Weekly Message: Biblical view of Cloud By Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce

 Weekly Message: Biblical view of Cloud                                                                       

    By Rev. Katherine Liu Bruce    

Christian Arts Ministries: Biblical precepts & Gospel music; Pastoral ministry & Counseling

Date :8/18/2023  

Scripture reading:

Matt.24:30-31   At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn, they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to others. (Matt.24:30-31)

Revelations 2: 7   Look, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him and all the peoples of the earth will mourn because of him. So shall it be! Amen!

 

In the Old Testament and New Testament clouds are always connected with God. There is a bright cloud, a dark cloud, a dense cloud and the Pillar of cloud. Cloud in the Bible symbolize God’s presence, God speaks, God’s favor, and God’s glory reveal to His servant and His people. 

Ø                       The Pillar of cloud in Exodus 33: 7- 11 the Lord’s presence and spoke with Moses.

             Now Moses used to take a tent and pitch it outside the camp some distance away, calling it the “Tent of meeting.” Anyone inquiring of the Lord would go to the tent of meeting outside the camp. And whenever Moses went out to the tent, all the people rose and stood at the entrances to their tents, watching Moses until he entered the tent. As Moses went into the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and stay at the entrance, while the Lord spoke with Moses. Whenever the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance to the tent, they all stood and worshiped each at the entrance to his tent. The Lord would speak to Moses face to face as a man speaks with his friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young aide Joshua son of Nun did not leave the tent.

Ø  A dense cloud in Exodus 19:9,18-19 God speaks, and fear of the Lord  

     “The Lord said to Moses, “I am going to come to you in a dense cloud, so that the people will hear me speaking with you and will always put their trust in you.”  Mount Sinai was covered with smoke, because the Lord descended on it in fire. The smoke from a furnace, the whole mountain trembled violently, and the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder. Then Moses spoke and the voice of God answered him. (Edodus19:18-19) 

 

Ø  A dark cloud in 1 Kings 8:12 God’s presence and favor to Solomon

 The cloud filled the temple of the Lord and the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled his temple. Then Solomon said, “The Lord has said that He would dwell in a dark cloud: I have indeed built a magnificent temple for you, a place for you to dwell forever.” (1 Kings 8:10-12)

 

Ø        A bright cloud in Matthew 17:1-8 God’s presence and a voice of God spoke to disciples.

    “After six day Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light. Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus. Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” While he was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him! When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified. But Jesus came and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid”. When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus.” 

 Clouds are those sorrows or sufferings or providences, within or without our personal lives. Which seem to dispute the rule of God. It is by those very clouds that the Spirit of God is teaching us how to walk by faith. If there were no clouds, we should have no faith. “The clouds are but the dust of our Father’s feet.” The clouds are a sign that He is there. What a revelation it is to know that sorrow and bereavement and suffering are the clouds that come along with God! God cannot come near without clouds; He does not come in clear shining.

               It is not true to say that God wants to teach us something in our trials: through every cloud He brings, He wants us to unlearn something. His purpose in the cloud is to simplify our belief until our relationship to Him is exactly that of a child---God and my own soul, other people are shadows. Until other people become shadows, clouds and darkness will be mine every now and again.

There is a connection between the strange providences of God and what we know of Him, and we have to learn to interpret the mysteries of life in the light of our knowledge of God. Unless we can look the darkest, blackest fact full in the face without damaging God’s character, we do not yet know Him. “They feared as they entered the cloud…” Is there anyone “save Jesus only” in your cloud? If so, it will get darker; you must get to the place where there is “no one any more save Jesus only”.

      Is the relationship between me and God getting simpler than ever it has been?

 

Bibliography,

     

Barker, Kenneth L. NIV Study Bible. Grand Rapids, MI:  Zondervan, 1985.                   

Chambers, Oswald. My Utmost for His highest. N.Y. Dodd, Mead & Company, 1935.

King James, The Holy Bible, Cleveland, OH: The world publishing company

Ryrie, Charles C. The Ryrie study Bible (NIV).Chicago, IL: The Moody Bible Institute, 1986.