CLOUDS

In chapter 1, verse 9, The writer of the Book of the Acts of the Apostles, tells us, “as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him from their sight.”

Clouds, and more clouds! The Bible has lots of references to clouds. I found 156.

Some examples:

In Genesis 9:13, the cloud is a sign forever of God’s covenant with Noah

In Exodus 13-14, the cloud is God’s presence guiding and guarding the people.

In Leviticus 16, the cloud above the cover of the Ark is a sign of God’s presence, and a warning not to come too close.

In Numbers 9 the cloud tells the Israelites when to move on and when to stay where they are

In 2 Samuel, David has a vision of God’s power and majesty, coming down from Heaven with a “cloud under His feet”.

Ezekiel has a vision of a cloud with a “glow” like a “rainbow”. He heard a voice speak.

In his visions, (Daniel 7), the prophet sees one like a Son of Man coming with the clouds.

In Matthew 17, 24 & 26, Jesus uses the same imagery as He tells announces His divinity to those who can understand what He’s saying. It’s also echoed by Mark.

Of course, Mark’s story of the Baptism of Jesus includes the cloud, and the voice coming from it.

We can’t forget the cloud in the vision of the Transfiguration.

In 1 Thessalonians 4:17, Saint Paul describes the cloud as the way that we will be caught up to meet the Lord and be with Him.

Revelation alone has 6 references to “cloud”. In 14:14 once again we have the visions of the Son of Man. In 14:15, a voice speaks from the cloud.

Don’t worry, I’m not going to escort the reader through all 156 references. The point is made. God has repeatedly used clouds in different ways.

So…what are clouds? Are they a sign of God’s loving and caring presence? Or a  sign of His authority and awesome power? Are they a platform for Him to stand on and speak? Are they a way of protecting us from the sight and sound that we cannot bear?

Now, let’s jump ahead nineteen – almost twenty  - centuries to the year 1967. A songwriter, later singer, named Joni Mitchell penned a song titled “Both Sides Now”. For a long time, she didn’t sing in public, or record any of her own works. A year later, Judy Collins recorded “Both Sides Now” as hit single. It became the most popular track on Wildflowers, an album by Judy Collins. It’s been recorded, published and performed hundreds of times. It’s coming up on its 60th anniversary. Finally, the author did record it. It’s still with us! It says something to us!

Let’s look at the lyrics and see how they might connect us to the scriptures:

I’ve looked at clouds from both sides now
From up and down, and still somehow
It’s cloud illusions I recall.
I really don’t know clouds at all.

Consider that the clouds in Scripture are all of those things – Some would call the clouds  a “theophany”.

In their simple way, clouds may be a metaphor for God, Who is all things. If “I really don’t know clouds at all”, even when God puts them right in front of us and uses them for our good, it’s no surprise that I really don’t know clouds, or God who shows Himself to us using them. I can keep working on it – “from up and down”.