What is the “latter rain” so often mentioned in the Branch Davidian Bible studies?
At the beginning of the book of Acts, the Holy Spirit is given to the disciples at Pentecost and Peter quotes from the Old Testament book of Joel “in the last days God says I will pour out my Spirit on all people” (Acts 2:17, Joel 2:28). Seventh-day Adventists note that earlier in the book of Joel it says “He sends abundant showers, both autumn and spring rains” (Joel 2:23) which in the King James Version is rendered “he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain and the latter rain” (Joel 2:23b KJV). Seventh-day Adventists argue that this is a reference to the outpouring of the Spirit, the “former rain” (spring rain) is the outpouring of the Spirit at Pentecost, recorded in Acts, and at the end of time there will be another outpouring, the “latter rain” (autumn rain). Branch Davidians follow Seventh-day Adventists in this interpretation, believing that at the end of time God’s people will be greatly empowered by the Holy Spirit, and this empowering is referred to as the
