The prophet instructed the people to ask for the latter rain. There is a difference between the latter rain and the early rain. While the early rain falls at the time of plowing and sowing the land, the latter rain matures the harvest.

The early rain typifies the Work of the Holy Spirit in the Old Covenant with Israel. The latter rain, on the other hand, represents the Work of the Holy Spirit in the New Covenant with those who have been washed in the Blood of Jesus.

For them, the “latter rain” began on the Day of Pentecost. This means that the early rain was poured out upon Israel (that is, the land was plowed and seeded), and the latter rain was poured out upon the New Israel, the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ (the Land matured and reaped its fruits). Do you remember when Jesus said that Salvation would come from the Jews (John 4.22)?