God in the Clouds
by Owen Borville
June 5, 2019
Bible
If God is real, why doesn't he just appear in the clouds so that everyone can see and know that God is real? Or why doesn't Jesus or one of the prophets appear in the clouds and speak for God? The atheists, skeptics, and non-Christians would see God in the clouds and hear him and know that he is true and very real. So why does this not happen? Doesn't God want everyone to know that he is real? The answer is that God does want everyone to know him and know that he is real. However, God has a unique way of doing things. In addition, God has a personality and he does things in a certain way. God responds to faith. When he sees faith, he does things, even miraculous things. He wants people to believe without seeing. That is true faith. A faith that can believe without seeing.
When Thomas saw the Resurrected Jesus, complete with his wounds, he instantly believed. Jesus then told Thomas:
Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. John 20:29. KJV
It is one thing to see the Lord face to face, but how much greater is it to believe without seeing? Therefore, as Jesus explains, it takes greater faith to believe without seeing. God is testing our faith. We can see all of the evidence for God and the works of his creation in the stars, heavens, and the Earth. We can read all of the scriptures, prophetic words, and examine all of the historical evidence. We can personally seek God spiritually through prayer and faith. A greater spiritual relationship with God will result from those who sincerely seek God and find God through dedication, prayer, and obedience to God's commandments. We can experience a spiritual relationship with God through the Holy Spirit, whom God sent to comfort us on Earth.
But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. John 14:26. KJV
We cannot see God's face directly, as revealed to Moses in Exodus 33:20, and likewise the emergence of the "burning bush." The face of God is holy and man is simply not allowed to see it and look at God directly face to face.
And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live. Exodus 33:20.
Therefore, we cannot see God's face directly. What about a voice from God from Heaven? Actually, this has happened many times, as recorded in the Biblical scriptures. The prophets included in the Biblical scriptures often would receive a voice from God, from Heaven, or from an angel from Heaven. These are miraculous events that require much faith in order to occur. Therefore, these thing do not happen very often, but their occurrence marks a unique event.
Many today have claimed some type of sign from heaven. These signs include dreams that the individual experiences within his or her life on Earth. A dream can include a vision from Heaven, a voice from Heaven, or some sign from Heaven in the form of a vision or a voice. There are many reports and accounts of this happening throughout human history. Some have even claimed of temporarily experiencing heaven during a dream. These accounts remind us that God is still there and that he still communicates with us, sometimes in unusual ways.
Not everyone receives a sign or vision and many who ask for a sign do not receive one. Since God knows each individual heart and knows each one's thoughts, he knows who has faith and who lacks faith. Many times those who lack faith will wait on a sign in order to believe or have faith. However, God wants to see faith first, and then He will do miraculous things.
Jesus explained why a requested sign was not given to an unrepentant generation, who was in the presence of the Messiah but did not receive him and repent.
An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. Matthew 12:39-40.
Jesus explained that an unrepentant generation was given a sign with the reference to Jonah inside the whale's belly for three days, which references Jesus Christ being inside the Earth for three days before being Resurrected. Signs were given to the people, but they still did not believe and continued to ask for a sign. Therefore another sign was not given to them as they requested.
Jesus also explained the account of the city of Nineveh, an evil and rebellious city that upon hearing of Jonas preaching and calling for repentance agreed to repent of their evil ways. Jesus explained that the city of Nineveh was willing to repent upon the preaching of Jonah while a "greater than Jonah was here" in reference to himself and the people would not repent and receive him and his message.
While some ask for signs and some ask for wisdom, the wisdom of man is foolishness to God (1 Corinthians 3:19). Today's scholars claim that there is no God just because there is no sign, no proof, and no evidence of God. But this analysis is the wisdom of man and not of God. Just as those in the time of Jesus wanted a sign and did not receive one, this generation 2,000 years later seeks signs and none is given because of their lack of faith. However, those who do have faith will definitely see God.
by Owen Borville
June 5, 2019
Bible
If God is real, why doesn't he just appear in the clouds so that everyone can see and know that God is real? Or why doesn't Jesus or one of the prophets appear in the clouds and speak for God? The atheists, skeptics, and non-Christians would see God in the clouds and hear him and know that he is true and very real. So why does this not happen? Doesn't God want everyone to know that he is real? The answer is that God does want everyone to know him and know that he is real. However, God has a unique way of doing things. In addition, God has a personality and he does things in a certain way. God responds to faith. When he sees faith, he does things, even miraculous things. He wants people to believe without seeing. That is true faith. A faith that can believe without seeing.
When Thomas saw the Resurrected Jesus, complete with his wounds, he instantly believed. Jesus then told Thomas:
Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. John 20:29. KJV
It is one thing to see the Lord face to face, but how much greater is it to believe without seeing? Therefore, as Jesus explains, it takes greater faith to believe without seeing. God is testing our faith. We can see all of the evidence for God and the works of his creation in the stars, heavens, and the Earth. We can read all of the scriptures, prophetic words, and examine all of the historical evidence. We can personally seek God spiritually through prayer and faith. A greater spiritual relationship with God will result from those who sincerely seek God and find God through dedication, prayer, and obedience to God's commandments. We can experience a spiritual relationship with God through the Holy Spirit, whom God sent to comfort us on Earth.
But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. John 14:26. KJV
We cannot see God's face directly, as revealed to Moses in Exodus 33:20, and likewise the emergence of the "burning bush." The face of God is holy and man is simply not allowed to see it and look at God directly face to face.
And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live. Exodus 33:20.
Therefore, we cannot see God's face directly. What about a voice from God from Heaven? Actually, this has happened many times, as recorded in the Biblical scriptures. The prophets included in the Biblical scriptures often would receive a voice from God, from Heaven, or from an angel from Heaven. These are miraculous events that require much faith in order to occur. Therefore, these thing do not happen very often, but their occurrence marks a unique event.
Many today have claimed some type of sign from heaven. These signs include dreams that the individual experiences within his or her life on Earth. A dream can include a vision from Heaven, a voice from Heaven, or some sign from Heaven in the form of a vision or a voice. There are many reports and accounts of this happening throughout human history. Some have even claimed of temporarily experiencing heaven during a dream. These accounts remind us that God is still there and that he still communicates with us, sometimes in unusual ways.
Not everyone receives a sign or vision and many who ask for a sign do not receive one. Since God knows each individual heart and knows each one's thoughts, he knows who has faith and who lacks faith. Many times those who lack faith will wait on a sign in order to believe or have faith. However, God wants to see faith first, and then He will do miraculous things.
Jesus explained why a requested sign was not given to an unrepentant generation, who was in the presence of the Messiah but did not receive him and repent.
An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. Matthew 12:39-40.
Jesus explained that an unrepentant generation was given a sign with the reference to Jonah inside the whale's belly for three days, which references Jesus Christ being inside the Earth for three days before being Resurrected. Signs were given to the people, but they still did not believe and continued to ask for a sign. Therefore another sign was not given to them as they requested.
Jesus also explained the account of the city of Nineveh, an evil and rebellious city that upon hearing of Jonas preaching and calling for repentance agreed to repent of their evil ways. Jesus explained that the city of Nineveh was willing to repent upon the preaching of Jonah while a "greater than Jonah was here" in reference to himself and the people would not repent and receive him and his message.
While some ask for signs and some ask for wisdom, the wisdom of man is foolishness to God (1 Corinthians 3:19). Today's scholars claim that there is no God just because there is no sign, no proof, and no evidence of God. But this analysis is the wisdom of man and not of God. Just as those in the time of Jesus wanted a sign and did not receive one, this generation 2,000 years later seeks signs and none is given because of their lack of faith. However, those who do have faith will definitely see God.