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GREAT
CITIES OF THE BIBLE Chapter 1 Thousands of years ago, the king of a
great city ordered that this inscription be carved in stone at the city
gate: “I had the gates built of sheer blue stone, on which bulls and dragons were elaborately painted. “I let the temple of Marduk, highest of all, supreme of gods, a place of joy and jubilation for major and minor deities, rise as a mountain with asphalt and bricks within the boundaries of Babylon.” Those are the words of a proud man, a man later brought low by the God of heaven. In 1988, astrology made headlines when news leaked out that Nancy Reagan controlled the schedule of her husband, the former president, by staying in touch with an astrologer by the name of Joan Quigley. Thousands of people became interested in astrology as people sought the path to this hidden knowledge. The encyclopedia of astrology claims that no one who ever has investigated carefully this “science” has ever rejected it. Astrologers claim that it can be applied to all areas of human experience. Astrology originated in Babylon, one of the oldest cities of the world. After the flood, God commanded the people to fill the earth (Genesis 9:1). But a descendent of Ham named Nimrod became a mighty hunter (10:9), and decided that he and his descendants would begin a kingdom (11:4) that was later called Babel (11:9). As a symbol of their unity they began a building project. Because there are no natural stones in the Plain of Shinar, (about 50 miles from present-day Baghdad), they made bricks and burned them thoroughly (11:3) to make a solid monument. “They said, ‘Come, let us build for ourselves a city, and a tower whose top will reach into heaven, and let us make for ourselves a name, otherwise we will be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth’” (11:4). And thus, Babylon was begun. Ancient Babylon The builders of the tower of Babel disobeyed God on several counts. (1) They stayed together when God had asked them to “fill the earth.” No matter, they believed there was strength in numbers. Then, (2) they built a tower, a staircase that was to reach from earth to heaven. This is a ziggurat, used in ancient forms of worship. They believed that the stars were gods, so the closer to them the better. In defiance of God, they began to consult these heavenly objects. Finally, (3) they also sinned by desiring to “make a name for themselves.” They substituted strength in their own achievements for faith in the living God. From these ancient beginnings, astrology (which is the doorway to the occult) began to develop. Scholars have identified dozens of techniques used in the New Age Movement today that were already practiced during the early days of Babylon. These ancients also consulted the powers; they developed power to command the supernatural and even believed in reincarnation. That’s why Babylon is always referred to in the Scriptures as a city of rebellion and false religion. The first stage in Babylon’s history was the Tower of Babel, and under men such as Hammurabi, who ruled for 62 years, laws were codified, giving the people the opportunity to exercise freedoms. These were the days when Israel was in Egypt, struggling under the hand of the Pharaohs. Revived Babylon (600 BC-500 BC) After this, Babylon drifts away from the pages of Scripture for nearly a thousand years, but then it reappears in about 600 B.C. when Hezekiah foolishly let representatives of Babylon see the treasures, the utensils, and furniture of Solomon’s Temple. As Babylon grew in power, it became an enemy of Israel. When Nebuchadnezzar became King of Babylon, he made three sieges against Jerusalem. Finally in 586 B.C. he destroyed the city and Solomon’s temple. Thousands of captives were carried off to Babylon along with the vessels of the house of the Lord. God’s people were humiliated and remained captive in Babylon about 70 years. Daniel was one of the young men who found himself in Babylon, living in a strange country. As he walked the streets of the city, he no doubt saw the Ishtar Gate with all of its splendor; he saw the Hanging Gardens and the reconstructed Tower of Babel. This young man promised he would not “defile himself” with the culture that surrounded him (Daniel 1:8). By the way, proud King Nebuchadnezzar eventually did come to believe in God, but only after he was brought low, living with animals in the field (5:21). In the end, we read, “Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, exalt and honor the King of heaven, for all His works are true and His ways just, and He is able to humble those who walk in pride” (4:37). Nebuchadnezzar’s grandson, Belteshazzar, held a great feast and asked that the vessels which his grandfather, Nebuchadnezzar, had taken out of the temple in Jerusalem, be brought to him so that he might desecrate them. “Suddenly the finger of a man’s hand emerged and began writing opposite the lampstand on the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace, and the king saw the back of the hand that did the writing. Then the king’s face grew pale, and his thoughts alarmed him, and his hip joints went slack and his knees began knocking together” (5:5,6). Daniel was asked to interpret the writing, and the message was: God has numbered the days of your kingdom, you have been found deficient, and your kingdom now is divided and given over to the Medes and the Persians (vv. 26-28). That prophecy was fulfilled on that very evening. Archaeologists tell us that Cyrus the Mede and his men diverted part of the water of the Euphrates which ran under the city wall causing the water level to fall and his men were able to slip under the gate into the city. The Medes and Persians were now supreme. Once again Babylon faded as a world power. Alexander the Great tried to enlarge it, but after his reign, it fell apart. When the Turks established the Ottoman Empire, Babylon came under their control. And because they sided with Germany in World War II, that empire was divided up into separate nations including Iraq and Kuwait. Though Babylon is no longer a world power, its occultism has spread throughout the world. Its paganism became rooted in Pergamum and Rome. And its practices infiltrated the Christian church (this will be explained more fully when we study the city of Rome). Present Day Babylon What about the present city of Babylon? Prior to “Desert Storm” of 1990, Saddam Hussein had begun to rebuild it, striving to duplicate the city as it looked during the days of King Nebuchadnezzar. He also minted money with his own profile on the coin, superimposed on that of Nebuchadnezzar. The reason is obvious: just as Nebuchadnezzar besieged Jerusalem, desecrated the temple, and humiliated the Jews; so, Saddam Hussein would like to conquer Israel today. Past history sheds light on present day hostilities in the Middle East. We’ve learned that the Medes and the Persians fought together to conquer Babylon. The modern day country of Iran is ancient Persia. This country is to be sharply distinguished from Iraq, As I mentioned, centuries before Christ, Babylon fell to the Persians and Medes. Persia is modern-day Iran; this country must be sharply distinguished from Iraq; both countries are Muslim, but the Iranians (Persians) are not Arabs. The Medes of past centuries are the Kurds whom Saddam Hussein so mercilessly oppressed. Thus, it appears as if Babylon (represented by Saddam Hussein) is repaying the Medes (Kurds) for participating with the Persians (Iranians) in capturing Babylon many centuries earlier. Trying to understand the hostilities of the Middle East is not easy. The various countries have their own heritage and interests that are not well understood in the west. All that we know is that Babylon has perpetuated false religion in the past and will do so again in the future. The Future of Babylon What role will Babylon play in the future? Will the actual city be rebuilt? The book of Revelation (chapters 17 and 18) speaks about a Babylon that is yet future, a Babylon that will be so evil it will be destroyed by God. Whether these prophecies are literal or symbolic is a matter of disagreement. Those who say it will be rebuilt point out that at least a few prophecies about Babylon’s destruction have never been literally fulfilled. In Isaiah 13, the prophet says that many nations will gather together to destroy Babylon and that when this happens, God will punish the world for its evil. At that time Babylon will fall not to its neighbors, but to those who are from a far country from the “farthest horizons” (Isaiah 13:12). Jeremiah makes essentially the same predictions in chapters 51 and 52. If Babylon is literally rebuilt, It will be because of oil. Europe is more dependent upon Middle East oil than even the United States. And whoever controls oil, controls the economy of the world. We don’t know how it might all come about, but with God, all things are possible. The most graphic description of a future Babylon is in Revelation 17 and 18 where a woman who is clothed in purple and scarlet and rides a beast who is the anti-Christ. This woman has enough authority to control Antichrist and those countries that have come under his power. And in her hand she has a cup filled with abominations, unclean things, and immorality. And upon her forehead, a name was written, “Babylon the great, the mother of harlots and of the abominations of the earth.” Later, people rejoice because Babylon has fallen and God has repaid her for her sins. Whether literal or symbolic, Babylon, with its occult religion, will be completely destroyed by God’s wrath. Several things seem clear. As the end times approach, the religion of Babylon will be revived. People will be studying astrology, seeking fortune tellers, and looking into crystal balls. The worship of the stars is the most influential cult of all history. All that we need to do is to take a long look at our own culture with its “New Age” religion, with its emphasis on spirituality, but not Christ. The religion of Babylon is among us. God mocks those who depend upon astrology for their guidance. Speaking of Babylon, Isaiah pronounced this judgment, “But evil will come upon you which you will not know how to charm away; And disaster will fall on you for which you cannot atone; and destruction about which you do not know will come on you suddenly...You are wearied with your many counsels; Let now the astrologers, those who prophesy by the stars, those who predict by the new moons, stand up and save you from what will come upon you... There is none to save you” (Isaiah 47:11-15). In the end, the stars cannot save those who consult them. Even, those who seek the stars “for fun” are shaking their fist in the face of God. Disaster will come upon them that they will not be able to “charm away.” The religion of astrology, the religion of Babylon, is deceitful and desperately wicked. “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a dwelling place of demons and a prison of every unclean spirit, and a prison of every unclean and hateful bird. For all nations have drunk of the wine of the passion of her immorality, and the kings of the earth have committed acts of immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich by the wealth of her sensuality” (Revelation 18:2,3). Goodbye, Babylon! Chapter 2 Jericho is an excellent example of how God judges cities. Join me as we take a walk through its paths and turn the pages of its history. Joshua, chapter 6, gives us a rather detailed picture of the city; the city whose conquest made the commander Joshua famous. Thanks to a spring of water, civilization gravitated to this area close to the Dead Sea. The city of Jericho is surely one of the oldest in all of history, dating back to at least 8000 years B.C. And because of its location, it played a strategic part in Israel’s history. Jericho was there during the days of Abraham, when he was a wanderer in the land that God promised him as an inheritance. The city commanded the southeast area of the land of Canaan. And when Israel was in Egypt, the city began to grow and became an even stronger Canaanite fortification. Archaeologists say that it occupied perhaps twenty acres - maybe it was 1 and 1 /2 miles around. Huge walls protected it. Recently, Time featured an article titled “Score One for the Bible.” The article said that the walls have now been positively identified and the story in the Book of Joshua finally has been proven true. For years archaeologists have quibbled about the walls — which walls belonged to which period of history. Rather than calling it “Score One for the Bible,” Time should have titled their article, “Score One for the Archaeologists” - at long last, the archaeologists have caught up with the Bible! As Jericho grew in its size, it also grew in wickedness. Archaeologists tell us that it was filled with homosexuality; cruelty to children, and occult practices. It was everything that one witnesses in today’s decadent society. Jericho was the early beginnings of today’s decadence. When Joshua 6 opens, Israel has crossed the Jordan River, they have come to Gilgal where the “reproach” of their unbelief and defeat had been taken away. Standing before them is Jericho. The Lord gives Joshua a promise, “See I have given Jericho into your hand with its king and valiant warriors” (v 2). The Lord says, “Joshua, it’s already done.” How can God say He had already given Jericho to them? The Almighty speaks about those things which are not, as though they were. As far as God is concerned, the conquest was history. If the Israelites would believe God, Jericho was as good as conquered. Marching Around The City Specific instructions were given: “And you shall march around the city all the men of war, circling the city once. You shall do so for six days. Also, seven priests shall carry seven trumpets of rams horns before the ark. Then on the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times and the priests shall blow with the trumpets. And it shall be that when they make a long blast with the rams horn and when you hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout and the wall of the city will fall down flat. And the people will go up every man straight ahead” (Joshua 6:3-5) What can we learn from these instructions? Some people have marched around a house or land that they wanted and perhaps the Lord even gave it to them. But I prefer to apply the principles of this conquest. First of all, Israel marched around the city defenselessly. They did not have weapons. Unlike the Israelites, the Canaanites had iron and were far ahead of other nations in the art of warfare. In contrast, Israel had virtually no weapons nor a well-trained army. Christ said, “Behold I send you forth as lambs in the midst of wolves” (Luke 10:3). It’s okay to be weak, as long as we know where our strength lies. As long as we keep looking to the promises of God; it’s okay if the walls of our city seem to be unmovable. Israel marched defenselessly and they marched patiently. When evening came, the skeptics questioned why they should expend the effort repeating this exercise. The children were restless; the women were tired and the men were discouraged. What is more, the walls were as high and strong as ever. Why should they have to do it again? I’ve had people tell me about their Jerichos and sometimes I tell them, “Just keep doing what you’re doing because you’re doing the right things. Someday, God is going to reward your obedience and out of the blue you’re going to find a crack in the wall.” Dr. Alan Redpath said that some people are tempted to quit on their 12th time around their personal Jericho. Israel had to march around 13 times - once each day for six days and seven times on the seventh day. I don’t know what would have happened if they had quit at round number 12. Perhaps we quit too soon. Patiently they marched; patiently we must walk in obedience. They also marched silently. We read, “But Joshua commanded the people saying, ‘You shall not shout nor let your voice be heard nor let a word proceed out of your mouth until the day I tell you shout. Then you shall shout.’” There are times to shout, and there are times to stand still and see the salvation of God. There’s nothing as thrilling as having God as your Defender, letting Him take up your cause and fight your battles. As the Scripture says, “In quietness and trust is your strength” (Isaiah 30:15). God said he wanted them to march unitedly. First of all, the priests went around, then the men of war, and then the ark. You can almost visualize these people winding their way around the huge walls. Today many are struggling with deep needs that will never be conquered on their own. Only the united body of Christ can make a difference. Those who find themselves trapped in a pit need others to lend them a hand. They also marched expectantly. They did not know what God was going to do. God didn’t tell Joshua that the walls would collapse on the seventh day. Joshua’s responsibility was to obey; God’s responsibility was to win the victory. Let us keep our responsibility and God’s responsibility distinct. “It came about on the seventh time, when the priests blew the trumpets, Joshua said to the people, ‘Shout! For the Lord has given you the city’” (Joshua 6:16). “So the people shouted, and priests blew the trumpets; and it came about, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, that the people shouted with a great shout and the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight ahead, and they took the city” (v 20). God said, “It’s yours.” It doesn’t really matter how high our walls are; it really doesn’t make any difference how deep the foundations. When God chooses to speak, walls collapse. No matter how high the wall, God is higher still. The habits, the addictions, the lack of discipline that causes us to constantly fall into the same sins over and over again — God is able to speak and their power is gone. But we must be as faithful as Joshua. The Judgment of the City You know the rest of the story. The walls fell down and everyone perished except Rahab who had believed the report of the spies. Israel was to destroy everything. Even men, women and children were put to death. Critics of the Bible have choked when they have come to this passage. “How mean of God!” they say. To think that Joshua was to slaughter these people — men, women, and children — how awful. Where is justice? God was trying to prove that sin is contagious. If Israel lived with these people, the nation would have been drawn to their ways, to serve their gods. In fact this even happens today, where associations with the wicked increase our propensity to wickedness. Whether we think God was harsh or not, the fact is that He doesn’t call on you and me to check on how to run His universe. The God who commands obedience also executes judgment. If you have been to Israel, you know that today there are three Jerichos. There is the mound of the ancient Canaanite city; there is also New Testament Jericho and modern Jericho. But Old Testament Jericho was never rebuilt, just as God prophesied in Joshua 6:26. Today the mound still stands as a silent but eloquent witness to the justice of God. Jericho has much to teach us. Lessons To Be Learned Let’s make these lessons remind us of God’s ways in the world. First of all, God’s judgment always happens in His time. During the days of Abraham the iniquity of the Canaanites was not yet full. But when God’s hour comes, judgment falls. Many generations of Canaanites thought they were “getting by” because they lived in relative peace. In Ecclesiastes 8:11 we read, “Because God does not immediately judge evil, people feel safe in doing wrong” (The Living Bible). But God does not forget. People think they do not need to be protected from God’s wrath. Who needs a fire engine when there is no fire? But the fire will eventually come. Second, God’s judgment always happens in God’s way. Jericho is the only city whose walls fell down. Sodom and Gomorrah had fire come down from heaven. Many equally wicked cities have no such judgment. But there is a future day coming when all will be judged. We do not know how or when the judgment will take place, but we know that it will. “...because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead” (Acts 17:31). Third, God’s judgment is always mingled with mercy. Even pagans can be delivered in this life and the life to come. Rahab was a prostitute, but she was spared physically and eternally because she turned from her pagan religion to God. She didn’t have a praying mother; she wasn’t handed a Gospel tract; nor did she listen to a radio program. Yet she reached out in faith and became an ancestress of Christ (Matthew 1:5). Though her sins were many, she is listed in Hebrews 11:31 as a heroine of faith. She is a part of the family of God. That red rope Rahab hung from the window represents the blood of Christ that keeps us from God’s condemnation. Apart from the shelter of God’s Son, we would all be headed for eternal Judgment. No matter your sin, God will forgive you if you receive the gift of Christ’s salvation. “...Though your sins are as scarlet, they will be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They will be like wool” (Isaiah 1:18). Yes, God will judge the cities of the world. But many individuals will be spared. Those who have trusted Christ, will not come under God’s condemnation. Jericho has a message for us: Repent, judgment is coming. Chapter 3 Does God care about a pagan city? Does He care about Mexico City, Detroit or Chicago? More to the point: do we care about our city? Or could it be that our personal comforts outweigh our commitment to the plight of the urban centers of the world? Nineveh was the capital of Assyria, located about 200 miles northwest of Baghdad or 250 miles from ancient Babylon. Nineveh was on the eastern bank of the Tigris/Euphrates River, and as such, shared a common heritage with the great city of Babylon. In fact, Nimrod, according to Genesis 10:9-11, was the founder of both cities. Nineveh is a paradise for archaeologists. The outline of the walls can still be traced. They were at least 8 miles in circumference and were so wide that chariots might have been driven on top of them. Surrounding the major city were many smaller cities and perhaps this is what the Bible means when it says Nineveh was “a three days walk” (Jonah 3:3). Palaces, temples, sanctuaries and even the palace of Sennacherib, one of Nineveh’s outstanding kings, have been uncovered. Of most interest was a library with thousands of clay tablets on such topics as philosophy, law, geology, chemistry, and mathematics. Religiously, Nineveh was much like Babylon. Both worshipped the stars and Ishtar, the goddess of sex. The city was filled with sorcery and witchcraft, and the people used incantations to summon the help of whatever gods there be. Let’s take two different snapshots of Nineveh as its existence touches biblical history. The Revival In Nineveh First, we have a revival in Nineveh. Recall that the Lord commanded Jonah to go to Nineveh, but in disobedience to God, went to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. The prophet was so angry at God’s will that he preferred to drown in the Mediterranean Sea rather than preach to the Ninevites. He knew that God might bring repentance to that city and then use the Ninevites to punish Israel. Jonah could not bring himself to preach to these heathen. Jehovah, he thought, belonged to the Jews, not these pagans. But being swallowed by a large fish, spending three days and three nights in its belly and being vomited up onto dry land, Jonah went to Nineveh and preached. Think of the disadvantages this city had during this evangelistic campaign. The preacher had no burden, in fact he hated the people to whom he was called. He went hoping that they wouldn’t believe his message. Then also, his message was only one of Judgment - there was no grace, no love, no mercy. There was no interesting introduction to this sermon; nor did he have an illustration in the conclusion. He told them simply, “Yet forty days and Nineveh will be overthrown” (Jonah 3:4). This city was steeped in paganism, deeply subject to demonic occult powers. There were no advance teams, no tracts, no prayer meetings to prepare the people for the coming of the evangelist — no media, no newspapers, no explanation of what was going to take place. Yet the city was so responsive that it experienced one of the greatest revivals in history. We read “Then the people of Nineveh believed in God; and they called a fast and put on sackcloth from the greatest to the least of them. When the word reached the king of Nineveh, he arose from his throne, laid aside his robe from him, covered himself with sackcloth and sat on the ashes” (3:5,6). In fact, he issued a proclamation that all people, even the animals, should repent! This is surely the most unlikely revival in all of history. Jonah’s message was conditional; that is, if the people would repent, the predicted calamity would not come. We read, “When God saw their deeds, that they turned from their wicked way, then God relented concerning the calamity which He had declared He would bring upon them. And He did not do it” (3:10). There are three accounts of repentance in this chapter. First of all, Jonah repented, then Nineveh repented and then God “repented.” God knew all along that Nineveh would, indeed, respond to Jonah’s message. The text simply means that God did not do what had been promised because the city turned to Him. When God “repents” it simply means that, from our point of view, it appears as if He changed His mind. The suggestion has been made that after three days and three nights in the belly of the fish, Jonah’s body was pure white. Perhaps this caused the people to believe that he was a special messenger from God. At any rate, our first snapshot of Nineveh is one that shows the mercy of God in giving a great spiritual revival. The Aggression of Nineveh Now we fast forward the historical perspective and jump ahead 40 or 50 years. After the revival of Nineveh, we have the aggression of Nineveh. The nation besieged the city of Samaria, the capital of the northern kingdom of Israel. After the three year siege, Samaria fell, and the Assyrians enslaved 27,290 Jewish men, taking them to Assyria (according to Assyrian records) and repopulated Samaria with their own men. This, by the way, explains who the Samaritans were. They were despised because they were of a mixed race - - the offspring of the Jewish women who had intermarried with these Assyrian men. Now, let us fast frame the history of Nineveh by jumping ahead another 100 years. The prophet Nahum wrote his entire prophecy as a judgment against the city. God, he says, is jealous, and avenging, and will not let the guilty go unpunished. Hear it from him, “Woe to the bloody city, completely full of lies and pillage... ‘Behold, I am against you,’ declares the Lord of hosts...And it will come about that all who see you Will shrink from you and say, ‘Nineveh is devastated! Who will grieve for her?’ Where will I seek comforters for you?” (Nahum 3:1-7). Finally, Nahum ends, “There is no relief for your breakdown, Your wound is incurable. All who hear about you Will clap their hands over you, For on whom has not your evil passed continually?” (3:19). In 612 B.C., Nineveh collapsed in a battle and was reduced to ashes. It became a vacant and desolate city, unknown throughout all of these centuries, just as Nahum predicted. Were it not for archaeologists, we would not know where it had been. Through its ruins God speaks to us today. Lessons For Us First, God loves even pagan cities. Contrast Jonah, who was more interested in his personal comfort, angry that a worm had cut down the plant that was his shade than in the salvation of the thousands of people in the city of Nineveh. Jonah was as bigoted, narrow-minded, and self-serving as we ourselves can be. We, too, have retreated from our great cities; evangelicals have left the inner cities because we don’t want to deal with crime, broken homes, alcoholism, and drugs. We prefer our own comfort zone and so we write off large sections of our population. The poor and needy are treated with benign neglect and careless indifference. God needs to break our hearts, to expand our area of concern to cover the great cities of our nation. God had compassion for Nineveh though Jonah did not. To love a city is to love what God loves. As Christ wept over Jerusalem, so we too should weep for the cities of our nation. Second, we learn that the spiritual fervor of one generation can vanish in the next. Nineveh experienced its great revival approximately in the year 765 B.C. Forty years later the same city was aggressively crushing the Jews, trying to expand its borders and strengthen its hold on the world. And another 100 years, the city was so ripe for judgment that God obliterated it from the face of the earth. I agree with those who tell us that America is basically running on the religious capital of its past. We are drifting into the night of paganism and cruelty. John Bunyan, of Pilgrim’s Progress fame, had a vision of a flame being doused with buckets of water, but nonetheless it continued to burn. As he inquired at this strange phenomenon, he discovered that tucked away on the other side of the wall was someone who kept feeding the fire with oil. The only reason America has a semblance of morality and decency is because some people are still supplying the oil of the Spirit, the oil of the Gospel. Let us never think that a fervent spiritual past is any guarantee for future blessing. One generation can love God and the children can ignore Him. There are no “grandchildren” of God mentioned in the Bible. God makes Himself known to each generation and they must each declare themselves for the Lord. Finally, we learned that judgment is according to knowledge. In Matthew 12:41 Christ said, “The men of Nineveh will stand up with this generation at the judgment, and will condemn it because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.” The Ninevites repented despite the anger of the preacher, the slant of the message, and the paganism of their forefathers. And yet, Christ’s generation would not repent, though they were in the presence of the King of kings. I believe that in the Day of Judgment the men of Nineveh shall rise up and condemn the city of Chicago, as well. They had but one preacher; we have hundreds. He had but one means of communicating his message; we have Christian radio, television, the internet, tracts, magazines, books and Bibles readily available. His was a message only of judgment; ours is one of compassion and love. We have open forums to discuss religion, to answer questions, and to investigate truth. Our city, along with many others has rejected incredible light. And so I must ask, have you repented? How many sermons have you heard? How many opportunities have you had to hear the Truth? Perhaps the men of Nineveh shall rise up and condemn you, for they responded to the light that they had, whereas, many people today simply pass it by. There is a connection between the continued existence of a nation and its relationship with God. God judges nations, but the most important judgment is that of individuals. With that in mind, let me urge you to humble yourself as the people of Nineveh did so many years ago. Christ will receive those who come to receive His love and mercy. Nineveh is a reminder to all of us that God cares about cities. We may not care, but He does. As believers who share His heart, we must allow our hearts to be broken for the cities we live in; for it’s our hands God uses to rebuild broken walls, and our compassion He uses to rebuild broken lives. The ruins of Nineveh speak to us today. Chapter 4 Some cities influence an entire country or an entire area of the world. Others impact the whole globe and permeate seemingly all cultures. Athens is such a city; it is almost impossible to exaggerate its impact on the history of civilization. Athens is the most important city of Attica; it derived its name from the goddess Athena. It is a city of beauty — a city with history and fascination. On three occasions it has been my privilege to visit Athens, to walk its streets and marvel at its temples. Yes, this city has indeed influenced the world. Athens’ dominance is seen in its culture. The focal point of Athens is the Acropolis, a large hill with many different temples. The most important temple is the Parthenon, built during the golden age of Pericles (5th Century B.C.). Its columns, for example, were set up at an angle so that they would appear to be straight. Such skilled Greek architecture has become a model for the entire world. Second, Athens has had an influence in politics. Democracy had its beginnings in the Agora, just at the base of the Acropolis. The Athenians developed a system of laws and put responsibility for government on representatives who in turn elected their leaders. Interestingly, it was also possible to vote some leaders out of office. If enough votes of impeachment were cast, the politician was banished from the political arena for ten years. It was the Athenian version of “throw the bum out!” But perhaps the greatest influence of Athens comes to us through its philosophy. The city is associated with brilliant thinkers like Plato, who grappled with questions of the relationship between mind and matter, and the purpose of life. A modern philosopher has said, “All of philosophy is a footnote to Plato.” Hundreds, if not thousands of books have been written on this man’s philosophies. And still, there is an inexhaustible source of ideas generated by his brilliant mind. We think immediately of Plato, but there were also Aristotle and Socrates - these men probed the depths of human thought and sought answers to ultimate questions. Yet, despite their brilliance, the philosophers did not come to the truth regarding God and His relationship to the world. When human reason ventures into morality and religion, we discover that we do not have the building blocks upon which to construct a system that will give us the answers we seek. What we need is a revelation from God to tell us things that could never possibly be deduced by the human mind. Though philosophy is interesting, it is a dead-end street and eventually ends in agnosticism. Little wonder Socrates said, “I know nothing, except the fact of my ignorance.” Standing On Mars Hill On Mars Hill, the Apostle Paul met two diverse groups of philosophers. We read, “And also some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers were conversing with him. Some were saying, ‘What would this idle babbler wish to say?’ Others ‘He seems to be a proclaimer of strange deities.’—because he was preaching Jesus and the resurrection” (Acts 17:18). The Epicureans were the humanists of their day. They were materialists, believing that atoms were the final reality. Only matter existed in the universe. There was no soul, no immortality, no spirit and certainly no God who had an independent existence from the world. They believed in gods, but these beings spent time contemplating their own identities and existence. In contrast, the God of the Bible was personal, the Creator who cares about His creatures. These Epicureans were also hedonists, believing that the ultimate value to which men should strive is pleasure. They did not stress fleshly sensual pleasures, but rather the pleasures of the mind — the pleasures of thought and contemplation. Some pleasures, they taught, led to greater pain. The way of wisdom was to avoid those pleasures and choose better ones. But these hedonists could not rationally defend the view that intellectual pleasures were better than fleshly ones. This explains why the word hedonism, as it is used today, usually refers to sensual pleasure, the pleasures of sexual indulgence, drugs, and sensational spiritual experiences. Today’s hedonistic slogan is “Feel, don’t think!” The second group of philosophers were the Stoics, the “new age” thinkers of the day. They were pantheists, believing that God was all, and all was God. They taught the immortality of the soul, and the absorption of the soul into the cosmos. Just like the New Agers of today, they did not believe in a personal god, but that the soul was eventually absorbed into the ultimate reality, just as a drop of water rejoins the ocean. They practiced occultism, astrology, and other spiritual experiences. But the Stoics also believed in virtue for its own sake, and emphasized the mastery of the emotions. For them, the highest good was virtue - which they believed was beyond good and evil. For us, the word stoic refers to someone who experience little emotion and may not even express sympathy. Today, we stand on Mars Hill with the Apostle Paul. On the one hand we have those who are the humanists of the day, those who believe only in the existence of matter; on the other hand we have the pantheists, those who believe in the spiritual nature of the universe and become absorbed into psychic realities. Like Paul, we preach the Gospel to both groups. America On Mars Hill America has moved from pluralism (the belief that everyone is entitled to his own opinion) to relativism (which teaches that everyone’s opinion is equally valid). Thus, we hear people saying, “I don’t commit adultery, but I would never judge someone else who does.” Just listen to the tabloid journalism on television or listen to the confessions on talk shows and you will be convinced that our nation believes that there is no standard by which morality can be judged. People today choose their religion as they choose food at a smorgasbord. They take a bit of Buddhism, stirred with the yoga of Hinduism, blended into a generous dose of Christianity and come up with a religion that is just suited to their tastes. They reject all attempts to systematize their doctrine. What is true for one may not be true for another. Allen Bloom, in his book, The Closing of the American Mind, says, in effect that all viewpoints are equally tolerated on university campuses. The only viewpoint that is intolerable is the idea that someone has discovered some religious or moral truth. Such people are punished by those who hold to “politically correct thinking,” instigated by liberals who are anxious that everyone fall in line with their agenda. In Acts 17 the Apostle Paul gave his famous sermon on Mars Hill. The Athenians believed in many gods and just in case they had overlooked one, they had an altar “to an unknown god.” Paul, therefore, used this altar as a basis upon which he would proclaim the existence of the true God. He said, “The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; neither is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things; and He made from one man, every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each of us” (vv. 22-27). Paul spoke their language, captured their attention and used their own religion to show the need for God. Then he preached Christ and the resurrection to them. The God We Proclaim Paul says God is personal (in contrast to the impersonal gods of the Greeks or today’s New Age religion). God is powerful. He is not intimidated by human efforts; He is independent of the world, and does not limit Himself to man-made temples. And furthermore, unlike the Greek gods, He is concerned about human beings. Clearly, this is not any of the gods of Athenian culture. What makes Christianity different from all the other religions of the world? Whether one is a Buddhist, a Hindu, a Mormon or belongs to a branch of Christendom that proclaims salvation comes through baptism and church membership - all of these teach that we cooperate with God in salvation. He does His part, and we do ours. Paul, however, refers to Christ who is both Savior and Judge. He saves people by faith, not human merit and “He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead” (Acts 17:31). Contrary to both the humanists and the New Agers, God does judge sin and we will have to stand before Him personally and individually. As for the present, salvation is a free gift to all who repent. Yes, there are absolutes: there is heaven and hell; God and the devil; those who are saved and those who are lost. These distinctions made in the Scriptures must be firmly and completely believed. After Paul preached his message, he received three responses: (1) some sneered; (2) some delayed; they said “We will hear you again concerning this,” (v. 32) and finally, (3) some believed. Even today when the Gospel is preached some mock, some are willing to consider it further, and others are saved. An old parable says that a silly servant is one who is told to open the door, and attempts to do so by setting his shoulder against it and pushing with all his might; but the door moves not. A wise servant comes with a key, unlocks the door, and enters easily. Those who would be saved by works are pushing at heaven’s gate without results. Faith in Christ is the key, the only key that opens the gate at once. Yes, I have stood atop Mars Hill where Paul addressed the Stoics and Epicureans of his day. That hill is still there; the Parthenon and the Acropolis are as well, and God, too, is still there. His unchanging Word still is revealing His heart for cities such as Athens. The Gospel that saved some Athenians saves us today. Chapter 5 No city, except Jerusalem, has had a greater influence on Christianity than Rome. To this day, Rome’s influence extends around the globe. The city was founded in 753 B.C. among the seven hills along the Tiber River. When Christ was born, the ruling Caesar was Augustus (or Octavian). During this era Rome reached its peak. Jews came to Rome in the second century B.C. and at least 13 synagogues were established. They were to play an important part in the development of the commerce of the city. As for Christianity, the Gospel might have been brought to Rome by visitors on the Day of Pentecost who returned with the good news of what they had heard and seen. At any rate, a powerful church was established there; and Paul and Peter eventually came to strengthen the believers. Indeed, it is possible that both of these apostles died there. Paul wrote the book of Romans (his letter to the church in Rome) in about AD 57. This book happens to be the most influential of all of Paul’s writings. We know that he was writing to a well-established church; he also says that it is his intention to visit them. But the great bulk of the letter is Paul’s reasoned theology; he lays out an ocean of doctrine and practical application of the Christian faith. Let’s trace the history of the church in Rome. Pagan Rome About two years after Paul wrote his letter to Rome, he arrived there, likely in AD 59. When standing before Festus in Caesarea, Paul appealed to Caesar (Acts 25:11). The story of his remarkable journey, including the shipwreck is found in Acts 27 & 28. He would have entered Rome along the Appian Way, walked past the Circus Maximus and been taken to the Forum, which was the hub of the political and social life of the citizens. There he was put in prison (possibly the Mamertine prison which still can be seen today), and in his spare time he wrote Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians. What influence has Rome had throughout the world? First we think of the persecution that Christians endured. When Paul came to Rome, Nero was the emperor. In AD 64, it is generally believed that he set Rome on fire because he wanted to rebuild it. When opposition toward him grew, he blamed it on the Christians. Historians tell us that he impaled Christians on wooden crosses, then poured pitch on them and lit them, enjoying the light that radiated from their burning bodies. According to Tacitus, other Christians were wrapped in the skins of wild animals then thrown to lions. Under Nero, Paul himself became a martyr in Rome. Why were the Christians so severely persecuted? It was not because they believed in Christ, for the Romans did not care which god one worshipped. What sparked the hatred was the exclusiveness of Christianity; it was the conviction of Christians that Christ was the only way. And then, to make matters worse, the Christians refused to call Caesar, “Lord.” The Romans believed it was impossible to be a good citizen of the state unless one also accepted the religion of the state. In all, there were ten periods of persecution, the worst was in the reign of Diocletian (about AD 303). Christian buildings were destroyed, Christian books burned, and believers were imprisoned and tortured. The persecution was so terrible that even the pagans were appalled. A law was instituted that gave the Christians reprieve. Thankfully, many loved not their lives unto death, and received a martyr’s crown. Christian Rome Then in 312 A.D. an event took place that would forever change the course of Roman history, and even more dramatically change the history of Christendom. A man named Constantine invaded Italy, hoping to conquer Emperor Maxentius. A few nights before the battle, Constantine prayed and received a vision “In this sign conquer.” The sign, evidently, was the Christian cross. He requested that this sign be emblazoned on the shields of his soldiers. He crossed the Milvian Bridge and conquered Italy. Constantine then ordered an “edict of toleration” and within the next generation Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire. The Christians were elated. No more persecution; no more need to apologize for being a believer. And, follow this carefully: just as the sword had been used against them, now they could use the sword against heretics. With the “Christians in charge” the kingdom of God just might be brought to earth. It was not to be. Since the church was now honored by the world, it became married to the world. Political and moral corruption increased. Instead of the church being a group of redeemed people in the midst of an evil world, the church now welcomed the world into its fellowship. No longer was it necessary for people to be individually converted. If you were born into the Roman Empire, you were born a Christian and you were christened on the eighth day to prove it. Salvation was no longer a personal relationship between you and God; it was a relationship between you and the church. Unfortunately, what appeared to be a boon to the spread of Christianity was actually the seed of its corruption. As long as the church was a persecuted minority, its doctrines remained relatively pure. But when it became united with the state, the corruption spread like yeast. To illustrate: Pagan Rome had been a very religious community. The Romans had been heavily influenced by the ancient mystery religions of Babylon. Ancient Babylon had a goddess, Tammus, who was called the Queen of Heaven. In Jeremiah 44:17-19 the prophet condemns ancient Israel for praying to the Babylonian goddess, who is called the “Queen of Heaven.” Now when Christianity became the religion of the Roman Empire, many people sought to find some parallels between Christianity and paganism. To add other gods would have been impossible; that would have been going too far. But many of the pagan practices were accepted. Mary was called the “Queen of Heaven,” becoming the Christian counterpart to this ancient pagan deity. The Romans had many gods and goddesses. They had a god to consult if they went hunting; they had a god for buying and another for selling. There was a god for marriage; a god for good luck. These responsibilities were now assigned to heroic saints in the Christian church. People actually began to pray to dead saints in accordance with their particular need. There were other parallels too. Ancient Babylonians would bow and kiss their idols (1 Kings 19:18). This was also carried over into the church; believers would now kiss the statues of saints; they would pay fees for certain spiritual favors, and burn candles to obtain blessings from the dead. Salvation, as I mentioned, was no longer based on a personal relationship with God. The church with its rituals became the pathway to God. Other sacraments were added with the theory that grace must be received in a multitude of ways. A priesthood based on the Old Testament model was used to keep the faithful returning to the church for forgiveness and grace. Practices such as penance developed. The church, it was believed, had the right to impose a certain temporal penalty for sin, such as a good work. One good work was to give money. And if paying some money is good, paying more money is better. In fact, the notion arose that some of the saints had done more good than they needed to get to heaven. Lesser saints could tap into this “Treasury of Merit” and for a fee have additional good works added to their account. This was contrary to the New Testament teaching that salvation is a free gift of God given to those who admit their need and believe. There are several lessons to be learned here. Lessons To Be Learned First, this brief study reminds us that when the church becomes regional, that is, encompassing everyone born within a certain geographical area, it will inevitably lose its distinctiveness and power. Christ said we are “sheep in the midst of wolves”; when the wolves are invited into the church under the pretense that they are sheep, the church is corrupted. Second, whenever we try to combine the Gospel with any tradition, other religion, or personal hunch, we dilute its power. There is no such thing as an “innocent tradition,” especially if it has any connection to Christian doctrine. I often meet people who say, “Okay, it’s not in the Bible, but what difference does it make if I pray to Mary or believe in purgatory?” A big difference. A difference as great as salvation or condemnation; heaven or hell. For whatever we add to the Gospel detracts from the pure, finished work of Christ. Third, the history of Rome is a reminder that the greatest threat to the church is not persecution without, but moral and doctrinal corruption within. In America, Christianity is under attack - severe attack. Our freedoms are being taken away at an alarming rate. But persecution has a tendency to purify the Church; it helps root out corruption and makes a clearer distinction between the Church and the world. Finally, aword about the future of Rome. Eventually, according to the prophet Daniel, the Roman Empire will be revived. The Antichrist will emerge out of this revived empire and he will not only expect political obedience, but religious obedience as well. In fact, the most cruel and powerful regime ever to rule on this planet will be first and foremost a religious conglomerate that will demand worship (Revelation 13). Rome is commonly known as the Eternal City. It’s not, of course. In the end it shall be judged like all the other great cities of the world. Perhaps more harshly judged, for it perverted the Gospel and multiplied millions have been misled. Let us remember, however, that cities are judged in this life; but individuals are judged in eternity. In the choir of life it is easy to fake the words, but someday each of us will have to sing a solo before God. What have we done with the pure light given to us in the Scriptures? That is the question we must answer for ourselves. Only a belief in Christ alone can save us from impending judgment. Chapter 6 Jerusalem should be your favorite city!
After all, it’s the city that God has chosen for Himself (1 Kings
11:13). In Psalm 87:2,3 we read, “The Lord loves the gates of Zion
more than all the other dwelling places of Jacob. Glorious things are
spoken of you, O city of God.” Ancient maps put Jerusalem in the
center of the world, and I think those maps are right! What about Jerusalem’s ancient past? In Genesis 22:2 the Lord asked Abraham to sacrifice Isaac on “Mount Moriah.” The only other passage where this name appears is 2 Chronicles 3:1 where we read, “Then Solomon began to build the house of the Lord in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah...” So, evidently Abraham was asked to sacrifice Isaac on Mount Moriah, which was the exact spot where the temple was later built in Jerusalem. When you look at the temple area today, remember this is where that dramatic event happened. Jerusalem was a Jebusite city when Joshua came to conquer Canaan. But after David became king, he conquered the city and made it his capitol. Here briefly are five periods in Jerusalem’s fascinating history. The First Temple Period (1000 - 586 BC) Solomon, David’s son, built a beautiful temple in Jerusalem. We can only imagine what it looked like. Its glory was greater than anything that had ever been built in the ancient world. And we read, “It came about when the priests came from the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the Lord, so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord” (1 Kings 8:10,11). But after Solomon’s death the kingdom was split; Samaria became the capitol of the northern tribes. This city succumbed to the Assyrians in 722 B.C. Thousands of captives were taken to Assyria and never heard from again. In 586 B.C., the Babylonians captured Jerusalem, the southern kingdom. After three sieges, Solomon’s beautiful temple was totally destroyed. Many Jews were carried off to Babylon where they lived for seventy years. When the Persians later overthrew Babylon, the Jews were allowed to return to their homeland. Jerusalem, however, lay in ruins. The Second Temple Period (538 BC - 70 AD) When the Jews returned from Babylon, a small temple was constructed where Solomon’s beautiful edifice stood. Many of the older men remembered Solomon’s temple and wept when they saw this smaller edifice. Zechariah the prophet encouraged them by asking, “For who has despised the day of small things?” (Zechariah 4:10). Incredibly, this smaller temple served the Jews for nearly five centuries. In 19 B.C. the Roman ruler, King Herod proposed the idea of reconstructing a beautiful temple in Jerusalem. He promised the Jews that he would not tear down Zerubbabel’s temple, but build a new one over it. In effect, the building of the new one and the tearing down of the smaller one would happen simultaneously. Worship would not be interrupted. He also trained one thousand priests as masons so that no Gentiles would have to work in the sacred areas. This beautiful structure was not yet finished when Jesus Christ was on earth. After cleansing the temple, the Jews asked that He give them a sign and Jesus answered, “`Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up.’ The Jews therefore said. `It took forty years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?’ But He was speaking of the temple of His body” (John 2:19-21). This temple had been under construction for forty-six years and was not yet completed. Though Herod was long since dead, work on the temple continued. One day Jesus and His disciples were on the Mount of Olives overlooking the temple area. They noticed that it was adorned with beautiful stones and votive gifts. Christ explained, “As for these things which you are looking at, the days will come in which there will not be left one stone upon another which will not be torn down” (Luke 21:5,6). Thus Christ predicted that the second temple would be totally destroyed, and destroyed it was. In 70 A.D. the Emperor Titus came to put down a revolt in Jerusalem, so he surrounded the city of Jerusalem and captured it. He starved the city. And when people would sneak out at night to find food or water, they were crucified until rows and rows of crosses stood outside the city walls. Jerusalem was then destroyed and the temple taken apart stone by stone. Christ’s prophecy was meticulously fulfilled. The Gentile Era (70 AD - 1948) Recall that Christ said, ...”And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led captive into all of the nations; and Jerusalem will be trampled under foot by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled” (Luke 21:24). Let’s take a tour of this Gentile period noting seven different eras that span nineteen centuries. 1. The Roman Period (70 - 33) 2. The Byzantine Period (330 - 638) By the way, Constantine’s mother, Helena, made a trip to the holy land and established the various traditional sites regarding the life and ministry of Christ. Even today her identification of places such as the Church of the Holy Sepulcher are considered by some to be authentic. Various churches and fortifications can be seen dating back to the Byzantine Period with its unique architecture. 3. The First Muslim Period (638 - 1099) Today, Jerusalem is the third most holy site for this religion after Mecca and Medina. During this era, the Dome of the Rock was built, believed to be the place where Mohammed ascended into heaven. Just think, this beautiful building was constructed 1300 years ago and is still an architectural wonder! 4. The Crusader Period (1099-1187) 5. The Later Muslim Period (1187-1517) 6. The Turkish Period (1517-1917) 7. The British Period (1917 - 1948) Jerusalem In The Future The fourth period is still future. The battle of Armageddon will spill over to Jerusalem. Zechariah writes, “For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle, and the city will be captured, the houses plundered, the women ravished, and half of the city exiled, but the rest of the people will not be cut off from the city” (Zechariah 14:2). This then marks the great sorrow that will yet come to the city of Jerusalem as all the nations of the earth turn against the Jews. After Armageddon, Jerusalem will experience exaltation. “Then the Lord will go forth and fight against those nations, as when He fights on a day of battle. In that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which is in front of Jerusalem...” (14:3,4). Christ will come and defend His people; the Jews living at that time will look upon their Redeemer and recognize Him to be the Christ, the Son of the living God. Then Jerusalem will enter what is know as the Millennial Kingdom, “...the law will go forth from Zion And the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. And He will judge between the nations, And will render decisions for many peoples; And they will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, And never again will they learn war” (Isaiah 2:3,4). After Judgment comes blessing. The New Jerusalem The fifth major era is when the earthly Jerusalem gives way to the New Jerusalem that comes from God out of heaven. This heavenly city is not so much an extension of the old, as it is a new substitute for all that has ever been known here on earth. “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband” (Revelation 21:1,2). Later we read, “And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, having the glory of God. Her brilliance was like a very costly stone, as a stone of crystal clear jasper (vv. 10,11). “Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city” (22:14). “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.” All rights reserved for all transcripts, and all material. ©2004 The Moody Church, Chicago. Permission is granted to print and/or store the contents in computer form provided the content is not changed in any way. |
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