The Agricultural Annual Cycle

Each Feast is commemorated throughout the year’s agricultural cycle. Understanding the terms of the agricultural rain cycle is key to interpreting prophecy timing.

Rains: The agricultural cycle is in accord with what the Bible calls the former (early) and latter rains. This was news to the Israelis who were coming out of Egypt, where they watered all their crops by channels from the abundance of the Nile River – not any more! God would use rains to train up young Israel to grow in obedience to Him. 

Obedience = rain and no obedience = no rain

Israel would learn to believe and trust the Lord for His provisional rain. These rains were symbolic of God’s Spirit fulfilling His promises to both Israel and the Church in the latter days. 

With a better understanding of biblical timing and terms, the following Scriptures really pop with prophetic meaning:

Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rains. You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. James 5:7-8

Be glad then, you children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God; for He has given you the former rain faithfully, and He will cause the rain to come down for you — the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month. Joel 2:23

Furthermore, rains means harvest! 

“Behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord, “When the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him who sows seed; the mountains shall drip with sweet wine, and all the hills shall flow with it.

I will bring back the captives of My people Israel; they shall build the waste cities and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and drink wine from them;

They shall also make gardens and eat fruit from them.

I will plant them in their land, and no longer shall they be pulled up from the land I have given them,” Says the Lord your God.  Amos 9:13-15