YHWH Shamay-im and YHWH Shammah

Names of God: Part 45

The LORD in Heaven
and the LORD is present

YHWH is God’s actual name which he revealed to Moses from the burning bush, it implies the personal nature of God.

The second part of the name here is how God relates to us: This name of God is literally about the name of God. It comes from the Hebrew root sham which means name in English.

God’s name, character or renown (sham) deserves our honour, praise and trust. Believing In God is all about trust. That is what faith is all about, trust in God.

Shammah means there as a location, and can also be used for a time. It is there or it is then. YHWH Shammay-im is about a specific location, God is in Heaven, or more literally the heavens, as the term is plural, he is on the seat of his authority, God is in control, God rules.

And you shall know today, and will return to your heart, for the LORD is God in heaven above, and there is no more on the earth below. Deut 4:39 

YHWH Shammah – The LORD is present or there is used as God’s name in Ezek 58.35 but it is also the name for the city, the new Jerusalem coming down from heaven. YHWH Shammah is a name of God but also a title for Jerusalem. The place where God has his throne comes down from Heaven to Earth. God is no longer up there, far away and distant, God is here on Earth, local to humans like you and me.

It was round about eighteen thousand measures: and the name of the city from that day shall be, The LORD is there. Ezekiel 48:35

God’s name, character or renown (sham) deserves our honour, praise and trust. Let us praise the God who is here with us.