“The LORD is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked: the LORD hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet.”
(Nahum 1:3; all scripture quoted is from the Authorized King James Version)
Anyone familiar with my devotions are aware of my fascination with clouds. That fascination began while I was a young child in visualizing courageous knights in armor, great sailing vessels, and even angels depicted in the puffy white mist in the sky above. Those depictions of my imagination have matured and been refined in my understanding by the numerous references to clouds in the Holy Scriptures.
It has been speculated that there were no clouds in Eden – that the first clouds appeared with the first rains to fall, and, later, provided the backdrop for God’s promise to Noah expressed by the Rainbow of Seven Colors (not the six of those who pervert the institution of marriage). The Bible continued from that day of Noah until the close of the biblical Canon to use clouds to illustrate some mystery of God’s doing. “And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: 13I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth. 14And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud: 15And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh.” (Genesis 9:12-15)
One powerful display of the Cloud appeared as the Children of Israel were encamped at Etham near the Red Sea. “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: 22He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people.” (Exodus 13:21-22) The shroud of Cloud and Pillar concealed the Presence of the Lord inside for in the crossing of the Red Sea, “And it came to pass, that in the morning watch the LORD looked unto the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud, and troubled the host of the Egyptians,” (Exodus 14:24) God then destroyed the Egyptian army by releasing the flood waters of the Red Sea upon them.
The biblical references to clouds are too profuse to enumerate in this devotion, but I will point out the places that I feel salient to our appreciation of them. Our Lord is often clothed in the clouds of Heaven. His garments are as thick clouds: “He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies.” (Psalms 18:11)
Though clouds most often signal the gift of life-giving rains on the parched earth of the soul, there are clouds that are false signals – they have no water of life like the false prophets of our own day and time: “These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever. 18For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.” (2 Peter 2:17-18) They speak with soft words and swelling praises of men, but omit due homage to their Lord and Maker.
Though clouds conceal, they do, also, at the discreet will of God, reveal truth to us. As sterling example of this truth is found on the Mount of Transfiguration when our Lord Jesus Christ communed with Moses (representing the Law) and Elijah (representing the prophets of the Old Testament). The disciples, being enamored at the vision, desired to build a Tabernacle to the three; but a cloud descended and covered them. When it rose, it revealed only the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets – Our Lord Jesus Christ. “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. 5While 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 17:4-5)
Perhaps our greatest hope and prospects are hidden in the clouds that will herald the coming of the Water of Life and Bread of Heaven – our Lord. When he left us to return to the Father, He a cloud received Him in His ascent. The two angels assured the disciples, “. . . they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. 10And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; 11Which 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.” (Acts 1:9-11) Perhaps we, too, should keep our eyes focused above lest we miss the epic event.
