The Baptism into the Cloud


This is a detailed look at one of the baptisms listed in the New Testament. I have recently made a video on this teaching. If you prefer to watch or listen to that, it is found near the bottom of this page. I discuss the doctrine of baptisms at the following link which even has some info on this baptism.

 The Doctrine of Baptisms

7th Baptism - Baptism into the Cloud

1 Cor 10: MKJV
1 ¶ And, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea.
2 And all were baptized to Moses in the cloud and in the sea


Let's read about this baptism:

Num 9: HNV/WEB:ME
9:15 On the day that the tabernacle was raised up, the cloud covered the tabernacle, even the Tent of the Testimony: and at evening it was over the tabernacle as it were the appearance of fire, until morning. 9:16 So it was continually. The cloud covered it, and the appearance of fire by night. 9:17 Whenever the cloud was taken up from over the Tent, then after that the children of Israel traveled; and in the place where the cloud remained, there the children of Israel encamped. 9:18 At the commandment of the LORD, the children of Israel traveled, and at the commandment of the LORD they encamped. As long as the cloud remained on the tabernacle they remained encamped. 9:19 When the cloud stayed on the tabernacle many days, then the children of Israel kept the LORD's command, and didn't travel. 9:20 Sometimes the cloud was a few days on the tabernacle; then according to the commandment of the LORD they remained encamped, and according to the commandment of the LORD they traveled. 9:21 Sometimes the cloud was from evening until morning; and when the cloud was taken up in the morning, they traveled: or by day and by night, when the cloud was taken up, they traveled. 9:22 Whether it was two days, or a month, or a year that the cloud stayed on the tabernacle, remaining on it, the children of Israel remained encamped, and didn't travel; but when it was taken up, they traveled. 9:23 At the commandment of the LORD they encamped, and at the commandment of the LORD they traveled. They kept the LORD's command, at the commandment of the LORD by Moses.
 

Being baptized in the cloud means you follow God when ever or where ever He leads. Earlier in the baptism of fire, I mentioned the Holiness Camps. Denominations are born when someone makes a camp upon the last truth God revealed to them, and they decided to stay there instead of continuing on. That's why I like to say "A broken clock is right twice a day." Stale denominations and churches still have abundant revelation concerning the specific truth they are camped on. Even though they have failed to grow in other areas.

What does that mean for individual believers? We must not be boxed in by "camp" mentality. We must consider that others may or may not have blazed other truths we have not yet grasped in God's Word. We must be teachable. We must also recognize Jesus as Lord, directing our life, and as King, reigning our life.

Isa 28: MKJV
9 ¶ Whom shall He teach knowledge? And whom shall He make to understand doctrine? Those weaned from the milk and drawn from the breasts.
10 For precept must be on precept, precept on precept; line on line, line on line; here a little, there a little;
11 for with stammering lips and another tongue He will speak to this people.
12 To whom He said, This is the rest; cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing. Yet they were not willing to hear.
13 But the Word of the LORD was to them precept on precept, precept on precept; line on line, line on line; here a little, there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken and snared and taken.


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I want to go indepth on this baptism, because it is so very much missed in the church. The lack of this baptism is what causes divisions between churches, denominations and even close brothers in the Lord.

We do not operate as pagans and unbelievers do. If you argue with them, they often say that it is the responsibility of those making a statement to prove their case. This is not so in christianity, at least in part. We must remember this truth:

1 Cor 13:12: For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.  

I spoke on this on my Tenets of Faith page:

 Statements of Faith

15. Everything I teach and believe is by faith. God made it so that we need the church and ministers to teach us doctrine. The Bible is not meant to be a handi-book of easy to read doctrines...

Isa 28:10: For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:  

1 Cor 2: LITV  
2 For I decided not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ, and Him having been crucified.  


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Our doctrines must be Bible based, but we live by faith, not by sound proof. Paul taught many things, but he only knew one thing for certain, and that was Jesus and Him crucified. If someone preaches a truth that is new and we disagree with it, if they have scriptures for it, then we must believe it unless we can dismantle it scripturally. Let me give you an example. Lets say I decided to make a baptism page for the baptism for the dead. And I use this scripture:

1 Cor 15:29: Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead?

Since scripture is silent on this baptism, and we have no idea what it is, I couldn't create a page on it. The Mormons have this baptism, but they get their information from extra-biblical information. These are books that are NOT in the Bible. They make their case through NON scriptural support. While there is 1 scripture on it, we do NOT know through scripture what this was. We cannot make doctrines from prophecies or other sources:

Rev 22:18: For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:

Deut 4:2 Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.


I go into detail why we cannot trust prophecy, visions, or spirits alone here:

 What is the highest standard to find God with?

A strong sign of who is wrong about doctrinal disputes is the one who gets defensive and is offended. These are traits of soulishness. When the soul gets attacked or is under threat it begins to defend itself. The soul must be denied to be saved. I discuss this here:

 The Salvation of the Soul

For the soul to be saved it must receive with meekness the engrafted word:

James 1:21 MKJV  
Therefore putting aside all filthiness and overflowing of evil, receive in meekness the implanted Word, which is able to save your souls.
 

This goes BOTH directions. We need to remain correctable and be in meekness and humble of heart to save our soul. We also need to be meek when we correct others. I go into this in detail at the following link and this link goes hand in hand with this page, because it discusses the New Wine, which is basically the same truth as the Baptism into the Cloud: 

 New Wine Skin

If someone is brow beating someone into submission, this is wrong. This could be because they stand in error doctrinally or the doctrine could be correct but their heart is wrong. I have been guilty of this. When my wife came to America I tried to get her to understand the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. She didn't want to believe it, no matter how many scriptures I gave her. I literally ripped pages from my Bible in front of her as demonstration of her attitude in ignoring scripture. But my attitude was wrong. The outcome? She may have gotten false tongues soon afterwards, and now she cannot speak in tongues at all. She may never have actually got the baptism of the Holy Spirit because I did not go in meekness.

I also discuss on that page that some folks are addicted to the old wine and do not want the new wine. Many people get comfortable in their walk. They are satisfied with less than God's best. Disturbing them into more work or sanctification does not interest them. Some get offended, some get caught up for many different reasons.

Luke 16:  
16: Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many:  
17: And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready.  
18: And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused.  
19: And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused.  
20: And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.  
21: So that servant came, and shewed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind.  
22: And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room.  
23: And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.  
24: For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper.
 

Some are offended because of religious pride:

Mark 7:13: Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.  

2 Tim 3:5: Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.  


Sometimes people refuse to believe because of the messenger. This could be individually or corporately. Look at Peter. Jesus called him the devil. Peter denied Jesus 3 times. Peter ignored or wrongly handled the gentiles and Paul had to correct him. Yet God used Peter to write some scripture. There are some charismatics and protestants who refuse to believe any Catholic doctrines because of errors and even blasphemous ones found in Rome. But remember a broken clock is right twice a day!

Some people who know me or don't know me, refuse to listen to my teaching because they see error in my life. No one is perfect, and if they were, wouldn't God rapture them? We are marred vessels. Some errors folks see in me are true, some are not error and is of God:

Rom:14:16: Let not then your good be evil spoken of...

That comes out of the famous Rom 14 chapter where folks sometimes use passages to try and stop someone from an action that offends them.

If something offends you, remember Jesus is the Rock of offence.

Rom 9:33: As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

1 Pet 2:8: And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.


Now there are 2 types of offense. I discussed those of the soul above, there is also that of the spirit. A person can commit a blaspheme. But before you judge a teaching or spiritual act as such, check your attitude. Are you hostile about it? Are you responding in love or hate? If your response is not correct, perhaps you are wrong, but not necessarily. If they do their act or believe their doctrine which is Bible based, then you have no right to judge it as blasphemous. Well perhaps they are misinterpreting scriptures. If that is true, then YOU have the responsibility to dismantle every scripture they use before you make that judgment.

2 Pet 1:20: Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.

You cannot say that they are wrong just because you have a different interpretation, even if you have others agreeing with you. As I said above, we are not as the pagans, we do not have to prove our statements to the point of full proof. As we see the truth darkly. We walk by faith. If the offence is being used by scriptures, then they are operating in faith. Examples: Infant Baptism and Sprinkling. 

Those who practice infant baptism have NO scriptural support. Those who practice infant baptism or sprinkling may be offended by full submersion by those who profess their faith and are of age to do so. This does NOT negate baby dedications nor for the praying of children, that is scriptural, but must not be confused with baptism.

Speaking in Tongues. There are many who say speaking of tongues has perished because the perfect has come, which they say is the Bible. But is not true.

Eph 4:
8: Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.
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:
14: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive


Are we manifesting the perfect described in verses 12-14? The fact we have division in the church even over the issue of tongues shows we have not attained this yet. Therefore those who speak in tongues have scriptural support.

To claim error or blaspheme, you are required to dismantle their doctrinal stance on scriptures until they have fewer than 2 to stand on. In a general stance you cannot make a doctrine on 1 scripture, such as the baptism for the dead.

We are going to be obligated before God for ignoring truth, commitment, and sanctification. But this is to a point. It is true we shouldn't settle for less than God's best. But there are cases that are otherwise, but even these, are levels of sanctification. One example is marriage verses celibacy. Marriage is holy and is a gift. Yet there are those who God calls to be single. And if they operate in this gift correctly, they will be rewarded more than those who are married.

Math 19:
10: His disciples say unto him, If the case of the man be so with his wife, it is not good to marry.
11: But he said unto them, All men cannot receive this saying, save they to whom it is given.
12: For there are some eunuchs, which were so born from their mother's womb: and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men: and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it.

1 Cor 7:
1: Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman.
8: I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, It is good for them if they abide even as I.
32: But I would have you without carefulness. He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord:
33: But he that is married careth for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife.
34: There is difference also between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit: but she that is married careth for the things of the world, how she may please her husband.
38: So then he that giveth her in marriage doeth well; but he that giveth her not in marriage doeth better.


And what is the reward? Well, if such a person is single and follows the baptism of the Cloud and continues after the New Wine, this is their reward:

Rev 14:
1: And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads.
2: And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps:
3: And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.
4: These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.
5: And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.


Verse 4 shows they were baptized in the cloud:  "...These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth..."

But there is a warning with this.

1 Cor 7:
2: Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.
9: But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn.
28: But and if thou marry, thou hast not sinned; and if a virgin marry, she hath not sinned. Nevertheless such shall have trouble in the flesh: but I spare you.
36: But if any man think that he behaveth himself uncomely toward his virgin, if she pass the flower of her age, and need so require, let him do what he will, he sinneth not: let them marry.


This very well could be entered into the debate over predestination vs free will. But we cannot argue these points here:

Math 19:
12: ... and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it.


1 Cor 7:37: Nevertheless he that standeth stedfast in his heart, having no necessity, but hath power over his own will, and hath so decreed in his heart that he will keep his virgin, doeth well.

This is a "whosoever will". The power to stay as such, is a power of faith. A lack of faith in this area is NOT sin, 1 Cor 7 tells us so. While a lack of faith in Rom 14 tells us is sin. But getting married is by faith, if done in faith, is scriptural and therefore faith is restored, and thus is NOT sin.

Another similar example of these principles I once argued about on a forum is martyrdom vs. surviving torture through miracles or being raised from the dead. John is the only disciple who supposedly did NOT die for his faith. I used this with a catholic to show how John had a greater faith than Peter who supposedly was crucified upside down. As catholics believe Peter was the greatest disciple, yet it was John whom scripture said was the one whom Jesus loved.

Jn:13:23: Now there was leaning on Jesus' bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved.

Jn:19:26: When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son!

Jn:20:2: Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him.

Jn:21:7: Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher's coat unto him, (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea.

Jn:21:20: Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee?


John also was the only disciple who went to the cross. John supposedly was thrown into a boiling pot and lived! I am not saying it doesn't take faith to die for Christ, it does. Nor am I saying it is a sin, it is NOT. In fact martyrs will be rewarded, see Rev 6:11. But standing in faith to live through such persecution is greater. And thus John was the one who had the revelation to write Revelation. Okay, I don't want to chase a rabbit here. Marriage is honorable and holy. But staying single is greater and requires more faith. The satisfaction/desire for marriage (which is the lesser) will not be punished for. It is quite possible though, but am uncertain, there may be a punishment for NOT accepting the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. I am NOT advocating the United Pentecostal's stance that it is needed for salvation. But it MAY be needed for the the rapture. See here:

 Are You Prepared for the Blessed Hope?  

However, it is my belief, that God may only require the 2nd baptism for the rapture. While the 2nd baptism is that of water, He will be looking for the born again experience itself, which is what the baptism into water is for. Being Born Again is different than simply believing in Christ for basic salvation:

 Believing vs. Being Born Again  

The reason for this is because the crossing of the Jordan is symbolic of this as well. And is not the rapture to take us out of Egypt into the Promised Land? By taking part of the Laver, you then have access to the Candlestick where the extra oil is. Also the river of Life is now flowing out of you. You are now born of water and spirit. This flowing water may be the extra oil, rather than the oil of the candlestick. But I am NOT sure, and wouldn't stake missing the rapture on such. I would seek the Holy Spirit Baptism and be certain.

If someone is in error, it is our duty to correct them in meekness, if they are willing, but we must 1st dismantle their stronghold.

2 Cor:10:4 ...For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds...

As I describe in the New Wineskin page, that weapon is the Word of God. But meekness is required by both parties to be effective, the corrector and the one getting correction. The one getting correction will not leave the stronghold (bad doctrine) until it is dismantled. And if that stronghold is made of misinterpreted scriptures, you thus have to show this. It is our responsibility. We are our brother's keeper.

If I am in error, it is your responsibility to tell me. God will hold you accountable if you refuse. God went to Adam 1st, but Adam passed the responsibility to Eve. God then went to Eve, and she passed the fault to satan.  

When I speak of I and you, there are measures of rule here which must be respected. It is NOT my calling or duty to correct every webpage out there that preaches against the rapture. I have no measure of rule there. I have no relationship with them. That relationship is in the previous baptism. The baptism into the Body. It is our duty to minister to those who we are connected to. My example of me and you, is an example only, a hypothetical one. However, I am not against developing spiritual relationships over the internet. But it would need to be developed before correction should occur.

Since being a brother's keeper is a legitimate ministry, so is the opposite. If our brother has a truth, we are responsible to see if it's true for ourselves. If it shakes our understanding, maybe we need to throw out the old wine skin. God wants us to follow him. This is discipleship. I discuss discipleship here:

 The 9 Qualifications of Discipleship  

4. Luke 14:27 "Whoever does not...follow Me cannot be My disciple."   

He is Lord after all, and we must follow. Follow His example, follow His commands, follow His Word, follow Him. We must go where He goes. We must walk where He walks. This also is walking in the Spirit. Pray for guidance in choice of job, city, church, spouse, and so on. I don't have to pray to know to be kind, nor to read the Bible. These are things we KNOW to do. Jesus is King of kings and Lord of lords. Let Him rule over your life. If He doesn't rule your life, you aren't a disciple.  

I highly recommend the following page. It will help you to become baptized in the Cloud:

New Wine Skin
 
I have recently made a video on the teaching of the baptism of the Cloud and the New Wine Skin as seen on these pages. If you prefer to watch or listen to that, it is found near the bottom of this page.

Links of Interest:

The Doctrine of Baptisms

What is the highest standard to find God with?

The Salvation of the Soul

New Wine Skin

Are You Prepared for the Blessed Hope?

Believing vs. Being Born Again  

The 9 Qualifications of Discipleship

Walking in the Spirit


 

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