God At Hand and Afar Off

"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."

Jeremiah 23:23-24

God is omnipresent and omniscient:  before there was time on earth God was everywhere and knowing all things--even beyond our universe.  Solomon and the children of Israel knew God's presence was not contained to the Holy of Holies or a temple made with hands.  At the same time, the temple was viewed as a focal point of God's attention because His presence dwelt among His people.  Wherever Jews were in the world, they prayed in the direction of the temple in Jerusalem to acknowledge their God who rules over all.

God made it clear to Jeremiah He was not merely a God near at hand but also afar off.  There was no place where anyone could hide from His presence, for He filled heaven and earth.  Not one sparrow could fall without Him knowing, all the hairs on our head are numbered by Him, and He calls all the stars by name.  God's absolute knowledge and presence is a great comfort to believers, for we are assured nothing escapes His notice.  When the children of Israel were enslaved by the Egyptians and suffered, their cries were heard by God as it is written in Exodus 2:24-25 (LSB):  "So God heard their groaning; and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. ²⁵ And God saw the sons of Israel, and God knew them."  The groans of God's people put His promises to their fathers in His mind--not that He ever forgets.  This passage shows God's faithfulness and responsiveness to His people, regardless of their geographical proximity to a temple or city.

God heard the groaning of His people who suffered, remembered His covenant, saw the sons of Israel and God knew them.  Out of all the sounds made by nature, machinery or mankind, God was drawn to observe His people and respond to their suffering by opening a way of deliverance and salvation.  I am reminded of the word of Hanani the prophet who rebuked king Asa because he had relied on an arm of flesh rather than the LORD who made Himself known and saved him in 2 Chronicles 16:8-9:  "Were the Ethiopians and the Lubim not a huge army with very many chariots and horsemen? Yet, because you relied on the LORD, He delivered them into your hand. ⁹ For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him. In this you have done foolishly; therefore from now on you shall have wars."  God's eyes run everywhere in the world, looking to show Himself strong on behalf of those with loyal hearts to God.

The Good Shepherd Jesus said in John 10:27-30,  "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. ²⁸ And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. ²⁹ My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand. ³⁰ I and My Father are one."  God hears the groaning of His people, sees and knows us wherever we may be, and we also can be attuned to hear the voice of Jesus as we follow Him.  We are blessed beyond measure the God of Israel is a God at hand and also a God afar off, and not one of us is far from Him in Christ Jesus.  The God who fills heaven and earth has chosen to make Christians His holy habitation by His grace.  Wherever we are, there He is in our midst.