RIDING ON A "SWIFT CLOUD"

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. (Is 19:1)

The above verse is describing:

A. Every Egyptian seeing God on a literal cloud as He rides in judgment against their nation.

B. God’s judgment of Egypt described in figurative, apocalyptic language.

Few, if any, students of the Word believe that God was actually seen on a cloud by anyone during His judgment against Egypt. In fact, most have no difficulty in acknowledging that while there was a literal judgment against Egypt, this apocalyptic description is not to be taken literally. Why, then, do we insist on a literal interpretation for the following verse?

Jesus said to him, “It is as you said. Nevertheless, I say to you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven. (Matt 26:64)

When the high priest heard Jesus say this, he tore his clothes and accused Jesus of blasphemy.

Why?

Because he knew what coming on the clouds of heaven meant—that Jesus was claiming to be God, and would come in judgment against them.

The Jewish Council, before whom Jesus spoke these words, knew that cloud-comings were woven throughout the Old Testament Scriptures. Did they deem Him deserving of death because He claimed He could ride on a cloud, or because He had just stated, in language which all Jews understood, that He was God and would return to judge them? Surely the latter is the case.

Why, then, do we insist on interpreting this cloud-coming judgment of Christ in a literal fashion, instead of in the manner of Old Testament cloud-coming judgments?