The Attributes of God Steve Lawson
Trinity Bible Church, Men's study, 2/24/22
LESSON 6. The OMNIPRESENCE (ubiquity) of God
MESSAGE INTRODUCTION
As embodied beings, we are limited by space and time. But God is everywhere at once. In this lesson, Lawson unfolds the biblical teaching of God's omnipresence, demonstrating that there is no place in Heaven or Hell, nor the entire universe, where God is not present in the fullness of His being.
INTRODUCTORY EXPLANATIONS
Man is FINITE
We are limited/bounded by matter, time and space.
God is INFINITE
That is, He is without bounds or limits in regard to:
1. MATTER: The Spirituality of God
2. TIME: The Eternality of God
3. SPACE: The Immensity & Omnipresence of God
IMMENSITY: God transcends all space.
OMNIPRESENCE: God is wholly present with all of His being in every point of space.
God's Relationship to SPACE:
In His Immensity, there is no place where God's Being either confined or excluded. God is above and beyond space; He transcends space, and exists independently from it. 2 Chronicles 6:18 "The heavens, even the highest heavens, cannot contain You."
It is by His Omnipresence that God governs and sustains every molecule of matter throughout all of space. God is everywhere present in space.
When the Bible describes God's interaction with space, it does so using anthropological terms, such as God "coming down" or "leaving," or as being "far from" the wicked, or "near to" the godly. These figures of speech give us a way of understanding God's relationship to space, because His real relationship to space is beyond our capacity to understand.
The presence of God may be considered in different ways. He is not present everywhere in the same sense or way.
LECTURE OUTLINE
I. God is Everywhere Present
A. The doctrine of divine omnipresence teaches that God is at the same time present in every part of the universe.
1. As a spiritual being, God does not experience spatial constraints and is not barred from any location.
2. Moreover, when God is present in all places, He is present in the fullness of His being.
B. The imagery of Psalm 139:7–10 encapsulates the comprehensive scope of God's presence.
1. Whether one ascends to the highest point (Heaven) or descends to the lowest point (Sheol), God is present.
2. Whether one flees to the distant east (the wings of the morning) or to the distant west (the uttermost parts of the sea), God's presence and influence are there still.
II. God is Gloriously Present in Heaven
A. God transcends human power and understanding.
B. Scripture attests that God rules from the highest place.
1. God is enthroned in the heavens (Psalm 123:1).
2. God is exalted over all competitors, and He rules over all the earth (Psalm 97:9).
3. God's throne is high and lifted up (Isaiah 6:1).
4. God's throne room is in Heaven (Rev. 4:1–2).
C. Christians in all places and times can trust in the knowledge that their God is in absolute control and is actively at work in their lives.
III. God is Graciously Present With His Redeemed People (upholding, sanctifying, comforting, and blessing them)
A. The God who is exalted on high (transcendent) is also present with His people (immanent).
B. Scripture affirms God's commitment to His creation and His people.
1. God accompanies His people in the valley of the shadow of death (Psalm 23:4).
2. God is present on earth and in Heaven (Deuteronomy 4:39).
3. God dwells both in the high places and with the humble and lowly (Isaiah 57:15).
4. God will be with His children to the end of the age (Matthew 28:20), never leaving or forsaking them (Hebrews 13:5; Jeremiah 23:23-24).
IV. God is Wrathfully Present in Hell
A. It is God Himself who administers divine wrath in Hell.
1. Revelation 14:10 describes eternal punishment taking place "in the presence of the Lamb."
2. Although Hell is sometimes described as a place where God is absent, He will be all too real to those who experience His judgment there.
3. Despite being present in Hell, God will turn His countenance—His gaze of blessing—away from Hell's inhabitants.
R.C. Sproul: As far as the people in Hell are concerned, it would be wonderful if God would desert them altogether. The problem with Hell is not simply the absence of God's graciousness. It is the presence of God that is so horrific! He is there in His judgment. He is there in His punitive wrath. He is present in Hell as the One who executes His justice on those who are there!"
Brad Klassen, God's relationship to space:
(1) God's creation of space—He brought space into existence (e.g., Genesis 1:1).
(2) God's lordship of space—He owns and controls space (e.g., Deuteronomy 10:14 "To the Lord your God belong the heavens, even the highest heavens, the earth and everything in it!")
(3) God's transcendence over space—space cannot contain Him (e.g., 1 Kings 8:27 "But will God really dwell on earth? The heavens, even the highest Heaven, cannot contain You.")
(4) God's immanence in space—He is wholly present everywhere in space (e.g., Psalm 139:7-12)
These four aspects must be read together in order to form a comprehensive understanding of God's relationship to space.
THOUGHT QUESTIONS
1. Hell is the one place where God withholds His presence. a. True b. False
2. The Latin word omni means ____.
a. Present b. Powerful c. Unlimited d. All
3. It is Satan who carries out vengeance on the unbelievers in Hell. a. True b. False
4. Describe how God is present in these places and with these people:
Heaven
Hell
the whole universe
believers
unbelievers
5. Christians commonly tell lost people that if they don't believe in Jesus, then they will be eternally separated from God. Should we be telling them this?
6. Explain: "God's omnipresence is a most COMFORTING truth to the believer!"
7. Explain: "God's omnipresence is a most HORRIFYING truth to the unbeliever!"
8. Psalm 90:8 "You have set our iniquities before You, our secret sins in the light of Your presence!"
Your comments on "secret sins".
https://www.gracegems.org/06/09/strumpets.html
QUOTATIONS
John Owen: This attribute of God's omnipresence argues the incomprehensibility of God. Nothing is more present than God, yet nothing is more hidden. He comprehends us, but we do not comprehend Him. He is known by faith, enjoyed by love, but comprehended by no mind. Only He fully knows Himself. We are limited, finite, impure, weak, foolish, and small. What little, little, little things we are to God! Angels hide their faces from Him—how much more ought creeping worms like us to humble ourselves before Him! When a man gets a first glimpse of the ocean, he is taken back with its vastness. Likewise, we should be swallowed up in admiration at the thought of the immensity of God!
There is no escape from God for the wicked, and no separation from Him for the godly.
Stephen Charnock: "Men will commit that in the presence of God which they would be afraid or ashamed to do before the eye of man!"
Thomas Watson: "This is terror to the wicked! God is their enemy, and they cannot escape Him, nor flee from Him, for He is everywhere present; they are never out of His eye nor out of His reach."
"The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good!" Proverbs 15:3
Ezekiel Hopkins: "We should always conduct ourselves as in His sight and under His eye, with all gravity and seriousness, with all reverence and submission, with all purity and holiness."
While we are on earth, God's gracious presence is our greatest treasure. We enter into God's gracious presence by ____________.
James 4:8,10 "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. . . ____________ yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you."
1 Peter 5:5 "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the ____________."
Isaiah 57:15 "For this is what the high and lofty One says—He who lives forever, whose name is holy: "I live in a high and holy place, but also with him who is contrite and ____________ in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite."
Isaiah 66:1-2 "This is what the Lord says: Heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool. Where is the house you will build for Me? Where will My resting place be? Has not My hand made all these things, and so they came into being?" declares the Lord. "This is the one I esteem: he who is ___________ and contrite in spirit, and trembles at My word!"
Ultimately, Heaven will be Heaven because we will experience God's glorious presence forever!
Revelation 21:3 "And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying: Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them."
Psalm 16:11 "In Your presence is fullness of joy! At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore!"
2 Chronicles 16:9 "For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him."
Isaiah 41:10 "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand!
Isaiah 43:1 "Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are Mine. When you go through deep waters, I will be with you!"
Isaiah 43:5 "Fear not, for I am with you!"
For meditation: Do I live consistent with the reality of God's omnipresence?