Getting Revelation -Part 4- He Comes With Clouds!

"Behold, He cometh with clouds!" This declaration which opens verse seven is familiar Old Testament apocalyptic symbolism used often by the ancient Jewish prophets, and would have been rich in meaning to the first century Jews. First and foremost, it signifies that John's Revelation details the fulfillment of Daniel's prophecy about 500 years earlier:

Dan 7:13-14 - "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. Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, That all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, Which shall not pass away, And His kingdom the one Which shall not be destroyed.."

Daniel is told later to "seal up" his visions in a book because they would not come to pass for a long time (Dan 12:4 & 12:9), and now in his vision John declares confidently that its fulfillment is at hand in the first century AD (see especially Rev. 22:10 - "Do not seal the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand." - the complete opposite of what Daniel is told - more on that in a future installment) So what does "Coming with clouds" mean? Let us look at this symbolism as it is used in the Old Testament:

Isa 19:1 - "The burden against Egypt. Behold, the LORD rides on a swift cloud, And will come into Egypt; The idols of Egypt will totter at His presence, And the heart of Egypt will melt in its midst." (regarding the impending destruction on ancient Egypt)

Ez 38:15-16 - "And thou shalt come from thy place out of the north parts, thou, and many people with thee, all of them riding upon horses, a great company, and a mighty army: And thou shalt come up against my people of Israel, as a cloud to cover the land; it shall be in the latter days, and I will bring thee against my land, that the heathen may know me, when I shall be sanctified in thee, O Gog, before their eyes." (regarding the impending destruction of ancient Israel)

2 Sam 22:7-16 & Ps 18:7-15 - "He bowed the heavens also, and came down; and darkness was under his feet. And he made darkness pavilions round about him, dark waters, and thick clouds of the skies. And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: and he was seen upon the wings of the wind... And he sent out arrows, and scattered them; lightning, and discomfited them." (King Davids song celebrating judgment on his enemies)

Jer 4:13 - "Behold, he shall come up as clouds, and his chariots shall be as a whirlwind: his horses are swifter than eagles. Woe unto us! for we are spoiled... Destruction upon destruction is cried; for the whole land is spoiled: suddenly are my tents spoiled, and my curtains in a moment." (regarding the impending destruction of ancient Israel)

See also Lam 2:1, Ez 30:18, Joel 2:1-2, Zeph 1:14-16. In all these passages the Lord "came with clouds" against disobedient nations by bringing in foreign armies to seige and destroy them. He came with clouds against ancient Egypt, he came with clouds against ancient Israel, and he came with clouds against the enemies of David. In the examples above, coming with clouds did not mean a literal, visible appearance of God in the sky overhead -- rather it was powerful prophetic imagery symbolizing the divinely appointed destruction of a wicked people!

So let us compare this Jewish prophetic symbolism with our text: "Behold he cometh with clouds!" There is little question: The nation of Israel knew what "Coming with clouds" meant. It is the same reason why the Jewish leaders tore their garments in anger when Jesus told them during his trial "After this you will see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven." (Mat 26:64) It meant judgment. It meant the destruction and siege of their precious city and temple. The violent and bloody end of the disobedient Jewish nation that had been foretold over and again by the prophets of old. The time had finally arrived -- and the 12 tribes of the land (who had pierced him) would indeed all see it, and would wail at his coming!

Next: Part 5 will address the dating of the book of Revelation.