SPECIAL TOPIC: COMING ON THE CLOUDS (several Hebrew words, but mostly anan, BDB 777, KB 857)

This coming on the clouds was a very significant eschatological sign. It was used in several distinct ways in the OT.

  1. to show God's physical presence, the Shekinah cloud of Glory (cf. Exod. 13:21; 14:19,20,24; 16:10; 19:9; Num. 11:25; Deut. 1:33; 4:11; 5:22; 1 Kgs. 8:10-11; Neh. 9:19)
  2. to cover His Holiness so that man would not see Him and die (cf. Exod. 33:20; Isa. 6:5)
  3. to transport Deity
    1. as Creator ‒ Ps. 97:1-6; 104
    2. His personal presence ‒ Ps. 18:7-15
    3. in judgment ‒ Isa. 19:1; Nah. 1:1-8; Matt. 16:27-28; 24:30; 26:64; Rev. 1:7
    4. for transportation ‒ Dan. 7:13

In Daniel 7:13 clouds were used as the transportation of the divine (i.e., "rides on clouds"), and human (i.e., called "Son of Man") Messiah. This prophecy in Daniel is alluded to over 30 times in the NT. This same connection of the Messiah with the clouds of heaven can be seen in

  1. Jesus "coming" in judgment on Jerusalem and the temple (cf. Matt. 16:27-28; 24:1-3,27,30,37,39; 26:64; Rev. 1:7; 22:20)
  2. Jesus ascending back to heaven, Acts 1:9,11
  3. Jesus' Second Coming, Matt. 26:64; Mark 14:62; Luke 21:27; Acts 1:11; 1 Thess. 4:13-18
  4. believers meeting Jesus in the air, 1 Thess. 4:13-18

SPECIAL TOPIC: THE CLOUD. . .THE PILLAR

SPECIAL TOPIC: SECOND COMING (terms)

SPECIAL TOPIC: SON OF MAN

SPECIAL TOPIC: MESSIAH

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