Halloween is coming up later this month and the displays have already hit the stores and yards enticing party minded people to dress up their homes or themselves for the occasions. With the low cost of fog machines many set ups include them as a means of creating a creepy atmosphere of mist and fog. The goal is to scare little kids, and some adults, by making them think monsters will jump out of the smoke and grab them. Florida theme parks are filled with them for their big Halloween events. Ooohhh, I’m so scared (yawn).

The Bible records an event involving smoke that was genuinely frightening, and it didn’t require a fog machine or monsters. When God’s temple was finally finished the nation gathered to worship Yahweh and it was a service unlike anything those people had ever seen. When the priests carried the ark and the furnishings from the tabernacle to the temple it was a slow procession led by King Solomon and leaders from all the tribes marked by innumerable sacrifices (1 Kings 8:1-5; 2 Chronicles 5:1-6). They knew that they were honoring the Creator of heaven and earth and took it very seriously.

When they got everything in the Temple and it was set up correctly God sent an overpowering cloud of smoke into the temple that made the priests leave. The cloud was from God to represent His Glory and Power (1 Kings 8:6-11; 2 Chronicles 5:11-14). Make no mistake, the cloud did not contain God. It was simply a visible physical representation for the people that demonstrated His approval of the structure and the people’s worship.

So as the holiday approaches and you see the machines with their little clouds of fog don’t be afraid. The little ghosts and goblins jumping out from the fog aren’t real, nor are the ones conjured up in your imagination. Instead let the fog machines remind you of the power and Glory of God, who is so very real, and be afraid, very afraid of the one who can cover the world in smoke. As King Solomon said near the end of his life “fear God and keep His commandments…For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, wither it is good or evil” (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14). If you’re seeking the thrill of being afraid, why not go for the ultimate thrill and be afraid of God. And then do something about it.