Definition and Overview:
God's visitation refers to the divine intervention or appearance of God in the affairs of humanity. This concept is prevalent throughout the Bible, where God visits His people for purposes of blessing, judgment, guidance, or deliverance. The term "visitation" can denote both positive and negative connotations, depending on the context in which God intervenes.

Old Testament Instances:
In the Old Testament, God's visitation often signifies His active involvement in the lives of His people, Israel. One of the earliest mentions is in Genesis 21:1, where God visits Sarah, fulfilling His promise by enabling her to conceive Isaac: "Now the LORD attended to Sarah as He had said, and the LORD did for Sarah what He had promised" .

Another significant visitation occurs in Exodus 3:16, where God instructs Moses to tell the Israelites, "Go, assemble the elders of Israel and say to them, ‘The LORD, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—has appeared to me and said: I have watched over you and have seen what has been done to you in Egypt" . Here, God's visitation is a prelude to the deliverance of His people from bondage.

God's visitation can also imply judgment, as seen in Isaiah 10:3, "What will you do on the day of reckoning, when devastation comes from afar? To whom will you flee for help? Where will you leave your wealth?" . This passage warns of the impending judgment due to Israel's disobedience.

New Testament Instances:
In the New Testament, God's visitation is often associated with the coming of Jesus Christ. In Luke 1:68, Zechariah proclaims, "Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, because He has visited and redeemed His people" . This visitation is seen as the fulfillment of God's promise of salvation through the Messiah.

Jesus Himself speaks of visitation in Luke 19:44, lamenting over Jerusalem, "They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of your visitation from God" . Here, the visitation is a missed opportunity for recognizing the Messiah and the peace He brings.

Theological Significance:
God's visitation underscores His sovereignty and active participation in the world. It reflects His faithfulness to His promises, His concern for justice, and His desire for a relationship with humanity. The concept also highlights the importance of recognizing and responding to God's presence and actions in one's life.

Practical Implications:
Believers are encouraged to remain vigilant and responsive to God's visitation in their lives. This involves being attuned to His guidance, open to His blessings, and repentant in the face of His judgment. The awareness of God's visitation calls for a life of faithfulness, obedience, and readiness to embrace His will.

Conclusion:
While God's visitation can bring comfort and deliverance, it also serves as a reminder of His holiness and the accountability of His people. The biblical narrative of God's visitation invites believers to reflect on their relationship with God and to live in anticipation of His ongoing work in the world.