The Heavenly Cloud of Glory
Part 15 of the Two Witnesses Series
Many times, in the Bible, whenever the veil to the heavenly realm is opened it is accompanied by a cloud. This is not a cloud like we see up in the sky. It is the cloud of heaven. It is the cloud of glory. Understanding this cloud helps us to get rid of some of our preconceived notions that we have concerning the heavens being opened. This starts in Exodus with Moses and the children of Israel, then the temple in Jerusalem, and continues through the entire New Testament. The cloud of glory!
Here are a few scriptures from the Old Testament:
Exod 13:21 The Lord was going before them in a pillar of cloud…
Exod 19:9 The Lord said to Moses, “Behold, I will come to you in a thick cloud…
Exod 24:15 Then Moses went up to the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain. 16 The glory of the Lord rested on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days; and on the seventh day He called to Moses from the midst of the cloud.
Exod 40:34 Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. 35 Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.
I Kings 8:10 It happened that when the priests came from the holy place, the cloud filled the house of the Lord, 11 so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord. 12 Then Solomon said, “The Lord has said that He would dwell in the thick cloud.
Here are some New Testament scriptures:
Mark 9:7 Then a cloud formed, overshadowing them, and a voice came out of the cloud, “This is My beloved Son, listen to Him!”
Luke 21:27 Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
Acts 1:9 And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight.
1 Cor 10:1 For I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea; 2 and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea;
Rev 11:12 And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” Then they went up into heaven in the cloud, and their enemies watched them.
When the two witness company is raised from the dead, they go up into heaven in the cloud. This is not a cumulus cloud. It is the cloud of heaven! The cloud of glory!
Going back to the child being caught up to God and to His throne, the child is the overcomer company. The veil between the outer court and the sanctuary is pulled back and the child is caught up into the sanctuary, the heavenly realm. The woman is left in the outer court, the natural realm. Remember, the church in Laodicea does not have an open door. Their door is closed, not by Jesus, but by the church itself. Jesus is knocking on their door wanting them to open it. The woman, Laodicea, the rest of the church, flees into the wilderness where she is nourished for three and a half years. She will open her door to Jesus, but not until she is stripped of everything she has been trusting in and bragging about.