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In Search of God’s City
Brian Hennessy
Of all the powerful themes coursing through the Bible, probably none
is more potent than the promise of a city where peace and
righteousness and godliness reign forever. This city, which represents
the highest order of civilization imaginable, would be a place where
fear and pain and disease and poverty and crime and natural disasters
and wars would not, and could not, exist. A place where even
carnivorous animals become vegetarians, so that “the wolf and the lamb
shall graze together, and the lion shall eat straw like the ox” (Isa.
65:25).
In the Book of Hebrews, for example, we are told that the hope of
finding such a city lay at the heart of Abraham’s willingness to
journey to the land of Canaan.
“By faith he lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a foreign
land, dwelling in tents with Isaac, and Jacob, fellow heirs of the
same promise; for he was looking for the city which has [lasting]
foundations, whose architect and builder is God.” (Heb. 11:9,10).
In short, it is the world’s ultimate utopian dream. One that man
has often tried to bring about through his own strength and ingenuity.
But trying to build these Shangri-Las apart from the plan of God,
whether they are sold to us as Communism, Capitalism, or Catholicism,
has always resulted in tyranny, corruption and disillusionment.
The Eternal City
One of the most powerful discourses ever given on the subject was
written by Augustine in the fifth Century, entitled, The City of
God. He wrote it following the sack of Rome by the Goths in 410
A.D., an event that had left the western world in shock. Rome, which
had been literally called “The Eternal City,” had stood for centuries
as the symbol of civilization, order and stability. So enduring was
her might and majesty, that when she succumbed Jerome described the
effect as, “The whole world perished in one city.”
Augustine wrote his treatise primarily as a response to pagan
arguments that this disaster occurred because Rome had ticked off the
ancient gods when she embraced Christianity. But also to help
Christians see that Rome was not God’s eternal city after all. But
rather just one more vain attempt by man to simulate it. He then
directed believers to the true city of God, which he said was found
not on earth, but in heaven.
Although he was right in taking the focus off of Rome as God’s city,
he was not completely correct in arguing that this heavenly city is
found in heaven. At least not with the idea it would remain there
permanently. For the biblical promise of the City of God is always
connected to planet earth. It is to earth that God’s glorious city,
however it is understood, will “come down” and become our home
(Rev.21:2). It is on earth that the “wolf and the lamb will graze
together” (Isa.11:6). And it is on earth that “nation will not take up
sword against nation, and never again learn war” (Isa. 2:4).
It was on terra firma that Abraham fully expected to enjoy this city
as the center of God’s glorious worldwide solution to man’s corrupt
civilization. What’s more, he understood that it would be located in
the very land promised to him. And that its citizenry would be chosen
exclusively from among his own descendants. There is no indication he
knew the name of the city, but it was revealed later to be
“Jerusalem.” It would not be the earthly city, but a heavenly
Jerusalem coming down to a planet redeemed from its corruption, which
his descendant John saw and recorded in the Book of Revelation.
“And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven
from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. [...] Her
brilliance was like a very costly stone, as a stone of crystal-clear
jasper. It had a great high wall, with twelve gates, and at the gates
twelve angels; and names were written on them, which are those of the
twelve tribes of Israel.” (Rev. 21:2,11,12).
America the ugly
Now my reason for focusing on this hope of all hopes is because it
appears almost certain that “Rome” is about to fall once again. I’m
referring to the United States of America. And even though this latest
example of an “eternal city” was not the intent of its godly founders,
it has morphed into that role due to her great wealth, military might
and worldwide power and prestige. Having caught the wasting disease
that eventually afflicts all empires, America now finds herself under
judgment from God. Therefore we should not be surprised to see the
barbarians at our front door also. Even inside the parlor.
I realize many are pinning their hopes on America repenting in time
and making a miraculous comeback to roll back the forces of darkness
and once again lead the world into economic prosperity and moral
righteousness. But I don’t think it will happen. I believe America has
fulfilled her God-given purpose and her sun is now setting. She has
been a beacon of hope for the world’s downtrodden, and a haven for
God’s people fleeing religious persecution. She has spoiled the bids
of several would-be antichrists. And she has demonstrated that a
government of the people, by the people, and for the people could
inspire the human spirit to create a level of prosperity and freedom
unknown to former generations.
But God will be glorified in everything, whether success or failure.
And I believe God’s highest purpose for America is to show that even a
nation given the most ideal framework of government to restrain evil
and promote liberty in this world cannot long endure. That the
corruption that lies within the heart of mankind, inspired by the
unseen “world forces of this darkness” (Eph. 6:12), will eventually
find a way to breach all constitutional checks and balances and
enthrone itself once again in all its greed, arrogance, and cruelty.
The “great American experiment,” as our nation has been termed,
confirms the biblical truth that a strong spiritual component must
always be present in the people for effective government. That true
government rules from the human heart, not the halls of Congress. Or
as Jesus said, “The Kingdom of God is within you” ( Luke 17:21). And
whenever the majority of a nation’s citizenry abandons godly
self-control and begins to indulge itself, all the freedoms guaranteed
by written consent will then be used to subvert it. John Adams
expressed that thought succinctly when he said, “Our Constitution was
made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to
the government of any other.”
Look up
But the question arises, if constitutional America is overcome, where
do we go from here? For surely America has been the last bulwark
against man’s barbarism. Guarded by two oceans, and hidden from world
influence until the fifteenth century, the American continent was the
ideal location for building a God-honoring society free of the
historic intolerances of the world’s religious and political systems.
But even though America was often touted to have “streets paved with
gold,” it isn’t and never was the Promised Land. Messiah isn’t coming
to Washington. Or New York. Or Disneyland. He is coming to Israel. “In
that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which is in front
of Jerusalem on the east” (Zech. 14:4).
As a red-blooded American, I grieve to see my beloved nation being
sacked right before my eyes. And I have not been silent about it,
either. My family was among the thousands who marched to Washington to
wave our tea-party signs to protest the moral and fiscal and
legislative insanity being craftily imposed upon our nation. And I
will continue to voice my dissent until all hope is gone. But I know
in my heart, even if America makes a comeback of sorts in the upcoming
2010 elections, that it is too late. The handwriting is on the wall.
We have been “weighed on the scales and found deficient” (Dan. 5:27).
We have not only polluted our own land, but all the nations. In this,
the jihadists are correct.
But for those who know their God, it is not a time to despair. For we
know it is He who appoints the leadership of every nation. So we can
safely assume He is simply using this judgment to wean us from our
earthly affections, forcing us to look up. “For when these things
begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads, because
your redemption is drawing near” (Luke 21:28). As the Book of
Revelation reveals, man’s false city of Babylon must first be torn
down before the true city of God can appear.
As we sadly see America go the way of all world empires we should hold
fast to the hope of father Abraham and all the patriarchs, who were
content to live as aliens and strangers, even in the land of promise,
until the promise be fulfilled. And even though they died before
seeing it, they will rise again to enjoy it with us in the last days.
“For those who say such things make it clear they are seeking a
country of their own. And indeed if they had been thinking of that
country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to
return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is a heavenly
one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has
prepared a city for them.” (Heb. 11:13-16)
“Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people through His
own blood, suffered outside the gate. Hence, let us go out to Him
outside the camp, bearing His reproach. For here we do not have a
lasting city, but we are seeking the city which is to come.” (Heb. 13:
12-14)
Maranatha. Come, Lord Jesus!
August,
2010
www.bhennessy.com
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