Psalms 97:1-2 The Lord reigneth; let the earth rejoice; let the multitude of isles be glad thereof. Clouds and darkness are round about him: righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his throne.
Revelation 1:7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.
The Nature of Clouds
Clouds are usually the most obvious feature on the horizon of the sky. Clouds can both reflect imminent weather patterns and also play a role in what the climate will be. There are several types of clouds. They basically include in one variety or another, a formation of cumulus, stratus, cirrus, and nimbus type clouds. Clouds can be light and porous bands, or they can be dark and imposing, with rolling or vertical shapes. Clouds consist of a condensed form of atmospheric moisture consisting of small water droplets or tiny ice crystals. They represent a transitory but vital step in the hydrological cycle, which includes the evaporation of moisture from the surface of the earth, the carrying of this moisture into higher levels of the atmosphere, condensation of water vapor into cloud masses, and finally the return of water to the surface as precipitation.
The different cloud formations result partly from the temperature at which condensation takes place. When condensation occurs at temperatures below freezing, clouds are usually composed of ice crystals; those that form in warmer air usually consist of water droplets. The air motion associated with cloud development also affects formation. Clouds that develop in calm air tend to appear as sheets or stratified formations; those that form under windy conditions or in air with strong vertical currents have a towering appearance.
Clouds also perform a very important function for the sustenance of life on the surface of the earth by modifying the distribution of solar heat over the earth's surface and within the atmosphere. Clouds bring us rain, shield us from heat, and give us early warnings as to weather changes so we can prepare for hazardous weather.
Without clouds, our world would become an unsuitable habitat. Even so, clouds also can cause deep depression in our minds and within our complex human psyche. Most people enjoy sunny days, so the prolonged presence of clouds, especially dark clouds, can cause people to become moody and depressed. Ironically, most people prefer a partially cloudy day, with just enough clouds to veil out the penetrating power of the Sun, but still permitting enough sunshine to ignite a spirit of enthusiasm for life’s enjoyable activities.
In the book of Job, and again in Ecclesiastes God refers to this natural water cycle and the function of clouds that carry the waters that give sustenance for life on earth:
Job 26:8-9 He bindeth up the waters in his thick clouds; and the cloud is not rent under them. He holdeth back the face of his throne, and spreadeth his cloud upon it.
Ecclesiastes 1:6-7 The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according to his circuits. All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again.
Job further reveals the fact that the face of God and his throne are veiled from us by clouds. This cloud of covering around the Lord God is necessary because we, as mere mortal sin-stained humans cannot behold the glory of God and live. Exodus 33:20 And he (God) said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.
God Presented Himself to Israel In Clouds
Whereas God, who had foreordained before the foundation of the world that he would send the Son of Man (God manifest in flesh) to reconcile the world unto himself, God faced a problem of presenting himself to the children of Israel for the means of introduction and instruction. Upon the occasion of presenting the Decalogue to Israel, God resorted to veiling himself behind the angel of the Lord in a burning bush. Moses, when turning aside to inspect the phenomena of the unconsumed bush afire, became fearfully affrighted at the magnanimous prospect of gazing upon Almighty God. One can only imagine the awesome and yet humbling feeling Moses surely felt, being in the presence of the Almighty and Holy Creator.
Exodus 3:3-6 And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt. And when the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I. And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground. Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God.
The fact of this supernatural phenomenon (death to look upon the full glory of God) is also evident in the record of God’s dealings with the Israelites, when the Lord committed himself to residing amongst the chosen people, first on the mount, and later in the desert tabernacle. The Lord instructed Moses to fix boundary lines on Sinai surrounding the “clouded presence of the Lord,” so as to keep people from inflicting self-destruction upon themselves by trying to touch or see his glory. These bounds were necessary so that He could dwell among the people. The Lord conveyed to Moses that he would appear unto them in a “thick cloud” and that the people could actually hear the voice of the Lord when he spoke. The people were even instructed to wash their clothes, and to avoid touching the border of the Lord’s presence. After three days of sanctification, there were great thunders and lightnings emanating from the cloud of the Lord, in so much that even after careful cleansing, the entire camp of the Israelites became affrighted. But as you might expect with human nature, people often reject Divine advice and eventually cast aside any healthy fear of the Lord, and seek to satisfy their curiosity by exploring where they sometimes ought not.
Exodus 19:12-21 And thou shalt set bounds unto the people round about, saying, Take heed to yourselves, that ye go not up into the mount, or touch the border of it: whosoever toucheth the mount shall be surely put to death: There shall not an hand touch it, but he shall surely be stoned, or shot through; whether it be beast or man, it shall not live: when the trumpet soundeth long, they shall come up to the mount. And Moses went down from the mount unto the people, and sanctified the people; and they washed their clothes. And he said unto the people, Be ready against the third day: come not at your wives. And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled. And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God; and they stood at the nether part of the mount. And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the Lord descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly. And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder, Moses spake, and God answered him by a voice. And the Lord came down upon mount Sinai, on the top of the mount: and the Lord called Moses up to the top of the mount; and Moses went up. And the Lord said unto Moses, Go down, charge the people, lest they break through unto the Lord to gaze, and many of them perish.
In the Old Testament, clouds were often symbolic of God's presence, and this was the case in instances other than the Sinai introduction. At certain times during Biblical history, the Lord God appeared to humans with, or within, a cloud, or clouds, as this was the most logical means available for God to appear. This was apparently not the case though when the Lord visited with Adam prior to the fall in the Garden of Eden. Apparently God visited Adam regularly in the Garden, and held intimate conversations with Adam concerning the dominion God had bestowed upon him. These casual walks by the Creator with Adam in the garden required no clouds to veil the presence of the Lord God.
When God wanted to reveal Himself to the Israelites, He used a pillar of cloud to do so. Before the children of Israel ever reached Mount Sinai, the Lord God led them through the wilderness (Exodus 13:21-22 "And The Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night: He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people.") in a pillar of a cloud by day, and in a pillar of fire by night, so as to light their way in their journeys in the wilderness. In Numbers 12:5, we find that the Lord could also hear the murmurings of the people from his presence in the clouds. The clouded pillar was necessary for God to make his presence available, for the people could not absorb the dynamics of the impact of the awesome majesty of an unveiled God.
The Shekinah Cloud Tabernacled With Israel
The Shekinah (dwelling) glory of God abode with Israel in the tabernacle that Moses had built for the Lord God. The Shekinah was a visible manifestation of the presence of through the use of a cloud. Although the word Shekinah is not found in the Bible, it occurs frequently in later Jewish writings, and refers to the instances when God showed Himself visibly to the Israelites. God instructed Moses to use the gifted craftsmen Bezaleel and Aholiab (Exodus 31) to construct all the apparatus and utensils as well as the highly detailed framework for a tabernacle for the Lord to dwell in before the people. The tabernacle was the center meeting place for the Israelites, where they could focus on the actual presence of the Lord. The description of this tabernacle is recorded in Exodus chapters 25-30. After completing the construction of the tabernacle, the Lord God Jehovah came down in the midst a cloud and occupied the space above the mercy seat between two cherubims.
Exodus 25:17-22 And thou shalt make a mercy seat of pure gold: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof. And thou shalt make two cherubims of gold, of beaten work shalt thou make them, in the two ends of the mercy seat. And make one cherub on the one end, and the other cherub on the other end: even of the mercy seat shall ye make the cherubims on the two ends thereof. And the cherubims shall stretch forth their wings on high, covering the mercy seat with their wings, and their faces shall look one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubims be. And thou shalt put the mercy seat above upon the ark; and in the ark thou shalt put the testimony that I shall give thee. And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel.
Leviticus 16:2 And the Lord said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the veil before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat.
The Lord God maintained a “clouded presence” between the cherubim above the mercy seat, with the children of Israel from the days of the desert tabernacle right on through the era of his veiled presence in the Holy of Holies in Solomon’s Temple. The Shekinah Glory of God was a luminous cloud which rested above the altar in the place of worship and lit up the room. When the Babylonians came, they destroyed the Temple, the Shekinah glory vanished. There was no Shekinah in the temples rebuilt later under Zerubbabel and Herod.
The Shekinah Cloud Departs From Israel
At the age of 30 years old, the Old Testament prophet Ezekiel received a vision of the glory of God after the children of Israel had lost their precious Temple, and were being held in captivity by the river Chebar in Babylon. The Psalmist records this of the children of Israel, “by the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion." (Psalms 137:1) Ezekiel’s vision of God again was that of a great cloud, and the vision imparted to the prophet revealed that the children of Israel were in captivity because the cloud of God’s presence had departed their Temple long ago, enabling the enemies of Israel to overtake them.
Ezekiel 1:1-4 Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the river of Chebar, that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God. In the fifth day of the month, which was the fifth year of king Jehoiachin's captivity, The word of the Lord came expressly unto Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and the hand of the Lord was there upon him. And I looked, and, behold, a whirlwind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire infolding itself, and a brightness was about it, and out of the midst thereof as the color of amber, out of the midst of the fire.
God used a whirlwind to transport his “clouded thronely presence” upon a great “wheel-within-a-wheel,” accompanied by his cherubim, and appeared before Ezekiel in Babylon. In the Divine exposition given to Ezekiel, the Lord God foretold of the scattering of Israel, and the gathering of a remnant in the Last Days, and of the ultimate restoration of Jerusalem, and of Israel.
Ezekiel 1:27-28 And I saw as the color of amber, as the appearance of fire round about within it, from the appearance of his loins even upward, and from the appearance of his loins even downward, I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and it had brightness round about. As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one that spake.
Ezekiel 10:1-5 Then I looked, and, behold, in the firmament that was above the head of the cherubims there appeared over them as it were a sapphire stone, as the appearance of the likeness of a throne. And he spake unto the man clothed with linen, and said, Go in between the wheels, even under the cherub, and fill thine hand with coals of fire from between the cherubims, and scatter them over the city. And he went in my sight. Now the cherubims stood on the right side of the house, when the man went in; and the cloud filled the inner court. Then the glory of the LORD went up from the cherub, and stood over the threshold of the house; and the house was filled with the cloud, and the court was full of the brightness of the Lord's glory. And the sound of the cherubims' wings was heard even to the outer court, as the voice of the Almighty God when he speaketh.
But in the interim period of Israel’s dispersion while God’s Shekinah glory was absent from Israel, the Lord God informed Ezekiel that he had set him as a watchman over the House of Israel, and used a series of eight prophetic visions to convey to the Son of Man that the Lord had departed from the Temple because of the detestable abominations the children of Israel had brought before the Temple.
Ezekiel 10:18 Then the glory of the LORD departed from off the threshold of the house, and stood over the cherubims."Behold, He Cometh with Clouds; and Every Eye Shall see Him"
The phrase “clouds of heaven” appears four separate times in the Bible. (Daniel 7:13, Matthew 24:30, 26:64, and Mark 14:62) Each of these references refers to the majestic manner in which Jesus Christ is wrapped in Glory. The clouds of heaven, whether they be natural or majestic, depending on which of the three heaven’s is involved, apparently have accompanied Jesus Christ from the time of His ascension, to the time when He appeared before God after His ascension, and will accompany him at the time of His Return, and beyond.
The Lord God even appeared in a cloud at the Transfiguration event where He announced to the Disciples, Peter, James and John, that Jesus Christ was in fact His Son:
"And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him. Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him." (Matthew 17:1-5)
When Jesus was being held and questioned by the scribes and elders, the High priest Caiaphas mockingly charged at the Lord, and adjured him to reveal whether or not he was the Christ, and the Son of God. Jesus response to Caiaphas was sharp, and stinging, as far as the Chief Priest was concerned, but the Lord’s direct retaliatory response also revealed the majestic manner in which he will return to this world. Jesus informed the assembly that they would see Him sitting at the right hand of the Father, returning in power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.
Matthew 26:59-66 Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death; But found none: yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none. At the last came two false witnesses, And said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days. And the high priest arose, and said unto him, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee? But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God. Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy. What think ye? They answered and said, He is guilty of death.
Apparently, the clouds Jesus spoke of in this context will not be the type of clouds that typically envelope the earth’s atmosphere, but will be the majestic, awesome clouds of the kind that accompanied God when he appeared in his Shekinah glory before Israel, and when he appeared before Ezekiel by the river Chebar.
The Hebrew term used for the clouds of the atmosphere is “shachaq” and simply refers to a thin vapor or powdery dusting, which is a term more clearly identified with the clouds of the earth. The clouds of heaven are usually depicted in Hebrew with the terms of “nephele,” or “anan,” and referred to an unusual cloudiness, without any references to vapor.
The clouds of heaven provided the lightnings and thunderings of God’s presence and his voice, which in turn demanded reverence and complete attention. (Revelation 4:5 And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.) (Psalms 77:18 The voice of thy thunder was in the heaven: the lightnings lightened the world: the earth trembled and shook.)
The clouds of Heaven will also accompany our Lord when he returns, just as they received him when a he ascended to Heaven to sit at the right hand of His Father. Christ ascended to heaven when "a cloud received Him" from the Mount of Olives. The Mount of Olives will also be "ground zero" for His return (Zechariah 14:4):
Acts 1:9-11 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
From His ascension, Christ arrived before God, "with the clouds of heaven":
"I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought Him near before Him. And there was given Him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve Him: His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom that which shall not be destroyed." (Daniel 7:13-14)
When the time has come, Jesus Christ will be given the go ahead by his Father ("of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only" Matthew 24:36 KJV) for His Return while "seated on a cloud":
"And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on His head a golden crown, and in His hand a sharp sickle. And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to Him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. And he that sat on the cloud thrust in His sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped." (Revelation 14:14-16)
Jesus Christ will return and be seen "coming with the clouds," by everyone. The majestic return of Jesus Christ will not come secretly, for all of humanity alive at that time will see Him:
"Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen." (Revelation 1:7)
Apparently, these same type of the clouds of heaven, (third heaven) that received the Lord Jesus up into Heaven will be the type of clouds to receive the raptured saints when the Lord comes, for Paul indicates that we which remain alive until that time, shall simply be caught up into the same type clouds with those already assembled in these heavenly clouds, such as those accompanying the Lord.
I Thessalonians 4:17-18 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
John the Revelator was granted a majestic view of the coming Day of the Lord. In this panoramic view, John saw the glory of Christ in much the same way the prophet Daniel had seen it centuries before. In each narrative, the writer observes that the “Son of Man” was bathed in white clouds, literally transporting him through the cosmos, as he comes to execute his judgment upon the nations, and to establish his earthly kingdom.
Revelation 14:12-14 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them. And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle.
Daniel 7:9-14 I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened. I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake: I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame. As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time. I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, (shekinah) and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.
A Day of Clouds
In the Bible, a "day of clouds" often referred to a time marked by disaster and or a time of God's judgment, and such is the case with the commencement of the Day of the Lord. Clouds are used in Biblical language to convey the symbolism of armies and vast multitudes of people gathered on the field of battle.
Ezekiel 30:1-3 The word of the Lord came again unto me, saying, Son of man, prophesy and say, Thus saith the Lord God; Howl ye, Woe worth the day! For the day is near, even the day of the Lord is near, a cloudy day; it shall be the time of the heathen.
The Prophets always used the imagery of thick cloudiness, darkness and gloominess to convey the austere significance of the Day of the Lord. Their dark language was intended to warn readers to beware of this impending day of judgment, and to encourage everyone to avoid being overtaken by this terrible time of trouble that is coming upon the world, in the same way one would seek shelter from a violent storm that is brewing on the horizon, and can detect its nearness by observing the cloud-formations.
Joel 2:1-2 Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the Lord cometh, for it is nigh at hand; A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, even to the years of many generations.
Zephaniah 1:14-15 The great day of the Lord is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the Lord: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly. That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness,
When confronted by the Sadducees for a sign from heaven that he was indeed the Messiah, Jesus responded to the fact that they knew perfectly well how to observe the horizon and the clouds for signs of violent and stormy weather patterns, but did not possess the spiritual enlightenment to observe the signs of the times. Jesus inferred that, like it is with the signs of storms, so it will be with the sign for his coming. Later, in the Olivet Discourse, Jesus used the analogy of birth-pangs for a woman before she is delivered of a child as a parallel to the analogy of the observation of the sky to detect the nearness of his return. As it is with birthpangs, which increase with intensity and frequency as the time for delivery nears, so it is also with the signs of the times. Basically, Jesus alluded to the idea that, as we witness the intensity and frequency of gathering storm clouds associated with Israel’s rebirth, we can know for a surety that the time is at hand for the Lord to return.
Matthew 16:1-3 The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven. He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red. And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowring. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?
According to the Words of Jesus himself, first the world will witness the gathering storm-clouds of a Dark and Cloudy Day, before it will see him coming in clouds of glory:
Matthew 24:29-30 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
Jesus used the prophetic analogy of a fig tree (Matthew 24) in conjunction with the signs of the times portending his second coming, as a backdrop to demonstrate to Israel how to discern the imminent nearness of the dark and cloudy day, just as one is able to observe the skies to determine what the face of the clouds meant. This is the reason that the Lord commanded his followers to watch the horizon, and observe prophetic landmark signs, as the signs of the times begin to come to pass, for the Lord has prepared a place of shelter for those who look for him when the dark and cloudy day dawns.
The prophet Amos warns readers to beware of the Dark and Cloudy Day. It is a day of the Lord’s vengeance, and a day in which the darkness of Satan shall abound. It stands in utter contrast to the light, and its era will be ushered in by the withdrawal of the present restraining power of the Holy Spirit. Who can abide the dark and cloudy day?
Amos 5:18-20 Woe unto you that desire the day of the LORD! to what end is it for you? the day of the LORD is darkness, and not light. As if a man did flee from a lion, and a bear met him; or went into the house, and leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him. Shall not the day of the LORD be darkness, and not light? even very dark, and no brightness in it?
Today, we live in a very unique phase in the history of humanity and Bible prophecy. There has never been a time in which the human race can both study prophecy while actually watching so many elements of it falling into place. Many students of the Bible who believe that the Scriptures say what they mean, and mean what they say, are convinced beyond all doubt that the stage is now being set for a very grand entrance of the Lord Jesus Christ, coming in clouds of glory, just as he said he would. Prophecy is like a distant thunder. It is both a promise of life-giving rain, and a warning to take shelter from an imposing storm. Sometimes, on a warm, bright summer day, the only warning that we may have of a change in the weather is the sound of distant thunder. The sun may still be shining where we are, but off toward the horizon, dark clouds can be seen gathering. We then can be quite sure that there is a storm coming.
And so it is with the Day of the Lord. Those who ignore those prophecies that have been given to us however, risk far more than just getting wet and blown about by a tempest. They risk facing the wrath of God without the grace that is offered to all in his Son, Jesus Christ, who rides upon the clouds.
We Shall See Him Without Clouds, After We Become Like Him
When Jesus ascended into Heaven, He took a place seated at the right hand of his Father. There, he continuously intercedes on our behalf, and awaits the coming day when his Father shall make his enemies his footstool. The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, and the day is coming when the Lord shall return in clouds of glory. Christ’s stern statement 2000 years ago to Caiaphas stands as the beckoning beacon of the ages, hereafter, ye shall see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. The world will soon see him coming in all of his majestic glory!
Whereas, no man has seen the Lord God in all of his glory, and lived, the day is coming when all the saints shall join him in his clouds of heaven. Yet, to gaze upon our Lord, first we must all be changed, so that we can absorb the full unclouded glory of his majesty.
I Corinthians 15:53-57 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, (aphtharsia) and this mortal must put on immortality. (athanasian) So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Here, Paul elaborates on that supernatural bodily transformation by stating that the present perishable body we inhabit must put on an imperishable body. The Greek word for “imperishable” is aphtharsia, which refers to a body with the perpetual absence of corruption and decay, and possessing eternal purity. The Greek word for “immortal” in this passage is athanasia, meaning that our new bodies will possess the impossibility of experiencing mortal death. There are two major clues about how this transformation into an immortal body will be accomplished. (Philippians 3:21 contains two important clues about the transformation into immortality: (1) that believers will be transformed into a body just like Jesus had after his resurrection, and (2) that Jesus will be able to accomplish the transformation due to his absolute supernatural power over all things.) Philippians 3:21 also tells us that the power of Christ’s resurrection will transform (metaschematisei) our present earthly bodies into the likeness (summorphon) of his glorious body. First, the transformation of the body of the believer will be performed by Jesus Christ, and will be into the likeness of his glorified resurrection body. That transformation will be a glorified body which will be able to transform from spirit form into human form and back again at will. While this may seem hard to believe, it is the same actions Jesus took in his glorified body after his resurrection. Furthermore, this wonderful and miraculous transformation will enable us to gaze upon our Lord as he is, and see him without the obstruction of clouds.
Job 19:25-27 For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.
Matthew 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
John 17:24 Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.
I John 3:2-3 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is.
Yes, when we are changed to become like him, we shall see him as is! No more cloudy days, no more veils of any kind between us and our precious Lord! Oh my, what a day that will be, when my Jesus I shall see, and I look upon his face, the ONE who saved me by his grace, and He takes me by the hand, and lead me through the Promised Land, what a day, glorious day, that will be!
There’s A Bright New “Unclouded Day” On The Horizon
Micah 4:1-3 But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it. And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.
Isaiah 65:17-25 For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy. And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people: and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying. There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred years old; but the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed. And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them. They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands. They shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth for trouble; for they are the seed of the blessed of the LORD, and their offspring with them. And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear. The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent's meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the LORD.
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