Hosea suggests there will be outpourings of the Spirit of God that will increase in glory until they are climaxed by the return of Christ in full view of the peoples of the earth.

"He (the Lord) shall come unto us as the rain."

The "morning" is the morning of the Day of Christ, the arising of the Sun of righteousness with healing in His wings.

The Lord Jesus will come to His elect as rains of spiritual refreshing. There will be revival power flowing from His Presence that will prepare the Church and the peoples of the earth for the arrival of the King.

Christ Himself is to come to us as the rain, as "opportunities for refreshing." We are employing the term opportunities because it is included in the meaning of the Greek word and because it is vital to our understanding. Revival is an opportunity for spiritual progress and is of benefit only to the extent human beings press into it in faith. Revival does not fall upon us and bless us apart from our faith and diligence.

The Spirit speaks in the Book of Acts that Christ will send forth spiritual refreshing from His Presence until all that was destroyed by the disobedience in the garden of Eden has been restored.

We must be diligent if we are to discover how much can be done today toward the liberation of earth's peoples from the slavery of sin and rebellion against God. We can work with the greatest joy and confidence for the freeing of multitudes from Satan's prison, being fully assured that total victory is coming with the appearing of Christ from Heaven with the saints and elect angels.

The Water Gate Toward the East

Moreover the Nethinims dwelt in Ophel, unto the place over against the water gate toward the east, and the tower that lieth out. (Nehemiah 3:26)

Once more we have "the tower that lieth out," suggesting that watching in prayer will become increasingly important as we draw near to the coming of Christ.

The pattern of restoration of the wall and gates of Jerusalem suggests the end-time is being portrayed here. We started with the sheep and fish gates, symbolizing the beginning works of the Church of Christ.

Now we are dealing with the house of the mighty, the armory, and the high priest—types of spiritual activity associated with the coming of the Lord Jesus.

The Hebrew prophets reveal to us that the greatest outpourings of the Spirit of God will take place during the Day of the Lord and just preceding the Day of the Lord.

But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord. (Numbers 14:21)

For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea. (Habakkuk 2:14)

Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month. (Joel 2:23)

And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: (Joel 2:28)

To be continued.