JUNE 9

A LITTLE CLOUD ARISING

“And Elijah said to his servant, Go up now, look toward the sea. And he went up, and looked, and said, There is nothing. And he said, Go again seven times. And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man’s hand.” (I Kings 18:43-44).

The drought had been severe, and Elijah had challenged the prophets of Baal, as well as all Israel, and exacted the affirmation, “The Lord, He is the God.” Then Elijah prophesied to Ahab, “there is a sound of abundance of rain.” While the king went to eat and drink, Elijah went up to the top of the mount to pray, and wait for a sign of that coming storm. In due time the first visible sign appeared, a little cloud the size of a man’s hand. It wasn’t much at that moment, but a little cloud was ARISING, and it was promise of an abundance of rain to come.

THE LITTLE CLOUD, a firstfruit company, the remnant, may appear to be very small, but they prefigure a host to come. The significant fact is THEY ARE ARISING, they are going up to the place which God hath founded for them, and for which they are being formed, prepared, and in which they will be established.

This little cloud shall be a witness of His full redemption. We also read, “He causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth.” (Ps. 135:7). Scattered far and wide, sifted among all nations, a small drop here and another there, they are insignificant particles of “spiritual vapour,” with nothing visible to boast about, but they are GOING UP, and from every corner of the earth they shall come, to be “gathered together unto Him.” (II Thess. 2:1).

Furthermore, “He maketh small the drops of water: they pour down rain according to the vapour thereof.” (Job 36:27). The earth is not blessed while they are ascending as vapours – hence all creation continues to groan in its travail, waiting for the manifestation, but once these spirits have been joined unto Christ, they shall be that refreshing rain upon the earth.