“The city shall be 18,000 cubits round about; and the name of the city from that day shall be, ‘The LORD is there [Shammah].’ ” (Ezekiel 48:35)

In this last verse in the book of Ezekiel, his vision injects hope into the people of Israel, now in Babylonian exile. The nation had been ransacked, Jerusalem destroyed, and its people taken into captivity, echoing their slavery in Egypt many centuries earlier. The book was written to the captives, clearly denouncing the practices that had led to the destruction of Jerusalem—primarily their unfaithfulness to Yahweh and their turning to pagan gods. Yet the book is all about the LORD’s faithfulness to Israel. From His Glory departing the temple and the holy city of Jerusalem (Ezekiel 11:23) to His Glory returning to dwell in a new temple (Ezekiel 43:2-5; 44:4) in the millennial kingdom, Yahweh will never completely or permanently abandon His people.

In the final vision of the book (Ezekiel 40-48), God reveals a picture of the land of Israel when the people would be restored to it. About the inner sanctuary of the temple we read, “Son of man, this is the place … where I will dwell among the sons of Israel forever” (Ezek 43:7). In our verse today, Jerusalem is characterized by the name given it: Yahweh will be present there.

We take this vision to portray the millennial kingdom of Israel, God Himself being permanently present in the earthly Jerusalem. Some refer to the reign of King David as the godliest era in Israel’s history, and others refer to Solomon’s reign as the “golden age” of Israel. However, the coming millennial era will be the ultimate kingdom of God on this present earth and will extend 1,000 years (Revelation 20:7), with the LORD’s glory present in Jerusalem in a very real way. This era will conclude with a final eschatological battle when the devil and his demonic armies will be finally and forever defeated (Rev 20:7-10). The “Great White Throne” judgment (Rev 20:11) will bring to a close the time of this present earth’s history. God then will make a new heaven and a new earth (Rev 21:1). A new Jerusalem will come down from heaven with this description: “I saw no temple in it, for the LORD God the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple” (Rev 21:22). The LORD will be there, forever and forever. That is what Ezekiel’s prophecy conveys to us. That is the hope of Israel

Today, we have the LORD’s presence with us continually. He came as Immanuel (literally, “God with us”). He promised, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you” (Heb 13:5) and assures His followers, “I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matt 28:20). Nothing can ever separate us from the love of God (Romans 8:38-39).

LORD, when I feel alone and abandoned, I know You are always present with me.