How God Is Present with His People and How His People Abide in Him

And he went out to fulfill Asa, and stated unto him; “Hear ye me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin, the Lord is with you, whereas ye be with him: and if ye search him, he might be discovered of you; but when ye forsake him, he’ll forsake you.
—2 Chronicles 15:2

Distinguishing the 4 Methods in Which God Might Be Stated to Be with a Folks

For the phrases themselves, the very first thing proposed to be inquired into for his or her rationalization is that this; what’s it for God to be with a folks? God could also be stated to be with males, or current with them, in sundry respects.

1. By Divine Omnipresence

First, he could also be stated to be with them in respect of the omnipresence of his essence; so he’s naturally, and essentially current with all creatures; indistant from them, current with them. The ubiquity and immensity of his essence, is not going to enable that he must be distant from something to which he has given a being. “The heaven, even the heaven of heavens, can not comprise him” (1 Kings 8:27). Does he not fill heaven and earth? Is he a God at hand solely, and never afar off, as to the ends of the earth? This presence of God with all issues David emphatically declares (Ps. 139:7–12). However it’s not that, that’s right here supposed: that’s common, to all creatures, pure, and obligatory, this especial to some, voluntary, and of mercy; that of nature and essence, this of will and operation.

2. By the Incarnation

Secondly, God could also be stated to be with one in respect of private union, so he was with, and solely with, the person Jesus Christ. Θεὸς ἦν μετʼ αὐτοῦ, “God was with him,” (Acts 10:38), that’s, in private union; the human nature being taken into subsistence with the Son of God.¹

3. By Technique of the Covenant of Grace

Thirdly, God is current, or with any in respect of the covenant of grace. He’s with them to be their God in covenant, the tenor whereof is, that he is not going to depart them, nor shall they forsake him, he might be for them, and so they shall be for him, and never for one more. He’s with them for all of the ends of mercy, love, kindness, pardon, salvation, which might be proposed and exhibited in it: however neither is that this the presence of God right here supposed, although this be one thing that flows from it, and does attend it: for,

(1) First, that presence of God along with his folks has not such a conditional institution, as this right here talked about: it stands on different phrases, and higher safety than that right here proposed; it has obtained an everlasting ratification within the blood of Christ; is based within the immutable objective of grace, and isn’t left to the conditionality right here expressed, as we will see afterward.

(2) Secondly, the presence right here talked about, respects the entire physique of the folks; all Judah and Benjamin of their nationwide state, and consideration, unto whom, as such, the effectual covenant of grace was by no means prolonged; for they weren’t all Israel who had been of Israel.²

(3) Thirdly, the presence right here promised respects instantly the peculiar finish of blessing the entire folks with success of their wars and undertakings; so the event of the phrases, and the context, with regard to the next discourse do undeniably evince; it’s not then this presence of God solely that’s supposed, although, as it is going to afterward seem, it’s not to be separated from it.

4. By Technique of Windfall

Fourthly, there’s a presence of God in respect of providential dispensations, and that is twofold.

(1) First, normal; ordering, disposing, guiding, ruling all issues, based on his personal knowledge, by his personal energy, unto his personal glory; thus he’s additionally current with all of the world; he disposes of all of the affairs of all of the sons of males as he pleases; units up one and pulls down one other;³ modifications instances, seasons, kingdoms,⁴ bounds of countries,⁵ as appears good to him. The assistance that’s given to any he does it himself. “The shields of the earth belong unto God”;⁶ he works “deliverance within the earth,”⁷even amongst them that know him not. And the evils, desolations and destruction, that the earth is filled with, are however the results of his wrath and indignation, revealing itself towards the ungodliness of males.⁸ He’s thus current with each individual on the earth, holds his breath, and all his methods in his hand;⁹ disposes of his life, demise, and all his concernments, as he pleases. He’s current in all nations, to set them up, pluck them down, alter, flip, change, weaken, set up, strengthen, enlarge their bounds as he sees good; and the day is coming, when all his works will reward him:¹⁰ neither is that this right here supposed: it’s obligatory, and belongs to God, as God; and can’t be promised to any; it’s a department of God’s pure dominion, that each creature be dominated and disposed of, agreeably to its nature, unto the top whereunto it’s appointed.

(2) Secondly, particular; attended with peculiar love, favor, good-will; particular care towards them with whom he’s so current: so Abimelech noticed that he was with Abraham, “God is with thee in all that thou doest” (Gen. 21:22): with you, to information you, bless you, protect you, as we will see afterward: so he promised to be with Joshua (Joshua 1:5) and so he was with Gideon (Judges 6:12), to bless him in his nice enterprise; and so with Jeremiah (Jer. 15:2).¹¹ That is absolutely expressed [in] Isaiah 43:1-3. “I’ve redeemed thee, I’ve known as thee by thy title, thou artwork mine: when thou passest by way of the waters, I might be with thee, and thru the rivers, they shall not overflow thee;” and that is the presence of God right here intimated; his presence with the folks, as to particular providential dispensations, as is manifest from the entire discourse of the prophet; and whereby this consists, shall be afterward at giant declared.

Distinguishing the Two Methods in Which a Folks Might Abide with God

Secondly, what’s a folks’s abiding with God? There’s a twofold abiding with God.

Personally

(1) First, in private obedience, based on the tenor of the covenant, this isn’t right here supposed, however supposed: there is no such thing as a abiding in something with God, the place there’s not an abiding on this factor: but this, as I stated, just isn’t right here principally supposed, however supposed, one thing additional is meant: for as has been declared, it’s nationwide work, and nationwide abiding, that’s supposed; in order that—

Nationally

(2) Secondly, there’s an abiding with God in nationwide administrations: this can be a fruit of the opposite, in those that are known as to them; and that that is principally right here supposed, is obvious, from that use that Asa fabricated from this data, and exhortation of the prophet: he didn’t solely look to his private strolling thereupon; but in addition instantly set upon the work of ordering the entire affairs of the dominion; in order God could be glorified thereby; how this can be effected shall at giant afterward be declared; what has already been spoken could suffice for a basis of that proposition, which I shall at the present time insist upon: and it’s this.

Principal Doctrine Raised from the Textual content

Remark. The presence of God with a folks in particular providential dispensations for his or her good, is dependent upon their obediential presence with him, in nationwide administrations to his glory: “The Lord is with you, whereas ye be with him.”

This text is tailored from Sermons from the Commonwealth and Protectorate (1650–1659) (Volume 19) by John Owen.

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