Clouds. There can be clouds of dust, clouds of smoke, clouds of rain, clouds of doubt. But Clouds mean activity, possibility, productivity, all these things can be in clouds. And there are many references to clouds in scripture in 154 verses.

Revelation 1:7 says Look, He’s coming in the clouds, and every eye will see him. all the earth will mourn over him. This references Zechariah 12:10 – which speaks of Israel in the last days and says that God will pour out a Spirit of Grace and Prayer and they will look at me, whom they pierced. They Will Mourn.

Clouds can be good or bad. It all depends on our situation and our expectation, our position. How we are and where we are will determine how we respond to the clouds. Is it the dust cloud of workers or soldiers / Chariots? Are they coming to build or destroy. Are they coming to save or conquer? In Revelation 1:5-8 Jesus is He who loves and sets us free, makes us a Kingdom – Look HE is coming in the clouds. If he is the lover of my soul, and the one who sets me free, establishing a new Kingdom – when I see him, it’s tears of Joy. He is the Alpha and Omega, she he started and he will finish, praise God I see the Clouds. If we have received him, then we celebrate the clouds. For those who have not received, have rejected, the clouds mean the end of opportunity and they will mourn. There in Zechariah 12 – Israel as a people are looking at Jesus and looking back to their history and mourning that they pierced him, but as a people group and then acknowledging him as Lord because of the new Spirit of Grace and Prayer. Recognizing what is available, in a prayer of confession and repentance, they are experiencing salvation.

In Nahum, there are clouds. In 1:2-3 it says the Lord is jealous and an avenging God… slow to anger but great in power… he will never leave the guilty unpunished… This is restating the “glory of God” as Moses experienced in Exodus 34 – he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in mercy, and yet the wicked are not unpunished. It’s John 1:14 full of grace and truth. Then Nahum continues, his path is in the whirlwind and storm and CLOUDS are the dust beneath his feet. These words were written to Nineveh, 100 years AFTER Jonah. In Jonah’s day, the people repented and were forgiven. The Lord only knows who and how many, but there were people who genuinely repented and received God’s grace and so will be with us in Glory. But now 2-3 generations later, as a people group, Nineveh is DONE. Or we should say God is done with Nineveh. vv7-9 say The Lord is good, a stronghold in a day of distress, he CARES for those who take refuge in him, BUT he will completely destroy Nineveh… whatever you plot against the Lord he will bring it to complete destruction

People we need to hear this. People like to call America a “Christian Nation”, and perhaps that has been true at times. And yes, we have been blessed and a blessing to the world, both materially and missionally / Spiritually, but IF WE PLOT against, if we fail to join God – Destruction will come when he is finished with us. God used many great nations and insignificant nations. He used those who believed in him and those who did not to complete his purposes.

Behold he is coming in the clouds. Will the clouds be God at work to build or demolish? God is always at work – That’s what Jesus says in John 5:17. Is he for us or bringing us down? Behold the Lord is coming in the clouds. Every eyes will see – Pray for a Spirit of Grace and Prayer – of Repentance and Seeking Refuge – Hope Found. Oswald Chambers says, “it is NOT true to say that God wants to teach us something in our trials, every cloud – But He wants to UNLEARN something … to simplify our belief

In Luke 9 on the Mountain of Transfiguration – Peter, James, and John were with Jesus. He was glorified in his Heavenly glory before them and joined by Moses and Elijah – They were there to show that the Law and the Prophets testified to and validated Jesus the Messiah – but Then, “there came a cloud and overshadowed them and they feared as they entered the cloud… If Jesus is there, it’s ok to be a little scared of the cloud, but join him in the cloud of his glory – and then they found that Moses and Elijah were gone – and Jesus was left standing Alone – and the Father said this is my son, listen to him. The Law and the Prophets serve as tutors and affirmation of Jesus, but Jesus stands alone, he alone is our refuge, Behold he Comes in the Cloud – Every Eye must See Him – Every Heart Should Turn – Mourn in Confession – Celebrate in Salvation – and Find Rest in Him – Today