There are almost 100 references in the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy concerning the existence of celestial vehicles. They are described in various versions as clouds, cloudy chariots, and fiery chariots. They are described as having wings and wheels, and they sometimes travel in convoys. Perhaps the best known references are Ezekiel's wheels and Elijah's fiery chariot, but there are many others, some of which are listed below.
1. Elijah - II Kings 2:11,12. "Behold, there appeared a cloud of fire and horses of fire. And Elisha saw it and cried, my Father, my Father, the chariots of Israel, and the horsemen thereof."
Desire of Ages, page 301. "Not for him (Elijah) the descent into the dust of death, but the ascent in glory, with the convoy of celestial chariots on high."
2. Elisha - II Kings 6:17. "And Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes that he may see, and the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw: and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha."
3. Ascension of Christ - Acts 1:9. "And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up, and a cloud received him out of their sight."
Desire of Ages, page 831. "...as the cloudy chariot of angels received Him."..."Christ had ascended to heaven in the form of humanity."
4. In heaven - Daniel 7:13. "I saw in the night visions, and behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the ancient of days, and they brought him before him."
Early Writings, page 55. "I saw the Father rise from the throne and in a flaming chariot go into the Holy of Holies within the veil, and sit down. Then a cloudy chariot, with wheels of flaming fire, surrounded by angels, came to where Jesus was, He stepped into the chariot, and was borne to the Holiest where the Father sat."
5. Second Coming - Jeremiah 4:13. "Who maketh the clouds his chariot."
Matthew 24:30. "And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory."
To The Little Remnant Scattered Abroad (1846), quoted in the Fruitage of Spiritual Gifts, L. H. Christian (1947).
"I saw a flaming cloud come to where Jesus stood. Then Jesus laid off His priestly garment and put on His kingly robe, and took His place on the cloud which carried Him to the East, where it first appeared to the saints on earth, a small black cloud which was the sign of the Son of man. While the cloud was passing from the holiest to the East, which took several days, the synagogue of Satan worshiped at the saints' feet."
6. Back to heaven - Early Writings, page 35. "Soon appeared the great white cloud. On it sat the Son of Man. The living saints were changed in a moment, and were caught up with the resurrected saints into the cloudy chariot. It looked all over glorious as it rolled upward. On either side of the chariot were wings, and beneath it wheels."
Spiritual Gifts, volume II, page 33. "Then Jesus' silver trumpet sounded as He descended on the cloud, wrapped in flames of fire. We all entered the cloud together, and were seven days ascending to the Sea of Glass, when Jesus brought forth the crowns and with His own right hand placed them on our heads."
7. Mt. Sinai and the Tabernacle - Deut. 33:2 (RSV). "He came from Sinai with ten thousand holy ones."
Psalms 68:17 (RSV). "With mighty chariotry, twice ten thousand, thousands upon thousands, the Lord came from Sinai into the Holy Place."
Ibid. (TEV). "With His many thousands of mighty chariots, the Lord comes from Sinai into the Holy Place."
Ibid. (KJV). "The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands."
8. Miscellaneous -
Isa. 19:1 (RSV). "Behold, the Lord riding on a swift cloud."
Psalm 68:4 (RSV). "Lift up a song to Him who rides upon the clouds."
Hab. 3:8 (RSV). "When thou didst ride upon thy horse, upon thy chariot of victory."
9. Angels - Great Controversy, page 512. "As God's messengers the angels go forth like the appearance of a flash of lightning, so dazzling their glory, and so swift their flight."
Conclusion: In the Bible and the pen of inspiration we have been taken behind the curtain to see tens of thousands and thousands upon thousands of celestial vehicles that are being employed to transport heavenly beings through space. Some day soon, if we are faithful, you and I will have the privilege of boarding one of those space craft for our journey to heaven. The magnificent space flotilla, composed of the huge flagship with Christ and the saints, will sweep through the Milky Way, passing whirling island universes, star clusters, and shining nebulae, through the blazing corridor in Orion to the heavenly city. All is made ready for the grand entry into the celestial city, and for a landing on heaven's giant space-port on the Sea of Glass.
