When Jesus did it, three visual phenomena accompanied him. First, Jesus' face shone like the sun. Second, shining clouds covered Jesus and the disciples. Third, although Moses and Elijah were people of the Old Testament era, Moses and Elijah appeared, talking with Jesus, causing a commotion. In the past hour, I thought about what it means for Jesus' face to shine. It is a testimony that Jesus is the Messiah and at the same time, it is evidence that Jesus is the Son of God, who is second only to God. I have examined it in this way. Today, I want to explore what the shining clouds that covered Jesus and the disciples on the mountain mean. I will look into what these shining clouds are for today.

When you go outside and the weather is nice, the clouds you see in the sky are not just natural clouds. They are supernatural clouds. The fluffy clouds floating in the sky that you see when you go out do not emit light. However, during the transfiguration of Jesus, the cloud that covered the mountain and turned it over was a shining cloud. It was not just a natural cloud. Also, this event actually took place at night. After the transfiguration event occurred, the disciples came down the next day. Because it was an event that happened at night, the fact that the shining cloud covered them at night is not a natural cloud. It is a very supernatural cloud that God uses to teach us something, to give us a message. Now we can understand that this kind of cloud is very supernatural. However, this cloud actually played a prominent role in the history of Israel in the Old Testament.

A cloud of glory that visibly displays the glory of God symbolizes the Holy Spirit. So, this cloud accompanied the Israelites a lot during the Old Testament era, showing that the cloud represents the Holy Spirit. When a shining cloud appeared at the transfiguration mountain, it signifies the Holy Spirit. What does this tell us about the relationship with Jesus and what does it show us about our relationship? Let's explore together. This shining cloud of the transfiguration is frequently mentioned in the Old Testament, so let's look into this cloud together. Let's diligently search for some Bible verses together and examine them. Let's read Exodus 13:21-22 together. Let's read it together. The Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them.

Guide them on their way, shining a pillar of fire on them at night, so they can travel day or night. When the cloud or fire pillar rises in front of the people, it is the first appearance of the term cloud in the Bible. This passage we just read is when the Israelites are now escaping from Egypt under the guidance of Moses. They are now liberated from Egypt. When the Israelites came out of Egypt, God now leads this Israelite community through the cloud. How does He do it? He started leading the Israelites through this cloud. At that time, the visible form of God's glory appeared as this cloud, which looked like a cloud during the day and like fire at night, accompanying the Israelites. We call it a cloud pillar or a fire pillar.

I didn't go with the people of Israel. Now, you read this story. Going forward, in the history of Israel, visibly showing God's presence, this cloud was with them from the Exodus to Mount Sinai, appeared more at Mount Sinai, continued with Israel when they went to the land of Canaan, even after entering the land of Canaan, and even when the Israelites were taken as captives and after that, God showed this shining cloud to the prophets. Let's see where it appears next. This cloud appears again at the Red Sea. Let's go back a bit to Exodus 14:19 and read. The angel of God, who had been going in front of Israel's camp, moved and went behind them. The pillar of cloud also moved from in front and stood behind them.

On one side, there were clouds and darkness, and on the other side, it was bright with night, so that all night long one could not come near the other side. The first thing the pillar of cloud did at the crossing was to lead the Israelites. But when the Israelites came close to the Red Sea, Pharaoh of Egypt thought, I have done wrong in letting the Israelites go, and he pursued them with his army to destroy them. Soon, they caught up with the Israelites. However, the cloud that had been leading the Israelites turned back and stood between the Egyptian army and the Israelites like a barrier, preventing the Egyptians from attacking the Israelites.

The pillar of cloud played a role in protecting them, showing them the way. Next, by following the pillar of cloud, the Israelites became the people of the mountain of God. How does this cloud accompany Israel from Mount Sinai? It would be nice to read from Exodus 19:1, but due to time constraints, let's just read around verse 9 together. Let's read together if you find it. Beginning, the Lord said to Moses, I am going to come to you in a dense cloud so that the people will hear me speaking with you and will always put their trust in you. The Lord continued to speak to Moses, and roughly summarizing, it goes something like this: God, through Moses, and more specifically through this cloud, led the Israelites to establish a covenant. To establish this covenant with the Israelites, the purpose of leading them to the Promised Land was to make a covenant with them.

God, who is one of the parties to the covenant, must appear at the covenant-making site, and the Israelites must also appear together for the covenant between them. However, in what form will God appear on Mount Sinai? He says, I will meet you in the thick cloud. God will not just come; He will meet you in the thick cloud. So, how far will God come down to Mount Sinai? He will come down to the top of Mount Sinai, and the top of Mount Sinai will be filled with this thick cloud. Just as we saw pillars of cloud and fire earlier, in fact, during the day, there is fire inside the cloud, but it doesn't look like a fireball because of the sun during the day, so it just looks like a thick cloud during the day, but at night.

When it happened, there is fire in the cloud, so it looks like a pillar of fire. There are separate cloud pillars and separate fire pillars, not clouds and fire separated. The shining cloud itself looks dense like a cloud during the day, but at night, it looks like fire. Therefore, now, as God is powerful on the top of Mount Sinai, He descended into the dense cloud, where you can see lightning striking and the glory emanating from the ground. In this way, in the midst of fire, the Lord God appears to the Israelites, and now the Israelites gather at the foot of Mount Sinai to finally make a covenant. The scene of making a covenant is now being shown, where the cloud that indicated God's presence on the mountaintop has led them so far is now pointing to that cloud. Next, after the covenant is made, how God

To reiterate, Moses was summoned to the top of Mount Sinai to receive the commandments, as described in Exodus 24:15-18. Let's read it together. When Moses went up the mountain, a cloud covered it, and the glory of the Lord settled on Mount Sinai. For six days the cloud covered the mountain, and on the seventh day, the Lord called to Moses from within the cloud. To the Israelites, the glory of the Lord looked like a consuming fire on top of the mountain. Then Moses entered the cloud as he went up on the mountain. Up to this point, Moses had led the people of Israel, but now, at Mount Sinai, God came down to be closer to the Israelites. This scene is more glorious, as Moses is summoned into the cloud, lifting his mission even higher.

Where does it come up? Bringing Moses into the clouds, Moses goes into the clouds for the first time. But because there is a bright light in the clouds, it sometimes looked like fire to the Israelites below. However, what else can we call the cloud as another expression? We call it the glory of the Lord. So, the Lord God is an invisible being, but in order to provide educational guidance to the Israelites at that time, the Lord God was with the Israelites, made a covenant, and showed these things to the Israelites in the form of the shining cloud of the glory of the Lord. The important fact here is that Moses was in the cloud for 40 days. God communicated within the cloud, meeting with God.

When having a conversation and receiving the law from God, as well as being given the stone tablets on which the Ten Commandments were written, what is expressed at that moment is allowing Moses to enter into the pillar of cloud and pillar of fire that had been leading them so far. God did this in a very amazing way so that they could witness progress happening. Then, among the important contents of the law given by God to the Israelites, if there is something significant, it is that God will dwell with the Israelites. God is in heaven, and the Israelites are on earth, so God and the Israelites do not live completely separately. Now, since God has made a covenant with the Israelites, it's like before marriage, when a man and a woman live separately and after getting married, they live together in one house. Now, God and the Israelites have made this covenant.

By establishing it, God showed that He would live with you. The form of the house where the Israelites lived was passing through the wilderness, living in tents. But God's house, too, was in the form of a tent. He said, Build my house among the Israelites, which we call a tabernacle. It is also called a tent of meeting or a golden tent, with various names. That tabernacle is the house of God where God dwells. He commanded to build the tabernacle among the Israelites. What does it mean that the tabernacle is among the Israelites? It means that God lives and dwells with us. It becomes a visible proof. So, for about a year, they diligently built this tabernacle on Mount Sinai. When the tabernacle was completed, what does it mean that it comes down? Who lives with whom?

It means that the Lord God dwells among the people of Israel and lives with them. So, where should the Lord God come now? He should come into the sanctuary, right? After building the house, if there are only empty houses, what should we do? If the sanctuary is God's house, then God must come into it. In what form does He come in? Let's see what He does after the completion of the tabernacle in Exodus 40:34-38. Once we find it, let's read verse 34. Starting from the cloud covered the tabernacle and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. Here, the tabernacle is also called the tent of meeting. The tabernacle and the tent of meeting are not separate; they refer to the same thing. The tent of meeting is also called the tabernacle, and the tabernacle is also called the sanctuary. It's the same thing. But now, it seems that the cloud covered the tent, and that cloud was elevated.

The glory of Jehovah is called a cloud, and it is called a cloud running to the glory of Jehovah. So, this is called parallelism, showing the same content repeatedly to help understand the content better. When writing the Old Testament, this technique is used a lot, not only in Psalms but also in other parts. Therefore, it is enough to say it once. Saying, the glory of Jehovah covered the tabernacle, once is enough, but by doing this, it shows what the cloud is referring to. It is not simply a cloud in the sky or a natural cloud but symbolizes something, indicating the cloud that honors the glory of Jehovah God. Next, starting from verse 35, it was impossible to enter the tabernacle because the glory of Jehovah filled the tabernacle. So now, a further development has taken place.

Before this sanctuary was built, initially, God was with the Israelites simply as a cloud leading the way for them from the front. When they arrived at Mount Sinai, God called Moses into the midst of the cloud. After the sanctuary was constructed, on the contrary, the glory of the Lord filled the sanctuary. In other words, the cloud filled the sanctuary, symbolizing the presence of God inside the sanctuary. The cloud of glory in the sanctuary was filled with the glory of God, signifying where God was. God is now symbolized by the cloud of glory in the sanctuary, indicating that God and the cloud are inseparable, not separate entities.

God's glory and the tabernacle have become one. Therefore, from now on, the Lord God is simply living with the people of Israel. It symbolizes dwelling with the people of Israel inside the tabernacle. So now, when the Israelites set out on their journey or on the road, shall we read the next part? Starting from verse 38: Whenever the cloud lifted from above the tabernacle, the Israelites set out; wherever the cloud settled, the Israelites encamped. At the Lord’s command, the Israelites set out, and at his command, they encamped. As long as the cloud stayed over the tabernacle, they remained in camp. When the cloud remained over the tabernacle a long time, the Israelites obeyed the Lord’s order and did not set out. Sometimes the cloud was over the tabernacle only a few days; at the Lord’s command, they would encamp, and then at his command, they would set out. Sometimes the cloud stayed only from evening till morning, and when it lifted in the morning, they set out. Whether by day or by night, whenever the cloud lifted, they set out. Whether the cloud stayed over the tabernacle for two days or a month or a year, the Israelites would remain in camp and not set out; but when it lifted, they would set out. At the Lord’s command, they encamped, and at the Lord’s

That's right. In order to fill the tabernacle, clouds rise from the tabernacle from now on. When they move forward again, the Israelites also pick up the tent and follow along. If the cloud settles down on the tabernacle, the Israelites stay in that place. In this way, the relationship between the Israelites, the tabernacle, and the clouds progresses. Now, let's take a closer look at this process from Mount Sinai to the land of Canaan. Let's explain in more detail what was mentioned. Let's read Numbers 9:15-23 to delve deeper into the current topic. Let's read to explain the current topic more elaborately. Let's see. Starting from the tabernacle, during the day, the cloud covered the tabernacle almost entirely, and in the evening, something like fire appeared above the tabernacle, lasting until morning. This continued day after day; during the day, the cloud covered it, and at night, there was something like fire. The cloud settled on the tabernacle.

When the cloud stayed over the tabernacle many days, the Israelites obeyed the Lord's order and did not set out. Sometimes the cloud remained over the tabernacle only from evening till morning, and when it lifted in the morning, they set out. Whether it was two days, a month, or a year that the cloud stayed over the tabernacle, the Israelites remained in camp and did not set out; but when it lifted, they set out. They followed the Lord's order, in accordance with his command through Moses.

They kept it. This is about the Israelites living in the wilderness for about 40 years. So, when the Israelites were living in the wilderness, spending about 40 years, they were passing through the wilderness to enter the land of Canaan. Throughout this period, God was with the Israelites. He was with them in two forms. First, God showed visible evidence that He was with the Israelites. He instructed them to build a tabernacle, which was God's house. Since the tabernacle was a symbol of God's presence, it showed that God was with the people of Israel. More specifically, in that tabernacle, God sent something that symbolized Himself, the glory of God, filling the tabernacle with clouds, so that the tabernacle became one with it. Now, in what way did the Israelites pass through the wilderness?

As the pillar of cloud moves, it becomes a pillar at night, right? Or a fire leading the people of Israel. The people of Israel do not plan their journey. So, Moses, as the leader of the Israelites, plans to go to the land of Canaan. There are a few kilometers left until we reach Canaan. By moving daily through the route, how many days will it take for us to enter the land of Canaan? The Israelites do not plan like this. They will travel from one place to another, stay for a few days, and then leave. All these plans are made by God. It is God who moves and stops, moves and stops. The signal is when the cloud moves, the Israelites move, and when the cloud returns to the tabernacle and stops, the Israelites also stop in that area.

Sometimes, the clouds come down in the evening and stay for a day, then move the next morning. The Israelites would set up tents for a day, then take them down and follow the clouds. Other times, they would stay in their tents for two days until the clouds moved, then pack up two days later and follow. If the clouds stayed over the tabernacle for a month, the Israelites would stay in that area for a month. Sometimes, if the clouds stayed over a place for a year, the Israelites would stay there for a year, living and dying in that place. This means that the Israelites had the authority to decide when and where to move.

The 40-year journey of the Israelites, as it is called, is thoroughly led by God leading the lives of the Israelites through the cloud. So, the cloud is simply a symbol of the very close relationship between the Israelites and God in the midst of their lives. When the cloud stays, they should stay, and when the cloud moves, whether it be for a day, two days, a month, or a year, they live following that cloud, living a life alongside the cloud. In a sense, sending the cloud to live with the Israelites is the history of the lives of the Israelites. Without this, their lives are nothing, nothing can be understood. The life of the Israelites in the wilderness for 40 years was thoroughly dependent on the cloud's guidance.

Yes, when the cloud of the Lord moved from Mount Sinai to another cloud, what happened when that cloud entered the land of Canaan? During their time in the wilderness, the Israelites always lived seeing the cloud. In the daytime, they saw the cloud, of course, and at night, that cloud appeared as fire. They lived seeing the fire, so if we had recorded it with a video, for 40 years, the Israelite people lived seeing the cloud in the morning and the fire in the evening. They always stayed with the cloud and fire that were present in the tabernacle. By seeing the fire and the cloud at night, we can understand that they lived together. However, when they entered the land of Canaan, as they entered the land of Canaan, they no longer followed the cloud. In fact, it is assumed that the cloud entered somewhere inside. It's not that the tabernacle and the cloud were separate; it was like that.

The central part of the tabernacle is the Holy of Holies. It is not where the tabernacle resides, but where the cloud stays. This cloud can only be seen by the eyes of the Israelites outside, but it was present inside the tabernacle. However, when does God visibly show it again? When Solomon built the temple. God promised through David that Your son will build my temple, and then Solomon built the temple. The temple has the same structure as the tabernacle, but now it is in a fixed form as they moved through the wilderness. When they entered the land of Canaan, it was in the form of a house or a building. After building the temple, there is no need for the tabernacle anymore. What was inside the tabernacle's courtyard was...

In one water pot, there are lamps to light up, rice cakes to present, incense to burn, and there is also the Ark of the Covenant symbolizing God's presence when you enter the Holy of Holies. But all these things are not moved as they are from the Tabernacle to the Temple. The Temple is much larger than the Tabernacle, so if you bring the equipment used in the Tabernacle, it won't fit. Therefore, all the things used in the Tabernacle are discarded, and new ones are made larger. So, the altar is made larger, the water pot is made larger, and so on. However, the Ark of the Covenant symbolizes God's throne, so it is not changed. It is placed as it is, uniquely, in the Holy of Holies, which has become the Temple. When this happened, something occurred. Let's read 1 Kings chapter 8, starting from verse 10 to 12. The priests came out of the sanctuary.

At that time, a cloud filled the temple of the Lord, so that the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the temple of the Lord. Now the priests were standing by themselves in the inner part of the temple, having placed the incense on the altar and turned to leave, when suddenly the cloud engulfed the temple of the Lord. Just like in Exodus 40, when the tabernacle was completed, what descended? It was the glory of the Lord that filled it. So, in the wilderness, the cloud of the glory of the Lord prevented the people from entering the tabernacle, being so full of the cloud. Similarly, by showing the same thing in the temple, it demonstrates that the temple and the tabernacle are the same, but in a more complete form in the temple. It shows once again that the temple is not separate from the tabernacle. Therefore, the cloud of the glory of the Lord now fills the temple, indicating that the Lord God is present in this place.

Now, they have shown a visible symbol. However, such a visible symbol, as when the Israelites went to the temple, the glory cloud was not visible on the temple every time. In the wilderness period, it was shown more visibly to the Israelites, but now, at the temple, it was done so that they could understand to what extent the glory of the Lord dwells in the Most Holy Place. So, the symbol that the glory of the Lord is present in the temple in the Most Holy Place with the Israelites continues to be shown. So, if you go to Jerusalem, there is a temple, and if you go to the Most Holy Place of the temple, there the Lord dwells, in the form of the cloud of the glory of the Lord in that Most Holy Place, showing that God was also with the Israelites in Canaan. However, the Israelites end up being taken captive to Babylon.

The city is destroyed, and the temple is destroyed, and this tremendous event happens. What has happened? The secret is now revealed to God after the Babylonian captivity, when Ezekiel is called as a prophet to teach that secret. First, let's see how Ezekiel is called. Let's take a look at Ezekiel Chapter 1 in the Old Testament. Ezekiel 1, Ezekiel is in a state of being taken as a captive to Babylon from Israel and Jerusalem. [MUSIC] Now, in verse 4, we see a scene where the Lord God appears to Ezekiel, who is now captive in Babylon. How does He appear? Let's see. Starting from Chapter 1, verse 4: I looked, and I saw a windstorm coming out of the north—an immense cloud with flashing lightning and surrounded by brilliant light. The center of the fire looked like glowing metal. You can now understand what kind of cloud appeared to Ezekiel, who is now captive in Babylon, right from the time of the Exodus.

The cloud that appeared, coming down to the top of the mountain in the city, the cloud that came with the glory of the cloud, the tabernacle, and the temple, who has now come to whom? It came to Ezekiel, and what is shining in that big cloud? It's flashing with fire, and it's a scene seen from a pillar of fire, so there's nothing strange about it. However, now as Ezekiel approaches the cloud that has come closer, what was inside it? There were living creatures, there were wheels turning, and above them, there was the appearance of the glory of the Lord God sitting on a throne. So, if you just look at it simply, it looks like the appearance of the Lord God sitting on a throne, and if you open your eyes a little wider, where is the throne? You can see the chariot of God being led by the living creatures, and if you look further, what surrounds it again? It's surrounded by flashing clouds.

God showed Ezekiel in a form surrounded by such a form and showed himself to Ezekiel in this way. After that, He showed why the Israelites were defeated by the Babylonians and taken captive. This is a vision from chapter 8 to chapter 10. Although I will just briefly mention it up to chapter 11, I will tell you. The Israelites were worshipping idols, even bringing various idols into the temple in the Middle East at that time, and worshipping other gods in the temple. In chapter 8, it shows how they broke the covenant of God. Therefore, God could no longer stay with these sinful Israelites in the temple where the glory of the Lord resided in the Holy of Holies. He had to leave them because He could not stay with those who continued to sin. He is leaving the Israelites, but how will the Lord

In chapter 9 of Ezekiel, first of all, the glory of the Lord leaves the inner sanctuary, departing from the temple and moving to the outside of the temple gate. This is a gradual departure of the glory of the Lord from Israel. Originally, the glory of the Lord filled the inner sanctuary, but now it moves out of the sanctuary and goes to the outside of the temple. In chapter 10, the glory cloud that moved to the temple gate in the previous stage now completely leaves the temple. However, since the temple is in a city, Jerusalem, it departs from the temple and moves towards Jerusalem. The third stage is when the glory of the Lord completely leaves Jerusalem, moving eastward out of Jerusalem, being transferred to a mountain. Through this scene of the glory of the Lord leaving Jerusalem and moving to the east, it is depicted that the glory of the Lord, represented by the cloud of glory, departs from the Israelites due to their sins.

God received rejection, and by leaving the people of Israel, a tragedy called the fall of Babylon occurred to the rejected people of Israel. Jerusalem was destroyed, the temple was destroyed, and God left. So, the life of Israel was like this. No, it was not just like that. Why should we be destroyed by the Babylonians? I don't know. It's because God showed Ezekiel. Because of the sins of the Israelites, God abandoned and left them. It was not the Babylonian army that came in when God protected the people of Israel from all adultery, but because of the sins of the Israelites, the Lord God abandoned them and left them. Therefore, Jerusalem was destroyed right away.

The Israelites were rejected and expelled from the presence of the Lord God after being divided into two kingdoms. How does the history of Israel end like this? The history of the Israelites, from the beginning to the exodus, was a life lived with the glory of the Lord. However, after the Babylonian captivity, God showed the Israelites leaving Him. Will it be like this forever? No, God shows hope to Ezekiel. When you read Ezekiel chapters 40 to 48, in the midst of imagination, not fantasy, the temple will be rebuilt, and the glory of the Lord will return. Let's look at Ezekiel chapter 43. Let's read Ezekiel chapter 43, verses 1 to 3. It starts with, Afterward, he brought me to the gate, the gate that faces toward the east.

Coming from the east, the voice of God was like the sound of many waters, and the earth shone with His glory. The appearance was like that of a vision I had seen when He came to destroy the city, and also like the visions I had seen by the Kebar River. I fell face down, and the glory of the Lord entered the temple through the east gate. Then the Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court, and I saw that the glory of the Lord filled the temple. The glory of the Lord had departed from the temple in Jerusalem, but now it was returning and entering through the east gate. This vision showed that the temple would be rebuilt, and the glory of the Lord would once again fill it. This was a sign that Israel could hope for the return of God among them, starting from the time of the Babylonian exile.

From the history of the Israeli people to the hope of the era, it is a history that has been accompanied by something. God was with them, and how did God show that He was with them visibly? The cloud symbolizing the glory of the Lord was with them, guiding and protecting them. Moreover, God spoke to them from the cloud, met with the high priest once a year in the tabernacle and temple, and so on. In this way, God was present with them. However, when Israel sinned and broke the covenant, God left the temple, left Jerusalem, and left the people of Israel. Israel was completely ruined. Yet, it is a glorious thing that God will restore them again. The temple will be rebuilt anew, and the glory of the Lord will return to the temple, fully present with them. This is the story of Israel, along with the history of Israel.

That shining cloud is precisely the cloud of Jesus' transfiguration, the cloud on the mountain of transfiguration. This cloud that was with the people of Israel is reappearing. So, what does this cloud symbolize? It's not the kind of cloud we see in nature on days when it doesn't rain. It's a cloud of glory that visibly shows God's glory. It's not just a natural cloud; it symbolizes the Holy Spirit. The statement that God is with the people of Israel in the Holy Spirit means that God sent the Holy Spirit to be with Israel. This cloud of glory symbolizes the Holy Spirit. How can we know this? God revealed through Isaiah and the prophet Haggai that the cloud of glory that was with the people of Israel represents the Holy Spirit.

Let's once again look at the middle-aged passage. Let's read Isaiah 60, verses 11 to 14. Let's read it. Let's start. The people of the past. It's Isaiah, chapter 63, verses 11 to 14. Let's find it and read it. Let's start. The people of the past remember the time of Moses, saying, Where is the one who brought them up out of the sea with the shepherd of his flock? Where is he who set his Holy Spirit among them? Let's read up to this point. Verse 14 begins. The Spirit of the Lord led them through the valleys like a horse in the open country. They did not stumble. The Lord led his people to make a glorious name for himself. We cannot provide a detailed explanation due to time constraints, but in the eschatological prophecy about the restoration of the Israelites, there is a context that mentions who is now being called the one who was with the Israelites in the wilderness. It is the Spirit who was with them.

Where are you now? And in verses 4 to 14, the Spirit of the Lord gave them rest, so the Spirit was so important. It just continues in Exodus. The glory cloud was with them during the day as a cloud and at night as fire. It's written that the cloud and fire that were with them represent someone. It explains that the Spirit who was with them was precisely that cloud. Let's also look at Haggai 2:5. Going a little further back in Haggai, it starts with, When you came out of Egypt, I made a covenant with you, and my Spirit continues among you; do not be afraid. Now, after Israel came out of Egypt, what did God give to the Israelites? He gave them the law, so now the law is with the Israelites.

When we are together, in fact, at that time, the clouds were together. Through the golden academia, someone stayed together, and my spirit continued among them. But interestingly, the verb stayed actually means, well, just pointing out their existence. When the clouds led the Israelites, they were present. When the Egyptian army chased them, and when the cloud of the Lord stood between the Egyptian army and the Israelites, it blocked the Egyptian army, the cloud did not just float as described. Since it was described as a cloud pillar, a pillar of fire, the huge cloud was present. It uses the same word. What does this remind us of? It immediately reminds us that the cloud of the Lord was with the Israelites from now on. This passage says that it was among them. This reminds us that my spirit, the Holy Spirit, was with them.

There was this interpretation of the clouds as the Holy Spirit, so through the interpretation of the prophets in the Old Testament, we can understand that the cloud, which was so important in the lives of the Israelites, was not just a natural cloud, but it was the presence of God accompanying them. From the bright cloud covering Jesus and His disciples on the Mount of Transfiguration, we can also see evidence that this cloud represents the Holy Spirit. Another evidence of this cloud being the Holy Spirit can be found in the events of Jesus' baptism and transfiguration. Let's take a look at Matthew 3:16-17. Shall we start reading? As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said,

Here, Jesus is baptized, and the Holy Spirit descends on Him, remaining with Jesus. This is a very important event, so it is expressed clearly. How does the Holy Spirit appear this time?

A dove, not a dove, who is it that the Holy Spirit came to Jesus, and the Father God, the Son Jesus, and the Holy Spirit all appeared together at the baptism. At once, they were shown visibly, but this parallel is lost in Jesus' transfiguration event. Jesus, whose face changes like the sun on the mountain of transfiguration, is there. But a voice is heard towards Jesus. A voice is heard from the cloud saying, This is my beloved Son, just like at the baptism. So, who is the protagonist of that voice in the cloud pointing to? God the Father. However, at the baptism, the Holy Spirit of God stayed over Jesus in the form of a dove, but in the transfiguration, instead of that dove form, in what form was Jesus.

Covering Jesus in the form of clouds, so during the baptism, the Holy Spirit, like a dove, and during the transfiguration, like a cloud, form the same content. Therefore, comparing the events parallel to the generation and transformation of Jesus, we can see that the Holy Spirit appears in the form of clouds. Clouds symbolize the Holy Spirit. So, what does this tell us? If the cloud covering Jesus and the disciples means the same cloud mentioned in the Bible, we can understand that the event where the triune God, one God in three persons, appeared unchanged on the mountain of transfiguration is of tremendous importance. First of all, even in the Old Testament era, the relationship between Father God and the Holy Spirit was almost the same. God was with the people of Israel, but in what form did God appear?

God is present in the form of clouds when calling Moses from the clouds. When God is with the people of Israel, He is present with them in the form of clouds. In this way, the Father God and the clouds have a close relationship. God does not directly lead, guide, call, protect the people of Israel, but through the cloud symbolizing the Holy Spirit, He guides, protects, and is with the people of Israel. What is the relationship between Jesus and the clouds? There is a hint in Daniel chapter 7, verses 13 and 14. In terms of time, I'll just have to say it verbally. In Daniel 7, when it is described that God the Father is seated on the throne, there is someone like the Son of Man seated on the throne.

The person who resembles the figure is said to be the Son of Man. He approaches the one sitting on the throne riding on the clouds. However, despite mentioning this Son of Man several times, when it comes to the New Testament, it says, Whom does He teach? It refers to Jesus, who is called the Son of Man. In Daniel chapter 7, it talks about who is riding on the clouds, which is Jesus, the Holy One, riding on the clouds to the Father. So, this Son of Man, the Holy One, is expressed as the Son of Man in the Old Testament. Also, the clouds at that time are exactly the same as the clouds we have seen so far. Therefore, it shows us that the relationship between Jesus and the Holy Spirit is just as inseparable as the relationship between the Father and the Holy Spirit. Thus, when Jesus ascends to heaven later, how does He ascend? He ascends continuously, and the clouds cover Jesus as He ascends, and He is hidden in the clouds. These clouds are also natural clouds.

It's not about teaching, but in Daniel 7:13, it describes more specifically the appearance of Jesus coming on the clouds. When Jesus ascended, He will come back just as He ascended to heaven, coming on the clouds. That's why in Matthew 24 and Revelation 1:7, it is written that Jesus will come in the clouds when He returns. So, the appearance of these clouds and the event where the clouds cover Jesus symbolize that in the future, Jesus will ascend in the clouds, dwell in the clouds in a holy state, and return in the clouds. This signifies and strongly foreshadows that when Jesus ascends in the clouds and dwells in a holy state, He will also return in the clouds. Therefore, whether symbolized by the Holy Spirit or by clouds, it reveals who Jesus is, right?

In the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit and the Son are closely linked, and according to the prophecy of Isaiah, the Messiah and the Holy Spirit are always connected. Similarly, Jesus Himself plays the role of showing that He is the Messiah through this cloud, and furthermore, the cloud represents the unity of the Trinity of God, symbolizing the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. In fact, where God the Father speaks to Jesus and His disciples, God the Father says, This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him. Both the Father God and the Son are present in the cloud, and the cloud serves as a mediator that unites the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit into one. Therefore, on this Mount of Transfiguration, Jesus becomes the second person of the Holy Trinity among the three persons of God, indirectly revealing the meaning of the Holy Spirit as the God of the Trinity.

In history, the most concrete way to understand this scene is like this. And what is the relationship to us as a cloud in this city? In the Old Testament, as we have just seen, it is all about how God leads Israel and is with them. Through what did they experience the Holy Spirit symbolized by the cloud? Suddenly, in the New Testament, such a cloud is not among us. Who was that cloud? It was the Holy Spirit. In the present New Testament era, while being with us, He leads us to believe in Jesus, to repent, to make us children of God, to sanctify us, and to make us glorious in the future. The Holy Spirit is the one who will make us glorious. Also, in the New Testament, it says, Live by the Spirit, walk by the Spirit. As the Spirit leads, live. So, what kind of picture is it all in the Old Testament era?

Just as the pillar of cloud and the pillar of fire symbolized the Holy Spirit and lived following the pillar of cloud, in the New Testament era, we are to follow the Holy Spirit. Walk with Him, live according to the guidance of the Spirit, receive the fullness of the Spirit, live with the correction of the Spirit, receive the grace of the Spirit, serve the church, and live. The life of a Christian itself has an inseparable relationship with the Holy Spirit. If the cloud that was with Israel in the Old Testament era was not the Holy Spirit, then where was the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament era? The cloud that was with the Israelites in the Old Testament era, guiding them, protecting them, and being with them in the temple, is now referred to as the Holy Spirit in the New Testament era, not just as a cloud. The work of the Holy Spirit, called by the proper name of the Holy Spirit, is continuous in the Old Testament Scriptures and the New Testament Scriptures. Whether in the Old Testament era or in the New Testament era, God is always present.

When we are together, we are with whom we are through the Holy Spirit. That's the meaning. In fact, if I elaborate more, the Holy Spirit dwells where? It was in the tabernacle and the temple, so the cloud and the temple were filled with the Holy Spirit. But when it comes to the New Testament, who does the tabernacle and the temple teach? It teaches Jesus. Jesus is the fulfillment of the tabernacle in the Old Testament. So, Jesus and the Holy Spirit have an inseparable relationship. Just as in the Old Testament, the cloud of God's glory, the tabernacle, and the temple had a relationship that could not be separated, when Jesus was born of Mary, who caused Jesus to be conceived in Mary? The Holy Spirit covered Mary so that Jesus was born. When Jesus was born, He

When you receive it, the Holy Spirit comes to Jesus like a dove. Jesus cast out demons when he was on earth, using the power of the Holy Spirit to drive them out. Then, at the Mount of Transfiguration, we see how Jesus will be transformed in the future, and when he will be resurrected, and even now as he dwells in heaven, and when he will come again, showing that the Holy Spirit is with Jesus. Furthermore, this tabernacle and temple, in a secondary sense, when we believe in Jesus, originally symbolize Jesus, but when we believe in Jesus, believers and the church become the temple. Also, today, our life as believers is entirely lived from beginning to end with the Holy Spirit, showing that our life is fulfilled by the Holy Spirit being with us. Therefore, the bright cloud that appeared on Jesus' Mount of Transfiguration symbolizes the Holy Spirit, the Father.

Our relationship with God is almost parallel, harmonized with Jesus, and inextricably linked with the saints of the New Testament era, appearing as the one who is with us. This fact is that even in today's worship, the triune God and us are together, and the object of our faith, when we live according to the will of God, is actually living according to the will of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Also, when we become glorious like the glorious God, and when we are transformed, it is the work of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, I pray that your faith, worship, and ethical practices, by receiving and understanding the revelation of the Triune God manifested on the Mount of Transfiguration, may be enriched by your life through belief. I pray in the name of the Lord that your life becomes more abundant. Thank you, God the Father, Israelites, and the cloud.

I thank You for enabling us to do so in our time, just as we did together in the past. I pray that we may be led by the Spirit, live a Spirit-filled life according to the guidance of the Spirit. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

예수가족교회 백금산 목사의 예수님의 변모10. 예수님의 변모와 빛난 구름

Scripts