He rides the clouds

The weather in Southern California has been fabulous lately. The vegetation is happy, my lawn is happy, the mountains are packed with snow, and the weeds are a-coming! But it’s a small price to pay for the wonder of weather, which is a parable for the omni-magnificence of our God.

If you live here, hopefully you’ve noticed the clouds: cumulous, cirrus, stratus and nimbus. I’m not sure about the last three types, but I know cumulous clouds when I see them, and they are majestic. God has given them to us to remind us and give us a picture of his power, his might, and his ability and willingness to answer prayer.

Here are some selected passages on God and his clouds. All references ESV.

Psalm 104:3b-4, “he makes the clouds his chariot; he rides on the wings of the wind; he makes his messengers winds, his minister a flaming fire.”

In this next Psalm, David cries to God and the picture of God’s response as he comes in the clouds is astounding, it should move all of us to pray. Pray for revival, pray for courage, pray for the unsaved, pray for your pastor, pray – pray – pray. And may he rend the heavens and come down, Isaiah 64:1.

Psalm 18:6-12, “In my distress I called upon the LORD; to my God I cried for help.From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry to him reached his ears.

7 Then the earth reeled and rocked; the foundations also of the mountains trembled and quaked, because he was angry.

8 Smoke went up from his nostrils, and devouring fire from his mouth; glowing coals flamed forth from him.

9 He bowed the heavens and came down; thick darkness was under his feet.

10 He rode on a cherub and flew; he came swiftly on the wings of the wind.

11 He made darkness his covering, his canopy around him, thick clouds dark with water.

12 Out of the brightness before him hailstones and coals of fire broke through his clouds.

13 The LORD also thundered in the heavens, and the Most High uttered his voice, hailstones and coals of fire.

14 And he sent out his arrows and scattered them; he flashed forth lightnings and grouted them.

15 Then the channels of the sea were seen, and the foundations of the world were laid bare at your rebuke, O LORD, at the blast of the breath of your nostrils.

16 He sent from on high, he took me; he drew me out of many waters.

17 He rescued me from my strong enemy and from those who hated me, for they were too mighty for me.”

You should read the rest of this song of exaltation and instruction. But for now let’s move on to this selection from Job,

Job 36:24-33, “Remember to extol his work, of which men have sung.

25 All mankind has looked on it; man beholds it from afar.

26 Behold, God is great, and we know him not; the number of his years is unsearchable.

27 For he draws up the drops of water; they distill his mist in rain,

28 which the skies pour down and drop on mankind abundantly.

29 Can anyone understand the spreading of the clouds, the thunderings of his pavilion?

30 Behold, he scatters his lightning about him and covers the roots of the sea.

31 For by these he judges peoples; he gives food in abundance.

32 He covers his hands with the lightning and commands it to strike the mark.

33 Its crashing declares his presence; the cattle also declare that he rises.”