Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen. Revelation 1:7 (NKJV)

Someday, every eye will see Christ Yeshua the King!  Some of us will see Him as Our Blessed Hope (Titus 2:13); others will squirm, trying in vain to hide from His glorious majesty.  Surely we’ll all be in awe!

The apostles of Christ had a foretaste of Christ’s return in reverse!  They actually saw with their human eyes the Messiah ascend into heaven, and “a cloud received Him”. Can you imagine watching something so utterly spectacular?  Yet the Book of Acts is a historical report.  This event actually happened.  The two men “in white apparel” at that viewing, assured the apostles that Christ would return “in like manner”.   What did the apostles witness in that Ascension?

Young’s Literal Translation Acts 1:9-11
9 And these things having said — they beholding — he was taken up, and a cloud did receive him up from their sight; 10 and as they were looking stedfastly to the heaven in his going on, then, lo, two men stood by them in white apparel, 11 who also said, ‘Men, Galileans, why do ye stand gazing into the heaven? this Jesus who was received up from you into the heaven, shall so come in what manner ye saw him going on to the heaven.’

(Some versions use in Acts 1:9, the word “hid” instead of “received”. That seems somewhat implied, but the correct word is “received’. G5274 )

And when he had said these things, as they were looking, he was taken up; and a cloud received Him out of their sight. Acts 1:9

A CLOUD RECEIVED HIM

Was this an actual nimbus cloud OR a spiritual cloud? Maybe there were clouds in the sky that day, but this one that received Him was real – because God is real! – and supernatural!

The “cloud” and God’s Divine Presence received Him! He was “received up into glory!” Heaven received Him! 

How would the Holy One of Israel, who rose victoriously from the grave, be received by heaven? Was there a grand celebration with all the hosts of heaven? Did the ten thousands of angels kneel before Him, having just defeated God’s worst foe? Did the saints, having been set free, fall at His feet to adore Him? Did the others join with the “living creatures” and cry “Holy! Holy! Holy!”? Did the cherubim give a shout of “Glory!” to the Lamb of God, who had just spilt His own blood for love? Did the seraphim fly around that day, more emphatically proclaiming “Worthy! Worthy! Worthy!”? The Heavenly Father welcomed wholeheartedly His Son and so Yeshua is now seated at God’s right hand. The Messiah was received into heaven, the cloud and the Shekinah glory of God!

THE SHEKINAH GLORY 

Sing to God, sing praises to His name; Extol Him who rides on the clouds, By His name YAH, And rejoice before Him.

Psalm 68:4

***

This Shekinah glory, seen as a “cloud”, was there when the rainbow covenant was established. 

I set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be for the sign of the covenant between Me and the earth. Gen 9:13 

A pillar of cloud guided the children of Israel. 

And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way… Exodus 13:21

A cloud was at the tabernacle.

Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. Exodus 40:34

A cloud was there to protect Moses & Aaron at the tabernacle of God when the Israelites grumbled. 

Now it happened, when the congregation had gathered against Moses and Aaron, that they turned toward the tabernacle of meeting; and suddenly the cloud covered it, and the glory of the LORD appeared. Numbers 16:42

Notice: “the cloud covered it, and the glory of the LORD appeared.” See the similarity between “cloud” and “glory”!? (See 2 THES 1:10)

So such it was at the Messiah’s Ascension: a cloud received Him. Thus, Yeshua will return with the “clouds of heaven!“

THE CLOUDS OF HEAVEN

Before His suffering, at the Sanhedrin trial, Yeshua declared He would return with the “clouds of heaven”.

Again the high priest [Caiaphas] asked Him, saying to Him, “Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?”
62 Jesus said, “I am. And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.” Mark 14:61b-62

Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. Matthew 24:30

Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen. Revelation 1:7 (NKJV)

This passage of Revelation utters the same sentiment as in Daniel 7:13: 

“I was watching in the night visions, And behold, One like the Son of Man, Coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, And they brought Him near before Him.”

THE COMING OF THE SON OF MAN

When Christ returns, “coming on the clouds of heaven”, it will be the most spectacular event that ever happened here on earth, the culmination of human history … until that point!  

29 “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30 Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. (Matthew 24:29-31)

Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. (1 Thes 4:17)

Saints/believers, those who were caught up, resurrected before the Millennial, will also be in that cloud, in the Divine Presence! Where the LORD is, the faithful elect, will be with Him!

Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!” Revelation 11:15

(See also The Coming of the LORD.)

CLOUDS & DUST

H7834 - shachaq; a cloud, sky, speck of dust

Is it curious that in the Hebrew language, the same word means both “cloud” and “fine dust”?  Clouds are made of condensed water vapor and microscopic dust!   Man is also made from the “dust of the earth” (1 COR 15:47) and the body is roughly 55-60% water.  Yet Christians have “the rivers of living water”, symbolizing the Holy Spirit, flowing out of their hearts! (John 7:38)  

Water + dust = clouds.  In the not so distant future, this “cloud of witnesses” may now include us! (Hebrews 12:1)  Are we now part of this “cloud” when Christ returns!?   

THE MILLENNIUM

Yes, Christ is taking His elect, believers in Him, to rule and reign with Him! 

5 …..This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. (REV 20)

However, people living on the earth in those days of the Millennium will still have free will. They could do what is right in the eyes of the LORD, or not, but they will be subject to the King’s judgment. (REV 2:27)

Satan Cast into the Lake of Fire

7 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, 8 And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth…[fooling the sinners into battle against] the camp of the saints [of the Millennial age] about, and the beloved city [Jerusalem]: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. 10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone (REV 20)

From “out of heaven” we can determine that “heaven” is outside the earth.

THE FINAL JUDGMENT

(Rev 20)11 And I saw a great white throne … 12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life:

Yeshua is our life!  “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.“ John 11:25 

But “the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.” 

You don’t want to be judged according to your works BECAUSE NO ONE IS PERFECT! How can you enter the Holy Presence of God, the Shekinah glory, with sin, even one little lie? 

Thanks be to God! Yeshua is the believer’s righteousness!

For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. (2 Cor 5:21)

In Christ, we are ALIVE and righteous, and we have joy to boot!

But notice the difference between the Book of LIFE and the other books (of death):

REV 20:13 The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. 14 Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

The first death was the physical death. The second death is complete and utter separation from God who is LIFE. True believers in Christ do not need to fear the second death! But unbelievers should really reconsider!

15 And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire. (Rev 20)

And so this Death and Hades are cast into the lake of fire, and all is well with the new heavens and new earth! Believers will live happily ever after!

ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN!

Our LORD taught us to pray this prayer:

“Your kingdom come, 

Your will be done, 

on earth as it is in heaven.”

Matthew 6:10

Why did He tell us to pray this way? 

Because God is seated on the throne of heaven and He’s moving it here – to earth! In the end, GOD WINS and His will will be done on earth. His ideal is for the new heaven and the new earth under the reign of the LORD Yeshua! It’s paradise – more than restored – with the holy saints that will delight in His ways!

“Look up!  Our redemption is nigh!”  (based on Luke 21:28)  

Revelation 16:15

“Christ has died.

Christ is risen.

Christ will come again!”