Having Your Head in the Clouds
Introduction
Clouds are as normal to us as the ground beneath our feet. They are just there. Sometimes they grab our attention: they might cause us to stop and stare, or feel sad, or run for cover. At other times they go completely unnoticed as we go about our day. But no matter how they affect us, clouds are floating above our heads all the time.
So, what’s so special about clouds? Why spend time considering them? It’s because the Bible has a lot to say about clouds. They are a vital part of creation which do us good (Psalm 147:8) and declare to us God’s glory (Psalm 19:1). But more importantly, they are part of God’s plan of redemption. Nick Batzig remarks, “Surprisingly, the Scriptures have much to teach, by way of illustration or allusion, about the symbolic and redemptive-historical significance of clouds.”[1]
In what follows, I want you to have your head in the clouds! I want you to consider how God uses clouds both literally and figuratively to teach us about His saving purposes in this world. And I want you to learn some valuable lessons about clouds so that when you look at them in the sky, you will not only see them filled with rain, but you will also see them filled with glorious gospel hope. May this lesson cause you to never look at clouds the same way again!
I.) God Sets His Faithfulness in the Clouds after the Flood
The first explicit place in the Bible where clouds take on redemptive significance in human history is in the flood narrative. After God pours out the floodwaters of His judgment upon the wicked, He places a rainbow in the clouds as a perpetual token and sign of His covenant faithfulness to Noah and to all creation.
God says in Genesis 9:13-16, “13I have set My bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between Me and the earth. 14When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, 15I will remember My covenant that is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh. And the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. 16When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.”
Why does God set the bow in the clouds and not somewhere else? This can be explained in a few ways. Scientifically, when sunlight passes through water droplets which fill the cloudy sky after a rainstorm, the light splits into a rainbow of colors. Pragmatically, everyone has a clear view of the bow when it is high up in the clouds. But theologically, the bow is placed in throne room of God (Revelation 4:2-3). The Bible is clear that the clouds are the symbolic place of God’s rule over the earth.
- Deuteronomy 33:26: “There is no one like the God of Jeshurun, Who rides the heavens to your help, And the clouds in His majesty.”
- Psalm 18:9: “He parted the heavens and came down, a dark cloud beneath His feet.”
- Psalm 104:3: “He lays the beams of His chambers on the waters; He makes the clouds His chariot; He rides on the wings of the wind;”
- Isaiah 19:1: “An oracle concerning Egypt. Behold, the LORD is riding on a swift cloud and comes to Egypt; and the idols of Egypt will tremble at His presence, and the heart of the Egyptians will melt within them.”
- Nahum 1:3: “The LORD is slow to anger and great in power, and the LORD will by no means clear the guilty. His way is in whirlwind and storm, and the clouds are the dust of His feet.”
From the “cloudy” place of His exalted and majestic throne, God displays a sign of His faithfulness that can be seen by all mankind. The bow in the clouds proclaims that the Sovereign King will be faithful to His promise to sustain the world and send the Redeemer into the world!
II.) God Manifests His Presence in the Clouds among the Israelites
The second place in the Bible where clouds play a redemptive role in human history is with the nation of Israel. Among His Old Covenant people, God manifests Himself in extraordinary ways in specially created clouds. These cloudy theophanies which display the powerful and glorious presence of God are seen on Mount Sinai, in the wilderness, and in the tabernacle/temple.
A.) The Thick Cloud on Mount Sinai
When the LORD gave Moses the law on Mount Sinai, He appeared to him in a thick cloud.
- Exodus 19:9: “And the LORD said to Moses, “Behold, I am coming to you in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with you, and may also believe you forever.” When Moses told the words of the people to the LORD,”
- Exodus 20:21: “So the people stood at a distance, while Moses approached the thick cloud where God was.”
- Exodus 24:15-16: “15Then Moses went up on the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain. 16The glory of the LORD dwelt on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days. And on the seventh day He called to Moses out of the midst of the cloud.”
B.) The Pillar of Cloud in the Wilderness
In the pillar of cloud, the LORD brought the Israelites out of Egypt in the Exodus and led them through the wilderness for 40 years. This special cloud shielded them from the hot sun, protected them from their violent enemies, and guided them to the Promised Land.
- Exodus 13:21-22: 21And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night. 22 The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night did not depart from before the people.
- Exodus 14:24: And in the morning watch the LORD in the pillar of fire and of cloud looked down on the Egyptian forces and threw the Egyptian forces into a panic,
- Nehemiah 9:12: By a pillar of cloud You led them in the day, and by a pillar of fire in the night to light for them the way in which they should go.
C.) The Glory Cloud in the Tabernacle/Temple
God dwelt with His people in a special way in the tabernacle and later in the temple in the glory cloud/Shekinah glory.
- Exodus 40:34-38: 34Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. 35And Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud settled on it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. 36Throughout all their journeys, whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the people of Israel would set out. 37But if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not set out till the day that it was taken up. 38For the cloud of the LORD was on the tabernacle by day, and fire was in it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel throughout all their journeys.
- 1 Kings 8:10-11: 10And when the priests came out of the Holy Place, a cloud filled the house of the LORD, 11so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled the house of the LORD.
- Leviticus 16:2: and the LORD said to Moses, “Tell Aaron your brother not to come at any time into the Holy Place inside the veil, before the mercy seat that is on the ark, so that he may not die. For I will appear in the cloud over the mercy seat.
III.) God Sends His Son on the Clouds in the End Times
The Old Testament speaks of a time when the LORD will come to the earth on a cloudy day. On this day the LORD will visit His enemies riding on the storm clouds of wrath and judgment.
- Ezekiel 30:2-3: 2“Son of man, prophesy, and say, Thus says the Lord GOD: “Wail, ‘Alas for the day! ’For the day is near, the day of the LORD is near; it will be a day of clouds, a time of doom for the nations.
- Joel 2:1-2: 1Blow a trumpet in Zion; sound an alarm on My holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of the LORD is coming; it is near, 2a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness! Like blackness there is spread upon the mountains a great and powerful people; their like has never been before, nor will be again after them through the years of all generations.
- Zephaniah 1:14-15: 14The great day of the LORD is near, near and hastening fast; the sound of the day of the LORD is bitter; the mighty man cries aloud there. 15A day of wrath is that day, a day of distress and anguish, a day of ruin and devastation, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness,
But the Old Testament also says that on this day the LORD will visit His people riding on clouds full of saving blessings.
- The Shepherd will rescue His people from the storm clouds of judgment: Ezekiel 34:11-12: 11“For thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I, I myself will search for My sheep and will seek them out. 12As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his sheep that have been scattered, so will I seek out My sheep, and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness.
- The Branch will create a cloud of protection over His people: Isaiah 4:2, 5-6: 2In that day the Branch of the LORD shall be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land shall be the pride and honor of the survivors of Israel. . . . 5Then the LORD will create over the whole site of Mount Zion and over her assemblies a cloud by day, and smoke and the shining of a flaming fire by night; for over all the glory there will be a canopy. 6There will be a booth for shade by day from the heat, and for a refuge and a shelter from the storm and rain.
- The Son of Man will come on the clouds to rule over His people: Daniel 7:13-14: 13“I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and He came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before Him. 14And to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him; His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.
The New Testament reveals the fulfillment of this cloudy day. It tells us that the end-times cloudy day of the LORD has dawned in the coming of Jesus Christ. As the Good Shepherd (John 10:11, 14), Branch of David (Revelation 22:16), Son of Man (Matthew 20:28), and Yahweh in the flesh (John 1:14), Jesus comes on the clouds to show God’s faithfulness and reveal God’s glorious presence to the inhabitants of the earth. In fact, there are four major events where special clouds accompany and surround our Savior.
A.) The Cloud at Christ’s Birth in Bethlehem
Right after Christ is born, a majestic glory cloud appears to the shepherds nearby.
Luke 2:9: And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear.
What was the glory of the Lord shining around them? It was most likely a bright glory cloud. In the OT, the shining of the glory of the Lord referred to the bright cloud that filled the tabernacle and temple and symbolized God’s special presence with His people. In a similar way, the glory cloud (and the angel in it) announced to the shepherds that God’s special presence had come to earth in an incomprehensible way!
B.) The Cloud at Christ’s Transfiguration on the Mountain
When Jesus took Peter, James, and John up on a high mountain and revealed His glory to them, as well as to Moses and Elijah, we are told that a special cloud suddenly appeared.
- Matthew 17:5: He was still speaking when, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to Him.“
- Mark 9:7: And a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice came out of the cloud, “This is My beloved Son; listen to Him.”
- Luke 9:34-35: 34As He was saying these things, a cloud came and overshadowed them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. 35And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My Son, My Chosen One; listen to Him!“
This cloud (called the Majestic Glory in 2 Peter 1:17) signaled that Jesus was the new and true temple of God where the Shekinah glory fully dwelt and shined brightest.
C.) The Cloud at Christ’s Ascension to Heaven
The ending of the Gospel of Luke tells us about the ascension of Christ to heaven.
Luke 24:50-51: 50And He led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up His hands He blessed them. 51While He blessed them, He parted from them and was carried up into heaven.
Luke doesn’t tell us here how Jesus was carried up into heaven. But he does tell us in the Book of Acts.
Acts 1:9: And when He had said these things, as they were looking on, He was lifted up, and a cloud took Him out of their sight.
Jesus was carried up into heaven by a cloud. This was no ordinary rain cloud in the sky. Like the cloud that surrounded Jesus at His transfiguration, this was the glory cloud which powerfully lifted Him to His rightful place on His heavenly throne at the right hand of God.
D.) The Cloud at Christ’s Return to Earth
The New Testament teaches that Jesus will come back to earth in the same way as He went to heaven: on a cloud.
Jesus teaches this in the Olivet Discourse.
- Matthew 24:30: Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
- Mark 13:26: And then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory.
- Luke 21:27: And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
Jesus confesses this in reply to the high priest.
- Matthew 26:64: Jesus said to him, “You have said so. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
- Mark 14:62: And Jesus said, “I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.”
The two angels tell the disciples this after Christ’s ascension.
- Acts 1:9-11: 9And when He had said these things, as they were looking on, He was lifted up, and a cloud took Him out of their sight. 10And while they were gazing into heaven as He went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 11and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw Him go into heaven.”
The apostle John sees this in the Book of Revelation.
- Revelation 1:7: Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of Him. Even so. Amen.
- Revelation 14:14-16: 14Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and seated on the cloud one like a son of man, with a golden crown on His head, and a sharp sickle in His hand. 15And another angel came out of the temple, calling with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, “Put in Your sickle, and reap, for the hour to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is fully ripe.“ 16So He who sat on the cloud swung His sickle across the earth, and the earth was reaped.
And we will be caught up in this when Christ returns.
- 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17: 16For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.
- Revelation 11:12: Then they [the two witnesses] heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here!” And they went up to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies watched them.
IV.) God Teaches Us Lessons about the Clouds in His Word
The clouds teach us much about the glorious attributes of God. From them, we learn about:
- His abundant goodness: Psalm 147:7-8: 7Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving; make melody to our God on the lyre! 8He covers the heavens with clouds; He prepares rain for the earth; He makes grass grow on the hills.
- His vast knowledge: Proverbs 3:19-20: 19The LORD by wisdom founded the earth; by understanding He established the heavens; 20by His knowledge the deeps broke open, and the clouds drop down the dew.
- His unlimited power: Psalm 68:34: Ascribe strength to God; His excellence is over Israel, And His strength is in the clouds.
- His absolute immutability: Job 35:5-8: 5Look at the heavens, and see; and behold the clouds, which are higher than you. 6If you have sinned, what do you accomplish against Him? And if your transgressions are multiplied, what do you do to Him? 7If you are righteous, what do you give to Him? Or what does He receive from your hand? 8Your wickedness concerns a man like yourself, and your righteousness a son of man.
- His utter incomprehensibility: Psalm 97:2: Clouds and thick darkness are all around Him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne.
- His sole supremacy: Isaiah 14:4, 13-15: 4you will take up this taunt against the king of Babylon: . . . 13You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God I will set my throne on high; I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far reaches of the north; 14I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’ 15But you are brought down to Sheol, to the far reaches of the pit.; Ezekiel 31:3, 10-11: Behold, Assyria was a cedar in Lebanon, with beautiful branches and forest shade, and of towering height, its top among the clouds. . . . 10“Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: Because it towered high and set its top among the clouds, and its heart was proud of its height, 11I will give it into the hand of a mighty one of the nations. He shall surely deal with it as its wickedness deserves. I have cast it out.
- His awful judgment: Psalm 18:11-14: 11He made darkness His covering, His canopy around Him, thick clouds dark with water. 12Out of the brightness before Him hailstones and coals of fire broke through His clouds. 13The LORD also thundered in the heavens, and the Most High uttered His voice, hailstones and coals of fire. 14And He sent out His arrows and scattered them; He flashed forth lightnings and routed them.
- His enduring faithfulness: Psalm 36:5: Your steadfast love, O LORD, extends to the heavens, Your faithfulness to the clouds.; Psalm 57:10: For Your steadfast love is great to the heavens, Your faithfulness to the clouds.; Psalm 108:4: For Your steadfast love is great above the heavens; Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.
But the clouds also teach us about God’s glorious plan of salvation. When you look up at the sky and see the clouds, you might see the sun, but you should always see by faith the Son of God. He was promised in the clouds after the Flood; He appeared in the clouds throughout Israel’s history; He came down from the clouds 2,000 years ago; He left earth on the clouds; and He will be riding on the clouds of heaven on the last day.
Your redemption draws near from the clouds! Christ will come encircled with a rainbow and riding on a glory cloud to save you (Ezekiel 1:28; Revelation 4:3; 10:1)! On that day, the lyrics to the hymn “God moves in a mysterious way” will be literally fulfilled: “Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take; The clouds ye so much dread, Are big with mercy, and shall break, In blessings on your head.”
Conclusion
In conclusion, clouds are an important part of God’s creation, but they also play a significant role in God’s plan of redemption. God uses clouds to draw near to His people, dwell with them, reveal His glory to them, and save them from their enemies. Nick Batzig states, “From the post-deluvian revelation to the parousia, the Scripture utilizes clouds to symbolize the presence of God. The next time we are tempted to complain about it being a cloudy day, we should pause and consider how the Lord uses clouds to remind us of His immanent[2] presence and the promise of the coming of Jesus.”[3] What more can we say than, “Amen. Come [on the clouds], Lord Jesus!” (Revelation 22:20).
[1] Nick Batzig, “A Biblical Theology of Clouds”, https://www.placefortruth.org/blog/a-biblical-theology-of-clouds.
[2] The original article reads “imminent”, but after personally contacting the author, he informed he meant to use the word “immanent”.
[3] Batzig, “A Biblical Theology of Clouds”.
