Sermon Tone Analysis

Read: Zech 10:1

10:2 Zechariah 10:1 admonishes the nation to pray to the Lord, realizing that all blessings come from him.

Verse 2 contrasts sharply with v. 1, lamenting that trusting in idols results in nothing but judgment and sorrow.

This connection between rain and idolatry is made explicit in Zech.

10:2.

Instead of asking God for rain (10:1),7 the leaders of the community have been looking to other gods for help.8

In Deuteronomy, Moses told the Israelites that an essential distinction between Canaan and Egypt lay in the source of water (Deut.

11:10–12).

Rather than using the consistent flow of a great river like the Nile, God’s care comes in the form of rain and results in abundant crops of all types (11:14–15).

This care, however, is linked to the faithfulness of the Israelites to his covenant demands (11:13), and they are warned specifically about the temptation “to turn away and worship other gods and bow down to them” (11:16), behavior that will result in God’s wrath and discipline expressed through withholding rain and fertility (11:17).

It was God’s promise and pattern, except in times of sin and judgement to give Israel two times of much needed rain.

This was often referred to in the Bible as the “former” or “early” rain and the “latter rain”

This former and latter rain were both desperately necessary because of the climate and dryness of the region.

We somewhat follow this symbolically with our revivals - we have Spring and Fall revival both times when we pray and trust God to send the rain.

The agriculture and livestock depended on these rains for survival.

During the Feast of Tabernacles which immediately followed Harvest and which was just celebrated recently included two particular prayers and rituals

A prayer for rain

The Temple Institute posted that tradition holds that if they “receive bountiful rains in Israel, the blessing will extend to the entire world.”

They pray during part of the year - the summer months (three times a day) that God would “make the dew appear.”

During Sukkot or Feast of Tabernacles they change the prayer to “God who causes the wind to blow and the rain to fall.”

They will pray this three times a day throughout the winter months.

They go on to point out that during the days of the Holy Temple it took Jewish pilgrims up to two weeks to make their way back home.

They didn’t want God to send the rain during that trip home - so they don’t actively seek for the rain to fall until all pilgrims have safely reached home

This was a time to prepare for rain - to get ready for God to send the rain.

There was digging ditches so the water would drain appropriately

There was digging cisterns to hold rain water for times when the rain ceased

There was preparing the soil and fields to get ready to receive the much needed rain and nutrients

Zechariah says that we can ask the Lord and he will send the rain

I am believing and trusting God for the latter rains this year - due to that I want to be preparing the way and getting ready for the rain.

This is the time to prepare for the moving of the Holy Spirit

take care of any unforgiveness or bitterness or divisions between you and your brother or sister

Take care of any impurity or uncleanness in your life anything that would hinder the flow of water

Dig the cistern of desire and trust to receive the rain that is to come.

To prepare our hearts for revival is to prepare for heaven, so that in a true sense we can say that preparation for revival is revival.

William Still

Waiting for general revival is no excuse for not enjoying personal revival.

Stephen Olford

Revival will come to us and within us when we really want it, when we pay the price.1

A. W. Tozer

Without… decision and… commitment, you can pray on for revival to your dying day.

You can join groups and stay up and pray for revival all night, but exercise is all you will gain and sleep will probably be all you will lose!2

A. W. Tozer

I want to be ready for the rain - lets pray and ask God to help us to get ready.