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Signs and Tokens - part 3 of 3(Amplified Bible—unless otherwise specified) CLOUDS Throughout the Bible, we find the use of the cloud or clouds as representing God’s presence, promise, proclamation and power. To gain encouragement, we have but to behold the clouds. In the Old Testament Moses records, “Then the cloud [the Shekinah, God’s visible presence] covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle!” {Ex. 40:34} Of Gabriel’s annunciation to Mary, it is written, “Then the angel said to her, The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you (as a shining cloud) and so the holy (pure, sinless) Thing which shall be born of you will be called the Son of God” {Luke 1:35}. Symbolical progression from covering to filling permeates the Word of God. While Peter, James and John were on the Mount of Transfiguration, “… a cloud threw a shadow upon them, and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is My Son, the (most dear-worthy) Beloved One; be constantly listening to and obeying Him” {Mark 9: 17}. Luke further records that the three actually entered the cloud which increasingly overshadowed them. For even as Peter was speaking, “…a cloud came and began to overshadow them; and they were seized with alarm and struck with fear as they entered into the cloud. Then there came a voice out of the cloud, saying This is My Son, My Chosen One –My Beloved: listen to and yield to and obey Him! {Luke 9:34} Though the cloud be “small as a man’s hand” {I Kings 18:44}, we, like Elijah, must pray for, anticipate, recognize and respond to the promises of God’s presence and power to us, in us and through us. For we, too, become clouds, either faithful witnesses or false boasters.“…We are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses [who have borne testimony of the Truth}…” {Heb 12:1}. “Whoever falsely boasts of gifts [he does not give] is like clouds and wind without rain” {Pro 25:14}. Jude warns of those who “are (elements of danger) hidden reefs” and “clouds without water, swept along with the winds” {v 12}. Hosea records the Lord’s displeasure at those with vacillating faith: “O Ephraim, what shall I do to you? O Judah, what shall I do to you? For your faithfulness is like a morning cloud, And like the early dew it goes away” {6:4 KJV}. But God’s faithfulness continues toward those who are seated with Christ in heavenly places: “Your mercy and loving-kindness, O Lord, extend to the skies, and Your faithfulness to the clouds” {Ps 36:5}. “For your mercy and loving-kindness are great, reaching to the heavens, and Your truth and faithfulness to the clouds” {Ps 57:10}. Revelation 20:4 speaks of those “who had been slain with axes (beheaded) for their witnessing to Jesus and [for preaching and testifying] for the Word of God.” To be a witness is actually to be a martyr, one who sacrifices himself for a cause. And are we not called to lay down our lives for the cause of Christ and His Kingdom? So doing, will we not become a part of that great cloud of witnesses? For “Lo, He is coming with the clouds…” {Rev 1:7}. Prayer:“Ask 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” (Zech 10:1a KJV). ARROWSArrows, too, are used as signs or manifestations of God’s presence and power in those who are indwelt by Christ: “…the Lord has called me from the womb…and he has made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of His hand has he hid me, and made me a polished arrow; in His quiver has he kept me close and concealed me. And the Lord said to me, You are My servant, Israel…in whom I will be glorified {Isa 49:1-2}. Referred to by God as “My arrow,” Ephraim represents growth or that which brings forth or grows, even double fruitfulness. “For I have bent Judah for me as My bow, filled the bow with Ephraim as My arrow, and will stir up your sons, O Zion, against your sons, O Greece, and will make you [Israel] as the sword of a mighty man” {Zech 9:13}. Each of us is an arrow either in the quiver of God or in that of the enemy. When the adversary uses other people and their accusations to attack us, we must respond in the knowledge that our struggle is not against flesh and blood. “For see, the wicked are bending the bow, they make ready their arrow upon the string, that they [furtively] in darkness may shoot at the upright in heart” {Ps 11:2}. To curse the arrow is to negate the possibility of God’s transformational honing, redirecting and using of that arrow into an instrument for His purposes. Once an arrow in the quiver of satan, Paul became a sharp and shining weapon in the hands of His Lord. Let us not abort the life of Christ in us when we are attacked by those the enemy uses as arrows against us. “Hear my voice, O God, in my complaint; guard and preserve my life from the terror of the enemy. Hide me from the secret counsel and conspiracy of the ungodly, from the scheming of evil doers, Who whet their tongue like a sword, who aim venomous words like arrows, Who shoot from ambush at the blameless” {Ps 64:1-4a}. If God can say of man, “As arrows are in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one’s youth. Happy, blessed and fortunate is the man whose quiver is filled with them!” {Ps 127:4-5a}, how much more is He blessed by His own children, those who are His arrows of righteousness? As we perceive ourselves to be clouds of God’s presence and arrows of His power, the Holy Spirit will manifest us as signs and tokens: “And do not [for a moment] be frightened or intimidated in anything by your opponents and adversaries, for such [constancy and fearlessness] will be a clear sign (proof and seal) to them of [their impending] destruction; but [a sure token and evidence] of your deliverance and salvation, and that from God” {Phil 1:28}. -Ruth French June Newsletter 2002 | Our Inheritance | Ministry Minded part 2 of 2 Pastor's Journal - June 2001 | God of the New | Signs and Tokens part 3 of 3 | Refiner's Fire |
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