Ezekiel 48:29 This is the land which ye shall divide by lot unto the tribes of Israel for inheritance, and these are their portions, saith the Lord GOD. 35 It was round about eighteen thousand measures: and the name of the city from that day shall be, The LORD is there.
You can get depressed reading Ezekiel. The prophet was in Babylon due to Israel’s captivity. Ezekiel had some tough prophesies. The last was they would get to go home. It is told in chapter 48 and makes the other chapters worth reading. It is one of the sweetest portions of the Bible. It is significant to Israel; what can it tell us today?
The end of verse 35 says “and the name of the city from that day shall be, The LORD is there.” The Lord says he is there for it’s who he is. The Hebrew name is Jehovah Shammah—The Lord is There. Abraham called him Jehovah Jireh—The Lord will Provide. He’s called Jehovah Shalom—The Lord our Peace. The book of Ezekiel, as hard it it is in much of it's text, ends with a wonderful note. It shows what shape we can be in, but also that, even in that shape, there is a comforting surety.. The Lord is There.
Israel had been in captivity 70 years. Though they didn’t know, it was nearing its end. God reminded them of the land they had left. The cities had been destroyed. Jerusalem and the temple had been destroyed. They were given Babylonian, Gentile names after being rebuilt. God didn’t like that. God told Israel not to worry for the name of the city from that day shall be, The Lord is There—Jehovah Shammah.
God doesn’t like it when we let others take his place. He doesn’t like it when the devil gets the upper hand. We have worries. We have burdens. When we’re down and out, God is down and out. When we are fearful and defeated God feels that too. Our “place” can be named many different things.
God was setting the boundaries for the land. Verse 1 says there is a portion for Dan. Verse 2 says there is a portion for Asher. Verse 3 says there is a portion for Naphtali. Verse 4 says there is a portion for Manasseh. Verse 5 says there is a portion for Ephraim. Verse 6 says there is a portion for Rueben. Verse 7 says there is a portion for Judah. Verse 23 says Benjamin has a portion. Verse 24 says there is a portion for Simeon. Verse 25 says there is a portion for Issachar. Verse 26 says there is a portion for Zebulun. Verse 27 says there is a portion for Gad. Verse 36 says Bob Surber has a portion! GOD HAS A PORTION FOR US!
No matter our place, God has a portion for us. He has a plan. The territory was laid out for each tribe. It was like a jigsaw puzzle. God knew each valley, each stone, and each mountain. He knew it all, for it belonged to him. God gives us life and our breath for each day. He understands us, for he made us. He loves us. The Lord Shammah—The Lord is There.
The names of God always describe who he is. This is for our sake. We know by the names who he is and what he is. Of all the names, none would be much to us without Jehovah Shammah. ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE BECAUSE HE IS THERE. The Lord told Israel not to worry because he was there.
Since HE is so THERE and WE are so HERE, let’s reach out to him.
What “there’s” do you need to bring to the Lord?
Adwolfe Freewill Baptist Church 