YAHWEH-SHAMMAH – THE LORD IS THERE
I think this is one of the most beautiful of all God’s names especially because it expresses the greatest desire of His heart.
From Ezekiel 40 to 48 the prophet Ezekiel is taken on a trip in the spirit to see God’s city which He is building for His people when He finally wraps everything up and destroys everything imperfect. Ezekiel watches as an angel measures the city so that he can get a glimpse of its perfection and adequacy.
God also tells him the name of the city – Yahweh-Shammah.
Jerusalem was the capital city of Israel and symbolic of God’s people and His presence among His people. The temple was in Jerusalem, the gathering place for the people to celebrate God’s feasts seven times a year, to celebrate God’s goodness in providing for them, to anticipate the coming of their Messiah and to worship God with their sacrifices and offerings.
Jerusalem had taken a pounding from their enemies because of their idolatry and their insensitivity and oppression of the poor. Ezekiel had actually seen God’s glory leave the temple, as though God was saying that He was finished with them. In Isaiah 54:11-17 God comforts His people and reassures them that, after the devastation of war and exile, He would rebuild the city with jewels and precious stones instead of stones and bricks and that the city would be repopulated with restored families.
In the second last chapter of the Bible the city reappears, this time in all its splendour, its walls built of precious stones and its gates of pearls and shining with God’s glory. While John is gazing on the beauty of the city he hears a voice saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and He will live with them.” It’s almost as though God heaves a big sigh of relief because He has finally reached the goal he set out to achieve in Genesis 1:27 that He and mankind would live together in a perfect love-relationship forever.
John’s tour-guide angel was also measuring the city. Just like Ezekiel’s city, the New Jerusalem, is a perfect square. John explains that this city is actually the Lamb’s bride. Strange symbolism but it’s telling us that God’s biggest dream will be fulfilled when Jesus finally marries us and we become one with Him forever. He will live in His people and we in Him in a perfect union forever.
Wow! That’s awesome and mind boggling but its true! We really have something to look forward to.
Have you read my new book, Learning to be a Son – The Way to the Father’s Heart (copyright 2015, Partridge Publishing)? You’ll love it!
Available on http://www.amazon.com in paperback, e-book or kindle version or order directly from the publisher at http://www.partridgepublishing.com.
learningtobeason 