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Where I Want To Be From!

In my last post, I wrote about a city where I would like to be from.  It’s this one:

“The circumference of the city will be 6 miles.  The name of the city from that day forward will be: ‘The Lord Is There.’”  (Ezekiel 48:35)

You might wonder, why would a specific city be named “The Lord is There”?  Does this mean that the city is the only place where the Lord is? 

Many theologians believe that the Bible teaches that God is everywhere (omnipresent).  And, based on the following verses, you can see why they have come to that conclusion:

 

  • Can a man hide himself in hiding places so I do not see him?” declares the Lord. “Do I not fill the heavens and the earth?” declares the Lord.  (Jer 23:24)

 

  • But will God indeed dwell on the earth?  Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain You, how much less this house which I have built!  (1 Ki 8:27)

 

  • Know therefore today, and lay it to your heart, that the Lord is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there is no other.  (Deut 4:39)

 

  • Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.  (Ps 139:7-10)

 

Assuming God is omnipresent or everywhere, why then would this city be named “The Lord is There”?

Many believe that while the Bible teaches that God is omnipresence, it also teaches about the manifest presence of God.  In the Old Testament, God manifested His presence at times by being in the tabernacle or the temple.   The incarnation is an example of the manifest presence of God in the person of Jesus. 

In the book of Revelation, there is a verse that seems to encapsulate the manifest presence of God and how we will experience it:

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.  (Rev 21:3)

“The Lord is There”, it’s not just a city’s random name that has no significance or meaning.  On the contrary, one day God will manifest His presence with us and will dwell with us in this great city.  It will be a reality that we will experience and enjoy for all eternity!

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