Jesus Has Already Come Many Times "in the Clouds"

“Behold, he cometh with clouds…” (Revelations 1:7)

Jesus will return again “in the clouds” on the final day, but Jesus has also already come “in the clouds” spiritually a number of times… and he will continue to come that way as long as there is a “cloud of witnesses” for him to come in. (Note: this is a continuation of a previous entry titled: “God Has Always Come To Us ‘in the Clouds‘”)

Jesus plainly stated that he would come in “power and great glory” of his kingdom “in a cloud” – and that this would happen in the very generation of his first advent when he was physically on earth. “…And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory… …This generation shall not pass away till all be fulfilled.” Luke 21:25-32 Truly, “they also which pierced him” also saw him come in his kingdom. And even today, they that continue to pierce him by the persecution of his spiritual body have also spiritually seen him come “in the cloud.”

Now this is not the Old Testament physical cloud Jesus is speaking of where God appeared to the Israelites in a cloud, but rather it is a spiritual New Testament cloud.

In chapter 11 of Hebrews it gives us understanding into what makes up this spiritual cloud by describing to us many faithful saints who throughout history lived faithful to God, and therefore they were a witness to the whole world of the right way to live and worship the true God. Then immediately following chapter 11, in Heb 12:1-2 we read:

“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

This “throne of God” where Jesus sits is spiritually in the “clouds of heaven”: speaking of the heavenly condition in the true church where Jesus sits on the throne of his people’s hearts who are gathered together as one in worshiping him.

“Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ… …That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him… …That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all… …And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 1:3-4, 10, 17-23, 2:6)

Yes, Jesus is still sitting in the heavenly places, in the clouds of heaven – those obedient hearts that worship him in Spirit and in truth.

In Matt 26:63-64 Jesus said to the then Jewish high priest that was condemning him to death: “Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.” His words came true as the then Jewish high priest saw, after the day of Pentecost, Jesus reigning in the throne of the hearts of those who were saved and serving him with all their hearts. The Jewish high priest and many others wailed even then as they came to realize that their place of authority and honor had been supplanted in the hearts of the people by Jesus.

“The LORD reigneth; let the earth rejoice; let the multitude of isles be glad thereof. Clouds and darkness are round about him: righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his throne. A fire goeth before him, and burneth up his enemies round about. His lightnings enlightened the world: the earth saw, and trembled. The hills melted like wax at the presence of the LORD, at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth. The heavens declare his righteousness, and all the people see his glory.” (Psalms 97:1-6)

The visibility of “his glory” to all people is through the servants of God whom people see worshiping in pure truth, and serving God as one. I am talking about when people are truly in unity, not modern day ecumenism where they all do their own thing, believe their own way, hold to different doctrines, etc. Ecumenism has NOTHING to do with unity – it is totally fake and totally false!

The true unified people whom God honors with his awesome presence – are likened to a concentrated, thick cloud (as contrasted to the scattered light puffy clouds that go unnoticed.) Clouds that gather together are thick and dark and are the ones that can cause lightning, hail, rolling thunder, and tornadoes. Those type of clouds get everyone’s attention. They cannot go unnoticed! Jesus said that this is how he would come:

“For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be… …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. (Note: see also Dan 7:13, Mark 13:26, and Luke 21:27) And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.” (Matt 24:27 & 30-34)

It is not just at the end of all time when the final judgement is set up. He clearly stated that he spiritually would come this way while the earth would still be standing. In fact, he told his disciples that they would see it in their generation!

Yes this is how Jesus comes! “Behold, he cometh with clouds…” Have you seen him come? If not, maybe you’ve been looking in the wrong place… (Note: stay with me, there is still more to come on this in another blog entry.)