Jehovah Shammah The LORD is THERE.
February 12, 2011
Lets read Ezekiel 48:35Joel 3:21
Has anyone here been to Israel? It is a tiny country in the middle east and no matter what other big time player is in the news, Israel finds its way into the news often-and has been for years!!
What is all the fuss about?
If people have not read the Bible, they would certainly be puzzled about all the commotion in Israel. The struggle for land, ,who is standing with Israel and who isn't. Violence, agression, a little bit of it's legendary military might. And so it goes.
There are more beautiful places on the earth-I haven't seen Israel in person but the pictures tend to look a little desolate in spots.
But it is Jerusalem that the LORD is talking about when he reveals himself as Jehovah Shammah.God himself has a great love for Jerusalem! He revealed himself in the temple built by Solomon as a great cloud covering it-the glory of the LORD was so thick that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud.
1 Kings 8:10-13
1 Kings 9:3 I have consecrated this temple, (In Jerusalem) which you have built (solomon) and by putting my Name there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there (In Jerusalem in that temple).
Why would the LORD have his eyes and his heart for the city of Jerusalem?
It may be a mystery forever.
Some speculate that it is the location of the garden of Eden -that wonderful fellowship that Adam and Eve had with the LORD.
It may be the location of where Abraham proved to the LORD his obedience by being willing to sacrifice Isaac-but a ram was provided at the last minute by the LORD himself.
But for sure scripture tells us that Jesus himself entered that City riding on a donkey. He preached in that City's temples, walked on the streets of that City, held her children and healed her sick. He ate with them and wept. He was there-Shammah-with them and they rejected him.
Psalm 48 says: Great is the Lord in the City of our God, His Holy mountain...
The Temple of Solomon did not last forever. The temple was destroyed and Jews were taken into captivity in Babylon (Iraq)
Therefore what Ezekiel is talking about is a kingdom coming to Jerusalem that will be without end. He spoke those words while the children of israel were in exile for 70 years. The temple that will last forever has not happened yet. When will it happen? >At the second coming of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
Then He will be coming with glorious triumph. Rev. 21:1-5. It is the city of Jerusalem that He will inhabit when He returns to earth to reign as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Those words gave hope for the future to Israel and it should to us as well.
But in the meantime. ...The presence of God is in believers.
When Jesus died on the cross, the veil in the temple was rent in two and God "ecaped"from that Holy of Holies place where His presence was -escaped out into our world to live in us. Jesus death accomplished that wonderful gift.
1 Corinthians 3:16 says that we are God's temple.
Thank God that your sins are forgiven and you can be filled with the Holy Spirit. Hallowed be thy name!!!
The more we know about the names of the LORD , the more we love and trust HIM and that leads us to a life of zeal and fruit.
Ephesians 2:19-21 believers are God's temple. He dwells in us.
Don't let go of hope for the future. Jehovah Shammah. The LORD is in your future. The LORD provides hope for us.
How do we maintain that hope?
1 . Meditate on the Word of God. Cling to it's promises and obey its commandments. I know from experience that the Word of God is alive and nourishes me like a jolt of caffeine. I get so excited the longer I linger in the Word. Remember when you meditate, bring a pencil expecting....
Psalm 119:35-37.
2 . Be filled with the Holy Spirit. Jesus went to be with the Father but he did not leave us comfortless. He dwells within us by the HOLY SPIRIT. 2 Cor 4:7-15. Do you feel Him? Do you know in your "knower" that the Holy Spirit of God is real and is in your very being?
Throughout scripture, the theme of Jehovah Shammah is reitterated over and over. Psalm 139:7-where can I flee from your presence?
1 John 3:19-24.
The Holy Spirit is wanting to fill us. He may be the most neglected of the trinity. Many have acutally been hindered by the account in Acts. We may have read about the Holy Spirit filling the early Christians and we were left with questions. What about tongues, discernment, faith gifts, interpretation of tongues, healing gifts, wisdom? They are all gifts and manifestations of the Holy Spirit . The Bible commands us to be filled with the Holy Spirit. God commands this because He knows without His presence-His Jehovah Shammah-we are powerless to live a life of fellowship with him. His presence and His anointing teaches us about all things. 1 John 2:27.
In our small groups, again, you will use your concordance to find verses about the Holy Spirit-hint look up Spirit not Holy Spirit.
May I tell you what happened to me regarding the Holy Spirit? Forgive me if you have heard this before but...
In 1973 I listened to some tapes given me by a neighbor on how to be born again. I prayed the prayer at the end of the tapes and boom-I knew I was born again. A month later the same lady, Mary Paulson, gave me some more tapes on the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and at the end , I prayed the prayer and asked to be baptized in the Holy Spirit and boom-I was. I prayed in perfect poetry. Later on, I received a prayer language and spoke in tongues. Mostly in my private prayer time which I gather is one aspect of the meaning of "praying in the spirit ". But I have been in meetings where tongues were for the public and when followed by interpretation it has been a sign for unbelievers and has built up the body of Christ. I have gotten phone calls following such meetings that testify to that fact.
By the grace of God, I have received power to maintain a relationship with the Lord. Maybe it is power to be communicating with God in Spirit and in truth-- so we can speak the same language. Whatever-I have never been the same. By the grace of God, I have had various manifestations of the Holy Spirit gifts. Discernment has come to me at times with knowledge and wisdom. I have had the gift of faith.
I have never regretted being Baptized in the Holy Spirit. God is Spirit and we must worship Him in spirit and in truth and having the Holy Spirit indwelling in me is fabulous!
All these gifts, the Spirit gives as He wills-there is nothing special about me sisters! I am nothing but worm food and hot air.
Being baptized in the Spirit gives us a taste of what it is like to be close to God-Jehovah Shammah. Acts 2:17 quotes the prophet Joel.
If you are afraid to take a chance because you may have heard of extremes, I urge you to take a chance on the side of belief rather than unbelief.Jehovah Shammah. Just think if God almighty would be physically here with us. "Hey God-come on over here and explain this to him.. God come on over here and touch this man so his cancer can be gone. Actually, cancer couldn't live in the same room as God Almighty.
Do you know that God is with you? Yes you do! Believe it and REMEMBER.
Geoffrey Bull was a prisoner near China and Tibet border. He was imprisoned for being a spy for 3 years. Despite brain washing attempts and solitary confinement, He kept his sanity and even maintained his joy because he believed God. "I had no Bible in my hand, no watch on my wrist, no pencil or paper in my pocket. There was no real hope of release. There was no real hope of life. There was no real possibility of reunion with those I loved. The only reality was my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Divested of all, he was to become everything to me. He was to break my bars and enlarge my coasts in the narrow room. He was to be my fullest nourishment amidst the meagre food. My meat- which my captors knew not of. He would make me glad and He would let me hear His voice." from his book God Holds the Key.In Him we live and move and have our being. I dare to say even though I don't know what you are going through -" All is well with you whatever your difficulties, trials and sorrows. because God is your delight and his presence is your joy. " Let no corruption from this world, ease us away from Shammah. Is the presence of God my delight? Examine your heart. Let's pray.
1. What does "there" mean? :)
2. Anything happen to you this past week that you REMEMBER as far as God working in your life? Did you see more opportunities?
3. Look in your concordance-yes we found it last week-for one verse each on the Spirit. Read it out loud and comment on its meaning for you. An opportunity to memorize is always there if you choose to take it. A favorite of mine to memorize is Ps 48:1
4. Have you struggled with the gifts of the Holy Spirit?
Have you seen evidence any of the gifts in your life?
Why is it difficult to flow in this kind of a lifestyle?
5. What one thing are you going to do this week to make sure that you make room for Jehovah Shammah.
6. Prayer requests-pray for one another.
Small group discussion questions
Jehovah Shammah
