Commentary - Ezekiel 48:30-35

Bird's-eye view

The book of Ezekiel, which began with a vision of the glory of God departing from the temple in Jerusalem, concludes here with the glorious vision of God's permanent dwelling with His people. This is not a blueprint for a future Middle Eastern metropolis. This is a theological portrait, a symbolic representation of the New Covenant people of God, the Church. The meticulous measurements, the symmetrical gates, and the arrangement of the tribes all point to a divinely ordered reality. The climax of the entire book, and indeed one of the great climaxes of the Old Testament, is the naming of this city. Its identity is not in its walls or its inhabitants, but in its God. The city is called Yahweh Shammah, "Yahweh is there." This is the goal of all redemptive history: God with us.

Outline

Context In Ezekiel

After forty-seven chapters filled with judgments on Israel's sin, prophecies against the nations, and the famous vision of the valley of dry bones, Ezekiel's prophecy concludes with an extended vision of a restored land, a new temple, and a new city. This final section (chapters 40-48) is a portrait of the world remade by the grace of God. The passage before us is the very end, the capstone of this vision. It describes the city where God's people dwell, and its ultimate characteristic is the presence of God Himself. This ending fulfills the promise of restoration and points forward to the reality of the New Jerusalem described in the book of Revelation.

Commentary

Ezekiel 48:30

"And these are the exits of the city: on the north side, 4,500 cubits by measurement."

The description begins with the "exits" or "goings out" of the city. This is significant. This is not a defensive fortress, designed to keep enemies out. This is a city of life, a city from which blessing flows. Think of the river of life that flows from the temple in the previous chapter (Ezekiel 47). This city is a source, a fountainhead of God's grace to the world. The measurements are precise because our God is a God of order, not chaos. Salvation is not a sloppy affair. It is a well-planned, sovereignly executed design. The dimensions are perfect and symmetrical, reflecting the perfection of the Architect.

Ezekiel 48:31-34

"And the gates of the city shall be named for the tribes of Israel, three gates toward the north: the gate of Reuben, one; the gate of Judah, one; the gate of Levi, one. And on the east side, 4,500 cubits, shall be three gates: the gate of Joseph, one; the gate of Benjamin, one; the gate of Dan, one. And on the south side, 4,500 cubits by measurement, shall be three gates: the gate of Simeon, one; the gate of Issachar, one; the gate of Zebulun, one. On the west side, 4,500 cubits, shall be three gates: the gate of Gad, one; the gate of Asher, one; the gate of Naphtali, one."

Here we see the heart of the covenant community. The city has twelve gates, and every single tribe of Israel has a gate named after it. After centuries of division, civil war, and apostasy, God here pictures His people as perfectly united. No one is left out. Reuben, the firstborn who defiled his father's bed, has a gate. Levi, whose anger was fierce, has a gate. Dan, who is sometimes omitted from lists in the New Testament, has a gate. This is a portrait of sheer grace. Entrance into the city of God is not based on tribal pedigree or moral performance, but on God's covenant faithfulness to His chosen people.

The gates are on all four sides, north, south, east, and west. This signifies universal access. The invitation of the gospel goes out to all four corners of the globe. As Jesus said, people will come from the east and the west and the north and the south to recline at the table in the kingdom of God. This city is the fulfillment of that promise. It is the Church, the new Israel, gathered from every tribe, tongue, and nation. The arrangement is not haphazard; it is a picture of the fullness and unity of God's elect people, brought together into one glorious city.

Ezekiel 48:35

"The city shall be 18,000 cubits round about; and the name of the city from that day shall be, ‘Yahweh is there.’"

The total perimeter is 18,000 cubits. The numbers here are symbolic of the people of God. The city is a perfect square, four sides of 4,500 cubits each, representing the stability and perfection of God's new creation. But the measurements, as important as they are, all lead to this final, glorious declaration. The city is given a new name.

And what a name it is. Yahweh Shammah. "Yahweh is there." This is the end for which we were made. This is the goal of the entire biblical narrative. From the garden, to the tabernacle, to the temple, to the incarnation of Christ, God has been working to restore His presence among His people. In the Old Covenant, His presence was localized in the Holy of Holies. But here, in the new city, His presence defines the entire city. The city is His presence. This is Immanuel, God with us. The defining feature of the people of God is not our strength, our wisdom, or our righteousness. Our defining feature is that God is with us. This is the great promise to the Church, the temple of the Holy Spirit. And this is the ultimate hope of every believer: to dwell in the city whose very name is the presence of God Himself.

Key Words

Yahweh Shammah, "Yahweh is there"

This Hebrew phrase is the climax of the book of Ezekiel. Yahweh is the personal, covenant name of God. Shammah means "there." The name signifies that the ultimate blessing and identity of God's people is His abiding presence. It is a declaration that the separation caused by sin has been overcome. God has returned to His people, not as a visitor, but as a permanent resident. The city is not just a place where God is; the city's very nature and name are defined by His presence. This points directly to Christ, who is "Immanuel, God with us," and to the Church, which is the temple of the Holy Spirit.

Application

This passage is not for cartographers trying to map out a future Israel. It is for Christians, right here, right now. The Church is this city. We are the people whose gates are open to the north, south, east, and west. We are the people made up of every kind of tribe, brought together by sheer grace.

Most importantly, our identity as a church and as individual believers must be this: Yahweh is there. Is He present in our worship? Is He present in our homes? Is He present in our hearts? The central reality of the Christian life is the presence of the living God through His Spirit. We are not just members of a club or adherents to a philosophy. We are living stones being built into a spiritual house, a holy temple, a city whose name is "Yahweh is there." Our task is to live in such a way that this name is not false advertising. We are to be a people who practice the presence of God, knowing that this is our highest glory and our greatest joy, both now and forevermore.