I'm not claiming to be all knowing on the subject here, but I will offer two absolutes. The clouds are not intended nor were they ever to be in the control of man, thus they are under the authority of our Creator. Throughout Torah, the clouds signified the promise of YHWH. The cloud held the signature of YHWH in the rainbow: Genesis 9:13, I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth. In Exodus 13:21 we are introduced to His leading of the children of Israel in the pillar of cloud: And YHWH 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. The cloud signified His presence in the Tabernacle in Leviticus 16:2: And YHWH said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the veil before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat. His glory in Numbers 16:42: And it came to pass, when the congregation was gathered against Moses and against Aaron, that they looked toward the tabernacle of the congregation: and, behold, the cloud covered it, and the glory of YHWH appeared. When Moses spoke the summation of the journey in the book of Deuteronomy, this was recorded in 5:22. These words YHWH spake unto all your assembly in the mount out of the midst of the fire, of the cloud, and of the thick darkness, with a great voice: and He added no more. And He wrote them in two tables of stone, and delivered them unto me.
The New Testament also includes references of clouds and the presence of YHWH and His Word. Matthew 17:5 our Heavenly Father speaks His approval of His Son: While 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. Mark 13:26 speaks of the return of Messiah in the clouds. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. Acts 1:9-11 records Messiah's ascension into the clouds and addresses His return. And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which 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. I Thessalonians gives quite a vivid image, detailing clouds, of the Second Coming of Messiah: 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.
The Revelation virtually begins with the announcement of the Second Coming, 1:7 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.
Could it be, the clouds contain such a negative message for so many and instill such ominous fear so often because, as a society, we are not listening and not following?
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