INTRODUCTION
1. Open your bibles to Isaiah 11:6.
(1) Isaiah 11:6 is a prophecy relating to the church that we read about in the New Testament. Verse six mentions that wolves would dwell peaceably with lambs. It mentions leopards lying down peaceably with young goats. It mentions calves and young lions dwelling peaceably together. It mentions a little child leading them.
(2) This is not to be interpreted literally. The peaceable wolf, leopard and lion are symbolic and figurative of the fleshly and ungodly nature of man coming under submission to God’s word and being as humble as a little child.
(3) Instead of an animal like nature controlling the desires and actions of those who are members of the church of the New Testament; a child like attitude is to lead those who are members of God’s New Testament church.
(4) Let’s read Isaiah 11:6, ““The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, The leopard shall lie down with the young goat, The calf and the young lion and the fatling together; And a little child shall lead them.”
(5) Turn to Matt. 18:1-4. In Matt. 18:1-4 Jesus teaches that the humble and dependant attitude of children must be characteristic of those who becomes members of His spiritual kingdom, which in Matt. 16:18&19 is called the church.
1) Let’s read Matt. 18:1-4, “1 At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 2 Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, 3 and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”
2) Jesus’ teaching in Matt. 18 helps to understand the symbolic and spiritual meaning of Isaiah 11:6.
2. In this lesson we are going to discuss the omnipresence of God. Do you know what the omnipresence of God mean? “Omni” means all. The word omnipresence means that God is present in all places all the time.
DISCUSSION
I. FIRST, WE WILL OBSERVE HOW THAT A FEW CHILDREN HAVE EXPRESSED THEMSELVES IN REGARD TO THE OMNIPRESENCE OF GOD.
1. We begin our discussion on the omnipresence of God by asking two questions. When is God in your presence? When are you in the presence of God?
2. I’m going to share some answers to the two questions. These answers come from young children.
(1) "I feel God's presence in school," "I feel God's presence in class," says Ridge, age 7.
(2) Daniel, age 9, provides us an example of how God's presence in our conscience can prevent us from doing wrong: "I know that God is around when I am alone and about to do something bad, but decide not to do it."
(3) "At church when we are singing, I sometimes close my eyes," and "It is really odd because I feel God, sometimes even in prayer”, says Marlee, age10.
(4) "I think God can be everywhere because he can look at everybody from the sky," says Kate.
(5) Some people believe they are expressing the greatness or hugeness of God by saying what Chad, age 10, said: "God is everywhere because he is everything."
4. With this statement of Chad’s I want us to correct what Chad and many adults think in regard to the presence of God.
(1) When Chad says, “that God is everywhere because God is everything” philosophers call this pantheism.
(2) Pantheism is a two syllable word. “Pan” meaning all. “Theism” means God. When you combine the two words they are saying that God is in all other things or you could say it this way; all other things have God in them.
(3) This may sound like a compliment to God at first thought, but according to the bible God is much bigger and greater than what God has created.
(4) Such a definition of God, limits God to the universe, but God and His presence is much larger than the universe.
(5) An illustration than can help us understand the idea behind “pantheism” is to think of the world, the earth, heaven and all the galaxies that make our universe to be represented by a glove.
1) Since pantheism teaches that God is no larger or greater than what God has created, then God would be compared to the hand that is put in a glove.
2) The glove represents what God has created and the hand represents God.
3) That kind of a description puts too many limitations on God.
4) God is much larger and greater than what God has created.
5) 1 Kings 8:27b says,“Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens can not contain You.”
5. For a moment, let’s go back to some statements about the presence of God.
(1) Shelby, age 7 says, "God can be everywhere because he is bigger than the world."
(2) Katy, age 8, says, "God is spirit”. Both Shelby and Katy say it just as beautifully as we read information about the omnipresence of God when we read the bible.
(3) Because human beings are confined to time and space, it's hard for us to imagine someone who isn't. However, Owen, age 9, makes a statement that teaches that God is not limited to time and space.
1) Owen says, "God can be everywhere because, well, he's God."
2) In other words Owen is saying that God is greater than humans and everything else that God has created.
6. Have our comments, up to this point helped you to understand that wherever you are or wherever you will ever go, God will always be present? God is omnipresent. God is always present in all places.
7. Don’t you think that is amazing that the young children made such accurate bible statements? Could all young children grow into adults and be faithful to God if they had more help from their parents and grandparents as they are growing up?
II. SECOND TURN TO PSALM 139:7. PSALM 139:7 TEACHES THAT THERE IS NO PLACE THAT ANYONE COULD GO, BUT THAT GOD IS ALREADY THERE.
1. Let’s read Psalm 139:7, “7 Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence?”
(1) The reference to “Your Spirit” and “Your presence” both refer to God the Father and God the Holy Spirit. It could be that “You Spirit” could refer to God’s personal Spirit and not necessarily to the Holy Spirit.
1) Both, the Father and the Holy Spirit and also Christ all are omnipresent and able to be present at all places at all times.
2) Where one member of the Godhead is, the other two members of the Godhead are also there. They are three different personalities and they all three have equal characteristics.
3) They each have different roles and work responsibilities, but they all are omnipresent and have other characteristics that show that they are divine in nature. We will discuss some of their other divine characteristics, “the Lord willing”, in another lesson.
(2) What is the obvious answer to David’s two questions? Where could David have went that God’s Spirit or God’s presence would not already be there?
1) There would not be anywhere that David could have gone that God would not already be there.
2) There would not be anywhere that I could go or that you could go that God would not already be there.
2. Turn to Jeremiah 23:23&24. Here, God teaches Jeremiah that the prophets that had been lying to His people had not done their lying without God knowing about it.
(1) God wanted the false prophets to know that His presence exist in places near them and in places afar off. Actually, there is no place in heaven or on earth where God’s presence does not exist.
(2) Let’s read Jeremiah 23:23&24, “23 Am I a God near at hand,” says the LORD, “ And not a God afar off? 24 Can anyone hide himself in secret places, So I shall not see him?” says the LORD; “ Do I not fill heaven and earth?” says the LORD.”
3. Turn to 1 Kings 8:27. In this passage, Solomon is questioning God about whether God would be content to dwell in the temple that Solomon was going to build for God, since God’s presence extends beyond heaven and that the heavens can not contain God.
(1) Let’s read 1 Kings 8:27, “But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You. How much less this temple which I have built!
(2) Both Jeremiah and the writer of the book of Kings, like some of the statements of the young people teach us that God’s presence extends far beyond what God has created.
4. Turn to Jonah 1:1-4. Do you remember the story of Jonah? Where did God tell Jonah to go to? Where did Jonah go instead of going to Nineveh?
(1) Tarshish is about as far west from Nineveh as one could go.
(2) Did God know where Jonah was after Jonah went down into the bottom of the ship and went to sleep?
(3) What did God do with the wind and to the sea to show His disfavor with Jonah?
(4) What did the men of the ship do to get the raging storm to stop?
(5) When the men pitched Jonah into the sea what swallowed Jonah?
(6) How many days and nights was Jonah in the belly of the great fish?
(7) Did God know that Jonah prayed to Him?
(8) Did God know where to find the great fish and tell him to vomit Jonah out on the land, so that Jonah could obey God this second time and go to Nineveh?
(7) Let’s read Jonah 1:1-4, “1 Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, 2 “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before Me.” 3 But Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. He went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid the fare, and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD.”
1) Jonah learned that he could not run away from God and his responsibilities.
2) Each Christian can learn this same lesson, not by having to learn it the hard way like Jonah did, but by taking the warning from the example of Jonah.
III. THIRD, WHAT DOES THIS BRIEF STUDY ABOUT THE OMNIPRESENCE OF GOD MEAN TO YOU RELATING TO YOUR EVERDAY LIFE?
1. Turn to Proverbs 15:3. Proverbs 15:3, like the other passages we have been studying, teaches us a very important thing about the omnipresence of God.
(1) The omnipresence of God and Proverbs 15:3 teach that God sees everything we do.
(2) Do you sometimes act more religious at the services of the church and when you are around those who are members of the church than you do when you are around those who are not members of the church?
(3) Do people in general of the community and the work place or at school know you to represent one life style and then those of the church know you to represent a different lifestyle?
(4) Do you understand that God is present with you and whoever you are around?
(5) Do you understand that God is present with you and whoever you are talking to and present when you say words you shouldn’t say as well as when your singing hymns at the church building?
(6) Do we understand that every thought, every attitude, is visible to God?
(7) Does being aware of these things make you try to live more faithful?
(7) Let’s read Proverbs 15:3, “The eyes of the LORD are in every place, Keeping watch on the evil and the good.”
1) Do I believe what this verse says?
2) What will I do in the future to show that I believe in the omnipresence of God?
2. Turn to Hebrews 13:5&6. For a second thing, the omnipresence of God means that we are never truly alone. God is always with you. God is always nearby.
(1) All of us on occasions may feel forsaken or forgotten, but the bible teaches that we really never are forsaken or forgotten.
(2 Hebrews 13:5&6 gives a very wonderful promise to His children.
1) The Hebrew writer teaches that as long as God’s children will not let material things have more influence in our lives than God, then God pledges to be our helper.
2) Let’s read Heb. 13:5&6, “5 Let your conduct be without covetousness [that is the putting of material things ahead of God]; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” 6 So we may boldly say: “ The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me!”
3) The omnipresence of God, that is the totality of God’s Being existing at each and every point in space and available as our helper ought to mean more to us than all the material things that we could ever purchase and stack up around us.
4) God is a God who is near and who promises to be our helper!
CONCLUSION
1. Turn Philippians 2:6-8. Philippians 2:6-8 teaches that there was a 33 year period of time of “God the Son’s life”, that He chose not be omnipresent. Do you know when that period of time was?
2. While on earth Jesus was both divine and human, but for that 33 years Jesus gave up the privilege of being present at all places at all times so that he could provide Himself as a sacrifice and one day provide the opportunity for the saved to come and live in heaven with Him, the Holy Spirit and the Father.
5. Let’s read Philippians 2:6-8, “6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, [that is Christ did not consider Himself being robbed by giving up exercising His omnipresent ability during His role in being an earthly servant and the One to die on the cross to save man]
“7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.”
(1) Does it make you humble to know that Christ chose not to be omnipresent during the three years of cruel treatment during His earthly ministry and during His horrible death on the cross?
(2) Instead of being omnipresent – instead of exercising the ability to be in all places throughout the world Christ chose to hang on the cross for me and for you.
(3) Christ focused all of His energy and ability in that one place – on the cruel and painful cross.
(4) Is our gratitude enough that we will come forward and obey the plan of salvation?
(5) If you are a fallen away Christian will you appreciate Christ enough to step forward and get our life o.k. with God?
6. If you need to respond, please come as we stand and sing!
Acknowledgements for trying to interpret the scriptures as accurately as possible and for some of the seed thoughts and illustrations go to the following:
1. Homer Hailey and his commentary on Isaiah by Religious Supply, Inc.
2. John Gill and his commentary on Psalm from studylight.org
3. Bob Winton CD Commentary on Jonah. 464 Ridgewood Drive Manchester, Tennessee 37355. If interested in CD covering many O. T. & N.T. books call (866) 753-8456.
4. CAREY KINSOLVING and www.KidsTalkAboutGod.org.
