God is Omnipresent
Our God is not a localized God. The Hebrew like other near eastern people, were always in danger of thinking of God as a God of the Land. Their neighbors believed that their gods ruled over their territories.
2 Kin 5:17 Naaman said, "If not, please let your servant at least be given two mules' load of earth; for your servant will no longer offer burnt offering nor will he sacrifice to other gods, but to the LORD.
John 4:20 "Our fathers worshiped in this mountain, and you {people} say that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship." John 4:24 "God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."
If marked contrast to this tribal-god thinking, the Old Testament asserts that God is everywhere
Ps 139:7-10 Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend to heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the dawn, If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea, Even there Your hand will lead me, And Your right hand will lay hold of me. Amos 9:2-4 "Though they dig into Sheol, From there will My hand take them; And though they ascend to heaven, From there will I bring them down.”Though they hide on the summit of Carmel, I will search them out and take them from there; And though they conceal themselves from My sight on the floor of the sea, From there I will command the serpent and it will bite them. "And though they go into captivity before their enemies, From there I will command the sword that it slay them, And I will set My eyes against them for evil and not for good." Acts 17:28 for in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, 'For we also are His children.'
Concept which says God is in everything is wrong, but Bible says about his presence which is everywhere .He is the one who dwells in the holies and also with the humble and contrite of spirit.
Is 57:15 For thus says the high and exalted One Who lives forever, whose name is Holy, "I dwell {on} a high and holy place, And {also} with the contrite and lowly of spirit In order to revive the spirit of the lowly And to revive the heart of the contrite. Matt 5:3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Is 66:1 Thus says the LORD, "Heaven is My throne and the earth is My footstool. Where then is a house you could build for Me? And where is a place that I may rest?
(a) These Individuals were experiencing the mighty power of God all through their life (both during the time of prosperity and during difficult times).
Jacob: Gen 28:16-17 Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, "Surely the LORD is in this place, and I did not know it." He was afraid and said, "How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven."
Joseph: Gen 39:2-3 The LORD was with Joseph, so he became a successful man. And he was in the house of his master, the Egyptian. Now his master saw that the LORD was with him and {how} the LORD caused all that he did to prosper in his hand.;
Gen 39:8-10 But he refused and said to his master's wife, "Behold, with me {here,} my master does not concern himself with anything in the house, and he has put all that he owns in my charge. "There is no one greater in this house than I, and he has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do this great evil and sin against God?" As she spoke to Joseph day after day, he did not listen to her to lie beside her {or} be with her.;
Gen 39:21-23 But the LORD was with Joseph and extended kindness to him, and gave him favor in the sight of the chief jailer. The chief jailer committed to Joseph's charge all the prisoners who were in the jail; so that whatever was done there, he was responsible {for it.} The chief jailer did not supervise anything under Joseph's charge because the LORD was with him; and whatever he did, the LORD made to prosper.
Moses: Ex 33:14 And He said, "My presence shall go {with you,} and I will give you rest."
Ex 34:5-5 The LORD descended in the cloud and stood there with him as he called upon the name of the LORD. Then the LORD passed by in front of him and proclaimed, "The LORD, the LORD God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in loving-kindness and truth;
Joshua: Josh 1:9 "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go." Josh 1:17 "Just as we obeyed Moses in all things, so we will obey you; only may the LORD your God be with you as He was with Moses.
David: Ps 23:2 He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. Ps 23:4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
Jeremiah: Jer 1:8-9 "Do not be afraid of them, For I am with you to deliver you," declares the LORD. "They will fight against you, but they will not overcome you, for I am with you to deliver you," declares the LORD. Jer 15:20 "Then I will make you to this people A fortified wall of bronze; And though they fight against you, They will not prevail over you; For I am with you to save you And deliver you," declares the LORD. Jer 20:11 But the LORD is with me like a dread champion; Therefore my persecutors will stumble and not prevail. They will be utterly ashamed, because they have failed, With an everlasting disgrace that will not be forgotten.
(b) God always comforted Israelis when ever they are in difficulties by giving messages through the prophets
Deut 1:30 'The LORD your God who goes before you will Himself fight on your behalf, just as He did for you in Egypt before your eyes, Deut 9:3 "Know therefore today that it is the LORD your God who is crossing over before you as a consuming fire. He will destroy them and He will subdue them before you, so that you may drive them out and destroy them quickly, just as the LORD has spoken to you.
Deut 31:6-8 "Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble at them, for the LORD your God is the one who goes with you. He will not fail you or forsake you." Then Moses called to Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel, "Be strong and courageous, for you shall go with this people into the land which the LORD has sworn to their fathers to give them, and you shall give it to them as an inheritance.”The LORD is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed."
Is 8:10 "Devise a plan, but it will be thwarted; State a proposal, but it will not stand, For God is with us."
Jer 23:24 "Can a man hide himself in hiding places So I do not see him?" declares the LORD. "Do I not fill the heavens and the earth?" declares the LORD.
Deut 23:14 "Since the LORD your God walks in the midst of your camp to deliver you and to defeat your enemies before you, therefore your camp must be holy; and He must not see anything indecent among you or He will turn away from you.
(c) Our God still works among the believers bringing forth from us Gal 5:22- the fruit of the Spirit which is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; The word of God says he will neither leave us nor forsake provided we should John 15:4 "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither {can} you unless you abide in Me.
Josh 1:5 "No man will {be able to} stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you.
Is 57:15 For thus says the high and exalted One Who lives forever, whose name is Holy, "I dwell {on} a high and holy place, And {also} with the contrite and lowly of spirit In order to revive the spirit of the lowly And to revive the heart of the contrite.
Heb 13:5 {Make sure that} your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, "I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU,"
Phil 4:9 The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
Rom 15:33 Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen.
