Does 2 Chronicles 5:14 teach slaying in the Spirit?

This is not a Biblical expression —or a Biblical phenomenon. When people talk about being ‘slain in the Spirit’ they normally refer to situations where, often through the influence of a ‘healer’, people lose control of themselves and fall over, normally backwards. They claim that these experiences are brought about by the Holy Spirit. However, the many Bible passages speaking of the Holy Spirit and His power never mention any experiences of this type. In fact, they are in direct contradiction to the character (Q.7) and the work (Q.9) of the Holy Spirit as described in God’s word.

And we may well know the readiness with which the glory thus changes its place. It was its own delight to do so. As our hymn says, beloved, "Tis His great delight to bless us — O how He loves!" To quit the fiery mount, and seat itself in the sanctuary; to put the place of judgment behind it, and to fill the place of grace; this was its happy path. As afterwards, when it came to occupy the house which Solomon built for it, it took its throne there with full complacency. "Arise into thy resting-place," said Solomon. "This is my rest for ever, here will I dwell, for I have desired it," answered the Lord. It was the good pleasure, the desire of the glory, to fill the place. And so when it does come down actually (as we see here, and also in 2 Chronicles 5), it spreads itself, if I may so speak; it stretches itself out as though it felt itself at home. The holy and most holy places are filled, and its train so flows forth into the courts, that neither Moses now, nor the priests then, could stand to minister.

There are seemingly two occasions when the glory filled the house so that the priests could not minister. The first (2 Chron. 5:11-14) is before Solomon's prayer, when the trumpeters, singers, and all join with one voice saying, or singing "For He is good, for His mercy endureth for ever," that then the house was filled with a cloud, the cloud appears as an answer to their shout of praise. Jehovah steps down from the heaven of heavens, His dwelling place, to His earthly throne, to receive the praise of His people and reveals His presence by a cloud. On the second occasion (2 Chron. 7:3) after Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offerings and the sacrifices, and the glory of the Lord filled the house. Two facts are recorded, the same as on the former occasion. The priests could not enter the temple by reason of the glory, and the people worship and repeat the same words, "For He is good, for His mercy endureth for ever." But when there were two occasions, the Holy Ghost is repeating the joyous record, returning to it after having given Solomon's prayer which gives more cause for grief than for joy, occupied with Israel's sin, and captivity in the end; this scene is the climax of their blessedness, the essence of their glory. Henceforth the glory declines, the fine gold becomes dim. Not many years after that glorious display, the dark shades of night spread a funeral pall over the guilty city and captive people, which will not be removed, till the nation's moral resurrection, when "many of them that sleep in the dust shall awake" (see Dan. 12).

It was when the ark had rested "that the cloud filled the house of the Lord, so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud: for the glory of the Lord had filled the house of the Lord." Like Moses, when the tabernacle was reared, the priests are unable to remain where God's glory dwells, for man under law cannot bear the brightness of God's glory. It is very different now under grace, for we can gaze into the glory in the face of Jesus, and His presence shall be our dwelling place for evermore.

Jehovah answered Israel's outburst of praise in a remarkable way. "The house was filled with a cloud, even the house of Jehovah, so that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud: for the glory of Jehovah had filled the house of God" (2 Chron. 5:13-14). The same thing happened to the Tabernacle, so that even Moses could not enter (Ex. 40:35). Moses, as mediator, had privileges beyond those of Aaron, but even he could not go into the sanctuary at that supreme moment. Ezekiel gives us the sorrowful history of the departure of the glory when Jehovah felt constrained in righteousness to forsake His house. Ezek. 9:3; Ezek. 10:4,18; Ezek. 11:23 describe the stages of its departure, as if God was most reluctant to give up His people. Ezek 10:4 tells us that "the court was filled with the brightness of Jehovah's glory," and Ezek 11:23 records that the glory-cloud paused on the mountain on the east side of the city (Olivet) before its final removal. Hear the word of Jehovah: "I will go and return to My place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek My face: in their affliction they will seek Me early" (Hosea 5:15). What it cost the heart of Jehovah thus to deal with the people of His choice is beyond our understanding. "How shall I give thee up? … Mine heart is turned within Me, My repentings are kindled together" (Hosea 11:8). "The Lord of all the earth" (Josh. 3:11) became as regards His governmental dealings "the God of heaven" (Dan. 2:37; Ezra 7:23). The glory-cloud returned to the land for one brief moment when our blessed Lord was upon the Mount of Transfiguration, but only three men were favoured to behold it (Matt. 17:5). They testify to us that in Him God found that delight that He has never yet found in Israel. Ezekiel was not only shown the glory departing from the Temple, he was also shown its return in happier days yet to come, when the repentant nation will say to the long-rejected Jesus, "Blessed is He that comes in the name of the Lord" (Matt. 23:39). Here is Ezekiel's prophetic vision, "the glory of Jehovah came into the house (the Millennial Temple) by the way of the gate whose prospect is toward the East … behold, the glory of Jehovah filled the house" (Ezek. 43:4-5; Ezek. 44:2). By the way of the East it went; by the way of the East it will return.

Having placed the ark in the holiest of all, the priests came out, and immediately the cloud of God's glory filled the house of the Lord (v.10). Thus God was indicating His presence in approving of the temple as His dwelling place among Israel. At that time the priests could not minister in the temple (v.11). The glory of the Lord was paramount, and man's work must then cease.

Clouds fill an important place both in the O.T. and N.T. They were the celestial veil of the presence of God — His chariot, and the hiding place of His power. It pleased God to manifest His presence to Israel in a cloud. The PILLAR OF CLOUD guided the children of Israel through the wilderness. Ex. 40:34-38. When they constructed the tabernacle Jehovah promised to appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat. Lev. 16:2. On special occasions Jehovah came down in a cloud, and spake unto Moses. Num. 11:25. At the dedication of the temple 'the cloud' filled the house so that the priests could not minister because of the cloud: "for the glory of Jehovah had filled the house of Jehovah." 1 Kings 8:10-11: cf. Num. 14:10. This visible symbol of God's glory, is often called the SHECHINAH. The word is from the Aramaic shakan 'to rest.' The word does not occur in scripture, but is often used by Jewish and Christian writers as signifying the dwelling or resting place of Jehovah.

Solomon’s temple was filled with a cloud after the sacrifices had been offered (2 Chr. 5:6, 13, 14). This is a picture of the divine presence by the Holy Spirit in the assembly — based on the finished work of Christ (John 19:30; Eph. 2:22).

Solomon’s temple was filled with a cloud after the sacrifices had been offered (2 Chr. 5:6, 13, 14). This is a picture of the divine presence by the Holy Spirit in the assembly — based on the finished work of Christ (John 19:30; Eph. 2:22).

When Solomon's house was dedicated the cloud of glory filled it, and that glory was so great that the priests could not stand to minister because of the glorious presence of Jehovah in His earthly and material temple. Now the Holy Spirit had come down and formed another house, a spiritual temple, wherein He was to dwell. And now His was a genial gracious influence. None were overpowered by the presence of the Spirit. None were afraid of His manifestations in their midst.