The city according of God (2)

"The Lord is great and very worthy of praise in the city of our God ... the city of the great king." Psalm 48. 1, 2

"Glorious things are said of thee, the city of God." Psalm 87. 3

From the beginning of human history, the city appears as a social milieu excluding God ; Yet the city is part of the plans of God, and Jerusalem is its great representation. In Psalm 48, Jerusalem is called : "the city of our God", "the city of the great king", "the city of the Lord of hosts" (Psalm 48: 1, 2, 8).

And again : "The LORD loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob" (Psalm 87: 2), "Jerusalem is built as a city united together in itself !" (Ps 122: 3). "Glorious things are spoken of thee, the city of God" (Ps 87.3).

This is the city according to God. It is to Him : "the city of our God". It is united. It is a gathering place to celebrate the name of the Lord. Justice is there. Peace reigns there. And to crown the character of the city according to God, the prophet Zephaniah said : "The righteous Lord is in the midst of her" (Soph. 3. 5). What a contrast with the city of Cain, the men of Babel, with Sodom and Gomorrah and our great cities !

In the Apocalypse, the Church associated with Israel administers the millennial world ; It is described as a city. It is said to John : "Come and I will show you the Bride, the wife of the Lamb ... and shewed him the holy city, Jerusalem coming down from heaven, having the glory of God" (Rev. 21. 9, 10).

The phrase "having the glory of God" summarizes all its characters :

- holiness : it is a "holy city" in contrast with Babylon, which is always called great ;

- the unity ;

- the separation of the evil (the wall) ;

- reception and justice (doors) ;

Righteousness or transparency (Rev. 21, 12, 18, 21) ;

- the clarity (Rev. 21, 11, 23).

Does not all this have a current application in our local church ? Must it not be, in short, a city in the city, a city according to God in a city according to man ?

Source (To pleasing the Lord)