After years of separation, sanctions, and restrictions on travel to different countries for South Africans, apartheid came to an end in the early 1990s, culminating with the formation of a democratic South African government in 1994. Giving us the freedom to travel to countries that restricted us from visiting there in the former years
On The evening of 9 November 1989, The Berlin Wall came down. In 1991 the Cold War ended and the Soviet Union collapsed. The Iron Curtain had come down. The government adopted a new law on religious freedom that did away with the old Soviet restrictions. The early 1990s marked the beginning of a revival in religion in Russia. Many new evangelical churches opened.
In 1995 I visited Russia for the first time. We began to train local Russian Christians to plant Churches in the country. On a subsequent visit to Russia, I heard that there was a Jesus March in Moscow. We had landed early that morning in the city of Moscow from South Africa. I immediately took the underground to the park where the Jesus March was ending. I got to the park just in time to see the Orthodox church people in their garments, high hats, and banners march into the park. At the same time, the new evangelical churches came marching in from the opposite end of the park. The two groups united together in front of a large platform and the worship team was singing the song, “Now is the Time to Worship” in the Russian Language. When I experienced this moment, I cried with tears spurting out of my eyes realizing nothing no persecution or restriction can stop the growth of God’s church. The Church is not an institution or a building or a denomination. The church is the people of God in any country who believe in Jesus Christ and live to show God’s Glory.
Daniel 7:13 “I was watching in the night visions, And behold, One like the Son of Man, Coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, And they brought Him near before Him.
Whenever we read the Old Testament, we are looking for the intent of God. The Old Testament points to the spiritual reality fulfilled in the New Testament.
The first time a cloud is mentioned in any significance is when God gives Noah the covenant that He will never destroy the earth with water again. God puts a rainbow in a cloud. The rainbow in the cloud is a reminder of the covenant of mercy that God promised in preparation for the redemption of the whole world.
Genesis 9:12-14 And God said: “This is the sign of the covenant which I make between Me and you, and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: 13 I set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be for the sign of the covenant between Me and the earth. 14 It shall be when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the rainbow shall be seen in the cloud;
In Exodus 13:17-18 we read how God led His people of Israel with a cloud. "And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them in the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light, to go by day and night: He took not away the pillar of cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people"
The cloud was a definite sign that God was with His people to lead them and protect them. The presence and glory of God were with them day and night.
God spoke to Moses and Joshua in the tent of meeting in a cloud.
Exodus 33:7-11 Moses took his tent and pitched it outside the camp, far from the camp, and called it the Tabernacle of Meeting. And it came to pass that everyone who sought the Lord went out to the tabernacle of meeting which was outside the camp. 8 So it was, whenever Moses went out to the tabernacle, that all the people rose, and each man stood at his tent door and watched Moses until he had gone into the tabernacle. 9 And it came to pass, when Moses entered the tabernacle, that the pillar of cloud descended and stood at the door of the tabernacle, and the Lord talked with Moses. 10 All the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the tabernacle door, and all the people rose and worshiped, each man in his tent door. 11 So the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. And he would return to the camp, but his servant Joshua the son of Nun, a young man, did not depart from the Tabernacle.
At Mount Sinai, God met with Moses in the cloud. This is where God gave the commandments.
Exodus 24:16 Now the glory of the Lord rested on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days. And on the seventh day, He called to Moses out of the midst of the cloud.
Every time God appeared in a cloud on earth the cloud was a manifestation of God’s presence with the nation of Israel. When they saw the cloud over the tent of meeting, on Mount Sinai and later in the Tabernacle there was no doubt that the glory of God was present with them.
The Shechinah Glory of God. The Shechinah Glory of God means "to dwell."
In the New Testament Jesus took Peter, James, and John up onto the Mount of Transfiguration.
Matthew 17 Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves; 2 and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light. 3 And behold, Moses and Elijah, appeared to them, talking with Him. 4 Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, let us make here three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 5 While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!” 6 And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were greatly afraid. 7 But Jesus came and touched them and said, “Arise, and do not be afraid.” 8 When they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.
We take note that in the Old Testament from within the glory cloud, God spoke on numerous occasions. Again, on the mountain of transfiguration, God speaks from within a cloud. A single cloud. When we come to the day Jesus ascended to His Father it was one single cloud.
Acts 1:9 Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight.
When we read of the coming of Jesus all the scriptures say clouds.
Old Testament, and New Testament a single cloud but from the ascension, the expectation of Jesus’ coming is with the clouds
Daniel 7:13 “I was watching in the night visions, And behold, One like the Son of Man,
Coming with the clouds of heaven!
Matthew 24:30 Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
1 Thessalonians 4:17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.
Revelation 1:7 Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.
When Jesus was born on earth John tells us.
John 1:1 In the beginning, was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
Jesus was the very glory of the Father, when He was on earth Jesus was 100% human and also 100% God. During His earthly life and ministry Jesus was restricted to one place at one time. As was the cloud with the Israelites. In the pillar by day and night, in the tent of meeting, on Mount Sinaia, and in the Tabernacle. The cloud was where the shekinah Glory was manifest. Shekinah meant tabernacle or another word to dwell.
When Jesus was made flesh, he tabernacled among us. One place at one time.
God showed his glory through Jesus and the works He did. Therefore, through signs and wonders, God showed His presence. The life of Jesus Christ was a manifestation of the glory of God.
John 2:11 This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory, and His disciples believed in Him.
John 11:40 Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?”
John 11:4 When Jesus heard that, He said, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”
Seeing the ministry and life of Jesus is to experience God’s immense love which draws all into His glory.
Before Jesus ascends, He tells His disciples in John 16:7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.
And then Jesus Prays for all believers John 17:20-22 “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; 21 that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. 22 And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one:
When Jesus ascended, He ascended glorified in a singular glory cloud. He was the One God manifested in all fullness in one Man, the Son. But He comes again, He comes to be Glorified in those who believe.
The Greek word erchomai is translated, come, comes, had come, has...come have come. Jesus has come, He keeps coming and He will come in all His fullness in the future Jesus has come to each one of us. He is all around us. He reveals himself from out of the spirit realm in our bodies from time to time. He is the invisible God manifest in the visible in a tangible way to the physical creation. His love in us shows all humans that God is love. It means that He comes and appears to all people when we believe and do His works. And this coming has already happened, it is happening now, and will continue to happen!
2 Thessalonians 1:10 Amplified Bible. When He comes to be glorified in His saints on that day [that is, glorified through the changed lives of those who have accepted Him as Saviour and have been set apart for His purpose], and to be marveled at among all who have believed because our testimony to you was believed and trusted [and confirmed in your lives].
Romans 8:17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.
We the Sons of God now manifest His Glory. The whole of creation is waiting for us to manifest His Glory. No more one cloud in which He dwells but millions of clouds. Manifesting His glory all over the earth. Now He comes in the clouds. In every one of us who believes.
This is the prophecy we should be excited to see realized and known all over the earth.
Habakkuk 2:14 For the earth will be filled
With the knowledge of the glory of the Lord,
As the waters cover the sea.
