Jehovah Shammah

Have we ever wondered, when and how the names of God were derived? Jehovah jireh, Jehovah shalom and so forth. What is the Origin of this name?

It’ll take a lot of such sessions to talk about all of them. Today let’s zoom into one such name ‘Jehovah Shammah’, we’ll learn about the history of Jehovah Shammah and how it applies to us today.

Firstly, where is this scripture portion found? We’ll read from Ezekiel 48: 30 onwards.

Ezekiel 48: 30 – 35

30 “These will be the exits of the city: Beginning on the north side, which is 4,500 cubits long, 31 the gates of the city will be named after the tribes of Israel. The three gates on the north side will be the gate of Reuben, the gate of Judah and the gate of Levi.

32 “On the east side, which is 4,500 cubits long, will be three gates: the gate of Joseph, the gate of Benjamin and the gate of Dan.

33 “On the south side, which measures 4,500 cubits, will be three gates: the gate of Simeon, the gate of Issachar and the gate of Zebulun.

34 “On the west side, which is 4,500 cubits long, will be three gates: the gate of Gad, the gate of Asher and the gate of Naphtali.

35 “The distance all around will be 18,000 cubits.[f]

“And the name of the city from that time on will be:

the Lord is there.”

Let’s get into some details before we understand this term ‘Jehovah Shammah’

1. In the Old Testament Jehovah Shammah occurs only once in Ezekiel 48:35.

“The Lord Is There” (Ezekiel 48:35) – the name ascribed to Jerusalem and the Temple there, indicating that the once-departed glory of the Lord (Ezekiel 8—11) had returned (Ezekiel 44:1-4).

Jehovah is translated as “The Existing One” or “Lord.” The chief meaning of Jehovah is derived from the Hebrew word Havah meaning “to be” or “to exist.” It also suggests “to become” or specifically “to become known” – this denotes a God who reveals Himself unceasingly. Shammah is derived from the Hebrew word sham, which can be translated as “there.” Jehovah Shammah is a symbolic name for the earthly Jerusalem. The name indicates that God has not abandoned Jerusalem, leaving it in ruins, but that there will be a restoration.

2. Background of Jehovah Shammah

Ezekiel lived among the Jewish exiles in Babylon at a settlement along the river Chebar called Tel-abib (Ezekiel 3:15), less than one hundred miles south of Babylon. The invading Babylonians brought about ten thousand Jews to the village in 597 BC, including Ezekiel and the last king of Judah, Jehoiachin (2 Kings 24:8–14).

Ezekiel’s prophecy began a mere five years into his time at Tel-abib (Ezekiel 1:2), and he continued to prophesy among the people for at least twenty-two years (29:17). Because he spoke to a people whom God had exiled due to their continued rebellion against Him, a majority of Ezekiel’s message communicates judgment for sins committed (1:1–32:32). However, like all the prophets, he also provided his people, now without a land of their own, some hope for the future (33:1–48:35).

God is Jehovah Shammah even today. He was always pointing out to His indwelling with His people. Jesus became that presence.

It is an impossibility for God to dwell with us or make His presence known to us because of our sinful nature.

How important it is to be in God’s presence? We will look at some lives of people from the bible who forsook God’s presence.

1. SAMSON – his life became a mess, became a laughingstock.

Samson was born in the village of Zorah. As he grew up, he became a man of almost superhuman strength. Once, while visiting a Philistine girl from the village of Timnah, he killed a lion with his bare hands. Samson wanted to marry the girl, despite his parents’ misgivings about their son marrying outside his tribe. Samson persisted and staged a great wedding feast, but it ended with a violent fight. The bride was married to someone else (Judges 14:19-20).

Samson’s weakness for beautiful Philistine women soon drove him into the arms of Delilah. The Philistines offered her a large sum of money if she could discover the source of Samson’s strength. Samson, suspecting what was afoot, fed her several false leads, frustrating the Philistine plots.

But one day he was so fed up with the constant nagging that he gave in the secret of his strength. The Philistines came chopped off his hair leaving him without his strength. He had no strength. He was held captive.

Judges 16: 28 – 31 says, Then Samson prayed to the Lord, “Sovereign Lord, remember me. Please, God, strengthen me just once more, and let me with one blow get revenge on the Philistines for my two eyes.” 29Then Samson reached toward the two central pillars on which the temple stood. Bracing himself against them, his right hand on the one and his left hand on the other, 30Samson said, “Let me die with the Philistines!” Then he pushed with all his might, and down came the temple on the rulers and all the people in it. Thus he killed many more when he died than while he lived.

31Then his brothers and his father’s whole family went down to get him. They brought him back and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the tomb of Manoah his father. He had led d Israel twenty years.

Samson lost God’s presence in his life because of his weakness. He did not practice self control, probably, it was also arrogance. Too familiar with his strength, that he thought it is by self effort that he is so strong. Indeed it was a tragic ending.

2. SAUL – died a very horrible death. Lived a defeated life

Saul looked like royalty: tall, handsome, noble. He became king when he was 30 years old and reigned over Israel for 42 years.

Early in his career, Saul made a fatal mistake. He disobeyed God by failing to destroy the Amalekites and all their possessions, as God had commanded. A key part of the conditional covenant between God and Israel was obedience. Saul, as God’s anointed king, was responsible for keeping that command.

The Lord withdrew his favor from Saul and had Samuel the prophet anoints David as king.

Sometime later, David killed the giant Goliath. As the Jewish women were dancing in a victory parade, they sang: “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands.” (1 Samuel 18:7, NIV)

Because the people made more of David’s single victory than all of Saul’s, the king went into a rage and became jealous of David. From that moment he plotted to kill him.

Instead of building up Israel, King Saul wasted most of his time chasing David through the hills. David, however, respected God’s anointed king and despite several opportunities, refused to harm Saul.

Finally, the Philistines gathered for a huge battle against the Israelites. By that time Samuel had died. King Saul was desperate, so he consulted a medium and told her to raise Samuel’s spirit from the dead. This kind of occult activity angered God because it relied on satanic forces instead of him. Whatever appeared, whether a demon disguised as Samuel or Samuel’s true spirit sent by God, it predicted disaster for Saul.

In the battle, King Saul and the army of Israel were overrun. Saul committed suicide. His sons were killed by the enemy. Ironically, David, who had been hounded by Saul for years, sincerely mourned the king’s death.

Saul lost God’s anointing (his hand upon him) because of disobedience and jealousy.

3. ISRAELITES – Some couldn’t enter the promised land.

“Not one of these – not one of this evil generation – shall see the good land that I swore to give to your ancestors” (Deut. 1:35)

When the Israelites were out of Egypt and on the way to Canaan, it took them 40 years. In the process, all the disbelieving Israelites died. They couldn’t keep up their faith. They were not able to relate to a God’s plan for them. They grumbled all throughout. They grumbled about food, water, stay and constantly kept comparing their life at Egypt. God finally decided that these people shouldn’t dwell in the promise land. He withdrew Himself from them and chose to give the inheritance to their offspring (next generation).

Although, God’s presence was always there in their camp, God chose to withdraw His promise to a selected few because of their lack of faith, their constant grumbling and comparison. They failed to see the goodness of God in hard times. They failed to acknowledge God’s plan.

So what do we understand from these 3 stories. We can choose to overlook or stop God’s presence in our life

1. Lack of Self Control
2. Arrogance
3. Familiarity
4. Disobedience
5. Jealousy
6. Lack of Faith
7. Grumbling and Comparison
8. Being grateful (failing to see God’s goodness)
9. Having short sightedness and failing to see God’s plan.

After knowing how we can obstruct God’s presence in our lives, let’s look at how we can allow God to dwell in our lives all the time.

John 15: 1 – 16

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes a so that it will be even more fruitful. 3You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

5“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

9“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14You are my friends if you do what I command. 15I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. 17This is my command: Love each other.

John 14: 11 – 21

Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves. 12Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

15“If you love me, keep my commands. 16And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— 17the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be  in you. 18I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. 21Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.”

1. Bear fruits (Work constantly, use all that God has given you)
2. Be ready to be pruned (live a life of gratitude and be discipled)
3. Acknowledging that apart from Jesus we are nothing (humility)
4. Obedience
5. Love each other (Command to abide)

God is the same yesterday, today and forever. Through Jesus we experience His presence. WHAT HE PROMISED IN THE BOOK OF EZEKIEL – THE CITY WILL BE CALLED ‘THE LORD IS THERE’, IS FULFILLED IN JESUS CHRIST. We dwell in His presence. We can enjoy this fellowship if we respect what Jesus has done on the cross for us. Not only does Jesus dwell with us but the trinity dwells. Let’s decide to obey, to work in order to bear fruits, and continue to love each other.

Sandra wife of Virjil .The New Hope Community is situated in the heart of the city between Old and New Panvel. We can confidently share that New Hope Community is a Church in Kamothe, Church in Khandeshwar, Church in Khanda Colony, Church in Karanjade, Church in Panvel, Church in New Panvel because we are centrally located and these places surround our church Venue.