Clouds are visible masses of water droplets in the atmosphere. In addition to providing shade and life giving water, clouds have their own role to play in service to God in the Bible. In this post, we will review three lessons about clouds from a biblical perspective.
#1 Lesson About Clouds in the Bible
A cloud accompanies God’s presence in Exodus.
The LORD preceded them, in the daytime by means of a column of cloud to show them the way, and at night by means of a column of fire to give them light. Thus they could travel both day and night. Exodus 13:21
A Cloud Provided the Israelites Assistance
During the Exodus journey, the Israelites were led by God’s presence in a cloud in the shape of a pillar or column. God was faithfully and steadfastly leading the Israelites to safety from the Egyptians before the miraculous crossing of the Red Sea.
The angel of God, who had been leading Israel’s army, now moved and went around behind them. And the column of cloud, moving from in front of them, took up its place behind them. Exodus 14:19
God’s Presence in the Cloud
What is interesting to note about God’s saving role with the Israelites in Exodus is with all of God’s activity (leading, protecting, storming, instructing) there is only one cloud.
| Verse | God | Cloud |
|---|---|---|
| Exodus 13:21 | leads | column of cloud |
| Exodus 13:22 | protects | column of cloud |
| Exodus 14:19 | leads | column of cloud |
| Exodus 14:20 | protects | illuminates the night |
| Exodus 14:24 | storms | column of fiery cloud |
| Exodus 16:10 | instructs | glory of the Lord appears |
#2 Lesson About Clouds in the Bible
Clouds serve God in the Bible in various ways.
The LORD is slow to anger, yet great in power; the LORD will not leave the guilty unpunished. In storm wind and tempest He comes, and clouds are the dust at his feet. Nahum 1:3
Clouds Assist God with Weather Phenomena
I set my bow in the clouds to serve as a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Genesis 9:13
Recall in the Book of Genesis, God allowed the deluge to wipe out sinful humanity, saving only Noah and his family in the ark. Afterwards God declared the rainbow in the clouds was His sign to show He will not allow another deluge engulf the earth.
He brings up clouds from the end of the earth, makes lightning flash in the rain, and brings forth the wind from His storehouses. Jeremiah 10:13b
God is the creator of the cosmos and has dominion over it. The weather and the clouds carry out His commands as read in the 10th chapter of the Book of Jeremiah.
Jesus later affirms in the Gospel the Father has given Him eternal authority.
Jesus approached and said to the disciples, “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Matthew 28:18
Clouds Provide God Shelter and Transport
He made darkness His cloak around Him; His canopy, water-darkened stormclouds. Psalms 18:12
God descends from heaven to assist the Israelite leader David from his enemies. As the psalmist says, God uses the clouds of His creation to be His divine canopy.
Sing to God, praise His name; exalt the rider of the clouds. Rejoice before Him whose name is the LORD. Psalms 68:5
The clouds serve God as a mode of transportation upon earth. In Psalm 104, a verse says that God “makes the clouds his chariot and travels on the wings of the wind.”
Clouds Assist with God’s Theophanies
The LORD then came down in the cloud and spoke to Moses. Numbers 11:25a
When the presence of God manifests on earth, there is often a cloud associated with Him. Once again, we see one cloud involved in this theophany. A theophany is the presence of God before humans that is distinguishable and often frightening.
Thunder and lightning will suffice to provide ample alarm of God’s presence. The shofar mentioned in the verse below from Exodus was a ram’s horn used as a trumpet.
On the morning of the third day there were peals of thunder and lightning, and a heavy cloud over the mountain, and a very loud blast of the shofar, so that all the people in the camp trembled. Exodus 19:16
The cloud itself is not limited to the outdoors. In the Book of Exodus, a cloud settled upon the tent of meeting in the wilderness (Exod 40:34), and in the Book of 1 Kings, a cloud filled the Temple of Solomon with God’s divine presence.
When the priests left the holy place, the cloud filled the house of the LORD so that the priests could no longer minister because of the cloud, since the glory of the LORD had filled the house of the LORD. 1 Kings 8:10-11
“When Solomon finished building the first Temple and dedicated it, the glory of the Lord – the Shekinah or “the glory cloud,” with the spirit of God – came down and descended on the Temple. This great event visibly manifested God’s spirit in the Temple.” Source: Peter – Keys to Following Jesus by Dr. Tim Gray
#3 Lesson About Clouds in the Bible
Clouds are with Jesus at key moments in the Gospel.
The Transfiguration of Jesus
From the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to Him.” Matthew 17:5b
The Transfiguration of Jesus occurred in all three of the synoptic Gospels: Matthew, Mark, and Luke. The word synoptic means the gospels are similar to each other. In each gospel account of the Transfiguration the cloud was a focal point of the passage:
| Gospel | Description |
|---|---|
| Matthew | A bright cloud cast a shadow over them… Mt 17:5 |
| Mark | Then a cloud came, casting a shadow over them…Mk 9:7 |
| Luke | A cloud came and cast a shadow over them…Lk 9:34 |
What does this mean? It means that God’s presence was overwhelmingly there with them. If you have ever been overwhelmed with God’s presence in your life, whether it be His mercy, His providence, or His unmistakable presence, you might have an idea what the disciples experienced, although in this instance a cloud was upon them.
“The cloud indicates the presence of the Holy Spirit.” Source: CCC 555
Two things to note: one Gospel says the cloud was bright (Matthew). Another gospel says the disciples were frightened when the holy cloud enveloped them (Luke).
Then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my chosen Son; listen to him.” Luke 9:35
The Coming of the Son of Man
And then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in the clouds’ with great power and glory. Mark 13:26
When Jesus returns to earth, He will return in glory. His appearance in the heavens will be both awe inspiring and frightening. The clouds are synonymous with His divinity. Great power (Greek: dynamis) may be in reference to angels. And glory is what Jesus deserves as the Son of God. Consider this verse from the Book of Daniel:
As the visions during the night continued, I saw coming with the clouds of heaven One like a son of man. Daniel 7:13a
The Ascension of Jesus into Heaven
When Jesus had said this, as they were looking on, He was lifted up, and a cloud took Him from their sight. Acts 1:9
It says in the Book of Acts Jesus ascended into heaven on a cloud. The last thing He said before leaving was : “and you will be my witnesses…to the ends of the earth.” The one thing that may be synonymous with the image of earth is the array of clouds with it.
Lightnings and clouds, bless the Lord. Daniel 3:73a
One of the many reasons Bible study is often so interesting is because, like the clouds themselves, there seems to be no end with what you can learn from the scriptures.
Example: My whole life I thought Jesus was taken up to heaven upon the cloud as if He was almost sitting on a heavenly chair. No so according to the Angelic doctor St. Thomas Aquinas. According to St. Thomas, Jesus ascended to heaven on His own.
“To ascend into heaven is clearly an attribute of Christ as man, who in the apostles’ sight was taken. That cloud afforded no support as a vehicle to the ascending Christ: but it appeared as a sign of the Godhead, just as God’s glory appeared to Israel in a cloud over the Tabernacle.” + St. Thomas Aquinas
Closing Thoughts
I hope you have enjoyed the post! We have learned from Sacred Scripture clouds assist the Lord God in a variety of ways. They can lead and guide, protect, frighten, and more than anything, clouds are used by God to provide visibility of His divine presence.
Behold, He is coming amid the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him. Revelation 1:7a
