The presence of God refers to
God’s actual nearness and self-revelation
to His creation and, especially, to His people.
Scripture presents both
the awesome holiness of God’s presence
and His gracious desire to
dwell with those He has redeemed.
The story of the Bible can be read as
the progressive unfolding of
God’s purpose to dwell with His people.
In the Old Testament, God’s presence is revealed in several significant ways:
God’s presence brought both blessing and danger. Because of His holiness, sinful people could not approach Him casually (Leviticus 10:1-3; Isaiah 6:1-5).
The New Testament reveals that God’s presence has come fully and personally in Jesus Christ:
“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory…” (John 1:14)
Jesus is “God with us” (Immanuel — Matthew 1:23). In Him, the fullness of God dwells bodily (Colossians 2:9). Through His life, death, and resurrection, the barrier of sin is removed so that God’s presence can be enjoyed without the limitations of the old temple system.
After Christ’s ascension, God’s presence is made real among His people by the Holy Spirit:
The Spirit’s indwelling is the New Covenant fulfillment of God’s promise to dwell with His people.
The Bible’s story climaxes with the full and unrestricted presence of God with His people:
“Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.” (Revelation 21:3)
In the new heaven and new earth, there is no temple, “for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb” (Revelation 21:22). God’s presence will be immediate, permanent, and filled with joy.
The presence of God is both the greatest joy and the most serious reality in the universe. Sin separates people from His presence, but the gospel restores it. Through Christ and the Spirit, believers already enjoy God’s nearness, yet they still look forward to the day when they will see Him face to face and dwell with Him forever in unbroken fellowship. The presence of God is the heart of eternal life.
Entry compiled for the JESUSaves.com Bible Glossary. Optimized for wiki.js Visual Editor.