In
Acts 1, angels told 500 disciples that the way they saw Jesus ascend into to heaven would be the same “
manner” in which they would see Him come again. Consequently, some men teach this passage refers to a literal physical return of Jesus to the earth. But when we examine this verse, we find its emphasis is not on Jesus’ physical body, but on the “manner” in which He ascended. Let’s begin by looking the wording of the occurrence as recorded in the following verses:
Acts 1:9-11
(9) And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld,
he was taken up; and A CLOUD received him out of their sight.
(10) And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;
(11) 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.
The Bible does not waste words. When it expressly mentions an item or an issue, it usually does so to emphasis a deeper understanding found in the text. Luke emphasizes a “cloud” receiving Jesus, and Jesus coming again in “like manner.” The Bible always interprets itself. So, when a person understands how “clouds” are used in the Old Testament, they will understand how they are to be understood in Jesus’ coming. When looking at the Old Testament we find the prophetic imagery for clouds always is associated with God’s “POWER” and “GLORY.”
IMAGERY, TYPE AND SHADOW, AND SYMBOLISM
The Bible is filled with symbolism. The writers of the Old Testament spoke in language intent on filling their audience with a visual images, which were to be fulfilled by their then coming Messiah. They spoke of symbolisms such as lambs and wolves, sacrificed animals and Levitical priests, unmolded clay and potter’s wheels, mountain tops and deep valleys, and days of rest and days of war. These, like all others, were intended to convey various images of Jesus and His Kingdom.
Noah Webster's 1828 Dictionary of American English defines “symbol” as: (1) The sign or representation of any moral thing by the images or properties of natural things. Thus the lion is the symbol of courage; the lamb is the symbol of meekness or patience. Symbols are of various kinds, as types, enigmas, parables, fables, allegories, emblems, hieroglyphics, &c. (2) An emblem or representation of something else. Thus in the eucharist, the bread and wine are called symbols of the body and blood of Christ.
John the Baptist referenced such symbolism when he said, “…Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (
John 1:29). His statement referred to the imagery found in Isaiah’s prophecy: “He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth” (
Isaiah 53:7). Isaiah spoke of the shadow and John spoke of the substance. Together we have a better understand of Jesus’ work for mankind.
The way in which imagery is used in the Old Testament sets the precedent in which it is to be used in the New Testament. This thereby gives us a clear understanding of both what was foretold and its fulfillment. So, the subject of Jesus coming in a cloud is easily understood by studying the usage of the imagery of clouds in the Bible. With this in mind, let’s now look at how clouds were first used in the Law, Psalms, and Prophets.
CLOUDS REPRESENT GOD’S POWER
These scriptures describe God coming in a “CLOUD” to bring judgment against those in rebellion to Him.
Isaiah 19:1
Jeremiah 4:13
Ezekiel 30:3
Ezekiel 30:18-19
These do not speak of actual clouds, but instead of God acting in POWER to deliver His judgment! Also notice that each of these has God using a heathen army for His sword of wrath. The importance of this will be clearer when we later look into what “coming” Luke was referring to in
Acts 1.
CLOUDS REPRESENT GOD’S GLORY
These verses use “CLOUDS” as imagery of God’s GLORY.
Nahum 1:2
Zephaniah 1:14-17
Joel 2:1-9
These were not to be understood as “literal” clouds. The mention of these clouds was to give the reader a visual picture of God’s glory. This is the same ‘glory’ Joshua experienced while remaining in the Tabernacle of God.
Exodus 33:10-11
Did Joshua stand in the Tabernacle in a LITERAL cloud? What does this CLOUD represent? Was it just a puffy gaseous formation, or something more?
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible – Exodus 33:9
The cloudy pillar descended - This very circumstance precluded the possibility of deception. The cloud descending at these times, and at none others, was a full proof that it was miraculous, and a pledge of the Divine presence. It was beyond the power of human art to counterfeit such an appearance; and let it be observed that all the people saw this, Exo 33:10. How many indubitable and irrefragable proofs of its own authenticity and Divine origin does the Pentateuch contain!
When seeing this cloud the people took it as seeing a manifestation of God’s glory.
From these Old Testament examples we see that a reader of the Bible would already understand that the imagery of clouds refer to God’s glory and His coming judgment against the enemies of His people. Now let’s look at how the New Testament uses “clouds.”
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