Zechariah 10:1 Commentary and Bible Study

Zechariah uses an illustration which is a key to the whole book and to understanding most of the prophets – the illustration of the early and the latter rains. Agriculture was dependent on these two rainy seasons. In early October rains were needed to help the seed come up, and the following March was the next rainy season. Generally if the first came, the latter did also. All the prophets are prophesying on two levels: national and spiritual. They prophesy about things which would happen to the nation of Israel before the end of the Old Testament age: the fortunes and experiences of that nation – their going into captivity in Babylon, their return to their own land, the rebuilding of the temple, their oppression by the Greeks and by the Romans. But always there is a point at which the language takes off and soars, and becomes richly figurative, when the prophet speaks of the Lord’s converted people conquering by spiritual means. You have to look carefully to see this. There is a sort of overlap of the two – the Old Testament with the New Testament period – between the coming of Christ and the fall of Jerusalem. The national covenant made with the Israel as a whole is held open for a brief time. In Zechariah it is explained clearly. Zechariah says, I am giving various prophecies which will come to pass in the life of the nation – these are the early rain. God is continuing to bless you in your history. By this means God is proving that his word is true. But the latter rain, you must pray for; you cannot count on it; you have to look for it and ask for it. The latter rain will come with spiritual blessings. We know that this also took place in Old Testament times: they too could have times of revival; but with the building of his church, Christ brought into existence a quite different, spiritual people.In chapter 9, Zechariah has been telling the returnees about events concerning the nation of Israel during the time leading up to the gospel age – how God will protect them during turbulent times and keep various last promises to the Jews before the Messiah comes. The nation must be kept intact in the land until then, even if there is disobedience. He tells them that as they see God’s blessing they will realise this is only the early rain, and the latter rain is still to follow. This was the spring rain in Israel which was so vital for the swelling of the grain. Of course he is not speaking of literal rain. The latter rain is the real blessing; they must pray for this. The early rain blessings are enjoyed by the nation automatically, but the latter rain blessings must be sought by individuals. ‘So the LORD shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field’. He says to them, when you see this you are poised on the edge of significant blessing. Pray or you will not see it, even though you have seen the tokens of it. There will be tokens of blessing – the rain clouds, about to pour out their refreshing waters on the earth and cause the nutritious spring grass to grow up for their livestock. It will be an exhortation to pray, and for individuals to take hold of the blessing of God in response to the preaching of the kingdom of heaven.