Clouds will play a big part in the future: Revelation 1:7Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen. Revelation 10:1 And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire: Revelation 11:12 And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them. Revelation 14:14-16 And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle. And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped. Clouds, in summary: It would appear that clouds did not exist prior to Noah’s Flood. The earth was protected (from outer space, meteors, rays, etc.) by a water canape. There was no need for clouds. When the flood occurred and this canape was dumped on the earth, clouds were created by God. As recorded in scripture, God has used the clouds for many purposes: Curses, Punishments, Blessings and as Signs.
Matthew 17:5While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him. Mark 9:7 And there was a cloud that overshadowed them: and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him. Luke 9:34-35 While he thus spake, there came a cloud, and overshadowed them: and they feared as they entered into the cloud. And there came a voice out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him. The Lord Jesus on His second coming: Matthew 24:30And 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. Matthew 26:64Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. Mark 13:26 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. Mark 14:62 And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. Luke 21:27And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. The Lord Jesus used the weather while teaching: Luke 12:54 And he said also to the people, When ye see a cloud rise out of the west, straightway ye say, There cometh a shower; and so it is. The Lord Jesus ascends to Heaven: Acts 1:9And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. Paul recalls Israel fleeing Egypt: 1 Corinthians 10:1-2Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; Paul teaching about the rapture: 1 Thessalonians 4:17Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Cloud represents multitude of People: Hebrews 12:1Wherefore 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, Peter and Jude giving warnings about false teachers: 2 Peter 2:17 These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever. Jude 1:12 These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;
Deborah’s song: Judges 5:4 … the earth trembled, and the heavens dropped, the clouds also dropped water. David’s vision: 2 Samuel 22:12 … thick clouds of the skies. David’s last words: 2 Samuel 23:4… even a morning without clouds; … The LORD in the Tabernacle: 1 Kings 8:10-11… that the cloud filled the house of the LORD, … because of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of the LORD.2 Chronicles 5:13-14 The Drought ends:1 Kings 18:44-45 … there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, …nthe heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. … Reading from the LAW: Nehemiah 9:12 … leddest them in the day by a cloudy pillar; and in the night by a pillar of fire…Nehemiah 9:19 JOB has 19 references about Clouds: Job 3:5, 7:9, 20:6, 22:13-14, 26:8-9, 30:15 Job35:5, 36:28-29,32, 37:11,15-16, 37:21, 38:9, 38:34, 38:37 Psalms referrers to Clouds 14 times: Psalm 18:11-12, 36:5 57:10, 68:34, 77:17, Psalm 78:14, 78:23 97:2, 99:7, 104:3, 105:39, 108:4, 147:8, Proverbs has 4: Proverbs 3:20 8:28 16:15 25:14 Ecclesiastes has 3: Ecclesiastes 11:3-4, 12:2 Isaiah has 8: Isaiah 4:5, 5:6, 14:14, 18:4, 19:1, 25:5, 44:22, 60:8 Jeremiah warns of coming judgement: Jeremiah 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. And in Lamenations: Lamentations 2:1 How hath the LORD covered the daughter of Zion with a cloud in his anger, and cast down from heaven unto the earth the beauty of Israel, and remembered not his footstool in the day of his anger! Lamentations 3:44Thou hast covered thyself with a cloud, that our prayer should not pass through. Ezekiel also warns Israel: Ezekiel 1:4, 1:28. 8:11, 10:3-4, 30:3,18, 32:7, 34:12, 38:9,16, Daniel sees into the future: Daniel 7:13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. Israel needs to return to the Lord: Hosea 6:4O Ephraim, what shall I do unto thee? O Judah, what shall I do unto thee? for your goodness is as a morning cloud, and as the early dew it goeth away. Hosea 13:3Therefore they shall be as the morning cloud and as the early dew that passeth away, as the chaff that is driven with the whirlwind out of the floor, and as the smoke out of the chimney. The day of the Lord is coming: Joel 2:2 A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, even to the years of many generations. Gods anger will come: Nahum 1:3 The LORD is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked: the LORD hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet. Zephaniah 1:15 That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, Zechariah 10:1Ask ye of the LORD rain in the time of the latter rain; so the LORD shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field.
The Lord Jesus refers to rain in His teachings: Matthew 5:45, 7:25,27 Barnabas and Paul reminded the Jews that rain comes from God: Acts 14:17 Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness. Paul rehearses God’s blessings: Hebrews 6:7For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God: James reminds the Jews of Joel 2:23Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month.: James 5:7 Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. James also reminds Jews of Elijah: James 5:17-18 And the two witnesses (during the Tribulation) will be like Elijah: Revelation 11:6These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will. Rain. Where did all the water come from for Noah’s flood? Reading Genesis 1 we can see that water covered the whole earth. Vs 1 He divided the waters. Vs 6-9 It appears He took some of the water and placed it in the heaven, a canape surrounding the earth. This would be a shield for the earth. It made earth like a green house. It was this way from then until Noah. No Rain, Snow, or Hail. No lighting, thunder, or drought. Maybe a strong wind. A very pleasant place to live, and life abounded. And it also degenerated. When Noah was about 40 years old God said to him (6:3) “And the Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years”. And He instructed him to build an Ark as God was going to send Rain to flood and destroy the inhabitants of earth. When Noah was 600, 2 months, and 17 days old (7:11) it started to rain. Not only did the canape surrounding the earth fall, water from under the earth also rose up (7:11 … all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened). The water covered the whole earth by 15 cubits ( if a cubit – 18” x 15 = 270 ft – If a cubit – 24” x 15 = 360’). After a year on the Ark, Noah climbed out the window on the top (8:13-18). Now where did all that water abate to? Well, some returned to the sky (not as the canape) but enough to provise rain as needed since then. And a lot of it went to the north and south pole (JOB 38:30). Not to worry, God promised never to flood the earth again. But will with Fire: 2 Peter 3:12-13Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
The Lord Jesus used the wind(s) in His parables: The Wise Man Matthew 7:25,27 And showed His power over the winds (He is God): Matthew 8:26-27, Mark 4:37,39,41, 6:48,51, Luke 8:23-25, John 6:18 Teaching about John the Baptist: Mathew 11:7, Luke 7:24 Peter’s experience: Matthew 14:24,30,32 When the Lord teaches about end times: Matthew 24:31, Mark 13:27, Luke 12:55 Teaching Nicodemus about being Born Again: John 3:8 The Wind is used symbolically for the disciples as they are filled with the Holy Spirit: Acts 2:2 The wind caused Paul’s ship wreck: Acts 27:4,7,13-15 The wind caused the ship to sail: Acts 27:40, 28:13
Paul’s illustration: Ephesians 4:14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
James also uses wind to teach: James 1:6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. And in James 3:4Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth. And in Jude 1:12These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots; And John writing about the Tribulation: Revelation 6:13 And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind. Revelation 7:1 And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree.
Yes, much can be learned by reading about the Wind in Scripture.
GREED—Intense and selfish desire for something, especially wealth, power, or food.
What is man’s biggest problem? What causes most of the problems in the world today? What is the cause of most SIN?
Psalm 17:12 Like as a lion that is greedy of his prey, … Proverbs 1:19 So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain; which taketh away the life of the owners thereof. Proverbs 15:27He that is greedy of gain troubleth his own house; … Proverbs 21:26 He coveteth greedily all the day long: … Isaiah 56:11Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter. Ezekiel 22:12In thee have they taken gifts to shed blood; thou hast taken usury and increase, and thou hast greedily gained of thy neighbours by extortion, and hast forgotten me, saith the Lord GOD.
Ephesians 4:19 Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. 1 Timothy 3:3Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous; 1 Timothy 3:8 Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;
Jude 1:11Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.
It would appear that between Creation and Noah’s Flood the earth had perfect weather. The earth being protected by a water canape was like a green house. Perfect. Except for man. Man was wicked, evil. Far from God who created him. So bad, they not only did wickedness but thought it continually. Genesis 6:5 And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. The earth was destroyed so everything could start anew. But this time God added weather. The weather would allow God a way to reward or punish without total destruction. You can study this throughout the Old Testament (for example: Psalm 78:47-48, 105:32, 148:8). Remember, Paul admonishes: 2 Timothy 2:15Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. STUDY – not just read! (at Paul’s time there was only the Old Testament) And as we study, we should learn. 2 Timothy 3:16All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: It also appears that God uses the weather for His purposes even today, read Psalm 147.No! there will not be another worldwide flood. But there are floods, storms, droughts and other calamities that should remind us that God is God and sin is sin.
Appears in Scripture 15 Times, 7 times in OT and 8 times in NT
God says there will always be Summer and Winter: Genesis 8:22 While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease. Psalm 74:17Thou hast set all the borders of the earth: thou hast made summer and winter. Song of Solomon 2:11For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone; Isaiah 18:6 They shall be left together unto the fowls of the mountains, and to the beasts of the earth: and the fowls shall summer upon them, and all the beasts of the earth shall winter upon them. Amos warns of Judgement: Amos 3:15And I will smite the winter house with the summer house; and the houses of ivory shall perish, and the great houses shall have an end, saith the LORD. Zechariah tells of the lord second coming: Zechariah 14:8 And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be. The Lord Jesus warns of the Tribulation: Matthew 24:20 But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day:Mark 13:18 And pray ye that your flight be not in the winter. The last winter for the Lord: John 10:22 And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter. The remaining references tell of where Paul wintered during his travels: Acts 27:12And because the haven was not commodious to winter in, the more part advised to depart thence also, if by any means they might attain to Phenice, and there to winter; which is an haven of Crete, and lieth toward the south west and north west. 1 Corinthians 16:6 And it may be that I will abide, yea, and winter with you, that ye may bring me on my journey whithersoever I go. 2 Timothy 4:21 Do thy diligence to come before winter. Eubulus greeteth thee, and Pudens, and Linus, and Claudia, and all the brethren. Titus 3:12 When I shall send Artemas unto thee, or Tychicus, be diligent to come unto me to Nicopolis: for I have determined there to winter.
Appears 515 times in Scripture, 436 times in OT and 79 times in NT
The only times looked at, is when it appears weather connected.
Destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah: Genesis 19:24Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven; Fire appears 24 times in Exodus God used it in the plagues against Egypt: Exodus 9:23-24 God leads way out of Egypt: Exodus 13:21-22, 14:24 God on mount Sinai: Exodus 19:18, 24:17 Used when God was leading Israel: Leviticus has 69, Numbers 35, and Deuteronomy 28 references to Fire, many are just like those in Exodus. Some interesting references to fire: 2 Samuel 22:9,13, God aided Elijah in proving who was the real God: 1 Kings 18:24-38, 19:12 Also in 2 Kings 1:10-14 God answers David: 1 Chronicles 21:6 God answers Solomon: 2 Chronicles 7:1-3 Reminding Israel how God lead them: Nehemiah 9:12,19, Psalm 78:14, Some of the verses where God uses fire in His wrath: Psalm 11:6, 18:8,12-13, 21:9, 50:3, 105:32, 140:10, 148:8 Isaiah 29:6, 30:27,30, 66:15-16, Jeremiah 4:4, 5:14, Ezekiel 1:4, and 42 more verses The rest of the Old Testament has many references of God send fire to punish Sin. The New Testament has 79 occurrences to fire, most of them are involving future destruction.
Appears in Scripture 13 times, 9 in OT and 4 in NT
David tells of his help from the Lord: 2 Samuel 22:15 Lightning, Thunder re from God: Job 28:26, 37:3, 38:25 David repeats what happened in 2 Samuel: Psalm 144:6 Ezekiel relates what he saw in his vision: Ezekiel 1:13-14 Daniel tells of his vision: Daniel 10:6 Zechariah warns Israel: Zechariah 9:14
The Lord Jesus tells of His coming: Matthew 24:27 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. Also in Luke 17:24 Describing the angel at the tomb: Matthew 28:3 The Lord Jesus describes Satan’s fall from heaven: Luke 10:18And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.
