New Bible Concepts

Harmonizing

Scripture With Scripture

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Sensing the Presence Of God

God's Presence = God's Glory

In Exodus 14 we find a wonderful story of God (Yahweh) revealing himself. The purpose was to show the Egyptians that He was the true God but also to strenghten himself with his people, the nation of Israel.

Exodus 14:4 And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, that he shall follow after them; and I will be honoured upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host; that the Egyptians may know that I am the LORD (the self-existent, eternal Creator).

Exodus 14:13 And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever.

Exodus 14:18 And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD (Yahweh), when I have gotten me honour upon Pharaoh, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.

The word for honour is also translated in various places as glory.

Exodus 14:30 Thus the LORD (Yahweh) saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the sea shore.

Yahweh had just shown himself to the Egyptians and Israelites and yet no one "saw" Him only the result of His presence.

This account is reiterated again in Psalm 136. Notice the indication of God's hand and arm being used in the account, yet, it is obvious that His actual hand and arm were never seen.

Psalms 136:10 To him that smote Egypt in their firstborn: for his mercy endureth for ever:

11 And brought out Israel from among them: for his mercy endureth for ever:

12 With a strong hand, and with a stretched out arm: for his mercy endureth for ever.

This is an example, one which could be repeated many times from scripture, of how God reveals himself. The picture of Him was clear in their minds but He never actually physically showed himself.

Now, consider the revealing of Yahweh in the New Testament.

John 9:3 Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.

John 11:4 When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.

John 12:28 Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.

Once again, Yahweh had shown himself in these accounts without ever actually making himself visible.

Now connect the dots.

Matthew 16:27 For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.

28 Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see (just as the Israelites saw in Ex. 14:30) the Son of man coming in his kingdom.

Yahweh was soon to reveal himself again. This would occur in the lifetime of some of those hearing the words of Christ. Christ would bring judgement upon Jerusalem and those who did not believe and follow him. It would be done in the "glory of his Father" just as God had "shown" himself in the past many times.

His presence would be seen and felt. That is what the disciples minds were envisioning and why they asked the question in Matthew 24:3:

And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming (Gk. parousia = presence), and of the end of the world (Gk. aion = age)?

The disciples knew that Christ's presence would occur just like his Father's presence had been revealed in history. They were curious as to what those events would be. Christ clearly answered their question in the remaining verses of Matthew chapter 24.