"The word for the former rains,
yoreh, comes from the same root as to shoot or cast, or teach! Like an arrow being shot to its target, or information being directly delivered from teacher to pupil, the
yoreh rains are sent down to soften up the ground, ready for the first round of planting. In fact, God’s teaching is also compared to the sending of rain in Deuteronomy 32:2, “May my teaching drop as the rain, my speech distill as the dew, like gentle rain upon the tender grass,and like showers upon the herb”.
The latter rains,
malkosh, are much harder rains that would have just caused flooding and devastation if they had come earlier on the dusty, dry ground. But these latter Spring rains are essential for the agricultural cycle too; the “Gezer Calendar” (an archeological relic with inscriptions from the time of Solomon [1]) tells us that in January / February time, there was a second round of later planting in ancient Israel’s agricultural year, called the
lekesh. The word for these harder, later rains,
malkosh, is related to the
lekesh: the latter downpours can more easily penetrate the softer ground and bring forth the second harvest in the Spring.
The Spirit of God is often connected with water in the Bible, and God’s provision of water, and some would see the “former rain” and the “latter rain” as outpourings of the Holy Spirit, as vindication of the message of the gospel. Joel 2:23 says,
“Be glad, O children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God, for he has given the early rain for your vindication; he has poured down for you abundant rain, the early and the latter rain, as before.”
The remarkable signs and wonders that followed the first apostles validated their message so that it was widely believed, causing the gospel spread far and wide in a relatively short time. Perhaps as the days get darker and message carried by the true followers of Yeshua seems more and more preposterous, God will send another “latter day downpour” of his Spirit to accompany his servants, vindicating their message. Time will tell. One thing is for certain, rain is repeatedly equated with God’s blessing throughout the Bible:
The Former & Latter Rains in Israel - ONE FOR ISRAEL Ministry
"The Hebrew word, torah (תורה), is derived from a root that was used in the realm of archery,
yareh (ירה). Yareh means to shoot an arrow in order to hit a mark. The mark or target, of course, was the object at which the archer was aiming. Consequently, torah, one of the nouns derived from this root, is, therefore, the arrow aimed at the mark, The target is the truth about God and how one relates to Him. The torah is, therefore, in the strict sense instruction designed to teach us the truth about God. Torah means direction,teaching, instruction,or doctrine."
Torah - Definition