Divine Images, part 1: Clouds

Introduction

God has not only furnished us with a world that speaks of His power and majesty, but a world also which is full of what Jonathan Edwards called “divine images”. Because of the Bible, these things which God has created bear witness of Him. With a Bible in our hands the world is - in a sense - transformed, so that everywhere we go we cannot help but think of Him who loved us and gave Himself for us.

Think about the sun for a moment.  You look at the sun and see evidence of God’s power. He made it! But with the Bible you have more. The Bible teaches us to look at the sun and remember - among other things - the Sun of righteousness who against the dark backdrop of our sin rises with healing in his wings (Malachi 4:2). That is but one example. Now that I know that I can never look at the sun the same again. I can't watch a sunrise without thinking about Jesus rising on my sin with healing in His wings.

Or consider the hills and mountains.  They are beautiful; but they are more.  Because of the testimony of Scripture they remind me that even as the mountains are round about Jerusalem so the Lord is round about His people from henceforth even forever (Psalm 125:2).

Here I want to look at what the Bible says about the clouds. Of course God made them, but is there more?  

There is!

Job says, “Look unto the heavens, and see; and behold the clouds which are higher than thou.”

When you look unto the heavens and behold the clouds “which are higher than thou” what are you meant to think of?

First, remember God’s faithfulness. Specifically remember that God’s faithfulness reaches unto the clouds. Psalm 36:5 says, “Thy mercy, O LORD, is in the heavens; and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds.” He is not just a little faithful, but His faithfulness reaches to the clouds.

Second, remember God’s truth. The Bible tells us also that God’s truth reaches unto the clouds and is great unto the clouds (Psalm 108:4; 57:10). Even as His faithfulness is great so also His truth.

Third, remember His strength. Psalm 68:34 says, “Ascribe ye strength unto God: his excellency is over Israel, and his strength is in the clouds. See the clouds and remember that God is strong, and strong particularly in the behalf of them that love Him.

Fourth, remember that God has blotted out our sins. God says, “I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud thy sins (Isaiah 44:22).

Fifth, consider that the clouds are His chariot. Psalm 104:3 says that He makes “the clouds his chariot” and “walketh upon the wings of the wind.” Isaiah 19:1 speaks of this when it says, “The burden of Egypt. Behold, the Lord rideth upon a swift cloud, and shall come into Egypt: and the idols of Egypt shall be moved at his presence, and the heart of Egypt shall melt in the midst of it.” Similarly, in Revelation (14:14) John says he 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.” Jeremiah 4:13 says, "Behold, he shall come up as clouds, and his chariots shall be as a whirlwind: his horses are swifter than eagles. Woe unto us! for we are spoiled."

Sixth, remember He is coming again! "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 (Daniel 7:13). Repeatedly we are told that we shall see Him coming in the clouds of heaven: "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 (Matthew 24:30). Paul says, "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 (1 Thessalonians 4:17)." Revelation 1:7 says, "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."

Seventh, remember the great cloud of witnesses: "Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us."

Eighth, remember His anger toward the rebellious and disobedient. "How hath the Lord covered the daughter of Zion with a cloud in his anger, and cast down from heaven unto the earth the beauty of Israel, and remembered not his footstool in the day of his anger (Lamentations 2:1)." "Thou hast covered thyself with a cloud, that our prayer should not pass through (Lamentations 3:44)."

What about when there are no clouds? Remember Jesus who “shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds; as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain (2 Samuel 23:4).”

When you see dark clouds remember "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 (Zephaniah 1:15)

And then, pray that your goodness would not be as the morning cloud: "O Ephraim, what shall I do unto thee? O Judah, what shall I do unto thee? for your goodness is as a morning cloud, and as the early dew it goeth away (Hosea 6:4)."