La Presencia de Jesus
La Presencia de Jesus esta en los lugares ordinarios y comunes.
The divine presence is often manifest by God’s visible glory, accompanied by fire, smoke, and cloud, since God himself cannot be seen except as he became incarnate. God speaks, walks, and most importantly dwells among his people in the tabernacle (Exod 40:34) and as the Word made flesh (John 1:14).
Concept Summary
God’s presence is said to dwell (שָׁכַן, šākan; σκηνόω, skēnoō) among his people in the tabernacle (מִשְׁכָּן, miškān) or in Jerusalem and on Mount Zion (Exod 25:8; Num 35:34; Isa 8:18; Zech 8:3). God’s presence is occasionally described as him walking (הָלַךְ, hālak) with his people (Lev 26:12; Num 14:14). His presence is represented by his glory (כְּבוֹד יְהוָה, kĕbôd YHWH, “glory of Yahweh”) or Spirit (רוּחַ־אֱלֹהִים, rûaḥ-ʾĕlōhîm, “Spirit of God”). People enter the divine presence typically by approaching God at a sacred place (מִקְדָּשׁ, miqdāš), usually the temple or the tabernacle, though some people encounter God’s presence elsewhere, especially at Mount Sinai (Exod 3; 1 Kgs 19). God’s presence can also be described in terms of someone being “before” (לִפְנֵי, lipnê; ἐνώπιον, enōpion) God or before his “face” (פָּנֶה, pāněh; πρόσωπον, prosōpon). In the New Testament, God is present and incarnate in Jesus Christ, and his return (παρουσία, parousia) is eagerly awaited.
Theological Overview
Visual manifestation of the divine presence, often referred to as the glory of Yahweh (כְּבוֹד יְהוָה, kĕbôd YHWH), is marked by light, fire (אֵשׁ, ʾēš), smoke, and clouds (עָנָן, ʿānān) (e.g., Exod 24:16–17). The presence of God requires holiness (e.g., Exod 3:5), which is why Israel must follow strict laws protecting the holiness of God’s earthly dwelling to ensure that God’s presence would continue to dwell in their midst in the tabernacle or temple (e.g., Lev 26:3–13; compare Ezek 10:18–19). When God reveals his presence to Moses (Exod 33:18–23) and Elijah (1 Kgs 19:11–12) he is said to pass by (עָבַר, ʿābar), and Moses only sees his back. Several idioms for God’s presence with Israel are given in Num 14:14.
In the New Testament, God’s presence on earth is embodied in the person of Jesus Christ as God incarnate, who has come to dwell (σκηνόω, skēnoō) upon the earth (John 1:14). Those who have seen Christ have seen God the Father (John 14:9). In the eschaton, God will again dwell (skēnoō) with redeemed humanity (Rev 21:3).
Lexical Information
Old Testament
שָׁכַן (šākan). vb. to settle down, dwell. To settle on or inhabit or dwell at some location.
This verb signifies dwelling or staying in a particular location. It is often used of humans; for example, in Gen 26:2 God tells Isaac to “dwell (šākan) in the land which I will show to you.” It is also often used of God. He is said to dwell (šākan) on high (Isa 33:5), to dwell (šākan) in thick darkness (1 Kgs 8:12) and to dwell (šākan) eternally (Isa 57:15). This verb is also used to refer to God’s glory or presence dwelling upon the earth; for example, the glory of Yahweh (כְּבוֹד יְהוָה, kĕbôd YHWH) dwelled (šākan) on Mount Sinai when God gave the law (Exod 24:16). The tabernacle was built to be the place God dwelled (šākan) among His people (Exod 25:8; 29:45–46). Later, the temple was where God’s name dwelt (šākan) (1 Kgs 6:13); it was the place he chose for his name to dwell (šākan; Deut 12:5, 11), on Mount Zion (Joel 3:17), in Jerusalem (Psa 135:21). For the presence of God to dwell with his people, they need to meet certain conditions (Ezek 43:9). Some prophets foresaw God’s presence returning to dwell (šākan) in Zion (e.g., Ezek 43:7; Zech 2:10–11; 8:3).
מִשְׁכָּן (miškān). n. masc. tabernacle, dwelling place. The mobile temple built for God to dwell among his people.
This word is derived from the verb שָׁכַן (šākan, “to dwell”). It sometimes refers to a tent or other place where humans dwell (e.g., Song 1:8, Isa 22:16), but it often refers to the tabernacle, a portable tent-shrine for God to dwell in. The tabernacle (miškān) was made as a sanctuary according to a plan God showed Moses on Mount Sinai, so he could dwell (šākan) among his people (Exod 25:8–9; 26:30). At its dedication and when it was set up in the desert, it was filled with the glory of Yahweh (כְּבוֹד יְהוָה, kĕbôd YHWH) and a cloud (עָנָן, ʿānān) covered it (Exod 40:33–35; Num 9:15–17; Psa 26:8). Due to Israel’s wickedness, God’s presence abandoned the tabernacle at Shiloh (Psa 78:58–60). Ezekiel prophesied that God would again have a tabernacle (miškān) among his people (Ezek 37:27).
מִקְדָּשׁ (miqdāš). n. masc. sanctuary, sacred place. Refers generally to any religious shrine, but frequently refers to a place where God dwells, such as the tabernacle or temple.
In Exodus 25:8–9, Yahweh commands Moses to make him a sanctuary (miqdāš) where he can dwell among the people of Israel. Exodus 15:17 refers to the mountain that God made for himself to inhabit as a miqdāš. The tabernacle and the temple both could be called a miqdāš (Lev 16:33; 1 Chr 22:19). While miškān could be used for any dwelling, miqdāš explicitly indicates a sacred place where the divine presence would dwell.
כְּבוֹד יְהוָה (kĕbôd YHWH). n. construct phrase. The glory of Yahweh. The brilliance of the divine presence.
The glory of Yahweh appears several times to show God’s presence among his people. It appears in a cloud (עָנָן, ʿānān) for Israel to see (Exod 16:7–10) and rests on Mount Sinai like a consuming fire (אֵשׁ, ʾēš; Exod 24:16–17). It appears to Moses and Aaron personally (Num 20:6; Exod 33:18–23). The glory of Yahweh rested in the tabernacle when it was dedicated to sanctify it (Exod 29:43), and similarly came upon the temple when it was dedicated (1 Kgs 8:11; Psa 26:8). Ezekiel saw it leave the temple at the exile (Ezek 10:4–19; 11:23) and saw its return in a vision (Ezek 43:1–7; 44:4). Other prophecies say the earth will be full of God’s glory (Num 14:21) and people will see it (e.g., Isa 35:2; 40:5; Psa 102:16).
אֵשׁ (ʾēš). n. masc. fire. God’s presence is sometimes manifest in or associated with fire.
Fire is often associated with God’s presence; it goes before God (Psa 50:3; 97:3). When God manifests himself to Elijah, fire precedes God, but he was not in the fire (ʾēš) itself (1 Kgs 19:12). When Abraham and God make a covenant, God walks between the divided beasts with manifestations of a smoking firepot and a flaming (ʾēš) torch (Gen 15:17); later, God speaks to Moses from a flame of fire (ʾēš) in a bush (Exod 3:2). God leads Israel out of Egypt with a pillar of fire (ʾēš) (Exod 13:21–22; Deut 9:3), and his glory appears to the people and on Mount Sinai in fire (ʾēš) and smoke (Exod 19:18; 24:17; Deut 4:11–12; 5:4–5). Some prophets tell of God’s presence returning to Zion and Jerusalem after the exile in the form of fire (e.g., Isa 4:5; Zech 2:5).
עָנָן (ʿānān). n. masc. cloud. God’s presence is sometimes associated with clouds—often fiery clouds—in which his glory appears.
God’s glory appears in clouds (ʿānān; Exod 19:9, 16; 40:35), and often clouds are associated with his presence (e.g., Exod 13:21) in that they surround him (e.g., Psa 97:2; Lam 3:44; Ezek 1:28). When God comes to dwell in the tent of meeting, the tabernacle, and the temple, clouds (ʿānān) fill them or rest upon them (Exod 33:9; Num 9:15; 1 Kgs 8:10–11). God is said to descend in clouds (ʿānān; Exod 34:5; Num 11:25; 12:5) and rest in a cloud (ʿānān) upon the ark in the temple (Lev 16:2). In a vision, Ezekiel sees God’s presence leave the temple, accompanied by clouds (ʿānān; Ezek 10:3–4). Isaiah prophesied that God would put a cloud (ʿānān) and fire (ʾēš) above the whole of Mount Zion (Isa 4:5).
פָּנֶה (pāněh). n. masc. face. The face of a person; metaphorically, someone’s presence.
This noun generally refers to a person’s physical face (e.g., Gen 43:31). Often, though, it is used idiomatically for someone’s presence, including God’s presence (Job 1:12; 2:7). No one can see God’s face (pāněh) and live (Exod 33:20), though Jacob says he has (Gen 32:30). Moses is said to have known and spoken to God face to face (pāněh; Exod 33:11; Deut 5:4; 34:10), meaning directly and in a very special way. God brought Israel out of Egypt with his own presence (pāněh; Deut 4:37); the presence (pāněh) of Yahweh also scattered the Israelites into exile (Lam 4:16). In some contexts, to come to the presence (pāněh) of Yahweh can mean to worship him at the sanctuary (e.g., Exod 34:24).
הָלַךְ (hālak). vb. to walk, to go. Sometimes God’s presence is expressed by saying he will walk with or go before his people.
God is present with his people if he walks (hālak) among them (e.g., Lev 26:12; Deut 23:14); sometimes God is said to go (hālak) before his people (e.g., Isa 52:12, Num 14:14, Exod 13:21), to lead and protect them.
עָבַר (ʿābar). vb. to pass by. Sometimes God reveals his presence by passing by someone.
When Moses asks to see God’s glory, God says he will pass by (ʿābar), but Moses will see only his back (Exod 33:18–23). When God reveals himself to Elijah, again he is said to pass by (ʿābar), though his presence is in a soft whisper (1 Kgs 19:11–12).
רוּחַ־אֱלֹהִים (rûaḥ-ʾĕlōhîm). n. construct phrase. the spirit of God. Sometimes the Spirit of God comes upon someone for prophecy.
The Spirit of God (rûaḥ-ʾĕlōhîm) comes upon various people and makes them prophesy, including Saul (1 Sam 10:10; 11:6; 19:23), Saul’s servants (1 Sam 19:20), and Azariah (2 Chr 15:1). The phrase רוּחַ יהוה (rûaḥ YHWH, “Spirit of Yahweh”) is used in the same way; thus, rûaḥ YHWH in 1 Sam 10:6 and rûaḥ-ʾĕlōhîm in 1 Sam 10:10 are both used for the same Spirit of God coming upon Saul.
New Testament
σκηνή (skēnē). n. fem. tent, tabernacle. This can refer to the tabernacle or temple where God dwelt on earth and the heavenly temple.
This is the usual translation in the Septuagint of the Hebrew מִשְׁכָּן (miškān, “tabernacle, dwelling place”). In the New Testament it can refer to the tabernacle (Acts 7:44–49), though God does not dwell in tents or temples but in a heavenly tabernacle (e.g., Heb 8:2–5; 9:11; Rev 15:5), which will again be set among redeemed humanity for God to dwell with them (Rev 21:3).
σκηνόω (skēnoō). vb. to dwell, to live, to shelter. This verb is sometimes used in the New Testament to refer to God dwelling among His people.
This verb is related to σκηνή (skēnē, “tent, tabernacle”). John 1:14 describes the incarnation as God coming to dwell (skēnoō) on earth as a human. Rev 21:3 says that God’s tabernacle (skēnē) is among men and that God will dwell (skēnoō) among them.
παρουσία (parousia). n. fem. presence, arrival, advent. In the New Testament, it can refer to the future arrival and presence of Jesus at the end of the age.
This word has a general sense of “presence” or “arrival” (i.e., becoming present). In non-Christian literature it sometimes has the special sense of a visit from an important figure, such as royalty or a deity. In the New Testament it sometimes refers to merely human visits (e.g., 1 Cor 16:17, Phil 1:26), but often has a specialized sense referring to the advent of Christ’s presence. Christ’s coming (parousia) will be obvious (Matt 24:27; 2 Thess 2:1) and sudden (Matt 24:37–39), though with some warning signs (Matt 24:3). This advent (parousia) will be for judgment (e.g., 2 Thess 2:8; 2 Peter 3:11–12), and believers should be prepared so they can be blameless and rejoice at Christ’s arrival (parousia; e.g., 1 Thess 2:19; 3:13; 4:15); in the meantime, they wait patiently for it (Jas 5:7–8; 2 Peter 3:4).
πρόσωπον (prosōpon). n. neut. face. Literally, the face of a human; metaphorically, someone’s presence.
The primary meaning of this word is a physical face (e.g., Matt 6:16), but like the Hebrew פָּנֶה (pāněh, “face”) it is sometimes used metaphorically to denote someone’s presence (e.g., being in God’s presence in heaven is sometimes expressed as seeing his face). In Matthew 18:10, angels see God’s face (prosōpon), and God’s servants are said to see his face (prosōpon) in Rev 22:4. Hebrews 9:24 says that Christ will appear in the presence (prosōpon) of God on our behalf. The concept of seeing God “face (prosōpon) to face (prosōpon)” is used to denote direct interaction with God (1 Cor 13:12).
ἐνώπιον (enōpion). prep. before, in sight of, in front of. Spatially, “in front of”; abstractly, “in the presence of” and “in the judgment of.”
This word can mean “in the presence of”; it can be used for being in the presence of humans (e.g., Luke 24:43, Acts 10:30). It is often used of being “before (enōpion) God” or “in the sight (enōpion) of God” in a formal or official sense (e.g., Rom 14:22; Gal 1:20; 2 Tim 2:14).