The Lord is There

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In today’s Bible reading*, we see that having regathered His people, God says that Jerusalem will forever be known as, “God is There”. What an awesome climax to the history of Israel to the present time in Ezekiel’s day.

As we close out the book of Ezekiel, God has sent Ezekiel out to measure the Temple. It’s more glorious than the one that Solomon built. The CSB Study Bible points out, “The temple described by Ezekiel was never built, and it may be that its significance was intended to be purely symbolic. This can be inferred from the fact that many of the features of this temple and its surroundings do not reflect the geographical realities of the site of Jerusalem and the Temple Mount in the land of Israel. Its distinctively cross-shaped plan is noteworthy.“[1]

Application

Don’t miss the most important part. It isn’t the size of the Temple. It isn’t the shape of the Temple. The most important part is the final words, two words in Hebrew, Yahweh Shammah: Yahweh is There. Yahweh is the covenant-making, covenant-keeping Name of God. In revealing the name the city will be known by, He reveals that He will always keep His covenant with His people. And the Lord will be there.

It isn’t just that the people have been gathered. When we arrive at our final destination — Heaven for those of us who are His — we may see loved ones. We may see friends. (The Bible really doesn’t tell us a lot about these things). But the most important thing we will see isn’t a thing. It’s a person: The Lord Jesus Christ.

For now, Paradise is Paradise because Jesus is there. And after we appear before God’s judgment, when we reach our final destination, Heaven will be Heaven because Jesus is there.

Never lose sight of the most important part of Heaven: the Lord is there!

[1] Rooker, Mark F. “Ezekiel.” CSB Study Bible: Notes. Ed. Edwin A. Blum and Trevin Wax. Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2017. 1306–1307. Print.

* Chapters covered in today’s reading:
Ezekiel 45
Ezekiel 46
Ezekiel 47
Ezekiel 48

This devotional was originally published on September 11, 2021.


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