The city called “The Lord Is There” is mentioned in Ezekiel 48:35, which says “And the name of the city from that time on will be: THE LORD IS THERE.” This refers to a vision Ezekiel had of a future city that would represent God’s presence among His people.
To understand the significance of this city, we need to look at the context of Ezekiel’s vision in chapters 40-48. In these chapters, Ezekiel sees a vision of a new temple, a new division of the land of Israel, and a new city called Jerusalem. This vision is looking forward to a future restoration of Israel after the Babylonian exile.
In Ezekiel’s vision, the city called “The Lord Is There” is the new Jerusalem. The old Jerusalem had been destroyed by the Babylonians as judgment for Israel’s sin and rebellion against God. But God promises to restore and renew Jerusalem in the future.
Some key points about this new city called “The Lord Is There”:
- It represents God dwelling with His people again in a literal, physical way (Ezekiel 48:35). His presence had departed from the old temple (Ezekiel 10).
- It is the culmination of a vision that emphasizes holiness, purity, and complete restoration of God’s purposes for Israel.
- The name emphasizes that God’s presence is the defining characteristic of the city. All else flows out of His presence there.
- The city is laid out in specific tribal allotments and divisions, representing restored unity, order, and completeness (Ezekiel 48:30-34).
- The city is enormous – a huge, perfect square of nearly 2 million square feet (Ezekiel 48:16-20). This represents its great importance.
- It is the seat of worship for the new temple Ezekiel sees in the vision (Ezekiel 40-43). Proper worship of God is restored.
- The city is the subject of many other prophecies about the restoration of Israel (Isaiah 2:2-4; Zechariah 14:16-21). Ezekiel provides additional details.
So in summary, “The Lord Is There” represents the wonderful truth that God dwells directly with His people again. It speaks to the complete restoration of Israel’s worship and relationship with God. The name of the city summarizes its primary meaning – God’s presence. Even though Ezekiel’s temple vision was not physically fulfilled, it points ahead to the complete restoration and reconciliation with God that Christ accomplished spiritually.
1. The Context of Ezekiel’s Temple Vision
To fully understand the significance of the city called “The Lord Is There”, we first need to understand the context and purpose of Ezekiel’s entire temple vision in chapters 40-48:
- Ezekiel and other Jews have been in exile in Babylon for years after the destruction of Jerusalem.
- Ezekiel has been prophesying God’s judgment and the coming destruction of Jerusalem (Ezekiel 1-24).
- Then Ezekiel shifts to prophesying hope and restoration after the judgment (Ezekiel 33-39).
- The vision in chapters 40-48 is the pinnacle of this restoration hope, showing Israel completely cleansed and God’s presence returning.
- The vision is meant to encourage the exiles that God still has a future purpose for Israel. One day they would be restored.
- However, the vision is primarily looking far forward to the eschatological future, well beyond the immediate return from exile in 538 BC.
With this context in mind, we now turn to examine the significance of the city itself – “The Lord Is There.”
2. Representing God’s Literal Dwelling With His People
A primary significance of the name “The Lord Is There” is that it represents God once again dwelling directly and literally with His people. God’s presence was one of the most important elements of ancient Israelite religion:
- God’s presence (called the Shekinah glory cloud) dwelt in the tabernacle and temple in the Old Testament (Exodus 40:34-38).
- Having God’s presence with them was a unique blessing for the nation of Israel (Psalm 46:4-5; 76:1-2).
- His presence was linked to proper worship, the temple, obedience, and righteousness.
- When the Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem and the temple, God’s presence departed (Ezekiel 10).
So when Ezekiel envisions a future city called “The Lord Is There”, it signifies God’s literal dwelling with Israel being restored. The city’s name announced that their unique relationship with God’s presence was reestablished. This brought enormous hope and comfort to the exiles who had experienced abandonment.
Though not fulfilled literally, Ezekiel’s vision points forward to the spiritual reality of God dwelling with His people through the Holy Spirit because of Christ’s work (1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:19). But it will also be fulfilled literally when Christ establishes the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:1-3).
3. Representing Holiness, Purity and Completion
Beyond just God’s presence, the name “The Lord Is There” also signifies the holiness, purity, and perfection that will characterize this future city and God’s restored relationship with Israel:
- The whole vision focuses on details of holiness and purification – the design of the temple, the land allotments, the regulations, etc. God’s presence requires holiness.
- The name of the city sums this all up – God is there because everything has been made holy and pure again.
- The name marks the completion of Israel’s restoration, with the return of God’s presence.
- The specific tribal allotments show perfect unity, completeness, and proper order restored to Israel’s worship and community.
So the city name represents the climax and culmination of Ezekiel’s entire sweeping vision – the reestablishment of a holy community and purified relationship with God. This is then summed up and captured in the name “The Lord Is There.”
4. Parallels to Other Prophecies About Restored Jerusalem
Ezekiel’s vision of a future city named “The Lord Is There” also connects closely with other Old Testament prophecies about Jerusalem’s restoration:
- Isaiah frequently prophesies about a future exalted Jerusalem where God dwells, His presence manifested on Mount Zion (Isaiah 4:5-6; 8:18; 24:23; 52:1-2).
- Jeremiah prophesies that one day Jerusalem “will dwell in security” because of God’s presence (Jeremiah 33:16).
- Joel promises future blessings and God dwelling in Zion (Joel 3:17-21).
- Zechariah vividly foretells that all nations will come to worship God in Jerusalem (Zechariah 14).
While each prophet adds details, they agree in pointing to a future restoration of Jerusalem marked supremely by God’s presence. Ezekiel’s vision fits squarely within this larger prophetic context. The city name, “The Lord Is There”, ties back directly to these promises.
5. Connection to the New Jerusalem in Revelation
There is also a close connection between Ezekiel’s city “The Lord Is There” and the New Jerusalem described in Revelation 21-22:
- Both envision God dwelling directly with His people (Ezekiel 48:35; Revelation 21:3).
- Both are enormous, perfect squares (Ezekiel 48:16; Revelation 21:16).
- Both have twelve gates named after the twelve tribes of Israel (Ezekiel 48:30-34; Revelation 21:12-13).
- Both are the center of worship for the nations (Ezekiel 48; Revelation 21:24-26).
- Both represent the final culmination of God’s redemption promises.
So Ezekiel’s vision gives us an important glimpse at fundamental elements that will be fulfilled in the final New Jerusalem. The book of Revelation takes up and expands on Ezekiel’s themes in describing God’s culmination of redemption history.
6. Emphasis on God’s Presence as Central
Finally, the simple but profound name “The Lord Is There” emphasizes that God’s manifested presence is the central, defining characteristic of the city. Everything else flows out from and orbits around the reality of His presence there.
Some implications of this clear emphasis:
- God’s presence makes the city what it is. It is the source of its life and blessing.
- The city exists because of the gracious manifestation of God’s presence. It is not inherently great.
- The appropriate human response is humility, awe and gratitude at God’s presence.
- All human attention and focus should be on the Lord when in the city.
- The name keeps the city’s purpose and identity Christ-centered rather than drawing inappropriate attention or pride to itself.
As the pinnacle of Ezekiel’s sweeping vision, the name “The Lord Is There” provides a central, concise declaration of God’s purposes. It emphasizes that He is reestablishing His gracious presence among His people for His glory and their blessing.
7. Fulfillment in Christ
While Ezekiel’s vision remains unfulfilled physically, Jesus Christ fulfilled its spiritual purposes and realities:
- Christ is Immanuel, “God with us”, come in the flesh to dwell among us (Matthew 1:23).
- Jesus manifested God’s glory and presence on earth (John 1:14).
- He is the new, true temple of God’s presence (John 2:19-21).
- Christ’s redemptive work opened the way for the Holy Spirit to indwell believers corporately and individually (1 Corinthians 3:16).
- He is preparing the New Jerusalem to dwell with redeemed humanity forever (John 14:2-3; Revelation 21:3).
So Ezekiel’s vision finds its underlying spiritual fulfillment in Christ’s incarnation, redemptive work, and outpouring of the Spirit. And it will ultimately be fulfilled when Christ returns to establish the New Jerusalem as the capital of renewed creation.
The city named “The Lord Is There” points to the wonder of God’s presence with His people. This reaches its fulfillment in Christ, the eternal Immanuel.