Hebrews 6:7-8 – O earth, earth, earth –

Hebrews 6:7 – 8

O earth, earth, earth

For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God: (Hebrews 6:7)

But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned. (Hebrews 6:8)

That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. (Matthew 5:45)

My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass: (Deuteronomy 32:2)

Who covereth the heaven with clouds, who prepareth rain for the earth, who maketh grass to grow upon the mountains. (Psalm 147:8)

He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass: as showers that water the earth. (Psalm 72:6)

The Rain: A Symbol of God’s Love

   The Holy Spirit is pointing us to the wonder of the love of God. God sends His rain to water the earth, and the water from above brings forth life; in this care God sends rain on the just and on the unjust. (Matthew 5:45) In the gospel of Matthew Chapter 5, the Lord Jesus is teaching His disciples about love. A love that does not discriminate, a love that is in the Father, and the Father maintains that love with all perfection. We see this in verse 48 of Matthew 5, Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. This is the conclusion of the Lord’s teaching of the love whereby the Father loves man. This love is beyond the limited comprehension of mankind. This love can only be known in and through the Lord Jesus Christ. As an example of God’s love Paul refers to the rain, and how the earth takes in the rain.

   The Spirit of God is relating the love of God, the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, as the heavenly water from above. The gospel (as a divine rain) sets forth Christ as the divine sacrifice of God; the sacrifice to take away the sin of the world. The Spirit presents these wonders as living water for the souls of men. God sends this gospel like rain to waken what is beneath, to stir the conscience of mankind, and to reveal the need of man, thus, the Spirit tills the soil of the heart of men. Paul refers to himself and his salvation through the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ as revealing His Son in me. What a divine thought, as the world, or the earth needs water continually to survive. Without the rain, the meadows would lose its green glow, the tall trees of the woodlands would turn brown, the nitrogen within the soil would burn off, and the desert would creep over the whole earth. And man would slowly vanish from the face of the earth. O earth, earth, earth, O man, man, man hear the word of the Lord.

Give ear, O ye heavens, and I will speak; and hear, O earth, the words of my mouth. (Deuteronomy 32:1)

My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass: (Deuteronomy 32:2) Because I will publish the name of the LORD: ascribe ye greatness unto our God.(Deuteronomy 32:3) He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he. (Deuteronomy 32:4)

   Although it is Moses speaking to Israel in Deuteronomy in a song that was given from heaven; he is relating to the nation that what he was proclaiming was from the heavens above. He is relating these truths to the earth by the words of his mouth. This is not only divine inspiration, but it is heart controlled and edified by the heavens above. When Moses said, ‘My doctrine,’ it is the doctrine of God, and God’s truth ‘shall drop as the rain’. God will not have mankind ignorant of His divine Being. From Genesis to Revelation, God will fully reveal Himself to the children of men. God’s speech shall distill as the gentle dew (dropping line upon line, precept upon precept, here a drop, there a drop, gently sprinkling His Word throughout the world). He will have all men to repent and to come to the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. As the small rain falls on the tender herbs, the smallest seedling will hear and understand God’s word. In the great multitude, the gospel will fall as showers upon the grass. And in these wonderful truths, God the Father will publish the name of the Son of His love, Jesus Christ. We ascribe to the Son of God the greatness and the wonder of our God. His work is perfect. His sacrifice was true. His ways and judgments come from the God of truth. And within Him the Man, Jesus Christ, there is no iniquity for just and right is He. The mercies of God are new every morning. They fall like a blanket upon the whole earth. His compassion fails not.

for his mercy endureth for ever

   The word of God gives us the assurance of God’s mercy; He devotes a whole psalm to His divine mercy for mankind. (Psalm 136) For His mercy endureth forever. This psalm contains 26 verses, and each one of these verses ends with these words, for His mercy endureth forever. Over and over He reminds us of His doctrine, and of His truth, and of His grace, My doctrine shall drop as the rain. His mercy falls like rain upon the earth, and upon the children of men. His word waters the souls of man, although man is a stubborn ass, God still sends the rain. Although man shakes his fist at God, God still sends the rain. Although man curses God’s holy name, God still sends the rain: for His mercy endureth forever. In Hebrews, Chapter 6, verses 7 and 8, God the Holy Spirit is bringing the immutable things to life, for as the rain falls upon the earth, it brings forth life from the dust. It not only brings forth life, but it also reveals the beauty that is hidden within the earth by His refreshing rain. On a hot still soundless day one can hear the distant showers approaching with life from above.

Yet man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward. (Job 5:7) I would seek unto God, and unto God would I commit my cause: (Job 5:8) Which doeth great things and unsearchable; marvellous things without number: (Job 5:9) Who giveth rain upon the earth, and sendeth waters upon the fields: (Job 5:10)

Who hath divided a watercourse for the overflowing of waters, or a way for the lightning of thunder; (Job 38:25) To cause it to rain on the earth, where no man is; on the wilderness, wherein there is no man; (Job 38:26) To satisfy the desolate and waste ground; and to cause the bud of the tender herb to spring forth? (Job 38:27) Hath the rain a father? or who hath begotten the drops of dew? (Job 38:28)

Sin is the Determining Factor

   The Spirit of God (in Job Chapter 5) has Job reflecting on the troubles of mankind, and upon his own soul. Although the troubles of mankind are absolutely sure to happen, nevertheless, God also sends forth His mercy. Job describes himself as a seeker of God, and unto God he would commit his troubles. We see in Job a future shadow and echo of the Lord Jesus when He cried out, Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28) Those who suffer the troubles that befall on all of mankind, as the sparks fly upward; it is a surety that all men will have trouble in this life because of sin. Sin is the factor that takes away the mercies of God. Sin is the factor that blinds the hearts to the presence of God, yet God, sends His rain on the just and on the unjust. Job stated (in his trouble) that it is God who gives the rain upon the earth and sends the waters upon the fields. Later in the book of Job in Chapter 38 we find God speaking directly to His servant Job out of a whirlwind revealing His infinite power in His own creation. God speaks proclaiming to Job through His question, Hath the rain a father? asking, who gives the drops of dew: For His mercy endureth forever. The answer to the voice of God in Job is laid before us in Hebrews 6:7 and 8.

The Rain: The Word: The Life: The Division

   God sends life in the rain, and so, the earth brings forth: O earth, earth, earth, hear the voice of the rain. O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the Lord.

That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. (Matthew 5:45)

   In these two verses in Hebrews 6:7, 8 we have the just and the unjust: For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God: But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned. The Spirit of God reveals a great division: in the earth, the rain reveals what is hidden beneath the surface. It is the rain that brings forth herbs and fruit, however, in the great division the rain also brings forth thorns and briars. The good fruit receives the blessing of God, and the thorns and briars are plucked up to be burned. There is a great gulf fixed between the just and the unjust. In the parable of the wheat and the tares, the master allows both to grow together until the day of harvest; then the Lord of glory gathers His children into His house and casts the tares into the fires of hell.

Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: (Matthew 13:24)

But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. (Matthew 13:25)

But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. (Matthew 13:26)

So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? (Matthew 13:27)

He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? (Matthew 13:28)

But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. (Matthew 13:29)

Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn. (Matthew 13:30)

The Tilling of the Soil

   The Spirit of God wants us to see this division between the just and the unjust. In the book of Hebrews He uses thorns and briars as a symbol of those who have not faith in Jesus Christ. The good fruit, however, is brought forth by the same rain to give life unto the children of God; for they have been brought forth by the living waters of the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. (John 4:10) This refreshing water only comes from the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ. This is the water of life that came down from heaven to fulfill the will of God the Father, and to bring forth fruit from the earth from the sons of man. Like a refreshing rain on a hot summer’s day, the drops of God’s love came from heaven to do His Father’s will. He walked among men tilling the soil of the souls of men and bringing forth and giving to them the water of life freely.

All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. (John 6:37)

For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. (John 6:38)

And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. (John 6:39)

And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day. (John 6:40)

The Drops of His Love Became the Drops of His Blood

   This is the will of God the Father, the drops of love as rain became the Father’s will as He sent His Son on the longest, and the hardest journey through the darkness into the realm of mankind. The Son of God would take upon Himself the flesh of man that would lead to the judgment of sin. The sin of the whole world was placed upon Him, the perfect Lamb of God.

The Former Rain: The Law and The Prophets

   This rain of God’s love is greater than the former rain in the law, and in the prophets. Christ came to reveal and to uncover mans sin, and because of His presence and His divine life man would know his own sin by the contrast of the perfect life sent from above. Man (looking at the Lord Jesus) would finally know his total depravity. Man fulfilled the completeness of his depravity and sin in killing the prince of life. Man had not known the total depth of his own sin until the Light shined through the darkness of their hearts; for he that sinneth is the servant of sin. Only divine love can break the shackles of sin. Do you hear it? o earth, earth, earth. The words, the beginning of all things, calling from heaven, Come unto me. The Man in heaven, the Lord Jesus Christ, is still sending the rain, the latter rain is here. The eternal door of heaven is opened, the blood has been applied to the mercy-seat, the Lamb of God has been slain so, Come now, and let us reason together.

Come now, and let us reason together,saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it. (Isaiah 1:18-20)

   God desires man to sit down with Him, face to face, so that God through the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ can reveal the travesty which is in every man. God is willing on His part, to reveal the absolute truth to the heart of man concerning his need for a Savior. God has labored steadfastly, even to His death upon the cross of Calvary. Man is a slave to sin, and the result of his sin brings forth death. As in the old Roman galley ships, the galleys of sin are hard and laborious, they are dark and filled with shackled hearts in the depth of emptiness. Come now, let us reason together, lets listen to the greatest intellect, the greatest knowledge, the greatest wisdom from heaven on high. He has sent the rain to water the earth, the earth drinks it in, and brings forth fruit and the blessing of God. Through the mercies of God, He allows Adam to have a place in His earth. The thistles and thorns of mankind are buried in his sin, and are to be burned. Where then can a poor sinner turn? Not only is the sinner poor, but bankrupt of all righteousness. Who covereth the heaven with clouds, who prepareth rain for the earth, who maketh grass to grow upon the mountains. (Psalm 147:8) In this verse we have God maintaining His earth, for the earth is the Lords and the fullness thereof. He sends the rain and cares for the grass; He causes it to grow in the valleys and in the mountains; where ever beasts roam there is food brought forth by the hand of God. As the Lord cares for the earth, and the beasts, He also bears with man and the burdens of man. The very miracles that the Lord Jesus performed told the story of the heaviest burden that was upon mankind, and that was sin. All the ailments, all the diseases, even the very blindness of man, and his death have come from sin. Adam transgressed and became sin, so the righteous man, the Man from heaven brought righteousness to the cross, and became sin for us; that He who knew no sin was made sin in the likeness of sinful flesh., and for sin condemned sin in the flesh. He, who was the righteousness of God, went into the depths of death so that man could be made the righteousness of God in our Savior Jesus Christ. Adam broke his link with the righteousness of God when he brought sin into the world. Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: (Romans 5:12) Man (in Adam) became a slave to sin, and God had to lay the law of sin and death upon Adam. Over and over again, sin is passed from one member of Adam’s race to the next, and death comes behind sin to put away the evil of mankind. Death reigned over mankind until Light and Life came into the world in the Person of God’s Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. He came into the world to take away the sin of the world.

But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification. For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) (Romans 5:15 – 17)

   This Man, the Son of God, has come to give life in the fullness of time. But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. (Galatians 4:4, 5)

The Latter Rain: The Christ

   God has sent the latter rain in His Son. The Lord Jesus has come to water the souls of men, and in Hebrews, Chapter 6, verses 7 and 8, we should see the great divide. For the just shall live by faith, and the unjust will be judged and burned. There is one more thing that the Spirit of God has included in these two verses: those who dress the ground. Those who dress the hearts, and till the souls of men are the planters who spend time on their knees crying out to God for the souls of men, reaching into the fires and pulling them out of the raging heat, seven times hotter than man can measure. Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. And of some have compassion, making a difference: And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh. (Jude 21-23)

   If we keep ourselves refreshed in this wonder of God’s love through Jesus Christ, we will have compassion for the lost, we will find a way to reach souls for Christ. The love of God is within us, the same love that was on the cross dwells in each and every Christian. The love of Christ is manifested through His body, the Church. As He was on the cross, we (also) are crucified with Him, and the cross will not let us go. We who believe to the saving of our souls, and in the eternal life of God, must have the same mind that was in Christ Jesus. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: (Philippians 2:5) This is the mind that came down upon the earth, like the rain upon the mown grass.

He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass: as showers that water the earth. (Psalm 72:6)

Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth. (Hosea 6:3)

  The showers of love have come, they have covered the whole earth. The drops of the gospel have watered the souls of men. And the former and latter rain has come. In the book of Hosea, the prophecy is in three stages: first, the former rain, this is under the law; secondly: the latter rain: grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. Then thirdly, the former rain when Israel will receive her King, and the showers of blessing from on high will fall upon her in the presence of their Sovereign God, the Lord Jesus Christ. O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the Lord; grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. (John 1:17)

Twelve Baskets Full Yet To Come for Israel

   When the Lord fed the multitudes, they took up 12 baskets of the fragments (John 6:13) here we see the fullness of His grace, and the fullness of His truth. He supplied manna from heaven in the miracles that He performed as an example of who He was: the true manna from heaven. The 12 baskets full refers to Israel (the twelve tribes), that of His fullness they will receive His blessing when He comes from heavens glory to sit upon His throne in Jerusalem. Israel will receive the fullness of the blessings of God: grace and truth will be amongst them. As Christ came down from heavens glory to be the fullness of Him who filleth all in all, so to Israel, He will fill them with the blessings of Jacob, and the wonder of Jacob’s God. Truly, the ladder will finally be placed from heaven to earth in Jerusalem upon His throne. And to the Church, the body of Christ, we have the latter rain, and we have the fullness of Him who filleth all in all.

In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, (Ephesians 1:13)

Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory. (Ephesians 1:14)

Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, (Ephesians 1:15)

Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; (Ephesians 1:16)

That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: (Ephesians 1:17)

The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, (Ephesians 1:18)

And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, (Ephesians 1:19)

Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, (Ephesians 1:20)

Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: (Ephesians 1:21)

And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, (Ephesians 1:22)

Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all. (Ephesians 1:23)

   The rain in Ephesians is from the Spirit of God, He brings with Christ a trust in the fullness of His grace. He adds to grace an understanding of the fullness of His truth, and the determinate counsels of God that our understanding would be enlightened by the ministry of our great High Priest, the Lord Jesus Christ; that we might understand this fullness that is found in Jesus Christ who is the complete image of the invisible God. Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; (Hebrews 1:3)

   We have the mirror of the perfect Man come down from heaven, and ascended back to His rightful place at the right hand of God; far above all principalities, and powers with more might than the dominions of mankind, or angels. More power than the author of darkness, Satan. The Lord Jesus has ascended as a High Priest, higher than the heavens. For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; (Hebrews 7:26) The rain of the righteous Son who came down upon the earth was as the same purity of rain that came that came upon the mown grass. The One who after He had purged our sins, in His pure river of life, the rain of the divine love, is above every name that is named. So great was the work of His life, and the work of His death on the cross that His finished work set the captives free. He has broken the chains of sin that bound us to death, truly, if the Son shall set you free, ye shall be free indeed. The rain brings forth fruit for God, so the true vine contains its own water of life, His doctrine waters the whole earth. (Deuteronomy 32:2) O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the Lord. Like the rain from the Father’s hand the rain falls upon the ground, it falls on the just and the unjust. God shows no partiality, His divine truth is for all, and in all that hear the wonderful gospel only the just shall live by faith. They will live and reign in life by Jesus Christ.

   Where I live in Florida it gets extremely hot for months and months. Day after day, month after month, the sand gets hotter and hotter. Even at night, if you fill your hand with sand, you can feel the heat in the soil. When rain comes, the water sits on top of the sand, and runs off to a lower area without penetrating the soil. You can easily expose the dry soil that exists beneath a thin layer of dampness. O earth, earth, earth hear the word of the Lord. The rain tries to penetrate the hot soil, as the word of God tries to penetrate the heart heated by sin, but sadly the water of life runs off. Grace and truth does not penetrate the soul. The fires of hell seem far away even as no threat at all. Yet, God sent His Son, the just for the unjust to bring forth fruit for God. Remember the rich man in hades desired only one drop of water, one drop of rain from above to quench his eternal thirst. He desired to have his spirit quenched, just one inspired word from God, just one drop of faith, just one drop of God’s love; sadly, he had rejected the one drop that could have saved him, the one drop of blood from Emmanuel’s veins that was shed on the cross of Calvary, the blood of the Lamb slain before the foundation of the world. The rain had descended from above, the Lord Jesus Christ had left heaven’s glory to be the rain of God’s love. And when His work was done, like the dampness of the earth, He ascended back to God the Father.

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. I and my Father are one. (John 10:27-30)

And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (John 14:3-6)

The Latter Rain: For Israel: For The Church

   The presence of the life of Christ on earth is here today. He dwells in every true believer. He walks amongst men every day. He is manifested in their lives, and He has given them the fullness of time that was in Him. (Galatians 4) The Lord of glory (in His omnipresence) walks the sands of this world in His body (the Church). Each and every child of God is indwelt by His Spirit, and He is traveling through time and space in the lives of His sheep, sending the rain to the earth. When one of those drops of rain ascends to heaven He sends more rain on the just and on the unjust. O earth, O earth, O earth, hear the word of the Lord. As Adam was driven out of the garden, so all his descendants were driven out with him; Israel was also driven out of the land by the same God because of sin. I will close with a shower of rain in the Old Testament prophecy in Jeremiah.

Behold, I will gather them out of all countries, whither I have driven them in mine anger, and in my fury, and in great wrath; and I will bring them again unto this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely: (Jeremiah 32:37)

And they shall be my people, and I will be their God: (Jeremiah 32:38)

And I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me for ever, for the good of them, and of their children after them: (Jeremiah 32:39)

And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me. (Jeremiah 32:40)

Yea, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will plant them in this land assuredly with my whole heart and with my whole soul. (Jeremiah 32:41)

For thus saith the LORD; Like as I have brought all this great evil upon this people, so will I bring upon them all the good that I have promised them. (Jeremiah 32:42)

  In this prophetic word by Jeremiah, we see a glorious day for the children of Israel, but there is also a principal in these verses. This is the same God who has given birth to the Church. This is the same Savior who will take His seat upon His throne in Jerusalem. We of the body of Christ, have already been brought back to the heavenly garden by the divine rain of the gospel of Christ. That we may be fruit for God in Jesus Christ. The latter rain in Scripture comes just before the harvest, so that the fruit will be full of water, and the sweet nectar of life will be at its fullest point; O the blessings of God, the eternal work of Jesus Christ, our Savior. The Spirit speaks expressly, O earth, O earth, O earth, hear the word of the Lord, feel the latter rain. Amen.

© Copyright 2017, Michael Haigh

Article may be used, but not for gain. Freely ye have received, freely give.

All Scripture references are from the  King James Bible. (KJV)