience of the son that God took Him up to adopt him on Mt.
Transfiguration.
For though he were a son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he
suffered. He already was a
son, but it was after 3-1/2 years of complete obedience to His Father that he
was taken up on the high place and adopted.
20 For
the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him
who hath subjected the same in hope, 21 Because the
creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the
glorious liberty of the children of God. 22 For we
know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain
together until now. 23 And not only they, but ourselves also,
which have the first-fruits of the
Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of
our body. So it is a time of waiting and much patience waiting
for the latter rain to bring forth the manifestation of the sons of God. 24 For
we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? 25 But if we hope for that
we see not, then do we with patience
wait for it.
So we can see by Scripture that there has to be a
people who will come into manifestation as sons of God. And we know by the
proper teaching of the Word that the manifestation of the sons of God will be
the same thing that manifested Jesus as the Son of God. Our obedience to our
Father in all things. And we see that at the time of the latter rain there is
to come a watering rain that will bring those seeds that were planted by the
son of Man under the teaching rain, the sowing rain, but it will take another
rain to bring them into maturity and completion. And this rain or watering will
not come from a vindicated prophet as the sowing rain came from the son of Man,
but Paul tells us that the five fold ministry is to bring the seed to maturity.
That is the ministry of the five fold.
Ephesians
4:11 And
he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some,
pastors and teachers;12 For the perfecting of the saints, (what is the perfecting of the saints? It is the
maturing of the saints) for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body
of Christ: (And how
will it come?)13 Till we all come in
the unity of the faith, (and faith is a revelation, so we must come
to a unity of The revelation, and that is not possible without he tells us) and of the knowledge of the Son of God, (So without a knowledge of the son
of God we can never come to a unity of The Revelation of Christ) But notice
that this knowledge of the son of God brings us to the place of or unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness
of Christ: In other words, all that he was we become, not that
the fullness of the Godhead is in the bride. Brother Branham never taught that.
He said that there was only one that the fullness of the Godhead was in and
that was Christ Jesus, and he said we have just a measure, and he said he only
had a measure, but if Christ is the head of the body, then the body has the
fullness because Christ is the head of the body.
Notice what Paul says
next about the five-fold ministry. 14 That
we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with
every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby
they lie in wait to deceive; 15 But speaking the
truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is
the head, even Christ: Grow up into
him, that means we become like him, or conformed to his image.
16 From
whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every
joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every
part, maketh increase of the body unto
the edifying of itself in love.
And so we see brother Branham say in paragraph 6
Someone asked me to repeat that Hebrew word again. In Joel the 2nd chapter (Joel 2:28) where he's speaking of the coming of the former and
latter rain, the word
"former" is the Hebrew word M-o-u-r-e-h, moureh, which means
"teaching." In other words, it'll
be a teaching rain and a harvest rain. Now, we've had the teaching rain, and we're ready now for the harvest rain.
(So that tells me that the teaching rain came when three forms of
sowing of the word came forth, two went forth sowing organizational seed which
produced more organizational children, You know, “A million more in 44” was the
slogan…But one sowed the Word which will produce sons and daughters of the
living God.)
Then brother Branham says, You know
the first rain is when you plant the seed. That starts your crop growing.
Then just before it matures, there comes
another crop. That's what they call the harvest rain. We know when it is the
spring rains, and then the rains about
June, it makes your crop.
So he points us to Joel 2:23 Be glad then, ye children of
Now, notice here that the former rain which is the first rain or the
sowing rain which was the teaching rain was given only in moderation. It was
said that it was given moderately. Well, that means it was not given out to
much, or for that matter the teaching was not given out to the extreme, but
rather somewhat reservedly. The word moderately means: Being within reasonable limits; not excessive or
extreme: mild or calm;
temperate: And if you will turn
in your bibles with me to Deuteronomy 32:2 where we see that God tells us
what His rain is. He says, 2 My doctrine shall
drop as the rain, my speech shall
distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers
upon the grass:
Brother Branham said from the Spoken Word is the original Seed paragraph
95 And a real Seed of God is an absorbent for
the Spirit. All denominationalism's took out; all unbelief is out. And when the Holy Spirit comes into that germ
of Life that's laying there, It produces another Seed, just exactly. Another son of God is born (Amen.), another amateur God, son of God.
And from Hear ye Him
56-1215 P:18 You
people here in this country's apple raisers as I understand. You have a lot of
agriculture, raising fruit. You know when that little apple tree's just about
one half of an inch high, that every bushel of apples that'll ever come off of
that tree is in it right then. You know every hundred pounds of leaves that'll
ever fall off of that tree is in it right then. Every blossom is in it right
then. Every branch is in it right then. If it isn't, tell me where it comes
from. Where is it at? Where does it come
from? What do you do? You take the seed and you plant it. The little tree
comes up, and it's planted. You have to
keep watering it. It has to drink
more than its portion. It has to drink, and drink, drink so much till it pushes
out. And it'll push out limbs; it'll
push out leaves; it'll push out apples. It's in it, but it has to keep drinking. And every Word of God is a
Seed. And if that Seed can be planted by the inexhaustible Fountain of Life,
which is Christ, the believer has to drink beyond his imagination, drink and
push out. Push out everything you have need of, 'cause it's in you when you
receive Christ. And we are planted together in Christ. And He is the
inexhaustible Fountain of Life.
So not only rain but lot’s of it is what is needed to produce the crop
and that is why there must be a letter rain. And we see that God identifies his
doctrine as the rain. Then I want you to notice that the first rain or moureh,
the teaching rain brought forth the doctrine of Christ to the world, and it is
the doctrine and receiving the doctrine that showed the difference between the
three sowers of the seed. Only One sowed the True Doctrine of the Word, and
that is the doctrine of Christ. But remember, it was sown into al the earth,
but it was done in moderation. Brother Branham did not go into such great depth
and detail on the doctrine of Christ and because it was sown moderately, many
missed it. But now if the former rain was the teaching rain, and the latter
rain is the rain which brings the harvest, I want you to notice it is still
rain. Both the Former and latter rain are rain, just one was a little more
moderately given than the other. And yet Rain is doctrine, according to God, so
the latter rain must be also doctrine that comes but is not held back, it comes
in all it’s furry, and the gates of Heaven open up and a five fold ministry
sweep that doctrine of Christ, the rain, the knowledge of the son of God to the
place that the people are getting pretty soaked and as the rain keeps poring
forth, the planting of the lord keeps soaking it up and it is producing sons of
God in the Image of The Son of God.
James 5:7
Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the Parousia (Presence) 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.
Now, this verse of Scripture tells us a whole lot about the end time. First
of all we are told that this will be a time of patience, when much patience is
needed. Notice the wording, Be patient brethren unto the Parousia (presence)
of the Lord, so this tells us that there is coming a presence of
the Lord and we will need much patience at this time, because of certain events
will take what seems ages to transpire, and yet it will be only over the course
of one complete generation.
Then He said, Behold, which means “look and see” Be
observant at this time of the Presence, for the Husbandman will have to wait for the
precious fruit of the earth, and will have long patience for it. So
we see this also speaks of an attribute of waiting that the Lord who is present
will have at this time. Now, the fact that it suggests to us that the Lord will have
long patience for this fruit is because it spans 2 complete
rains, It says, the husbandman, which is the one
who does the sowing and takes care of the pruning or whatever care the planting
needs, and it says that He “hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.”
So we see that there are to be two rains that will span the time of the
parousia presence of the Lord and the fruit will not come until after the
latter of the two rains.
Therefore it is important for us to understand what these two rains mean
according to the Word of God.
Zechariah
10:1 Ask ye of the LORD rain
in the time of the latter rain; so
the LORD shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain, to every one
grass in the field.
Notice then that there is to be a rain at the time of the latter rain,
and this rain is to produce the fruit for the season.
Proverbs
16:15 In the light of the king's countenance is life; and his favor
is as a cloud of the latter rain.
Notice that in this application of the Latter Rain the Lords presence is
associated with Life, and the cloud of the Latter rain is associated with God’s
Favor which is His Grace to us. That is why when I see that cloud taken over
sunset mountain, all I can think of is Grace, Grace marvelous Grace, grace that
freely bestows all of our needs. And God has come down Himself in this hour to
show his favor toward us, that is what that picture was taken for, to show us
he is here to deliver us from what is to come on this earth for those who have
rejected His Word.
And peter spoke of this Grace that would come as did the apostle Paul at
the time of the Apocalypses or unveiling of the mighty God among us.
1 Peter
1: 13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be
sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the
revelation of Jesus Christ;
1 Corinthians 1:3 Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our
Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. 4
I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you
by Jesus Christ; 5 That in every thing
ye are enriched (this enriching is like we enrich the soil, it is like
using fertilizer, so to take it from a seed to a fully developed and mature or
ripe plant) by him, in all utterance(this word is logos), and in all knowledge; (So we see
this grace is to enrich us in all logos, and all knowledge and to receive all
logos could only come at the end time when all the Word is to be revealed
according to Hebrews 6, the Once for all enlightenment. ) 6 Even as the testimony of Christ was
confirmed (This word confirmed means established) in you: 7 So that ye come behind in no gift
(the word gift here is the Greek word charisma and it means endowment, and when
we speak of someone being endowed we usually mean they are gifted, and
typically we use this phrase when speaking of someone who is brilliant.
Therefore, I want you to understand that this Grace is to bring forth a special
understanding);
waiting for the coming (Apocalypses which is revealing or manifesting) of our Lord Jesus
Christ (And when could this be except at this hour.) 8 Who shall also confirm (that means to
establish you) you unto the end, [that ye may be] blameless in the day of our
Lord Jesus Christ
(Paul also speaks of this being found blameless at the
time that we are to come into His Parousia Presence in Ephesians chapter1). 9 God is faithful, by whom ye were called
unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. 10 Now I beseech you,
brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same
thing,
Now, how can we all say the same thing unless we say
only what He said, and understand what He said so that we will say the same
thing, because if several people hear the same thing but do not understand what
was said, they will all have there own idea of what was said, and in turn will
say what they think they heard. But if we all have the same mind, then we will
all say the same thing, and that is exactly what Paul is alluding too here as
we continue to read.
and [that] there be no
divisions among you; but [that] ye be perfectly joined together in the same
mind and in the same judgment. Because the only way you can all be in
agreement is that you all have the same understanding, in other words, let this
mind be in you that was also in Christ Jesus. And that is what this Grace is to
bring forth at this hour.
Job 29:23
And they waited for me as for the rain; and they opened their mouth wide as for the latter rain. What I see in this verse of Scriptures is that there
was a period of waiting for the latter rain but when it come they were open
mouthed as to drink in as much as they could.
Deuteronomy
11:14 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 wheat,
and thy wine, and thine oil.
Alright, now we are coming to the place where we are
getting some sort of description as to what the latter rain will produce. He
said it is for the harvest so that there might be a gathering together of the
wheat, the Wine, and the Oil. So we are
looking at the harvest rain will produce wheat, wine and oil. Now, hold these
three things in your minds and we will get back to them after a while.