Witnessing a glorious sunset can effect great emotions within us, considering that God is the creator of all; He paints such beautiful pictures. Watching the vastness of the ocean and the waves it produces can overcome us with reverence for how great God is; He controls the wind and the waves. Seeing God through nature can serve as an opportunity to remind ourselves of His goodness.
For some friends, a waterfall or a rainbow strikes that mindset to consider and reflect on God. For me, it’s whenever I see an eagle, it serves as a time to remind myself of how God has always been there and led me to this point.
Clouds…
Having read Genesis through Numbers 9 in our Bible Plan, clouds have become just as fascinating. Remember as a kid, laying on your back and just watching the clouds? Pointing out the different shapes they make, watching them travel across the sky, wondering how they got SO big; altogether a peaceful and relaxing experience.
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The end of Numbers 9 brings about the example of clouds again. The tabernacle was prepared, everything was made for it, the sacrifices to be held in it were established, the priests and Levites were ordained and cleansed, the travel guidelines settled, and then it was all set up.
Cloud by day, fire by night…
Here we see that on the very same day the tabernacle was set up, the cloud covered it. At night, the cloud had the appearance of fire. Day and night it remained a visible symbol to focus on. Recall the direct significance for them; these were the same Israelites who crossed the Red Sea led with a cloud by day that had the appearance of fire by night.
The tabernacle was the central point of their camps. Imagine 600,000 men plus their wives and children in a camp. Those on the outskirts could now see for themselves where the tabernacle was because of the cloud and fire. It served as a constant for them as it visually reminded them of their deliverance. Remaining in the middle of their camp also aided their mindset that God chose them as His people and would dwell among them.
For me, when staring at clouds as a kid, I doubt I ever considered that the clouds were controlled by God. That they can move at His whims, that He controls when to open them, when to move them, or when to remove them.
He binds up the waters in his thick clouds, and the cloud is not split open under them. He covers the face of the full moon and spreads over it his cloud.
Job 26:8-9
And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: I have set my [rain]bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh. And the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.”
Genesis 9:12-16
“Can you lift up your voice to the clouds, that a flood of waters may cover you? Can you send forth lightnings, that they may go and say to you, ‘Here we are’?
Who has put wisdom in the inward parts or given understanding to the mind? Who can number the clouds by wisdom? Or who can tilt the waterskins of the heavens,
Job 38:34-37
The Lord by wisdom founded the earth; by understanding he established the heavens; by his knowledge the deeps broke open, and the clouds drop down the dew.
Proverbs 3:19-20
“Shower, O heavens, from above, and let the clouds rain down righteousness; let the earth open, that salvation and righteousness may bear fruit; let the earth cause them both to sprout; I the Lord have created it.”
Isaiah 45:8
The beauty of clouds…
Think for a moment about clouds. Consider the different types, the colors, the shapes. There are so many details within the clouds, the purpose they serve, the reason they form; it is astounding to consider that they are numbered by God and created by Him.
- When the clouds cover the whole sky, let it remind you of His covering over you.
- When the huge clouds roll through the sky, let it remind you of how He led the Israelites and He is leading you as well.
- When the clouds drop rain, let it remind you of how He controls the harvest.
- When the storm clouds flash with lightning, let it remind you of the Israelites seeing the cloud lit by fire so He was always visible to them.
{One interesting fact I just learned is that lightning is six times hotter than the surface of the sun!}
Seeing God through nature…
Job 38 presents a completely thorough image of creation as a whole, designed and controlled by God. In some detail, the sun and land have been focused on in prior chapters; the point of which is to direct us to continually see God throughout our days.
- If you are a gardener, let the sprouting of a cucumber seed remind you of His goodness and faithfulness.
- If you are a truck driver, let the blazing sun remind you of His goodness and faithfulness.
- If you are a stay at home Mom, let the cloudy days remind you of His goodness and faithfulness.
Seeing God through nature can transform our minds. Recognize it as today’s version of the daily rules in Leviticus; these pointed the Israelites to live holy lives and continuously think of God.
In my opinion, one of the biggest takeaways from the Old Testament is the sovereignty of God. We see it time and time again through His creation and how He is ultimately in control. Everything He created serves as a wonderful reminder that He has this, He knows, He leads, He cares for us, He is in control, He is sovereign. Reminders are everywhere, if we choose to see them.
The Bible can utterly transform our entire way of thinking, and this is one of those ways. Recognizing the beauty of nature and constantly having God at the forefront of our thinking.
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One of my favorites about clouds is Nahum 1:3b: “The LORD hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet.”
I’m going to be outside a lot today, and I want to marinate on the way God shows himself to us even in the clouds he has created! Thank you for this encouragement!