Page 20 - March 2026 - Truth & Tidings

round the world, multitudes gath- spacecraft seeking to leave our planet, but
ered to witness the glorious sight. the Son of God entering our atmosphere
AOn that day, January 28, 1986, my with great power? Mankind will be trans-
elementary school class sat in the cafete- fixed by His unsurpassable glory. Souls
ria. A television had been wheeled out will be astonished by His undeniable
before us. We were meant to witness the reality. Sinful hearts will rebel against
glory of the space shuttle Challenger and His unconquerable authority. When
the first time that a school teacher would Scripture describes His entrance into the
be carried into orbit. But disaster struck. first heaven, clouds and lightning are the
Just 73 seconds into flight, as its power- details that mark His arrival. But we will
ful rockets propelled toward outer space, see that the significance of these com-
that space shuttle and the seven members mon atmospheric elements proclaims a
on board disintegrated into a plume of far different reality from our everyday
smoke. We sat in stunned confusion, and experience.
forty years later I have not forgotten the The cloud was present when Moses
sight. The apostle John describes a future met the Lord on the mount; it led Israel
atmospheric wonder that no one will ever in the wilderness, it filled the Temple,
forget: “Behold, he cometh with clouds; and it was present in the visions of Dan-
and every eye shall see him, and they also iel and Ezekiel. But the cloud that marks
which pierced him: and all kindreds of the God’s presence is not reserved alone for
earth shall wail because of him. Even so, the Old Testament. Compare the Gospel
Amen” (Rev 1:7). accounts of the Mount of Transfiguration
1
What will it be like in that future day and you will find that the cloud of glory
when the whole world beholds, not a was present. In Luke’s account the cloud
was so distinct that Peter, James and John
1 Bible quotations in this article are from the were paralyzed with fear. Indeed, when
KJV. the Lord ascended into heaven, “a cloud

84 TRUTH kTidings March 2026