The presence of God with His people is signified by the very name of the Saviour: "Immanuel, which means, God with us." (Matthew 1:23)
He is their strength, their wisdom, and their righteousness. They are His dwelling-place, and He is theirs: "And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? for you are the temple of the living God; as God has said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people." (2 Corinthians 6:16) "Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations." (Psalm 90:1)
Those who know not this truth know not the Lord.
In ancient times God gave a visible manifestation of His presence with Israel. He went before them in the wilderness in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night, which was to them an aid, a comfort, and a protection.
And in the most holy place of the earthly sanctuary, there remained always the visible token of His presence, in the brightness above the mercy seat.
All this was but the visible manifestation of what was true before, and has been true ever since it was given; namely, that God was with His people, not merely by a figure of speech, but actually, dwelling in their midst, and giving them aid, comfort, and protection from their enemies. It is as true today as it was in the days of Moses.
When the servant of Elisha was afraid because of the army of the Syrians that had come against the prophet, Elisha prayed that the Lord would open the eyes of his servant, and this being done, he saw that: "The mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha." (2 Kings 6:17)
This was no sudden interposition on the part of God to save Elisha from the king of Syria. Had the servant's eyes been "opened" at any other time, he would have seen the same thing; and we, had we like power of discernment, would see today the host of God surrounding each of His saints. "The angel of the Lord encamps round about them that fear Him, and delivers them." (Psalm 24:7)
When Elisha's servants saw the horses and chariots of fire round about them, he was not afraid of the host of the Syrians; he would not have feared any earthly power that could have come against them. And for the same reason precisely, the servants of God do not fear the opposition of any earthly power today. If we fear the Lord, we cannot fear man.
Though we cannot see the angel of the Lord encamped round about us, we know that He is there, just as He was about Elisha. We know it by faith; faith is the Christian's sight. By faith we know a thing to be true when God has said it, just as certainly as if it were visible to our natural eyes.
God is the majority; His side is the side of numbers and of power, as well as of truth and right. And only as we lack faith, so that we fail to see this clearly, can we have any fear of the forces arrayed against us.
The wicked, because they have not faith, see this not, and count their side the strong one. They know not the source of the Christian's peace, courage, and joy, when he seems about to be swallowed up by his enemies. It is the Word of God, which he has received by faith, and has hid in his heart. Like Moses when he was threatened with the wrath of Pharaoh, he endures "as seeing Him who is invisible." (Hebrews 11:27)
Faith does for him what the Divine touch did for Elisha's servant; it enables him to know, just as if he saw it, that the host of the Lord is round about him to deliver him. And so, in the very presence of his enemies, he says, "Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid; for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song; He also is become my salvation. ... Cry out and shout, you inhabitant of Zion; for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of you." (Isaiah 12:2,6) "The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge." (Psalm 46:11)--Present Truth, March 28, 1895--Timeline: Nativity-5 (The Announcement to Joseph; Marriage)--Matthew 1:23.