When You See a Cloud Rise - Luke 12:54

The beloved physician Luke wrote how Jesus said, “Suppose you that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, No; but rather division. For from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three. The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother in law against her daughter in law, and the daughter in law against her mother in law”, and in chapter twelve and verse fifty-four of his book Luke shared how Jesus said, “When you see a cloud rise out of the west, straightway you say, There comes a shower; and so it is” where we read:

And he said also to the people, When you see a cloud rise out of the west,

straightway you say, There comes a shower; and so it is.

The verse reads, “And he said also to the people, When you see a cloud rise out of the west, ...” Luke began with the words “and he said also” or “and Jesus uttered, declared and proclaimed even so and indeed” “to the people” which means “to the crowd or populace”, “when you see a cloud rise” or “at the time and moment they observe, take heed to and perceive a cloud in the sky arise and ascend” “out of the west” which means “from the westward direction”. Luke shared how Jesus spoke to the crowd gathered around Him and told them to consider the time they “observe” a “cloud” in the sky ascending from a westward direction.

The verse continues, “... straightway you say, There comes a shower; and so it is.” Luke added the word, “straightway you say” or “immediately and forthwith people in the crowd utter, declare and proclaim”, “there comes a shower” which means “there arises and appears a violent storm accompanied by high wind with thunder and lightning”; “and so it is” or “and in this manner the storm appears”. Luke shared how Jesus said people who notice the “cloud rising from the west” know there is a “thunderstorm” coming, and the “storm” comes.

When we meditate upon Luke's words in this verse, we see how Jesus referred to the way people observe “clouds” in the sky. When “clouds” came from a “westward” direction, it meant there was a “storm” on the horizon and people should prepare for the “winds and rain”. God wants people to be prepared for the return of His Son Jesus, and when they see the events occurring in the world, they should know a “spiritual” storm is coming. Those who are wise will prepare themselves by yielding their lives to Jesus Christ as their personal “Savior and Lord”, and those who do not prepare should be aware - “a storm” is coming, and woe be to those who are not ready.

Next time Luke shares how Jesus says, “when you see the south wind blow, you say there will be heat”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".