What does rain signify in the Bible?

In the final instance blessing can only ever come from God; so it is here, too. A fine biblical illustration of this is rain (in southern countries this is surely understood best of all): without rain there can be no life or growth. It originates in the clouds of the sky, above, and therefore illustrates that blessing comes from God. In Deuteronomy 28 Moses explains the way of blessing to the people and connects rain expressly with it (and with heaven): ‘Jehovah will open to thee his good treasure, the heavens, to give rain unto thy land in its season, and to bless all the work of thy hand’ (Deut. 28:12; cf. Lev. 26:4; Deut. 11:14; 28:24; 32:2).

If there were no rain, no moisture at all, of course the sun's heat could become unbearable, with everything dried up and desolate. The rain is typical of the refreshing showers of the word of God, without which our own souls would be dried up and parched. But when once the rain has come, followed by the clear shining of the sun, how good it is to see the fresh green grass springing up from the earth. Thus, the coming of the Lord Jesus in glory will be like such a day, with Israel springing forth in spiritual prosperity, the word of God being precious to them, and the coming of their Messiah a marvellous joy.

Moreover, in the highway that leads to the house of God there is "the early rain" that "covers it with blessings" (verse 6, N. Tr. ). The rain speaks of that which comes from above — all that ministry of Christ which the Spirit of God brings from above to refresh and gladden the heart. The word is really "early-rain," and refers to the soft and gentle rain that refreshes the ground in seed time (Deut. 11:14). The "valley of weeping" prepares the soul to receive the gracious ministry of Christ from above.

Thick clouds are saturated with moisture, and the clouds whirl as propelled by the wind. But all this is by the guidance of God, directed as He commands (v.12). He causes the rain to fall for three express reasons, - for correction, which man needs often; for His land, - which requires rain if it is to bear fruit; or for mercy, - at times when His creatures suffer from drought. If there is an excess of rain, no doubt this is intended for man's correction. "Praise the Lord fire and hail, snow and clouds; stormy wind, fulfilling His word" (Ps. 148:7-8). If Job had realised this, it might have saved him some deep soul distress.

God's purpose is the blessing of men, and Christ is coming for blessing and to fulfil the Scripture, "I have set Thee to be a light to the Gentiles, that Thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth" (Isaiah 49:6; Acts 13:47 ), but judgment must go before the blessing, because of what men are. It is the persistent rebellion of men against God that makes judgment a necessity. Yet judgment is God's strange work; He does not delight in it, He delights in mercy. This comes out in the very language that Scripture uses. When it is a question of judgment, we read "a short work will the Lord make upon the earth" (Romans 9:28 ), but when it is a question of mercy, "He is longsuffering, not willing that any should perish" (2 Peter 3:9). When vengeance is in view it is "the day of vengeance, but when mercy, it is the acceptable year of the Lord" (Luke 4). It is because God's terms of grace are rejected, and because the world will not obey the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, and because men will not receive the knowledge of God when they may, that judgment must come, and it surely will come, though long delayed. The blessing will also come, "He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass" (Psalm 72:6).

THE RAIN SPEAKS OF THE BLESSING, BUT "THE MOWN GRASS "MEANS THAT THE SCYTHE OF JUDGMENT WILL HAVE SWEPT THE FIELD BEFORE THE BLESSING DESCENDS.

Moreover, besides the thoughts and ways of God there is His word, by which He signifies what His thoughts and ways are. Verse 10 assures us of its beneficent effect. Just as the rain descending from heaven brings with it life and fertility in nature, making man's labour to be fruitful for his good, so the word of God acts in a spiritual way. Received into the heart it is fruitful in life and blessing; and not only that, but is full of power, never failing in the effect that God intends whether in grace or in judgment. This was exemplified in the Lord Jesus Himself. No word of His ever fell fruitless to the ground, for He was the Living Word. It is equally true of the written word of God. It is said of the blessed man of Psalm 1, that, "In His law doth He meditate day and night." Happy are we, now that we have "the word of His grace" (Acts 20:32), as well as the word of His law, if we do so likewise.

In verse 10 God likens His word to both rain and snow. They both come down from heaven; we have not to reach up for them, they are beyond our reach, but God graciously sends them down. It is not difficult to discern in this an application to the ministry of God's word for the nourishment of our souls. How imperative it is if we are to grow in our souls to be where this ministry can reach us. Just as the earth is dependent upon the rain and the snow, so are we dependent upon the ministry of the word of God. God first puts into the earth all the elements which are needed to produce the fruit, then He constantly waters it with rain and with snow, to cause it to bring forth fruit. As born of God we are capacitated to bring forth fruit for God, but we are as dependent upon the ministry of the word to do so as the earth is upon the rain and the snow. Neither the rain nor the snow give life, but apparently they are needed to stimulate it. How soon parched pasture will burst forth into life after a refreshing shower of rain! So it is with ourselves. It is important to remember that we need both the snow and the rain. Many noxious weeds, etc., are killed by the snow, while the earth itself is tempered by it. How many weeds there are in our sinful hearts which need constantly to come under the death-dealing power of the Word. "Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin," Romans 6:11.

We see in verse 10 the threefold product of the watering; bud, seed, and bread. The bud would suggest the evidence of life, and would be seen in our walk and ways, and a life productive of the features of Christ. The seed would have provision for sowing in view; that is, truth in our hearts with which we can sow, whether it be by gospel preaching, teaching the young, or a word of ministry to the saints. Then last of all we have the thought of bread, which would suggest our souls being nourished by the Word of God. It is for this God gives these resources of rain and snow, for in verse 11 we read that He gives His word to accomplish that which is well pleasing to Him. Could we believe that God has no objective in view when He sends rain and snow, or that He has no objective in view when He gives to us His word? We have the assurance that it will not return to Him void, but we each have to ask ourselves, whether while it is productive in others, is it to be unproductive in me? Rather may we see to it that it is prosperous with us, and that it produces through us that which is well pleasing to God.

Ascended up on high, He received the Holy Ghost to give down here in a twofold manner, as the former and the latter rain upon the earth. The Holy Spirit came on the day of Pentecost as the promise of the Father, and as the power of blessing for Israel and the earth, attested by Peter quoting the prophecy of Joel, which speaks not of the indwelling Spirit, but of its being poured out on all flesh in connection with those coining days of blessing. In Acts 3 the offer of the return of Jesus Christ, and consequently of these times of refreshing, was distinctly made by Peter to the rulers, and refused; and finally, the Holy Ghost, in that character, was definitely rejected by the stoning of Stephen. There remained His abiding presence as the promise of the Father, unfolding heavenly things (how blessedly to Stephen at that moment!) to a people who must be dissociated now from the earth, and associated with the heavens, which must still retain the rejected One. The earth is now left as it is, and Satan's energy in fallen and rebellious man possesses the scene. It has had the witness of the blessings in store for it, by the presence of Him who was anointed by the Holy Ghost, and by the coming of the Holy Ghost Himself. It will have to await now the judgment which will sweep the power of Satan from it, "the day of vengeance of our God," ere "the Spirit can be poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness be a fruitful field … then righteousness will remain in the fruitful field. And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever." (Isa. 32) Then will be the days of heaven upon earth, when the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

The rain has altogether a literal meaning. Read carefully the following passages for a confirmation: Lev. 26:4; Deut. 11:14-17; 1 Kings 8:33-35 and Jer. 3:3.

If then, for any reason, divine blessing is withheld, the house of bread becomes a place of famine. Well do we know that it is not the desire of God that His people should suffer. He is no niggard, and if the rain is withheld, the fault is with His people and not with Him. He had emphasized this for them, so that they well understood that when heaven was "shut up" it was in chastening.