"You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden."  Mat 5:14  “

Cities are both a natural outgrowth of human developed and divine orchestration. Although human beings seem to be at the forefront in designing and setting up cities, they do it with the inert power and destiny-wisdom God set in them (Gen. 1:26-28)

God designed the city with the power to draw out the resources of creation (of the natural order and the human soul) and thus to build civilization. Additionally, God’s future redeemed world and universe is depicted as a ‘city’. Remember also that Abraham sought a city ‘whose builder and maker is God’ (Hebrews 11:10). Revelation 21 describes and depicts the apex of God’s redemption, as a city! God is building his beloved a city!

What is a City?

A City is a human settlement were larger (dense) populations of different types (diversity) reside to take advantage of collected resources for their existence. When God told Adam and Eve to have dominion and subdue it seems he wanted them to build a God honoring civilization. It is this capacity that would make they to develop human sustaining resources such as science, art, architecture, etc. Cities are places of accumulation for sustaining human life. They draw together human talent and resources and tap the human potential for cultural development.

When Human beings fell in Sin, the effects of Sin tainted everything they did. The City develops and grows its culture influenced by the ethics of its people. But God does not hate the city. If he hated them, he would have not designed the New Jerusalem as a City with a Garden at its core. In the midst of this future city is, is a river with the trees of life on each side. The city is the fulfilment of the purposes of the Eden of God. Herewith is the truth, humanity begins in the Garden but ends in a City.

Traits of the City

1. The City (as the Garden) is a place of refuge and safety (Numbers 35:11–28). The weak and minorities find refuge in the cities. Levitical City of Refuges demonstrate this fact
2. The City is a center of cultural development. Various handles of culture such as music, arts, manufacturing, trade, technology, family building are found (Rev 18:22-23)
3. The City is a Place of Meeting God. In ancient times, cities with their towers were made as a center of spiritual centers. Of course, many sought wrong gods like at Babel. However, the Jerusalem is a city where God meets his people

Breakdown of Cities

1. Cities break down because of Sin. Dense population with diversity creates all cans or segregation and violence
2. Cities become places of spiritual vices such as materialism, pride, arrogance etc. Babel is an example of the priced that comes from the creative power of humans (Gen. 11:4)
3. Cities are places of spiritual restlessness and brokenness

God’s View of Cities

1. He loves Cities for they are habitation of People
2. He asks for people to Pray for Cities (Ezekiel 22:30)
3. He asks the Church to effectively penetrate the Cities with His light (Math. 5:14)

God’s future redeemed world and universe is depicted as a ‘city’. Abraham sought the city ‘whose builder and maker is God’ (Hebrews 11:10). Revelation 21 describes and depicts the apex of God’s redemption, as a city! His redemption is building us a city - the new Jerusalem.