Jehovah Shammah

Introduction

In view of the Revival Theme: Faith for the Next Level we want to consider the God we put our faith in.

Heb 11:6 “And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.”

God loves to see faith, and God loves to work with faith

God is never satisfied with one level, He wants us to keep moving foward

— This is why the NT uses phrase “abound”, it means to increase, to have to a great degree

We can all admit there are things we have, we don’t all have them to a “great degree”

We wish then to put some attention on the God we put our faith in

While we may have options regarding where we put our faith, I suggest we put it in God

I can put faith in money Prov 23:5.

I can put my faith in people Ps 146:3.

I can put my faith in myself Jer 10:23.

I need to put my faith in God [God is faithful, God never changes, God has my back]

But why God?

Who is God that I should put all of my faith in

Together we will examine some specific statements made about God to help us know God and lead us to put our faith in God.

The first statement we will examine is found in Ezekiel

The last chapter, the last verse

Ezk 48:35 ““The city shall be 18,000 cubits round about; and the name of the city from that day shall be, ‘The Lord is there.’ ””

The book shows us that God is control of the Israel aaannd the other nations

We can pause here for a lesson: God is in full control

The book is written from the perspective of being in the midst of the exile

We can pause here for another lesson: God still has word even in the midst of your mess

The book also shows us that God always, always. . .gives His people hope

God will never leave you stranded, desonpondent and discouraged. . .unless that’s what YOU WANT.

What are we looking at?

Ezekiel is taken to a high mountain and shown a great temple

Across the next 9 chapters the descriptions are given of the temple (for that you can read on your own)

It is in the very last verse of the very last chapter, we see something significant - we see the name of the city!

“JEHOVAH SHAMMAH” - The Lord is there

Jehovah means - the one that exists

Shammah - to be there

God is always around

Immediately

These people felt that God would/has forgotten them

They were no longer in the promised land

They no longer had the temple

They no longer enjoyed the feast days like they used to

There is no ark of the covenant

All that they enjoyed from God is gone - can you imagine how they must be feeling?

Ezk 10:18 “Then the glory of the Lord departed from the threshold of the temple and stood over the cherubim.”

Redemptively

As we move forward in time this temple Ezekiel saw represents something greater

A Temple of this exact measurement was never built in or after Ezekiel’s time

What does it point to?

Not real Israel, the ultimate fulfillment is spirtua;

Not just the church becasue the church is an extension of the kingdom, NOT the entire kingdom

It is the full constituence of God’s people

How do we know this?

John describes a temple/city in Revelation. Both temple and city share some striking similiarities

Both John and Ezkiel stood on a high place (Rev 21:10/Ezk 40:2)

Both saw a man with a measuring rod (Rev 21:15/Ezk 40:3)

Both had a river flowing out of it (Rev 22:1/Ezk 47:5)

Both had 12 gates (Rev 21:13/Ezk 48:31-34)

Both had a square shape (Rev 21:16/Ezk 43:16)

Both contain and maintain the presence of God (Rev 21:22/Ezk 48:35)

Practically

The power in these words, is real; God is there for us - This is what God is to us

Ps 46:1-2 “God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change And though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea;”

Isa 49:15 ““Can a woman forget her nursing child And have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, but I will not forget you.”

Ps 34:10 “The young lions do lack and suffer hunger; But they who seek the Lord shall not be in want of any good thing.”

Heb 13:5 “Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you,””

Jn 14:23 “Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him.”

When I feel - ALONE, FEARFUL, DISCOURAGED, FORSAKEN REMEMBER

In the midst of TEMPTATION, FIERY DARTS, SORROW, WHEN THINGS FALL APART

Jehovah Shammah - God is there

I need to remember God is there!!!

What God is to us, we must remember to do for others - “be there for others”

If God is there for us, we need to be there for each other

We don’t always get this right as a church but we are getting there

Is there at least one member of the church that count on us

To “be there” for someone means to be ready to help or support esp. in time of difficulty

How I do that can be similar to how God does it

Listen - actively listen to people - 1 Jn 5:14 “This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.”

Get perspective - everyone has a different story, history, culture etc. it pays sometimes to step in people’s shoes to understand what they’re going through - “and the Word became flesh”

Help

Encouraging words (give fresh perspective - “count it all joy”)

Actual help (more than words)

We can be there for others because God is there for us