Skeptics often say Jesus never claimed to be God. The high priest seemed to have no trouble understanding the words of Jesus. Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin knew the implication of the phrase “coming on clouds”. Caiaphas tore his clothes saying, “He has spoken blasphemy!” Coming on clouds is a judgment metaphor that speaks of the sovereign God who will judge all nations. The generation that crucified Christ would see the day that He was exalted and enthroned at the right hand of the Father.

Matthew 26:63-64

But Jesus kept silent. And the high priest answered and said to Him “I put You under oath by the living God: Tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God.” Jesus said to him, “It is as you said. Nevertheless, I say to you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Father, and coming on the clouds of heaven.”

Matthew 24:30

And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory.

Matthew 16:27-28

For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and will then repay every man according to his deeds. “Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.”

Matthew 25:31

“But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne."

Revelation 1:7

Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him.

                      The judgement metaphor is found throughout the Old Testament where God uses armies as His instrument 

Isaiah 19:1

Behold, the Lord is riding on a swift cloud and is about to come to Egypt; The idols of Egypt will tremble at His presence, And the heart of the Egyptians will melt within them.

Ezekiel 30:3-4

For the day is near, Even the day of the LORD is near; It will be a day of clouds, the time of the Gentiles. The sword shall come upon Egypt, And great anguish shall be in Ethiopia, When the slain fall in Egypt, And they take away her wealth, And her foundations are broken down.

Nahum 1:1-6

A jealous and avenging God is the Lord; The Lord is avenging and wrathful. The Lord takes vengeance on His adversaries, And He reserves wrath for His enemies. The Lord is slow to anger and great in power, And the Lord will by no means leave the guilty unpunished. In whirlwind and storm is His way, And clouds are the dust beneath His feet. He rebukes the sea and makes it dry; He dries up all the rivers. Bashan and Carmel wither; The blossoms of Lebanon wither. Mountains quake because of Him And the hills dissolve; Indeed the earth is upheaved by His presence, The world and all the inhabitants in it. Who can stand before His indignation? Who can endure the burning of His anger? His wrath is poured out like fire And the rocks are broken up by Him.