God of the City
The Psalmist describes the habitation of God as a city. Not some enigmatic place or some ethereal realm. There is an eternal city of God.
Psalm 48:1–2 (ESV) Great is the LORD and greatly to be praised in the city of our God! His holy mountain, 2 beautiful in elevation, is the joy of all the earth, Mount Zion, in the far north, the city of the great King.
When you think of a city you think of it's order and it's functionality. You think of it's great contribution of art and science and innovation. You think of it's dynamics to make life work for many many people. You think of the planning and coordination that has to take place in a city to make it work. This is the image of our God in the Psalm.
He is a God of order and elevation and coordination. He is a God who brings many from afar and locates them in a new city. The city of our God.
The Psalm calls us to contemplate the city of our God:
Psalm 48:12–14 (ESV) Walk about Zion, go around her, number her towers, 13 consider well her ramparts, go through her citadels, that you may tell the next generation 14 that this is God, our God forever and ever. He will guide us forever.
From the foundation of the world, God has planned a city. The Creation starts with a garden. Man's first commandment was to be fruitful and multiply in the Earth while they rule and bring it into subjection.
It was supposed to be God and man together making the Creation come together in coordination and community. When I think of a city, I think of how exciting it is. We go to the city to see the sights and take in the beauty and architecture. When we live in the city we work together to create and design. Cities are filled with wonder.
This is what our faith is about. It is not playing our harps on clouds for all eternity. It is not simply avoiding the fires of judgment. Our God is the God of community and coordination, innovation and design. Heaven is a city and it will NOT be boring.
On another note, God is not anti-city. He loves the city and seeks to make a glorious city for all eternity.
That's our future and it's worth waiting for!
Psalm 48:1–2 (ESV) Great is the LORD and greatly to be praised in the city of our God! His holy mountain, 2 beautiful in elevation, is the joy of all the earth, Mount Zion, in the far north, the city of the great King.
When you think of a city you think of it's order and it's functionality. You think of it's great contribution of art and science and innovation. You think of it's dynamics to make life work for many many people. You think of the planning and coordination that has to take place in a city to make it work. This is the image of our God in the Psalm.
He is a God of order and elevation and coordination. He is a God who brings many from afar and locates them in a new city. The city of our God.
The Psalm calls us to contemplate the city of our God:
Psalm 48:12–14 (ESV) Walk about Zion, go around her, number her towers, 13 consider well her ramparts, go through her citadels, that you may tell the next generation 14 that this is God, our God forever and ever. He will guide us forever.
From the foundation of the world, God has planned a city. The Creation starts with a garden. Man's first commandment was to be fruitful and multiply in the Earth while they rule and bring it into subjection.
It was supposed to be God and man together making the Creation come together in coordination and community. When I think of a city, I think of how exciting it is. We go to the city to see the sights and take in the beauty and architecture. When we live in the city we work together to create and design. Cities are filled with wonder.
This is what our faith is about. It is not playing our harps on clouds for all eternity. It is not simply avoiding the fires of judgment. Our God is the God of community and coordination, innovation and design. Heaven is a city and it will NOT be boring.
On another note, God is not anti-city. He loves the city and seeks to make a glorious city for all eternity.
That's our future and it's worth waiting for!
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