PILLARS, CLOUDS AND SMOKE
(week 29/15)
OLUBI JOHNSON AND DEOYE OBE
Song of Solomon 3:6 KJV: Who is this that cometh out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all powders of the merchant?
Joel 2:30 KJV: And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.
Revelation 3:12 KJV: Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.
2Chronicles 3:17 AMP: He erected the pillars before the temple, one on the right, the other on the left, and called the one on the right Jachin [he shall establish] and the one on the left Boaz [in it is strength].
Pillars in the above scriptures are symbolic of Christians that have developed great spiritual strength and stature that God uses to support other members of the church (symbolically called the temple (1 Cor.3.16; 6.19, 2 Cor. 6.16), just like physical pillars in physical buildings provide support and stability.
Any Christian by becoming an overcomer can become a pillar!
The power of the Holy Spirit primarily through the prayers and the ministry of the Word of these pillars provides this support as exemplified by James, Peter, John in the church at Jerusalem and Epaphras in the church at Colosse:
Galatians 2:9 KJV: And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.
Colossians 4:12 NKJV: Epaphras, who is one of you, a bondservant of Christ, greets you, always laboring fervently for you in prayers, that you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.
Clouds are symbolic of the ministry gift of the Apostle and the rain they give is symbolic of their revelation knowledge teaching of the Word which will produce the fruit of the perfection and fulness of Christ when it ‘waters’ the seed of God’s Word in the hearts of Christians.
Proverbs 25:14 KJV: Whoso boasteth himself of a false gift is like clouds and wind without rain.
Observe that FALSE APOSTLES may have wind (symbolic of miraculous powers (Mt.7.21-23)) but no rain: no revelation knowledge teaching of God’s Word (the fruit (Lk.6.43-45) of the good treasure of wisdom and knowledge (Col.2.3)).
Ephesians 4:8-13 KJV: Wherefore he saith, when HE ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and GAVE GIFTS UNTO MEN. (9) (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? (10) He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) (11) And HE GAVE some, APOSTLES; and some, PROPHETS; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; (12) For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: (13) Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, UNTO A PERFECT MAN, UNTO THE MEASURE OF THE STATURE OF THE FULNESS OF CHRIST:
Deuteronomy 32:2 NKJV: Let my teaching drop as the rain, my speech distill as the dew, as raindrops on the tender herb, and as showers on the grass.
Zechariah 10:1 NKJV: Ask the LORD for rain in the time of the latter rain. The LORD will make flashing clouds; He will give them showers of rain, Grass in the field for everyone.
Smoke is symbolic of the glory:
Revelation 15:8 NKJV: The temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from His power, and no one was able to enter the temple till the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed.
2Chronicles 5:13-14 NKJV: indeed it came to pass, when the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD, and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised the LORD saying: “For He is good, For His mercy endures forever,” that the house, the house of the LORD, was filled with a cloud, (14) so that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud; for the glory of the LORD filled the house of God.
So pillars of smoke and clouds are symbolic of apostolic leaders who are teaching the revelation knowledge of God’s Word that will cause the saints to grow into the perfection and fulness of Christ and are manifesting the glory of God, like the Lord Jesus (Jn.1.14, 2.11 Jn. 11.40-44) did!
The manifestation of these ‘pillars of smoke and clouds’ is imminent as the feast of Tabernacles is to be fulfilled at end of the present 4-blood moon tetrad in September/October 2015, hence this present truth prophetic hidden manna teaching!
