Human Response to Divine Presence in Scripture
The human response to divine presence in Scripture is characterized by a mix of awe, reverence, and often, fear. When encountering God's presence, individuals frequently exhibit humility and a recognition of their own limitations. For instance, the Psalmist expresses a deep longing to be in God's presence, saying, "My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?" [1]. This sentiment is echoed in various biblical accounts where individuals respond to divine encounters with reverence and humility.
In the Old Testament, the concept of being in God's presence is often associated with the idea of being before His "face" [3]. This phrase is used to describe both the desire to be near God and the fear of being in His presence due to sin or unworthiness. For example, Adam and Eve hid from God's presence after sinning (Gen 3:8), illustrating the fear and shame that can accompany the awareness of divine presence.
The New Testament continues this theme, with Jesus being the embodiment of God's presence among humans. The author of Hebrews encourages believers to "look to Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross" [2]. This focus on Jesus as the mediator between God and humanity underscores the significance of His role in facilitating a right response to divine presence.
When individuals encounter divine presence in the New Testament, their responses often mirror those in the Old Testament. For example, upon seeing a vision of Jesus, John "fell at his feet as dead" due to the overwhelming nature of the encounter [7]. Similarly, the disciples' response to Jesus' transfiguration included fear and prostration (Matthew 17:6-7) [5]. These reactions highlight the profound impact of experiencing God's presence, whether through a theophany or through the person of Jesus Christ.
The biblical understanding of prayer as "converse with God" or "intercourse of the soul with God" also reflects the human response to divine presence [4]. Prayer is characterized by addressing God directly, seeking His presence, and acknowledging one's dependence on Him. The Psalmist's petitions, such as "Hear, O Lord, when I cry... Have mercy upon me, and answer me" [9], exemplify this conversational aspect of prayer, demonstrating a deep-seated desire to engage with God.
The theological significance of human response to divine presence is further underscored by the understanding that believers have "the mind of Christ" through the Spirit [6]. This enables them to comprehend and respond to God's presence in a manner that is consistent with their faith. The anticipation of a future state where believers will be like Christ, having "resurrection bodies," also informs their current response to divine presence, as they look forward to a fuller experience of God's presence in the future [8].
The varied responses to divine presence in Scripture—ranging from fear and awe to longing and prayer—collectively illustrate the complex and multifaceted nature of human interaction with the divine. These responses are shaped by the understanding that God's presence is both a source of comfort and a call to reverence.
The biblical narrative presents a nuanced view of human response to divine presence, emphasizing both the privilege and the challenge of being in God's presence. As seen in the examples of biblical figures and the theological reflections on prayer and the nature of Christ, this response is characterized by a deep-seated recognition of God's majesty and a desire to engage with Him in a meaningful way. The presence of God, whether experienced directly or through the mediation of Jesus Christ, elicits a response that is at once reverent, hopeful, and dependent on God's grace.
Sources
- Psalms “My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God? -- Psalms 42:2”
- Hebrews “looking to Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising its shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. -- Hebrews 12:2”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Face — Means simply presence, as when it is recorded that Adam and Eve hid themselves from the "face [R.V., presence'] of the Lord God" (Gen. 3:8; comp. Ex. 33:14, 15, where the same Hebrew word is rendered "presence"). The "light of God's countenance" is his favour (Ps. 44:3; Dan. 9:17). "Face" signifies also anger, justice, severity (Gen. 16:6, 8; Ex. 2:15; Ps. 68:1; Rev. 6:16). To "provoke God to his face" (Isa. 65:3) is to sin against him openly. The Jews prayed with their faces toward the temple and Jerusalem (1 Kings 8:38, 44, 48; Dan. 6:10). To "see God's face”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Prayer — Is converse with God; the intercourse of the soul with God, not in contemplation or meditation, but in direct address to him. Prayer may be oral or mental, occasional or constant, ejaculatory or formal. It is a "beseeching the Lord" (Ex. 32:11); "pouring out the soul before the Lord" (1 Sam. 1:15); "praying and crying to heaven" (2 Chr. 32:20); "seeking unto God and making supplication" (Job 8:5); "drawing near to God" (Ps. 73:28); "bowing the knees" (Eph. 3:14). Prayer presupposes a belief in the personality of God, his ability and willingness to hold inter”
- Matthew (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Matthew 17:6: 17:6-7 Such a response is typical for encounters with God’s glory (e.g., Isa 6:5; Dan 8:17; 10:9, 15-19; Rev 1:17).”
- 1 Corinthians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 1 Corinthians 2:16: 2:16 This quotation from Isa 40:13 shows how divine wisdom transcends the limitations of human reasoning (cp. Rom 11:34). • we have the mind of Christ: Linked to Christ, believers have the Spirit of Christ to reveal Christ’s thinking to them.”
- Revelation (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Revelation 1:17: And when I saw him,.... The glorious person here described, who was just behind him, and of whom he had a full view, being so near him: I fell at his feet as dead; through consternation and fear, the sight was so amazing and terrible; the appearance of a divine person in any degree of majesty and glory, has had some considerable effect upon men, even upon the best of men; but John seems to be more affected with it than any, as the vision was the more grand and illustrious: Manoah was afraid he should die, but did not fall down as dead; Ezekiel fell upon his face”
- 1 Corinthians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 1 Corinthians 15:49: 15:49 Like the earthly man, Adam, we have physical bodies in this life. But we will someday be like Christ, the heavenly man, experiencing the Kingdom of God in resurrection bodies (cp. Rom 6:4-14).”
- Psalms (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Psalms 27:7: David in these verses expresses, I. His desire towards God, in many petitions. If he cannot now go up to the house of the Lord, yet, wherever he is, he can find a way to the throne of grace by prayer. 1. He humbly bespeaks, because he firmly believes he shall have, a gracious audience: "Hear, O Lord, when I cry, not only with my heart, but, as one in earnest, with my voice too." He bespeaks also an answer of peace, which he expects, not from his own merit, but God's goodness: Have mercy upon me, and answer me, Psa 27:7. If we pray and believe, God will graciously ”