Sealing Time Ministries Presentations

The Dangers of Misunderstanding
the Timing of the Latter Rain

A study excerpt from the 100% Chance of Rain presentation.

Excerpts from our presentation/book:

100% Chance of Rain

100% Chance of RainThe Truth About the Latter Rain

(Outline Excerpts)

By Ryan McCoy

Dangers of Incorrect “Chronology” (order of events)

There are certain movements “among the people of the Lord” that are stating that the Latter Rain comes before National Sunday Laws.  This backwards, “rain brings the storm” theology is dangerous for several reasons:

1.      Revelation 3 is not fully compatible with Revelation 14 & 18

A.    Revelation 3 Pictures the Church in a Blind and Rich and Increased with Goods Attitude

B.     Revelation 18 pictures the church in a sealed condition

C.     Remember the 10 virgins ALL slept!

a.      “But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.”  -Matthew 25:5 NKJV

D.    The Camel, the Rich Man and the Eye of a Needle

a.      “And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”  -Matthew 19:24 NKJV

E.     If the latter rain has been falling since 1888, and we are symbolically the church Laodicea, then the Laodicean condition only existed from the formation of our church in 1867 to 1888, a period of 21 years!

F.      Synonym Comparison

a.      Revelation 3 is to Revelation 18 as,
Rich man is to eye of a needle.
Laodicea is to Latter Rain as,
Lukewarm is to fire.
Complacent is to loud cry as,
Lazy is to closing work.

G.    Jesus is not a Liar!

a.      If Revelation 18 is happening now and Revelation 3 is not complete it makes Jesus out to be a liar.  Jesus is not a liar!

2.      The storm brings the rain, to say otherwise is against the order of final events specified by God.

A.    “Whenthe storm of persecution really breaks upon us, . . . thenwill the message of the third angel swell to a loud cry, and the whole earth will be lightened with the glory of the Lord.” --6T 401 (1900).  {LDE 208.2}

B.     "²⁴Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock:  ²⁵and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.  ²⁶"But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand:  ²⁷and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall."  -Matthew 7:24-27 NKJV

a.      House = character (Notice that the house was built before the storm, no one builds a house during a storm.  Hence no one will be building character in the final storm.

b.      Rain comes after houses were built.  People’s decisions and character are sealed just before the storm begins and the rain descends.

3.      Places the Crisis and Test Over the Sabbath after the Latter Rain & Sealing

A.    “None are condemned until they have had the light and have seen the obligation of the fourth commandment. But whenthe decree shall go forth enforcing the counterfeit sabbath, and the loud cry of the third angel shall warn men against the worship of the beast and his image, the line will be clearly drawn between the false and the true. Thenthose who still continue in transgression will receive the mark of the beast.” --Ev 234, 235 (1899).  {LDE 225.4}

4.      Tears down, or displaces one of the very objects that the loud cry is raised against, the image to the beast, which is National Sunday Law enforcement.

A.    What is the loud cry against if the latter rain and loud cry begin before National Sunday Laws?

B.     “The beast with two horns is also to say "to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast;" and, furthermore, it is to command all, "both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond," to receive "the mark of the beast." [REV. 13:11-16.] It has been shown that the United States is the power represented by the beast with lamb-like horns, and that this prophecy will be fulfilled whenthe United States shallenforceSunday observance, which Rome claims as the special acknowledgment of her supremacy. But in this homage to papacy the United States will not be alone.”  {GC 578.3}

C.     “As foretold in the eighteenth of Revelation, the third angel's message is to be proclaimed with great power by those who give the final warningagainst the beastand his image: "I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory. And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies. And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, My people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities. Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double." Revelation 18:1-6.  This is the message given by God to be sounded forth in the loud cry of the third angel.   {8T 118.1,2}

D.    “…the loud cry of the third angel shall warn men against the worship of the beast and his image…” -Ev 234, 235 (1899).  {LDE 225.4}

E.     “But the time to receive the mark of the beast, as designated in prophecy, has not yet come. The testing time has not yet come. There are true Christians in every church, not excepting the Roman Catholic communion. None are condemned until they have hadthe lightand have seen the obligation of the fourth commandment. Butwhenthe decree shall go forth enforcing the counterfeit Sabbath, andwhenthe loud cry of the third angel shall warn men against the worship of the beast and his image, the line will be clearly drawn between the false and the true. Then those who still continue in transgression will receive the mark of the beast in their foreheads or in their hands.” {BTS, February 1, 1913 par. 5}

F.      National Sunday Law enforcement is the image to the beast

a.      “But in the very act of enforcing a religious duty by secular power, the churches would themselves form an image to the beast; hence the enforcement of Sundaykeeping in theUnited Stateswould be an enforcement of the worship of the beast and his image.”  {GC 448.3}

b.      “But when Sunday observance shall be enforced by law, and the world shall be enlightened concerning the obligation of the true Sabbath, then whoever shall transgress the command of God, to obey a precept which has no higher authority than that of Rome, will thereby honor popery above God. He is paying homage to Rome and to the power which enforcesthe institution ordained by Rome. He is worshipping the beast and his image."  {GC 449.1}

c.       “When the leading churches of theUnited States, uniting upon such points of doctrine as are held by them in common, shall influence the state toenforcetheir decrees and to sustain their institutions, thenProtestant America will have formed an imageof the Roman hierarchy, and the infliction of civil penalties upon dissenters will inevitably result. . . .”  {LDE 131.1} { GC 445.1}

d.     “The "image to the beast" represents that form of apostate Protestantism which will be developed when the Protestant churches shall seek the aid of the civil power for the enforcementof their dogmas.” --GC 443, 445 (1911).  {LDE 228.3}

e.      “The Sunday idol is set up as was this image."  {12MR 219.2}

G.    If we state that the latter rain comes before the storm, not only are we in direct conflict with the Spirit of Prophecy, but we are also boldly violating the counsel given about bringing on a time of trouble before the time.

5.      Brings on “the time of trouble before the time” by attempting to use the latter rain and loud cry to bring on the loud cry, persecution and Sunday Laws.

A.    “The Lord does not move upon His workers to make them take a course which will bring on the time of trouble before the time. Let them not build up a wall of separation between themselves and the world by advancing their own ideas and notions. ...”  {16MR 169.1} & {TM 202.1}

6.      Means That the Mark of the Beast is Being Received Now

A.    “WhenSunday observance shall beenforced by law, and the world shall be enlightened concerning the obligation of the true Sabbath, then whoever shall transgress the command of God, to obey a precept which has no higher authority than that of Rome, will thereby honor popery above God. He is paying homage to Rome and to the power which enforces the institution ordained by Rome. He is worshiping the beast and his image. As men then reject the institution which God has declared to be the sign of His authority, and honor in its stead that which Rome has chosen as the token of her supremacy, they will thereby accept the sign of allegiance to Rome--"the mark of the beast." And it is not until the issue is thus plainly set before the people, and they are brought to choose between the commandments of God and the commandments of men, that those who continue in transgression will receive "the mark of the beast. . .”  {Mar 169.3}

7.      Means God People are Sealed Now

A.    “Not one of us will ever receive the seal of God while our characters have one spot or stain upon them. It is left with us to remedy the defects in our characters, to cleanse the soul-temple of every defilement. Thenthe latter rain will fall uponus as the early rain fell upon the disciples on the day of Pentecost.” {5T 214.2} (Mar 240.4) (CET 189.2)

8.      Means People Are Perfect Now

A.    “The latter rain, ripening earth's harvest, represents the spiritual grace that prepares the church for the coming of the Son of man. But unlessthe former rain has fallen, there will be no life; the green blade will not spring up. Unlessthe early showers have done their work, the latter rain can bring no seed to perfection.” -TM 506 (1897).  {LDE 183.3}

B.     “We may be followed with testimony after testimony of reproof; but if we do not overcome the disposition in us to do evil, if we do not respond to the light, we shall be in a state of condemnation before God. If, on the other hand, we live up to all the light that shines upon us, that light will continue to increase, and we shall have a clean record in heaven. The third angel's message is to lighten the earth with its glory; but only those who have withstood temptation in the strength of the Mighty One will be permitted to act a part in proclaiming it when it shall have swelled into the loud cry.”  {HS 155.3}

9.      Means the Ministry is Pure, True and Sanctified Now

A.    “The great issueso near at hand [enforcement of Sunday laws] will weed out those whom God has not appointedand He will have a pure, true, sanctified ministryprepared for the latter rain.” --3SM 385 (1886).  {LDE 179.2}

10.  Means Living Without Dishonoring Our Heavenly Father

A.    “Beforegiving us the baptism of the Holy Spirit, our heavenly Father will try us, to see if we can live without dishonoring Him. … do not think that you can have great spiritual blessings without complying with the conditions God Himself has laid down.” Letter 22, 1902, pp. 8, 9. (To James Edson and Emma White, February 1, 1902.)  {1MR 178.2}

11.  Means They Have Overcome Every Test, When Every Test (IE. Sabbath-Sunday Test) Has Not Been Given

A.    “Those who come up toevery point, andstand every test, andovercome, be the price what it may, have heeded the counsel of the True Witness, and they will be fitted by the latter rain for translation.”  {2SG 225.1}

12.  Means Perfect Observance to God’s Law

A.    “This is the test that the people of God must havebefore they are sealed. All who prove their loyalty to God by observing His law, and refusing to accept a spurious sabbath, will rank under the banner of the Lord God Jehovah, and will receive the seal of the living God. Those who yield the truth of heavenly origin, and accept the Sunday sabbath, will receive the mark of the beast....”  {15MR 15.3} (Mar 164.3)

13.  Means the Churches Have “Become Living, Working Churches”

A.    “Whenthe churches become living, working churches, the Holy Spirit will be given in answer to their sincere request. . . . Thenthe windows of heaven will be open for the showers of the latter rain.” --RH Feb. 25, 1890.  {LDE 193.2}

14.  Means God’s People Have “Entire, Wholehearted Consecration to the Service of Christ”

A.    “The great outpouring of the Spirit of God, which lightens the whole earth with His glory, will not come until we have an enlightened people, that know by experience what it means to be laborers together with God. Whenwe have entire, wholehearted consecration to the service of Christ, God will recognize the fact by an outpouring of His Spirit without measure; but this will not be while the largest portion of the church are not laborers together with God.” -ChS 253 (1896).  {LDE 193.3}

15.  Means the “Storm of Persecution” has “Really” Broken “Upon Us”

A.    “Whenthe storm of persecution really breaks upon us, . . . thenwill the message of the third angel swell to a loud cry, and the whole earth will be lightened with the glory of the Lord.” --6T 401 (1900).  {LDE 208.2}

16.  Means the People of God Have Drawn “Together and Present to the Enemy a United Front” and are Not “Disputing as to Who Shall be Accounted Greatest”

A.    Persecution Leads to Unity Among God's People – “Whenthe storm of persecution really breaks upon us, the true sheep will hear the true Shepherd's voice. Self-denying efforts will be put forth to save the lost, and many who have strayed from the fold will come back to follow the great Shepherd. The people of God will draw together and present to the enemy a united front. In view of the common peril strife for supremacy will cease, there will be no disputing as to who shall be accounted greatest.” -6T 401 (1900).  {LDE 152.2}

17.  Means “Indolence and Slothfulness … Have Been Wiped Away From the Church”

A.    “Whenthe reproach of indolence and slothfulness shall have been wiped away from the church, the Spirit of the Lord will be graciously manifested. Divine power will be revealed. The church will see the providential working of the Lord of hosts.” -9T 46 (1909).  {LDE 193.4}

18.  Does Not Give God the Glory

A.    “Then thousands in the eleventh hour will see and acknowledge the truth. "Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him that soweth seed" (Amos 9:13). These conversions to truth will be made witha rapiditythat will surprise the church, and God's name alone will be glorified.”  -Letter 43, 1890, p. 5. (To Brother Olsen, December 15, 1890.)  {1MR 179.1}

B.     “The great work of the gospel is not to close with less manifestation of the power of God than marked its opening. . . .”  {FLB 332.5}

C.     “But God knowshowandwhento answer our prayer. ....”  --3SP 272 (1878).  {LDE 194.2}

D.    If it needs a commercial, email, forward, translator, literal anointing, happens only in an upper room or somewhere only over in some foreign country, then it probably isn’t the latter rain.