The Presence of God: Its Place in the Storyline of Scripture and the Story of Our Lives

by J. Ryan Lister, Thomas R. Schreiner (Foreword)

“God is with us.”

We say this in our sermons, prayers, and songs, but what does it really mean? For many Christians, the whole notion of God’s presence remains vague and hard to define.

Exploring both the Old and New Testaments, professor J. Ryan Lister seeks to recover the centrality of the presence of God in the whole storyline of Scripture—a theme that is too often neglected and therefore misunderstood. In a world that longs for—yet struggles to find—intimacy with the Almighty, this book will help you discover the truth about God’s presence with his people and what his drawing near means for the Christian life.

Genres: Theology, Christian Living, Christian, Christian Non Fiction, Nonfiction, Christianity, Faith

602 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 30, 2014

About the author

RYAN LISTER is a professor of theology at Western Seminary in Portland, Oregon. He is the author of The Presence of God: Its Place in the Story of Scripture and the Story of Our Lives and serves as Director of Doctrine & Discipleship for Humble Beast, where he helped start the Canvas Conference. He lives in Portland, Oregon with his wife, Chase, and their four children.

Reviews

[Todd Miles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lister wrote a careful biblical theology of the presence of God. Its strengths are twofold. First, Lister ably argues that the presence of God is one of, if not the, most significant theme in the Bible. Salvation history orients itself around God's relentless and holy quest to be with his people. Second, though not less in importance, Lister does biblical theology right, taking the reader on a journey along the story line of Scripture, showing how the theme of the presence of God develops across the contours of redemptive history. Giving priority to the game-changing covenants and climaxing in the gospel, the reader is not subjected to endless prooftexting. No - this is true biblical theology where the journey is the thing, not merely the destination. And the reader is richer and better informed for having gone on the journey.

[Michael Boling · Rating 5 out of 5]

The presence of God is both a widely misused and misunderstood term in theology. Many attribute the God’s presence to some sort of warm fuzzy one gets if they do the right series of things or if they are perhaps somehow spiritual enough to warrant finding their way into the presence of God almighty. Biblically speaking, the presence of God is far more than either of the aforementioned incorrect notions. J. Ryan Lister, in his excellent book The Presence of God: It’s Place in the Storyline of Scripture and the Story of our Lives, examines from the pages of Scripture how this important topic relates to the scarlet thread of redemption, what God’ presence looked like in the Old and New Testaments, and how we as believers today should view our place in God’s grand story of redemption.

As noted in the foreword to this timely book, the movement of salvation history is the goal of a return to that which was lost, namely the restoration and redemption of all things, the removal of the damage sin and death have caused, and perhaps most important, God’s people once again delighting in eternity spent in the presence of God. These principal truths of Scripture are what Lister so rightly focuses his efforts on in his book.

Lister aptly notes the phrase of the presence of God is used quite frequently in books, sermons, and conversation within the church. With that said, do we really grasp what the presence of God is all about, both in relation to salvation history or in our daily lives? Lister rests his discussion of the presence of God on two vastly important truths: 1) “the presence of God is a central goal in God’s redemptive mission”, and 2) “the presence of God is the agent by which the Lord accomplishes his redemption mission”. Thus, this entire concept of the presence of God is at the same time both “eschatological (it is the end-of-time aim of the Lord’s mission) and instrumental (it is ultimately what fulfills the Lord’s mission)”. This statement aptly captures the repeated now and not yet principle found throughout Scripture on a number of topics. In relation to the presence of God, we experience it in part now as God works in history to move history towards that future state of redemption, when sin, the wicked, and death are forever dealt with and His people will again see Him face to face.

Building on those two foundational elements, Lister presses forward to explore the presence of God as it is outlined in the Old and New Testaments. To properly understand the movement of history, one has to grasp the beginning of the book and the end of the book, namely that which was, that which was lost, and that which will be regained. Lister correctly begins his book by looking at those vital elements. He saliently comments, “Eden is the pattern of the better Eden to come. From an eschatological point of view, the garden of God was to be the seat of the worldwide expansion of God’s dwelling place.” This movement of gaining that which was lost is reflected in the entire biblical drama and Lister spends the vast majority of his book exploring how the presence of God is revealed in Scripture in relation to salvation history.

While this entire book is quite excellent and I truly appreciated the in-depth nature in which Lister digs into the topic of the presence of God, in particular his exegesis and analysis of the Old Testament, the section I found most helpful was his concluding comments on the practical application of the doctrine. It is one thing to take a look at what God has been up to and quite another to begin to grasp how you as a member of the household of faith are currently playing a part in God’s divine plan to include how His presence works in our lives daily. Lister correctly notes, “The Spirit – the presence of God in this new act of the redemptive drama – now dwells within us to culminate the objectives of the Lord for his glory and our resultant joy.” The giving of the Holy Spirit as the first fruits promise of that future eternity in the presence of God is what “makes the Christian life possible.” Furthermore, Lister rightly avers “The power of the Spirit is the power of redemption and regeneration, for it is by his work of applying Christ’s atonement to us that we are born again and reconciled to the Lord.”

Those desiring an excellent biblical and practical theology of the presence of God should make Lister’s book a must read. Full of sound exegesis and theological insight, this is a book that will provide the reader with a greater understanding of what the presence of God is all about and most importantly, the glorious future that awaits those who are the bride of Christ, the sons of God, those who have been called by God to spend eternity in His holy and wonderful presence.

I received this book for free from Crossway Books for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

[Jore Booy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Starting with the book, I thought it lost impact due to its longevity. I felt like I was reading the same passages multiple times.
Later I realized, that's the point of the book. It explores the theme of Gods presence extensively and every part of the Bible reflects the ultimate goals that God has for its people, and how Jesus is necessary to save.
For the average reader, I think it could be written more shortly. It makes more sense to read this as a PhD dissertation, which it is.

[Neil R. Coulter · Rating 3 out of 5]

The main point of The Presence of God is simple: God’s mission in our world is to be present with us. He created humans to walk with him and work together with him, but we turned away from his presence. As we read through the Bible, we see through the covenants, the prophets, and more that God always works to restore us to his presence. This work culminates in the Gospels, where God sends Jesus to walk with us and show us a life of presence with God. The epistles then instruct the church to become the agency of restoring togetherness, and Revelation shows us the return of Jesus to truly heal and restore forever. This concept was not new to me, so I didn’t gain a lot of new insights from the book, but of course it all resonates with me, and I completely agree with Lister’s point. For someone who has not considered the grand scope of Scripture’s story in this way, the book would likely bring an entirely new perspective on the Christian faith.

I read The Presence of God at the recommendation of two of my colleagues (one of whom gave me a copy of the book). They both loved everything about the book, and one of them specifically mentioned that he found the writing style clear and engaging. Though I agree with them that the main point of the book is excellent, I thought the writing was far too dissertationy, with a lot of repetition. As an editor, I could see cutting 30% of the book with no difficulty at all, and the result would be even clearer, with better flow. I hope as Lister continues to work on this and other topics, and continues to teach and write, he will grow into a more engaging writer. He has a lot to share, and he ought to find a big readership.

[Kyleigh Dunn · Rating 4 out of 5]

The theme of the presence of God is everywhere in Scripture and thinking about the storyline of Scripture in terms of his presence seems so simple and obvious—and in a lot of ways, it is. But it’s also common Christian jargon, thrown around without any meaning or understanding, and that’s why Lister’s work on the presence of God is so important and valuable—especially because so often we gauge his presence by a feeling or experience, instead of looking at what the Bible actually says about it and how God is present with us.

I skimmed over a lot my second time through since much of it really is familiar (and I also remembered more than I thought I did from my first read, which really shaped how I view the overarching story of the Bible). But what stood out yet again is God’s initiative in bringing his presence to us. God’s full presence is the goal of redemptive history and how he secures that end. And it’s the best thing. But it’s not something he had to do.

Though I’ve had seasons when I’ve doubted his presence and found myself trying to gauge it by a feeling, what’s true is that God with us is his initiative from his abundant nature, he’s always been at work in redemptive history to save us via his presence, and what’s coming is future eschatological, unmediated presence. And because what brings him to us is who he is/his character, that will never change.

(I do wish there’d been more on the Holy Spirit as God’s presence, not just for sanctification, but also as comforter/helper/advocate.)

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Started this book a long time ago, but it was worth the slog. They fantastic biblical theology of the presence of God. Highly recommended!

[Michele Morin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes a book is conceived long before it is born. Seeds for The Presence of God were planted in the summer of 2000 with the author’s study of Psalm 16:11:


You make known to me the path of life;

In your presence there is fullness of joy;

At your right hand are pleasures forever.

Letting Scripture direct his steps, Lister began an expedition to understand the biblical motif of God’s presence and the result is an exhaustive chronicle of the presence of God throughout biblical history. His book is a theological feast which requires a slow digestion. As I was reading, it occurred to me that working through Lister’s book, section by section, alongside a trip through the Bible in a year would provide enriching backstory to each day’s reading.

The Presence of God is based on several big-picture concepts:

1. Defining the “presence of God” requires two distinct delineations. Eschatological presence is the immediate and fully relational presence of God seen only in Genesis 1-3 and Revelation 21-22 when the believer finally enters the dwelling place of God for all eternity. After Adam and Eve’s rebellion, there is a change that occurs in the presence of God.


“Adam’s sin disturbed the whole universe, hung up the great curtain in the temple, and dug the hole for the coming cross of Christ.”

God’s redemptive presence comes with the goal of restoring all that sin has destroyed. From that point on, the divine presence is at work in history to bring about a New Paradise that will cover the whole earth completing what the first creation began.

2. The presence of God is a central goal in God’s redemptive mission, but at the same time, it is the agent by which God accomplishes that mission.

3. It is not contradictory for a God who is transcendent to also be immanent. In fact, it is God’s transcendence that allows for His immanence, and, the glorious truth of His immanence is based on the intimacy that has always existed among the members of the Trinity.

Lister argues that each of the Old Testament covenants revolves around God’s promise of a place in which to house the divine presence and a people to revel in that presence, thus reflecting His glory. He helps us to see that “God’s commitment to be present with His people is overwhelming — strong enough to conquer sin and death.” Spotlighting the presence of God as the center of redemptive history, Lister works his way through Old Testament time until Matthew trumpets the entry of God in the flesh, when redemptive presence takes on flesh and blood, sweat and sandals. From this point in Scripture, “our Lord is pulling the common threads of all the previous covenants together to create the beautiful fabric of the New Covenant.”

Following the trajectory of God’s presence across the story arc from Eden to tabernacle, from temple to exile, and from Jesus to the New Jerusalem is well worth a Christian’s reading time, but J. Ryan Lister goes the extra mile in his final chapters to answer the “so what?” question. The magnificent truth that God is with us gives deeper significance to our great salvation, to our identity as the church, and to our anticipation of the future coming of Christ when He will, once again, usher in His unmitigated presence. The fact that He has drawn near to us opens the door of relationship for us to draw near to Him. The Pentecost reversal of Babel’s alienation points to the Spirit-initiated work of reconciliation that God desires for the world. In the believer, the Spirit does the work of sanctification, empowering the miracle of killing sin and displaying righteousness. Manifesting the presence of God in this age, the Church waits for Christ’s return, not so that we can quibble over the WHEN, but so that we can rejoice over the WHY: that our story and His story may once again be one.

Disclosure: This book was provided by Crossway in exchange for my unbiased review.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

This Ph.D. dissertation presents a summary of the History of Salvation in the Old and New Testaments, with 300 pages of detailed references to key passages. It reads like a dissertation, with a lot of repetition, quotations where quotes are not needed, and copious footnotes. The theology is sound. The author seems sometimes to stretch his case too far for the centrality of God's "presence" in the biblical stories. And he does not deal with God's presence to judge or punish, only God's presence to save and redeem. The focus on presence seems sometimes to downplay the uniqueness of Yahweh as the God of action, the God of history who is not just "there" but who constantly interacts with his creation. God is always present in order to do something. The "glory" of God is best seen in his activity (as on the cross, according to John), not only in his being present. The New Testament section misses some great opportunities to fortify the author's theme. He did not note that: (1) The tongues of fire at Pentecost indicate that God's presence has moved out of the temple building and into his temple people, so that his presence is no longer tied to geographical place but tied to his human children wherever they may be found; (2) The "you in Christ and Christ in you" reality emerges from putting our trust in him, and as a result he is so present with his people that they share his life experiences (crucifixion, resurrection, glorification) and are now virtually to be identified with him. One unrelated question for the author's eschatology: Is it really true that Jesus is "no longer the servant king" but now is only the "warrior king" -- as if these two roles are contradictory?? (page 320) Hmmm.

[Steven Evans · Rating 4 out of 5]

I want to rate this a 3.5, but I’ll round up for the sake of just the theme of the book. That there are not more books tracing this theme is surprising. Therefore it fills a much needed gap. The scope of the theme makes focus an essential, and I felt at times that the author wandered and was a bit wordy.

Chapter 2 was particularly well done as God’s transcendent nature is shown to compliment His immanent nature. I had a profound sense of awe after reading this chapter.

The subsequent chapters did not reach the same level, though I did take away a few nuggets. His discussion on the theological arrangement of the Hebrew Bible with Chronicles positioned after Nehemiah and Ezra was helpful. It showed that though they were in the land, they were still waiting on God to come and restore. I thought the discussion of Jesus as Immanuel was good, both in Isaiah and in the New Testament sections of the book.

So I would say that there are nuggets in this book that are great but would have loved a little more focus on the whole.

[Chad · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lister provides a useful overview of the doctrine of God's presence. Surveying the narrative and propositions of Scripture, Lister constructs a biblical definition and elaboration of the presence of God. With an extremely useful bibliography and a readable style, Lister's book is an advantageous read. This is a helpful resource for those who desire to have a more fulsome biblical understanding of the presence of God.

[Daniel Kleven · Rating 3 out of 5]

Started strong with his "Theological Foundation for the Presence of God." That chapter (2) is worth reading. It got really long, and didn't add much. It became a very lengthly survey of "what the Bible teaches" and didn't add much that other surveys of the Bible don't already contain. I was hoping for a more focused analysis of the presence of God that produced fresh connections and insights. The scope was just too broad and the treatment too general to add much for me.

[Caleb Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful read!

I don't usually write reviews, but I genuinely enjoyed this book. Dr. Lister writes like he speaks (I once was one of his students), relatable, thorough, and engaging. The Bible is not merely a bunch of hodgepodge stories, but a unified picture of God restoring his creation back to the Edenic state of "dominion, dynasty, and presence" that he designed us for. While it is a "longer" read, you definitely do not have to be a scholar to enjoy and profit from this.

[Alex Kearney · Rating 3 out of 5]

The presence of God is one of my favorite themes in Scripture, so I was looking forward to this. There’s a lot of really insightful content to take away, such as the distinction between the redemptive and eschatological presence of God, and the dominion/dynasty expectation God placed on Adam, then Israel, then Christ, then Christ through his bride.

But the book is painfully redundant. It could’ve been much shorter. The sentence “the Bible is about God being present with man” was probably repeated with 100+ variations. If you don’t have to write a report on it, it’s definitely worth reading the first three chapters.

[Mitch Bedzyk · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lister provides an excellent biblical theology of the presence of God that is thorough, clear, and compelling. He successfully shows how God's presence in redemption history serves his eschatological ends of dwelling with his people forever.

Highly recommended for church small groups, personal study and devotions, and for discipleship with new believers.

[Adrian Agapie · Rating 3 out of 5]

the presence of God: a gem hidden among so many other concepts

I found the book at times very frustrating since I deals with so much more than the presence of God. Moreover I don’t think the author gave a satisfying answer to his original question: the presence of God in the now.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great work! I'll never read the Bible the same again!

[Kyle Grindberg · Rating 3 out of 5]

Glorious truth. I didn't find the presentation anything too special, however.

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the focus of J. Ryan Lister's The Presence of God. The book promises to trace God's presence through Scripture, to reveal how our God is a God who draws near to His people, and draws near in order to redeem. God redeems us in order to have fellowship with us. How did he redeem us? By becoming one of us--the incarnation.

I love, love, love the book of Revelation. I do. And Revelation 21:3 is one of my FAVORITE verses. It reads, "And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God." Lister writes, "This objective, though, is not only prevalent at the story’s end, but also woven throughout Scripture’s plot line."

The Presence of God is a book designed to help readers understand the Bible, to help readers see the big picture of the Bible. The presence of God is the unifying theme of Scripture, Lister argues. And it's hard to deny for the case he presents is a strong one! Lister covers books from the Old Testament and the New Testament. Does he cover each and every book of the Bible? I'm not sure that he covers all 66 books of the Bible--at least not equally. But. He covers the whole story--each major section of Scripture. (Law, prophets, wisdom books, etc.) Readers spend time with Adam, Abraham, Moses, David, etc. By the end of the book, readers will have something to grasp--a way to understanding the Bible and the gospel story. In great detail, he traces his theme. God longs to be near to the people He has chosen. God hates sin, for not only is sin offensive and repulsive, it keeps us apart from Him. God draws near in order to redeem us, to restore us. He wants to be with us! He wants us to be with him for eternity!

Read The Presence of God
If you are longing for God's presence
If you are wanting a deeper understanding of Scripture
If you want to grasp the 'big picture' of Scripture
If you're looking for a simple but comprehensive way to make sense of the gospel

[Jacob O'connor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lister has written a nice, scholarly survey of God's presence. He builds to show how the types and shadows of the Old Testament culminate in Christ. Well worth the read.

[Christian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this as research for a paper I'm writing.