Preterism: The Issue Of Clouds In Scripture
Posted on Saturday, November 18 @ 19:35:42 PST by Williamprice |
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By Bill Price
The issue of Messiah’s return in clouds is one that some do not have a clear and defined grasp of. They see such scriptures, and deem that this must occur literally in some future event. But, when we get to the point of studying the fullness of scripture, we can see what the coming of the Lord in clouds, and our gathering together with Him actually means.
Let us start with the references of the Lord coming in the Old Covenant scriptures. Jeremiah 4:13-14 is a great on to start with, “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. O Jerusalem, wash thine heart from wickedness, that thou mayest be saved. How long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee?” Now, Jeremiah was not speaking as seeing the Lord Jesus literally in this way, but was using imagery to describe the judgment of the Lord being poured out upon Jerusalem. Clouds are symbolic of a coming in judgment, much like we would see literal storm clouds and know the approach of a storm. The use of clouds here is clearly seen, not as literal clouds, but symbolic of a coming judgment.
Another reference is found in Zephaniah 1:14-16, “The great day of the LORD is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the LORD: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly. 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, A day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities, and against the high towers.” Notice here the use of the coming wrath symbolically shown as a day of clouds and thick darkness. This is not a literal event, the day being a day of darkness, but is in fact a symbolic use of imagery. The clouds show judgment being poured out.
Now, let us go to the references of the clouds and the coming of the Lord in the New Covenant. One of the most referenced scriptures is Matthew 24:30, “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.” Now, we see the use of clouds in reference to a coming of the Lord, just as it was under the Old Covenant. Does this mean a literal coming in clouds, or would this more appropriately mean a judgment being poured out. I believe that as we see such usage in the Old Covenant, we must assume and know that this means a spiritual coming in judgment, just as He did numerous times in the Old Covenant.
Another reference of the Lord coming in clouds is that of when the Messiah ascended. Luke records this in Acts 1:9-11, “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 steadfastly 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.” Using the same line of reasoning, we can see how the angels meant that, even as Messiah was received into a cloud, He would come in clouds, meaning judgment. The angels were stating that messiah was received up into the cloud, and will return as He always did, in judgment. This is neither a jump nor a stretch, but more of a correct interpretation of scripture concerning how Messiah Jesus would return. He left, being taken into a cloud, and would return spiritually in clouds, in judgment.
So, we see how the Lord would come in clouds, meaning judgment. This leaves the issue of the believer being caught up in the clouds at His coming. This is found in 1Thessalonians 4:16-17, “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 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.” This one is very simple to comprehend. We are caught up in clouds, just as Christ is in the clouds. This shows that we are being giving judgment, and that we will be as pouring out judgment with Christ when He comes. This is exactly what happened when the judgment came to be poured out upon Jerusalem in AD70.
The believers knew the signs of the Lord’s coming. They had endured hardships, tribulations, beating, tortures, and death for the sake of Messiah. They knew what was happening, and when Rome had surrounded Jerusalem, they fled the wrath. They saw the wrath, and were one of the reasons for that wrath being poured out. Revelation 19:2 shows us this, “For true and righteous are his judgments: for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand.” The wrath of the whore (Jerusalem) was paid back to her, and this was because of their rejection of Messiah, and their shedding of the saints’ blood.
So, we can easily see that clouds represent judgment, both under the Old Covenant as well as the New Covenant, and that the catching up of the believer in clouds shows the recompense of the blood of the saints at the hand of Jerusalem. They were caught up in those clouds, caught up in that judgment, and recompensed for their suffering. This was a comfort to the early church, and is for us now. You see, all the power of the enemy is cast at our feet, bound in the name of Messiah Jesus. Those who would harm us will face the wrath of our father, lest they repent and become converted. So, with this understanding, let us walk in the power of the resurrection we have, and the knowledge of the truth of scripture, so that we may be perfect, even as Messiah Jesus is perfect.
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