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Answer
Over the years, various unusual phenomena have occurred that some declare to be the manifestation of the glory of God. One of the most spectacular is the occurrence of “gold dust” falling from the ceiling during worship times. This golden film coats the hands and faces of those in attendance, who claim they have no explanation for it other than God manifesting Himself to them. Some accounts even mention the appearance of “diamonds” and “precious stones” in people’s hands. Gold fillings miraculously appear in people’s mouths. There are also individuals who assert they were covered with a golden substance during personal prayer times at home. These reports come from all around the world, and those who have witnessed this phenomenon state that it brought them closer to God. Could this be a genuine manifestation of God?
The Lord God Almighty can manifest Himself in any way He chooses, “But our God is in the heavens: He hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.”, (Psalm 115:3). Throughout the centuries, He has indeed revealed Himself to humanity in various ways that many would consider extraordinary. In the Old Testament, God spoke through a bush that did not burn up, “And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.”, (Exodus 3:2), a pillar of fire in the wilderness, “And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night.”, (Exodus 13:21), and a cloud that covered a mountain, “And the glory of the LORD abode upon Mount Sinai, and the cloud cov
He rested it six days, and on the seventh day, he called unto Moses out of the midst of the cloud. (Exodus 24:16). He has spoken through a donkey, “And the ass said unto Balaam, Am not I thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden ever since I was thine unto this day? was I ever wont to do so unto thee? And he said, Nay.” (Numbers 22:30), the physical presence of angels, “And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because the LORD hath heard thy affliction.” (Genesis 16:11), and through some unusual object lessons in the lives of the prophets (Hosea 1:2;Ezekiel 4:1-8;Jeremiah 13:1-6). In the New Testament, the Holy Spirit continued His supernatural manifestations by empowering believers to speak with foreign languages they had not studied (Acts 2:4-8), heal the blind and lame, “And Peter said unto him, Æneas, Jesus Christ maketh thee whole: arise, and make thy bed. And he arose immediately.” (Acts 9:34), and raise the dead (Acts 9:32-41). Could something similar be happening now? Could God be revealing His glory in a new way?
Spectacular spiritual presentations are nothing new, nor are they limited to Christianity. Most religions claim supernatural visitations, and adherents thrive on stories of those who supposedly experienced them. The apostle Paul’s initial message of a resurrected Jesus was as far-fetched to devout Jews as the
The concept of gold dust is intriguing to us. However, Paul’s audience in Berea demonstrated the most prudent approach when faced with extraordinary reports claiming divine origin. Acts 17:11 states that they “examined the Scriptures daily to verify the accuracy of Paul’s teachings.” By delving deeply into the Word, the Bereans became convinced that the resurrected Jesus of Nazareth was indeed the long-awaited Messiah. It is noteworthy that their conviction stemmed solely from scrutinizing the Scriptures. This should serve as our benchmark as well.
In 1 John 4:1, we are instructed to “test the spirits to determine if they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.” So, how can we evaluate phenomena like falling gold dust? A quick Google search reveals that no instance of worshippers being showered in gold dust has ever resulted in genuine gold. The purported “precious stones” have all been proven to be fake. Various laboratory tests have identified the “gold” as either cellophane or plastic glitter. Moreover, the gold fillings have consistently been confirmed as dental work. In light of these findings, a couple of questions arise: if God were to reveal Himself to believers in a “golden cloud,” would He employ plastic? Would the Holy God, who created authentic gold, manifest Himself with a cheap cellophane substitute (Job 41:11; Psalm 50:12)? And if He were to take the trouble to fill a decayed tooth with gold, wouldn’t it be more in line with the nature of Yahweh Rapha, “The Lord Who Heals” (Exodus 15:26), to simply heal the tooth?
There are three potential explanations for the phenomenon of the “golden cloud” and falling gemstones. Let us explore each of them in detail.
First, let us set aside skepticism and contemplate whether this could indeed be a genuine display of God’s glory.Shall be seen upon thee.” , (Isaiah 60:2). The Scriptures reveal that God values gold highly. He compares His own word to “fine gold” “More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.” , (Psalm 19:10). When He instructed Moses on the construction of the tabernacle, God provided specific guidance on the use of pure gold, pure silver, and precious stones (Numbers 8:4;Exodus 28:17-21;37:17-22). God demanded authentic materials because the purity of precious metals and stones reflects His own value and worth. Indeed, God is repelled by counterfeits or impurities (Exodus 30:3;Ezekiel 22:18;Isaiah 1:25). Therefore, when we study the Scriptures as the Bereans did, do we find a God who would display His glory with imitation gold dust and plastic gems? This occurrence does not seem to align with God as He has revealed Himself to us through His Word.
2. The second possibility is that the leaders overseeing these worship services are orchestrating a deception. Regrettably, there are numerous instances of pastors and worship leaders who have become involved in the “whatever it takes to reach people” mentality and have participated in deceit in the name of Jesus. We all long for a tangible visit from God. We are also inclined to trust leaders we admire. This longing and inclination can create a congregation susceptible to deception. While the leaders in charge of the “gold dust” gatherings vehemently deny exploiting a vulnerable public, the possibility must be acknowledged. If not them, then perhaps it was an overly enthusiastic congregant seeking to add a little “excitement.”
1. The presence of a “glory cloud” in the services is remarkable. It is important to note that in many videos capturing this phenomenon, a ceiling vent or removable tile is located quite close to the shimmering cloud.
2. Demonic involvement is frequently mentioned in the New Testament, making it a plausible explanation. Second Thessalonians 2:9 cautions that in the final days, wicked leaders will “do the work of Satan with counterfeit power, signs, and miracles” (NLT). Pay attention to the term counterfeit. Satan is a deceiver, a counterfeiter “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.”, (John 8:44). He demonstrated this against Moses in the courts of Pharaoh (Exodus 7:22;Exodus 8:7). His evil imitations are scattered throughout history. In Mark 13:22, Jesus warns that “false messiahs and false prophets will arise and perform signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.”
3. Satanic deception is one of the reasons Jesus cautioned His disciples to stand firm until the end (Matthew 10:22;Mark 13:13). Some of Jesus’ strongest words were directed at those who demanded a miraculous sign. He referred to them as an “evil and adulterous generation” “But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: “, (Matthew 12:39). An adulterer is someone who forsakes godly faithfulness for immediate gratification. Similarly, a spiritual adulterer shifts their focus away from the divine.
Work of Jesus Christ to seek spectacular displays in His name. When we begin to revere objects or displays as a means to enhance worship, we are in danger of mirroring the idolatry of the Israelites who demanded a golden calf «And he received them at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf: and they said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. », (Exodus 32:4). Jesus knew that many who followed Him were dazzled by the miracles but had little interest in the cross. Could it be that many today are in danger of substituting the spectacular for the spiritual and have little interest in crucifying the flesh (Galatians 5:24; Romans 6:2)?
It is not the purpose of this article to malign or question the integrity of anyone who has experienced a “gold dusting,” but it would seem that Scripture stands in sharp contrast to the claims of those who advocate such displays. There are no manifestations of this sort recorded anywhere in the Bible. Even during the powerful apostolic days of the book of Acts, God’s glory was revealed in the transformed lives of those who called upon Jesus’ name. The apostles’ miracles were merely to promote the resurrected Christ and were not an end in themselves. At no time did anyone report the appearance of a plastic glitter cloud as evidence of the Holy Spirit among them (1 Corinthians 2:2; Acts 3:12).
God does perform miracles. He does work in supernatural ways. And He does reveal Himself to us every day. Romans 1:20 says, “Since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.” The bBeauty, glory, and power of the Holy Spirit are accessible to anyone who repents and surrenders fully to the lordship of Jesus Christ (Acts 2:38; Luke 24:49; Galatians 2:20).
