Names of Yehovah: Shammah
Introduction
The chapters of Ezekiel 40 through 48 are very curious. Measurements, practices and characters are discussed often with little or no identification beyond the pronouns (in the case of the characters), the numbers (in the case of the measurements) and the details of what must be done (in the case of the practices). This section ends with a city being identified by the name of our present topic, Yehovah Shammah.
The Text: Ezekiel 48:35
Ezekiel 48:35 [It was] round about eighteen thousand [measures]. And the name of the city from [that] day [shall be], Yehovah [is] there.
The Hebrew is:
which is more literally rendered, “Around are eighteen thousand. And the name of the city from the day is Yehovah-is-There.” The word 
with no dotting appears as 
, and can be dotted to mean, he placed her. When the Rabbis dotted the text, they determined between similar words, and considered what they agreed the text would mean. In some cases, they were wrong. If this text were rendered with the alternate dotting, it would read,
Around are eighteen thousand. And the name of the city from the day is Yehovah-Placed-Her.
I propose that Yehovah will both place the city and will be in the city.
An obvious question is, “Which city is in mind?” The city isn’t named. I searched to see if Jerusalem was named in Ezekiel 40 through 48, and I did not find a single mention. The structures and events told me that Jerusalem was in mind. This is the city in which Messiah will reside. There is, however, a mystery regarding the timing of the events of chapters 40 through 48. I assumed that it was a description of the Millennial Jerusalem—that is, Jerusalem when the Messiah of Israel will reign for ten centuries. Yet, certain descriptions disallowed this answer. For example, the prince will need to do sin sacrifices for his own sin. If the prince referred to Messiah, there would be a real problem! If the prince refers to resurrected King David who, according to Ezekiel, will reign over Israel, there is also a real problem. A resurrected Saint does not sin. The following texts show King David’s reign during the Millennium:
Ezekiel 34:22 “Therefore I will save my flock. And they shall no more be a prey. And I will judge between cattle and cattle. 23And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them—my slave David. He shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd. 24And I, Yehovah will be their God. And my slave, David is a prince among them. I, Yehovah have spoken! 25And I will make a covenant of peace with them. And I will cause the bad animals to cease out of the land. And they shall dwell safely in the wilderness and sleep in the woods. 26And I will make them and the places round about my hill a blessing. And I will cause the shower to come down in his season. There shall be showers of blessing. 27And the tree of the field shall yield her fruit. And the land shall yield her increase. And they shall be safe in their land. And they shall know that I am Yehovah when I have broken the bands of their yoke and delivered them out of the hand of those that served themselves via them. 28And they shall no more be a prey to the races. And the animal of the land won’t devour them. And they shall dwell safely. And none shall make afraid. 29And I will raise up a plant of renown for them. And they shall no more be consumed with hunger in the land. And they won’t bear the shame of the races any more. 30Thus shall they know that I, Yehovah their Gods am with them. And they, the House of Israel, are my people,” says the Lord Yehovah.
Ezekiel 37:21 And say unto them, “Thus says the Lord Yehovah, ‘Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the races to where they are gone. And I will gather them on every side. And I will bring them into their own land. 22And I will make them one race in the land upon the mountains of Israel. And one king shall be king to them all. And they shall no more be two races. And they won’t be divided into two kingdoms any more at all. 23And they won’t defile themselves any more with their idols or with their detestable things or with any of their transgressions. And I will save them from all their dwellingplaces in which they have sinned. And I will cleanse them. So shall they be my people. And I will be their God. 24And David my slave is king over them. And they all shall have one shepherd. They shall also walk in my justices and observe my statutes, and do them. 25And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my slave in which your fathers have dwelt. And they shall dwell therein–they and their children and their children’s children to Hider. And my slave, David is their prince for ever. 26And I will make a covenant of peace with them. It shall be a Covenant of Hider with them. And I will place them and multiply them. And will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore. 27My Tent shall also be with them. Indeed, I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 28And the races shall know that I, Yehovah do sanctify Israel when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore.’”
The hope of the Saint is in the resurrection. The resurrection cannot occur unless and until Messiah comes. While Saints will be taken up in the Rapture, their return to this earth is the resurrection; this is the Hope of the Saints! The Hope of the Saints is therefore invested in Israel, since Messiah’s coming will be due to the inhabitants of Jerusalem saying one statement as explained in Matthew and taken from Psalm 118:
Matthew 23:37 Jerusalem! Jerusalem that kills the prophets and stones them who are sent unto thee! How often would I have gathered thy children together even as a hen gathers her chickens under wings, and ye would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. For I say unto you, ye shall not see me henceforth till ye shall say, “Blessed is He Who comes with the Name Yehovah!”
After that time, in that Day, Yehovah will be there. He will place the city where it will be as long as the earth lasts.
