“Bless the Lord, O my soul! O Lord my God, you are very great! –He makes the clouds his chariot; He rides on the wings of the wind; He makes His messengers wind, His ministers a flaming fire.” Psalm 104:1, 3-4 ESV
The vast expanse of blue above our home in the Dallas suburbs stretched forever. There were no tall buildings, and two-story homes didn’t exist in our area of town. Trees were short in height and supply. Nothing blocked the view from my backyard swing set. As far as my eyes could see, it was a sky-high ocean of blues, not that I had any idea what an ocean might look like, having only seen pictures in an encyclopedia.
Blue skies were pretty, but things got exciting when the clouds rolled in. Leaning back as far as my arms allowed, I’d hold tight to the chains suspending my swing-seat. Feet firmly planted on the ground beneath me stabilized the swing so I could look straight up and watch the clouds gather overhead.
Back then, I could spend an afternoon finding faces, animals, and castles in the shape-shifting clouds and make up stories in my head about them all. Whether it was enormous cotton-ball clouds that skipped across the sky or fierce storm clouds gathering, it didn’t matter. I loved them all. Still do.
Clouds continue to fascinate me, but differently from when I was a child. God’s Word has shaped how I view clouds. Now, when I see clouds, I think about God, His Word, and His promises.
The clouds that remain after a storm are reminders of the Flood in Genesis, especially when the sun attempts to break through, and in the process creates a rainbow. “Never again,” God promised. Never again would the world be destroyed by a flood. (Gen. 9:8-17)
Some clouds look solid and strong enough to have been sculpted from marble. Those clouds remind me of the “cloud by day” that led the Israelites through the wilderness. That cloud was evidence of the presence of God as He guided His stubborn children out of the bondage of Egypt, into the freedom of God’s Promised Land (Exod. 13:21-22).
We’ve likely all seen the ferocious power of storm clouds and could each tell our tale of perilous and stormy times.
I remember standing in our babysitter’s front yard watching storm clouds gather over the skyline of downtown Dallas. Some gray and black clouds began to whirl and spin wildly, growing long tails as they broke away from the bank of storm clouds, creating tornado funnels. Lightning flashed and cracked, thunder roared, as the whirling funnels attacked the helpless city below. It was powerful, exhilarating, and frightening all at once.
I think of that long-ago tornado storm, when I read the account in Exodus of God gathering His Children around Mount Sinai so He could speak directly to them. God appeared on the mountain in a thick cloud, accompanied by smoke, crashing lightning, deafening thunder, and the mountain shook. The ferocity of God’s presence, power, and purity was overwhelming and terrifying to the Israelites (Exo. 19:7-20).
The Psalmists often refer to clouds in their psalms:
- Clouds and thick darkness surround Him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne (Psa. 77:17).
- The clouds are His chariot, and He rides on the wings of the wind (Psa. 104:3).
- His steadfast love is high above the heavens; His faithfulness reaches the clouds (Psa. 108:4).
- God covers the heavens with clouds and waters the earth with His rain (Psa. 147:8).
The Old Testament prophets, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Nahum, and Zephaniah speak of God’s judgment using terms like: rainless clouds, dark clouds, chariots of whirlwinds, and a day of clouds, thick darkness, doom, and devastation.
“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.” Nahum 1:3 ESV
In the New Testament, we read that God has tasked clouds with glorious purpose.
On the Mount of Transfiguration, God’s presence manifested itself in a bright cloud which overshadowed the disciples (Peter, James, and John), Jesus, Moses, and Elijah. God spoke from the cloud, “This is my beloved Son; listen to Him.” (Matt. 17:1-13; Mk 9:2-8; Luke 9:28-36)
Matthew and Mark both write that “the Son of Man,” referring to Jesus, will return “coming on the clouds of heaven with Power and great glory” (Matt. 24:30, 26:64; Mk. 13:26, 14:62).
In Acts 1 (v. 6-11), after His resurrection and final words of encouragement and commission to His disciples, Jesus ascended into the heavens—”He was lifted up, and a cloud took Him out of their sight.” Two angels then appeared to the disciples to reassure them, “This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw Him go into heaven.”
There are other mentions of clouds in the New Testament, but I’ll conclude with this most awesome reference, in which clouds play a minor supporting role. When Jesus Christ, the Messiah, King of Kings and Lord of Lords, returns, He will return surrounded by clouds.
“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 1:7 ESV
When you are cloud-gazing or in a time of dark clouds, think on this:
- Don’t fear the raging storms and rain-filled clouds of life. God is in control now, just as He was when He destroyed all living creatures with a worldwide flood, but saved righteous Noah and His family. God cares for, loves, and protects His children.
- God is with us. He led the Children of Israel with a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. We have been given more. God’s Holy Spirit dwells in us—we are never separated from our God because of Jesus.
- As Christ-followers, we don’t fear the dark clouds of judgment and punishment. We rejoice in our salvation and the forgiveness of our sins. We can be confident that all wrongs will be righted one day, and justice will rule.
- Jesus Christ is coming again, surrounded by clouds, and He will take us to our eternal home.
“Then 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.” 1 Thessalonians 4:17 ESV