This is a unique hymn of three stanzas that gives us a chance to sing of three major events in the ministry of our Lord that have in common the phrase “on the clouds.” C. Mervyn Maxwell wrote the following as his purpose in writing the hymn:

“When I began teaching the development of Seventh-day Adventist beliefs at the SDA Theological Seminary, 1968, I suddenly realized the essential relationship of 1844 to the existence and message of our movement. We Adventists believe that Christ is coming soon because we believe that in 1844 the final judgment began [the first angel’s message, Revelation 14]. Awareness of the shortness of time available this side of 1844 contributes greatly to our impelling sense of world mission. And because we are living in the antitypical day of atonement, we believe our lifestyle should be appropriate to the Christ-centered experience that Leviticus 16 calls “afflicting the soul.” Such considerations and others led me to take a second look at Daniel 7:9-14 and to see in it a dramatic, cosmic, Christ-on-the-clouds event comparable in style and possibly in magnitude to the Second Coming. Seventh-day Adventist pioneers and prominent early preachers likewise called attention to the dramatic literal wording of the passage.” The following explanation may be helpful to a congregation singing the hymn for the first time: stanza 1 is based on Matthew 28:18-20; Luke 24:50, 51: and Acts 1:9. Stanza 2 is based on Daniel 7:9-14 (compare Early Writings by E. G. White, pp. 54-56). Stanza 3 is based on Matthew 24:30; 1 Thessalonians 4:16; and Revelation 1:7.

Maxwell continues: “This hymn is offered in the interest of the sanctuary message, which has been described as the ‘foundation of our faith’ [Ellen G. White manuscript 20, 1906]. The particular point of the hymn is the correlation of biblical language used to describe Christ’s ascent to heaven, His second coming, and His 1844 approach to the Ancient of Days. Indeed, identical language is used in Daniel 7:13 for His approach to the investigative judgment, and in Matthew 24:30 for His second coming. Without question, Adventists believe in the historicity of Christ’s cloudy ascent to heaven and in the reality of His forthcoming cloudy return from heaven. Calling attention to the similarity of language for all three events helps to confirm the historicity and reality of the 1844 event.”

At first, the committee chose the tune UNSER HERRSCHER (see SDAH 45 and 418) to go with this text, but when Maxwell revealed that he Wrote “with CWM RHONDDA churning in my brain,” it was decided to use the strong Welsh tune that inspired him. (CWM RHONDDA is also used for SDAH 201 and 538.)

C. Mervyn Maxwell was born in 1925 in England, but moved to Mountain View, California, in 1936 at age 11 when his father, Arthur S. Maxwell (“Uncle Arthur” of Bedtime Stories fame), was called to be editor of Signs of the Times. Mervyn earned the B.A. at Pacific Union College, 1946; an M.A. at SDA Theological Seminary, 1951; and a Ph.D. at the University of Chicago, 1966. For nine years he pastored California churches, and for years taught religion at Union College, Lincoln, Nebraska. Since 1968 he has chaired the Department of Church History, Andrews University, Berrien Springs, Michigan. Distribution of books authored by Maxwell total about 500,000: Man, What a God!; Look at It This Way, answering youth’s questions; Moving Out and Tell It to the World, histories of the SDA denomination; and God Cares, a two-volume set on the messages of Daniel and Revelation for “you and your family.” His wife, Pauline (Weitz), of Lodi, California, is a church organist and teaches music privately.

📖 Reference: Companion to the Seventh-day Adventist Hymnal by Wayne Hooper and Edward E. White. Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1988.