In today's message, I would like for us to behold our God in His omnipresence.

I - An Omnipresent God

1. God is not limited by space

As we have learned two Sunday's ago, God created time but He is not bound by time. And not only is He not limited by time, God is also not limited by space. He is not confined in space. This is what differentiate God from human beings. God does not need space, is not affected by space, and does not think in terms of space. God cannot be contained to just one place. God does not live in cathedrals and sanctuaries. Solomon confessed as soon as he had built the temple ...

2 Chronicles 2:4 Behold, I build an house to the name of the LORD my God, to dedicate it to him, and to burn before him sweet incense, and for the continual shewbread, and for the burnt offerings morning and evening, on the sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on the solemn feasts of the LORD our God. This is an ordinance for ever to Israel. 5: And the house which I build is great: for great is our God above all gods. 6: But who is able to build him an house, seeing the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain him? who am I then, that I should build him an house, save only to burn sacrifice before him?

1 Kings 8:27 But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded?

When Solomon dedicated the temple in Jerusalem to the true worship of God, he would have the people of Israel know that God is not confined in the temple, because nothing can contain God, not even the entire vast universe. Nothing can limit His Being. The temple was only built so that we might serve Him there.

Solomon would have the people to understand what kind of God they were to worship there - a God that cannot be confined in a space. He is a God that is infinite, a God that is omnipresent.

2. God is present in all places at all times

Omnipresent means that God is present everywhere at all times. There is not a place in the universe where God cannot be found. He is present everywhere in the universe at the same time. He is everywhere here, close to everything, next to everyone.

Omnipresence is hard for us to grasp because we can only be one place at a time, but God is everywhere at the same time. 

This truth about God is clearly taught in the Bible ...

Psalm 139:7 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? 8: If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. 9: If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; 10: Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. 11: If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. 12: Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.

Acts 17:28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.

Present to all of the creation - every place and every time present to all of it.

He alone is omnipresent

He alone is everywhere present. Only God is Omnipresent. Satan is not omnipresent.

When we think of omnipresence of God, we need to understand two words namely, Immanent and Transcendent.

II - An Immanent God

Immanence is closely related to God's omnipresence. The immanence of God means "to be within" or "near" in relation to God's creation. The God we believe and confess is an immanent God, that is, He is nearby.

The immanence of God not only speaks of His all-presence but also His active involvement in our lives. The very existence of God's Word in written form testifies to God's interest and action in His world. Israel's survival throughout biblical history and Jesus' Incarnation bear powerful witness that God is present and involved. He is literally "sustaining all things by His powerful word" (Hebrews 1:3). He is Immanuel, "God with us"; He is immanent.

Matthew 1:23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

Matthew 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

Matthew 28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 20: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

III - A Transcendent God

There are two errors we need to avoid when we think of the omnipresence of God, namely, Pantheism and Deism.

Pantheists believe that God is in all things (which is by the way biblical) and all things are God (this is unbiblical). They believe that since God is present everywhere in the universe, then the universe is God. Pantheism equates God and the universe.

Deists hold that God is distinct and separate from His creation but deny that He plays an active role in it. 

Pantheism is the affirmation of God's immanence but the denial of God's transcendence. Deism is the affirmation of God's transcendence but the denial of God's immanence.

But what does the Bible teach about God? Contrary to pantheism and deism, the Bible teaches that God is both immanent and transcendent. God is always present within the universe, but distinct from it. He different from His creation but actively upholding it.

This well-supported in the Bible...

Jeremiah 23:23 Am I a God at hand, saith the LORD, and not a God afar off? 24: Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the LORD. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the LORD.

He is both "nearby" and "far away."

Acts 17:27 That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: 28: For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.

Colossians 1:17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist (hold together).

That is God's immanence.

Psalms 97:9 For thou, LORD, art high above all the earth: thou art exalted far above all gods. (cf Psalm 108:5, Isaiah 55:8-9)

That is God's transcendence.

Immanence of God (God is present within space and time) and Transcendence of God (God exists outside of space and time) are both attributes of God. 

The transcendence of God means that God is above, other than, and distinct from all he has made - He transcends it all. 

Ephesians 4:5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6: One God and Father of all, who is above all (transcendent), and through all, and in you all (immanent).

The Bible tells us that all things have their being in Him, but He's distinct from all things. He fills the universe, but He's not mingled with it. He guides and sustains all things, but His personality is above all things. He's independent from all creation.

III - Applications

The truth that God knows everything about me, everything I do, everything I think, everywhere I go and everything I say, and that He sees everything that I do, good or bad, right or wrong, this truth can be frightening. But when David thinks upon the omniscience and omnipresence of God, he was not terrified and horrified, but instead he was comforted by the knowledge and the presence of God.

How is it that David can be comforted from the perfect knowledge and presence of a holy God and David knows he is such a sinful man?

6: Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.

It led David in awe and worship and comfort.

7: Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? 8: If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. 9: If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; 10: Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. 

David is applying very personally to himself. God is present to him and present with him.

David is not seeking to run away and hide from God He is not desiring to find some place where he could go away and hide himself from God. He is just saying that wherever he goes in the vast universe, God is there holding him. God's ever presence is comfort to David.

11: If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. 12: Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee. 

God can see in the dark. What you cannot see in the dark, God can see.

Can you see God?

I cannot see God but He always sees me. Even though I cannot see God, God sees me. God sees us in secret places. He knows and He sees what I am doing, whether I am doing right or I am doing wrong.

13: For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb. 14: I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. 15: My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. 16: Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them. 

This blows my mind to think that when you and I were still tiny babies in our mother's womb, hidden in the womb, God is present with us there. God was fearfully and wonderfully forming us. God was tenderly and miraculously knitting our parts together in that secret place. When you and I were yet in the womb, God is present with us there.

17: How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! 18: If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

A warning to the lost

19: Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloody men. 20: For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain. 

According to David here, the reality of God's omnipresence should strike terror to the wicked. because surely God will judge them. They cannot and will not escape from His presence.

The first thought of the sinner is, "How can I escape." The presence that soothes, comforts, encourages, and strengthens the soul of the Christian, will interrupt, disturb, convict, and vex the soul of the sinner. God's undeniable presence is felt by everyone. The difference is that the Christian has the Spirit to draw Him into God's sweet presence. What a blessing it is to hope in His mercy instead of fleeing from His wrath.

Then David closes with a prayer ...

23: Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: 24: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

David confesses that he doesn't know all his sins. That's why he is asking God to search his heart, to look into his heart and to show him his sins. David prays that God might show him his sins that he might repent of them and continue in his pursuit of holiness and sanctification.

Practice of the presence of God

That God is here both Scripture and reason declare. It remains only for us to learn to realize this in conscious experience. We must practice the presence of God.

Psalm 23:4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Psalm 16:8 I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. 9: Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope.

"The knowledge that God is present is blessed, but to feel His presence is nothing less than sheer happiness." - Dr. Allen Fleece

Psalm 16:11 Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.