Christ Revealed in His Own Word #93

“The Voice of the Cloud”

Sunday, April 3, 1997

Brian Kocourek, Pastor Grace Fellowship

Wednesday evening we examined paragraph [105] where Brother Branham was speaking of God being able to speak for Himself, and write for Himself, but He chose to speak to man through His Prophets. We therefore examined God’s sovereignty in choosing whatsoever He will, which is limited only to His own will, in contrast to our free moral agency which is limited to choosing either God’s way or the devils way. [Proverbs 14:12] tells us, “There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof, are the ways of death.” Therefore, a man might have a choice, but most certainly his own choice will end in death, not life. In [Jeremiah 10:23] we read, “O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself; It is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.” and, so we see that if man is left to himself, he will utterly choose the wrong way and the wrong steps. That is why we find in [Psalm 1:6] that God promises to leave the ungodly to himself. Because when He does this, that word there is AWBAD which means to wander away and to lose one’s self. But those whom He loves, He watches over with an active participation, and therefore, the Love of God actually constraineth us to the point that it causes us to walk in His way. [Psalm 37:23] The steps of a good man are ordered of the Lord: and he delighteth in His way.”

Now, what I would like to do this morning is to further examine the scene that Brother Branham is referring to when he illustrates God talking, as we hear him say in paragraph [106].

[106] God can talk. Do you believe God can talk? He talked to Moses on the mount in a burning bush. You believe that? Yes, sir. He talked to John in the form of a dove. You believe that? Said, "This is My beloved Son in whom I'm pleased to dwell in." He talked to Him. He spoke to Jesus on Mount Transfiguration before Peter, James, and John. ( Now let’s stop here for a moment and examine this scene). He can talk; He's not a mute. God can talk. So He spoke to Jesus on Mount Transfiguration. And He spoke to Jesus before a whole multitude of people, when the people said, "It thundered." But it was God speaking to Jesus. And almost all of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John is Jesus speaking. He's God. So God can talk.

Let’s turn in our Bibles this morning and look at these scenes that Brother Branham is referring to.

[Matt 3:13-17] This scene shows Jesus coming up out of the water and we see a Light descending which has the appearance of a dove, and then we hear a voice coming from the heavens, which is to say from above, and this voice we hear is the Father speaking to the people about His relationship with His Son. The scripture does not say that only Jesus heard this voice, because if it did, then the voice of God would not have said, “This is my beloved Son”, but would have said, “You are my beloved Son.” So we see here that this voice of God was speaking to the people. Now, it may be true that only John heard the voice, but if that were the case, why did Matthew, Mark, Luke and John make reference to it. Let’s turn now to the Book of Luke and examine this scene a little closer. [Luke 3:21-23] Now, notice that the Light that descended was called the Holy Ghost. Then the voice came forth, and Jesus was about thirty years old when He received the Holy Ghost. We see the same thing in [John 1:32 - 34]. Now, the thing I want to point out here is that The Voice of God which we hear speaking from Heaven, is speaking of His Relationship between Himself (God) and His son, Jesus, Whom He has now anointed as the Christ. Keep this in mind as we further search the scriptures concerning God’s Voice speaking from Heaven.

[Matt 17:1-8] Again, we hear a voice from out of a Cloud speaking about the Relationship of the Father to the Son. Now, bear in mind her that we are studying a sermon called, “Christ is Revealed in His own Word.” And also bear in mind, that Alpha is Omega.

[John 12:14-30] Here We see a scene in which a cloud overshadows Jesus, and out from the midst of that Cloud we hear a voice again. Now, the people heard thunder, but Jesus Heard the voice of His Father. I hope you also caught what Jesus said in verse [30]. Let’s read it again... Now, let’s continue and read until verse 50 and let’s insert William Branham instead of Jesus into this scene to see whether Alpha has become Omega.

[Acts 9:1-7] In this scene, we see Paul struck down by a Light and a voice speaks to him giving him instruction.

Now, if Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever, as He declares to be in His Word, then if each time the cloud bearing the presence of God comes down to earth, we hear His voice and when His voice speaks, it is pertaining to the relationship of the Father to the Son.

In [Matt 24:30] we hear about Christ coming in clouds, Himself. Now, this verse of Scripture does not tell us that it is Jesus who comes, but Christ and there is a difference. Christ is the Anointing or the anointed One. The Spirit presence. Now, in order to see Him when He comes again, we must know how He left, because we are told that as he left, so in like manner, in similar manner He would return again, to us. [Acts 1:1-11] & [Matt 26:63-65]

[1 Thess 4:15-18] Now you notice that He will bring forth His presence that will catch us up together in a cloud. We know that the Shout is the message heralding His appearing. And we know that we are to be gathered together which happens under the shout. Then what does the cloud have to do with it all. Remember, the Clouds represented seven angels which brought the mysteries of the seven seals. And remember in [Rev 10:1-7] The Angel of the Covenant comes with hair white like wool which is the clouds that we see form the Hoffman’s Head of Christ, showing headship is here. [Psalm 104:1-4]

In [Hebrews 12:1] We see that the cloud being spoken of here is actually made up of many witnesses. Could there be a parallel here?

Again in [2 Peter 2:17] We see clouds representing people, although in this example they’re false witnesses or none at all. But in all these examples a cloud is given for a witness whether good or bad.

[Jude 1:12] Again we see the use of the cloud as a type of a people, yet these are waterless clouds, meaning they do not have the spirit of God in them. Yet they are still referred to as clouds.

[Rev 1:7] He cometh with clouds, the clouds then are a witness to His coming. And yet these are not clouds as in a thunderhead, but actually clouds of Glory.

[Revelation Chapter One PP 304 60-1204M[

Now, let's take the veil off just for a few minutes now, the Lord helping us, take the veil from our eyes, and get. Behold, he cometh with clouds;... Now, how is He coming? "With clouds." What kind of clouds? Clouds of glory, not one of these thunderheads, rain clouds, but clouds of glory. If you'll watch what kind of a cloud He was enshrouded in when Peter and them saw His vision on Mount Transfiguration... A cloud overshadowed Him; His raiment shined. He was enshrouded with a cloud, the power of God.

[Seven Church .Ages PP. 92 54-0512] Now, let me stop here just a moment. "Clouds," doesn't mean that He's coming on a big thunderhead, as mama, bless her heart, she is sitting here somewhere... When I was a little boy, she used to set and tell me, said, "He's coming on. A great big cloud's going to raise someday, and God's going to come." And now, the clouds that He is coming... If we just had the time to get all this back, and get the real background of the whole thing... Now, the cloud He's coming in, is not a cloud like a thunderhead, but it's a cloud of glory He's coming in. See, see? Now, when Jesus was overshadowed by God on Mount Transfiguration, clouds overshadowed Him and His raiment... See? And when Elijah would come down, a cloud come down and received him up, not a--not a Pillar of Fire, not... I mean, not a thunderhead, but a cloud of glory.

[Uncertain Sound PP 385 60-1218] What did we find the revelation was the other night in the apocalypse, the apocalypse means? A sculptor, it was done down here, making something; and then what he does, he just takes the curtain out, said, "There it is." What was He redoing here? He was revealing Himself in another fashion? What was He in? A glorified, transfigured condition, His coming, the way He's coming: a glorified Christ, transformed. His raiment shined like the sun. My. Oh, He stood in the cloud; and He's coming in the clouds of glory. Overshadowed by a cloud; not a little white thunderhead up yonder, but the cloud that He comes in is a cloud of glory, all these Angels with Him. Hallelujah. My, that's the way He's coming, coming in a cloud of glory.

[Gen 9:13-16] God set His bow, the rainbow in the clouds for a sign. It represents God’s covenant w/man.

[Ex 13:21-22] Here we see that the Cloud of God said here to be a theophanic cloud, has a purpose, and that is to lead them and guide them in the way.

[Ex 14:19-24] The cloud was troubling to the Egyptians but meant deliverance to the children of God. But notice how when the angel of God moved the cloud moved with it. The Cloud then, was the manifested presence of he invisible One. That is why we see in chapter 16 that the Glory of God is associated with the Cloud of Glory.

[Ex 16:10-11] Here again we see the Glory of God in a cloud and His Voice together.

[Ex 19:16] Here we see the cloud associated with the word of God coming forth.

[Ex 24:15-25:1] Again we see the cloud of Glory and God speaking forth from out of that Cloud.

[Ex 34:5] Here we see the cloud associated with the Revelation of the Name of God.

[Ex 40:36-38] Here we see the cloud associated with the progressive movement of the called out people.

[Lev 16:2,13] Here we see the cloud associated with the mercy seat of God.

[Numbers 9:15-22] When the cloud stayed put, so did the people.

[Numbers 10:11,12,34] When the cloud moved out the people did as well.

[Numbers 11:25] Again the cloud represents the presence of God.

[Numbers 12:5-10] Here we see that judgment is also associated with the cloud.

[Deut 4:11] Again as a witness.

[Deut 16:42] Again in judgment.

[Deut 1:33] Again we see the cloud for direction.

[Deut 31:15] Notice, here that the Lord appeared IN the Cloud.

[I Kings 8:10-11] Notice the Cloud filling the house of the Lord, said to be the Glory of the Lord.

[II Chronicles 5:13-14] The house of God was filled with a cloud, when the people were praising Him.

[Nehemiah 9:19] The Cloud was God’s way of showing the people His ever abiding Presence, to shew them light, and the way wherein they should go. Therefore, the picture which we so covet, should be a sign of His Promise to us, “ Lo, I will be with you even unto the end, I will not leave you, nor will I forsake you.”

In [Job 38:9] we hear God tell us that He made the clouds for a covering and a garment.

[Psalms 36:5] Thy mercy, O LORD, [is] in the heavens; [and] thy faithfulness [reacheth] unto the clouds.

[Psalms 57:10] For thy mercy [is] great unto the heavens, and thy truth unto the clouds.

[Psalms 68:34] Ascribe ye strength unto God: his excellency [is] over Israel, and his strength [is] in the clouds. Does not the scripture tell us that He will come with Power and great Glory? And are not these attributes of the Great God’s presence both associated with Clouds?

[Psalms 78:14] In the daytime also he led them with a cloud, and all the night with a light of fire.

[Psalms 104:3] Who layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters: who maketh the clouds his chariot: who walketh upon the wings of the wind:

[Psalms 105:39] He spread a cloud for a covering; and fire to give light in the night.

[Psalms 108:4] For thy mercy [is] great above the heavens: and thy truth [reacheth] unto the clouds.

[Proverbs 16:15] In the light of the king's countenance [is] life; and his favor [is] as a cloud of the latter rain. Here we see the favor which is the Grace of God is associated with the Cloud of the later rain.

[Ecclesiastes 11:3] If the clouds be full of rain, they empty [themselves] upon the earth: God therefore must have this cloud full of the latter rain, and it’s purpose is to empty Himself upon the earth.

[Isaiah 4:5] And the LORD will create upon every dwelling place of mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night: for upon all the glory [shall be] a defense. Now, why would God’s Cloud be with us even in the Millennium and into New Jerusalem? Because In Genesis, He said it would be an everlasting sign. Now, if it is an everlasting sign, then it must last forever.

[Isaiah 14:14] I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Notice how Lucifer wanted to ascend up even above the Glory of God.

[Isaiah 19:1] Behold, the LORD rideth upon a swift cloud, and shall come into Egypt: and the idols of Egypt shall be moved at his presence, and the heart of Egypt shall melt in the midst of it. Notice the Lord again and His presence is associated with the Cloud. It was even called his chariot in the scriptures.

[Jeremiah 4:13] Behold, he shall come up as clouds, and his chariots [shall be] as a whirlwind: his horses are swifter than eagles.

[Lamentations 2:1] How hath the Lord covered the daughter of Zion with a cloud....

[Lamentations 3:44] Thou hast covered thyself with a cloud, ...

[Ezekiel 1:28] As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so [was] the appearance of the brightness round about. This [was] the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw [it], I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one that spake.

[Ezekiel 10:3-4] Now the cherubims stood on the right side of the house, when the man went in; and the cloud filled the inner court. Then the glory of the LORD went up from the cherub, [and stood] over the threshold of the house; and the house was filled with the cloud, and the court was full of the brightness of the LORD'S glory.

[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.

[Joel 2: 1-2] Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the LORD cometh, for [it is] nigh at hand; A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds...

Now, what have we learned from this lesson? That this Picture of God coming down in a Cloud of Glory is an everlasting sign of God’s Covenenant with His People. “

[Jeremiah 31:33] But this [shall be] the covenant that I will make with thee; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.

[Ezekiel 37:26-27] Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them, and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore. My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And what is the tabernacle of God? It is the place of His Dwelling. His Presence! [Psalm 27:5 is Psalms 31:20] Let’s bow our heads in prayer.