clouds

Masses of water vapor suspended in the air. Seasonally limited and encountered as harbingers of life-giving rains in winter, clouds were perceived as an awesome manifestation of divine power by the Canaanites and ancient Israelites. The Ugaritic texts call the storm god Baal “Cloud Rider.” Israel applied the same title to God (Ps 68:5). The book of Exodus reports that by day a cloud pillar represented Yahweh and guided the Israelites during the wilderness march (Exod 13:21). A cloud at the Jerusalem Temple manifests the presence of Yahweh (1Kgs 8:10-11). In the NT the voice of God comes from a cloud (Mark 9:7), and a cloud masks the departure from earth of Jesus (Acts 1:9).