This is a video of Bethel’s “glory cloud,” which was released today by Charisma Mag. Watch it. If you want. Whatever. We’ll comment below.
For those who chose not to watch the video because your brain already hurts, here is what you would have seen. You would have seen some sparkly stuff (like dusties floating in the air of your living room) near the lights at the top of the Bethel sanctuary ceiling. It wasn’t really a “cloud.” It wasn’t really fog. It was like a smog that one might see from a really, really weak smoke machine attached to the duct work somewhere else in the building. Even that description might be too powerful. Literally, I’ve seen stronger “glory clouds” from beams of light through the open blinds in my living room.
What else you’ll see are charismatics dancing around and laughing and shouting. You also hear the “spirit-filled filmmaker” (according to Charisma Mag) take God’s name in vain several times (he’s not talking to God, he’s saying “OMG” like, “Eureka!” or “Egad!”).
Michael Brown wants to know why a “glory cloud” like this couldn’t be Biblical.
That’s a good question, Michael Brown. Let me list the reasons it’s not Biblical. There is such a thing as God manifesting his glory in a cloud, which I suppose is where the Montanists get it after the idea of its MODERN MANIFESTATION left the pit of hell. Let’s examine those Scriptures.
In 2 Chronicles 5:14, God manifested his glory in a cloud and his anointed, sanctified, and holy priests couldn’t bear to stand and minister in His presence. The same was recorded in 1 Kings 8:11.
In Exodus 40, God showed his glory in a cloud at the erecting of the Tabernacle, but it was so thick Moses couldn’t enter it and so dense the children of Israel couldn’t even see the building. At night, it glowed like fire.
In Exodus 13, the cloud (which redemptively foreshadowed Christ) led the people through the wilderness. It was a pillar. At night, again, it was as fire. This is repeated in Isaiah 4:5.
In Exodus 24:16 God’s cloud of glory covered Mt. Sinai (again, so thick the people couldn’t see it). Also, it was fire by night.
In Isaiah 6:4-5, the prophet saw God’s glory as though it were “smoke” that completely filled the throne room and he cried and fell down (forwards) in total despair, convicted over his sin.
Does any of that seem similar to the pretty dusties floating in the air amidst this crowd of psychosomatically-enthused charismatic blasphemers? No. It does not resemble anything in Scripture. It’s absurd. But for charismatics, this is legit. This type of chicanery does not produce faith; it requires faith to believe in it. The problem is, the Scripture never tells us to have faith in stupid things.
[Contributed by JD Hall, HT James Melvin]
PS, Justin Peters tweeted this just now…
