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There are two types of “presence” of God. Understanding both concepts and releasing them brings peace, power, and provision to our lives.
The Old Testament (OT) view of presence:
Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? (Psalm 139:7, ESV).
Every person (unless they’ve put on scientific and naturalistic blinders), while watching a sunset or walking through the woods, can sense something behind the creation — a God hiding behind the trees, and behind the rivers, the stars, the crashing waves, and the mountain vistas, peeking out in manifest glory.
It’s awesome!
Don’t make the mistake of thinking God exists within nature; He created it, and His Spirit still holds it all together, so we can sense Him, but let’s not worship creation, only the Creator.
This type of presence predominates in Old Testament theology. We can’t flee from the God of creation because He’s always there — hiding. We can’t see Him, but we can sense His presence.
The OT presence of God manifested to those on earth through burning bushes, glory on mountains, prophets with their warnings, along with seas parted, and spontaneous appearances as the Angel of the Lord.
God is constantly there, but our approaching Him requires a temple on earth.
The New Testament (NT) view of presence:
Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own (1 Corinthians 6:19).
Uh, oh, it seems that God has changed His address, from a temple in Jerusalem to — believe it or not — you, and me! As the Apostle Peter proclaimed in his first sermon to the church, sending out a change of address notice, to all future believers in God …
Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38).
No more long-distance pilgrimages to Israel are needed to experience God’s presence. Though still present when admiring views of Yosemite, He’s come in from the cold of a winter’s snow and is sitting next to us in front of the fireplace. Yet some of us still can’t sense His manifest presence within us.
Recognizing our flesh’s tendency to tamp down the things of the Spirit, Jesus gives us this teaching …
I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing (John 15:5).
The New Testament reveals a Spirit within, and we learn to walk in the Spirit’s peace, power, and provision by abiding in Christ. Whereas the Old Testament summed God’s presence as a sort of “watch and see” God who surrounds us, the New Testament says …
Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you … Therefore, do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:14b-18).
That’s the difference between the Old Testament and New Testament views of God’s presence: the first is hiding behind a tree, and the second is sitting right next to you on a cold winter’s night — and even better, dwelling within.
There can be nothing greater to celebrate during Christmas than Christ in us!
Guess who is sitting next to you. Also, note a dog, not a cat, beside the fireplace!