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Jehovah-Shammah Were Going to Ride a Rollercoaster

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The Names of God And I got a phone call from Young. She called me because she couldn’t find us at the bumper car place. I told her that Elliot and I Jehovah-Shammah were going to ride a rollercoaster. She asked I was sure about that. I said Elliot would be fine. Young said she wasn’t worrying about Ezekiel 48:35 Elliot but me. She asked whether I was really okay with that. I said, “Of course, I am okay. This is nothing. Even a little kid rides it.” I rode it and, honestly speaking, I thought I was going to go to This Thursday was my son, Elliot’s 8th birthday. For his birthday heaven that day. It was much more than I expected. Lots of tight gift, he wanted to go to Busch Garden and so, my family went to turns, steep slopes, sudden drops, going through a dark tunnel… there this week. We first stopped at the Sesame Street theme park. Everybody on the ride screamed. There Elliot and Eric enjoyed rides such as an Elmo train, a boat ride, and an air-drop. These rides were very kid’s friendly and not After the ride, Elliot whispered in my ears, “Dad, I think I picked so scary at all. After the Sesame Street, we went to see other the wrong ride. It was scary.” And I assured him again that there is sections of the park too. no reason to be scared because did is with him. But I think he and I are done with an amusement park for a while. Elliot enjoyed a swing ride and a skyride too. He also wanted to ride a bumper car and he and I were heading to the bumper car When you are scared or worried, God, our Heavenly Father, says to place. He suddenly grasped my hand and dragged me to another you, “Do not fear for I am with you.” Today is the last week of the ride. This ride was a kind of a rollercoaster. It was called Autobahn sermon series, the Names of God. And today we are going to look Race. Elliot wanted to try this ride so badly. at the name, Jehovah-Shammah, which means “The LORD is There.” Indeed, the Lord is there for you. According to its instruction, he was able to ride it. But I felt I need to tell him that this ride could be much scarier than the other rides This name of God, Jehovah-Shammah is revealed in the book of he had tried before. Elliot grasped my hand again and said, “I am Ezekiel. The very last chapter and the verse of the book of Ezekiel, not sacred because I am riding with you, dad. Are you scared, dad?” 48:35 says, “And the name of the city from that time on shall be, The LORD is There.” To understand this name of God, we need to By the way, I am not a big fan of a rollercoaster at all. Thrill rides look at the context of Ezekiel. are not my thing. But I knew this moment would come. I pretended cool and calm and said, “I am not sacred at all and you will be fine with me for sure.” Ezekiel prophesied during the time of Judah’s exile in Babylon. which is called by my name, and say, “We are safe!”—only to Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, sent an army and destroyed go on doing all these abominations?” Jerusalem and burned down the Temple, the King’s palace, and all the houses in the city. The walls of the city were torn down and But Ezekiel said that the tragedy took place in the temple. God Israel people were taken captive to Babylon. departed from the temple. In Ezekiel 10, Ezekiel saw in his vision that the glory of the Lord departed from the temple. To Israel people, the fall of Jerusalem meant much more than a defeat by the enemy. To them, the fall of Jerusalem meant God had Why did the glory of God leave the temple and why the presence of left them. That was because of the temple in Jerusalem. When the God was vanished from Israel people? The reason is revealed in temple was first dedicated, 2 Chronicles 5:13-14 says, “The house Ezekiel 8:3, “and the spirit lifted me up between earth and of the LORD, was filled with a cloud, so that the priests could heaven, and brought me in visions of God to Jerusalem, to the not stand to minister because of the cloud; for the glory of the entrance of the gateway of the inner court that faces north, to LORD filled the house of God.” the seat of the image of jealousy, which provokes to jealousy.” From the opening day of the Jerusalem Temple, the presence of It was the Israel’s idolatry. The Jews built an idol image right at the God was evident and overwhelming to Israel people. They didn’t entrance of the inner court of the temple, and that provoked God to doubt that Jerusalem Temple was God’s habitation where God jealousy. dwelt. And Israel people began to boast with confidence that they A few weeks ago, as we talked about Jehovah-Shalom in Gideon’s would always be safe in Jerusalem because it is God’s habitation. story, we talked about idols in our lives. Even without knowing it, No enemies would be able to defeat it. we can build and worship idol gods in our lives. Idols in this Over the years, the Jews lost a sense of awe and wonder of God’s generation can be money, materialism, power, sex, self-image, presence in the temple. The temple and its worship became a ambition, or pride. These idols start as our servants first, but they meaningless routine. But they still presumed God’s presence and soon become our master. They begin to dominate our lives, and God’s protection over the city. they separate us from God. Prophet Jeremiah rebuked Israel for their false belief. Jeremiah But the massage of Ezekiel does not end without the message of 7:8-10 says, “Here you are, trusting in deceptive words to no hope. Ezekiel says that the glory of God which left the temple is avail. Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, coming back. make offerings to Baal, and go after other gods that you have Ezekiel 43:1-2 says, “Then he brought me to the gate, the gate not known, and then come and stand before me in this house, facing east. And there, the glory of the God of Israel was coming from the east; the sound was like the sound of mighty clean up his room first. I would fix his toys if he would do his daily waters; and the earth shone with his glory.” work first. But often he does not remember that part, his responsibilities. The temple in Jerusalem was with filled with the glory of God again. Now the presence of God is restored. We learned that the How about us? We like to claim God’s promise for us; “God, You glory of God left His people because of their idol worship. Then promised us to be with us always.” But we are not interested in His what was the reason the glory of God had returned to His people? demands. I want God’s presence in my life, but I don’t want to give up the throne of my life. Ezekiel 43:6-7 reveals the reason: “While the man was standing beside me, I heard someone speaking to me out of the temple. It’s like I want God to be in my car, but not in a driver seat but in a He said to me: Mortal, this is the place of my throne and the in a passenger seat or put Him in a trunk. I don’t want to give up my place for the soles of my feet, where I will reside among the handle because I don’t think I really need God until something people of Israel forever.” urgent happens and I need His help. We need to pay attention to this passage, where it says, “This is the In the very last verse of the book of Ezekiel, the city of Jerusalem is place of my throne.” God has returned to the temple as the King. described as Jehovah-Shammah, the LORD is there. Dear brothers This is the message we need to hear today. We want God’s presence and sisters in Christ, Jerusalem means our hearts. in our lives. We want the glory of God and the protection of God. But not many people want to receive God as their King, or their 1 Corinthians 3:16 says, “Don’t you know that you yourselves Master and Lord. are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?” There are times that makes me wonder whether Elliot is a genius. Is your heart filled with the glory of God? Who sits on the throne of He can remember and remind me every promise that I made with your life? If you want the glory of God and the presence of God to him. “Dad, didn’t you say last week that you would play with me be restored in your life? You must give your throne to Him first, so baseball?” “Dad, didn’t you say last month when we had a breakfast that He can reign and rule as your King.
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