"Often an entire city has suffered because of an evil man." --Hesiod
"But they who give straight judgements to strangers and to those of the land and do not transgress what is just, for them the city flourishes and its people prosper." --Hesiod
"This City is what it is because our citizens are what they are." --Plato
"A great city is not to be confounded with a populous one." --Aristotle
"Moral habits, induced by public practices, are far quicker in making their way into men's private lives, than the failings and faults of individuals are in infecting the city at large." --Plutarch
"I called to my lovers, but they deceived me;
My priests and my elders perished in the city
While they sought food to restore their strength themselves.
See, O Yahweh, for I am in distress;
My spirit is greatly troubled;
My heart is overturned within me,
For I have been very rebellious.
In the street the sword slays;
In the house it is like death."
--Lamentations 1:19-20
PSALM 125
Those who trust in Yahweh
Are as Mount Zion, which cannot be moved but abides forever.
As the mountains surround Jerusalem,
So Yahweh surrounds His people
From this time forth and forever.
For the scepter of wickedness shall not rest upon the land of the righteous,
So that the righteous will not put forth their hands to do wrong.
Do good, O Yahweh, to those who are good
And to those who are upright in their hearts.
But as for those who turn aside to their crooked ways,
Yahweh will lead them away with the doers of iniquity.
Peace be upon Israel.
PSALM 127
Unless Yahweh builds the house,
They labor in vain who build it;
Unless Yahweh guards the city,
The watchman keeps awake in vain.
It is vain for you to rise up early,
To retire late,
To eat the bread of painful labors;
For He gives to His beloved even in his sleep.
Behold, children are a gift of Yahweh,
The fruit of the womb is a reward.
Like arrows in the hand of a warrior,
So are the children of one’s youth.
How blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them;
They will not be ashamed
When they speak with their enemies in the gate.
PSALM 130
Out of the depths I have cried to You, O Yahweh.
Lord, hear my voice!
Let Your ears be attentive
To the voice of my supplications.
If You, Yah, should mark iniquities,
O Lord, who could stand?
But there is forgiveness with You,
That You may be feared.
I wait for Yahweh, my soul does wait,
And in His word do I hope.
My soul waits for the Lord
More than the watchmen for the morning;
Indeed, more than the watchmen for the morning.
O Israel, hope in Yahweh;
For with Yahweh there is lovingkindness,
And with Him is abundant redemption.
8 And He will redeem Israel
From all his iniquities.
I like the second quote...And I like all the verses/chapters :D "It is vain for you to rise up early,To retire late," :D that line reminds me of something..hmmm.....hehe..Take care!!!
ReplyDeleteThe concept and result of cities is evil. Plain and simple. It's easier to forget Yahweh in a city. Concrete, skyscrapers, suburbs, etc. do not make me think of Yahweh. They make me think of what man can do. However, what about the vastness of the country? Inhabited or not, it definitely points one to the Creator.
ReplyDeleteWhere do we rely on Yahweh in the city? We just expect the city to bring us water, electricity, and gas. Our food just appears in the store. Where is our freedom from society? We are enslaved in "the system".
The city of Zion is not really a city. The people lived on the outskirts, had their own land, and produced their own food. Sodom, however, was a different story. Think about it. In the bible, when is a city (except Zion) talked about in a good light?
I strongly recommend you read the book "Surviving off off-grid". Very good read.
Meanwhile, where ever Yahweh leads us. Though, I'm definitely feeling led to live away from the city and onto a piece of land where I only have to go to the store if I want to. haha :)
Zachary
Thank you for your comment; it is very thought-provoking. Thank you as well for the book recommendation. I would likewise advise you to read Revelation 21. It may help in answering some of your thoughts. :) For example:
ReplyDeleteRev. 21:2 "And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from Yahweh, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband."
I can't see how anything the concept and result of which is evil can ever come from Yahweh himself.
In light of this city, I have trouble imagining that it is preferable to be outside of the gates, as it says, "In the daytime (for there will be no night there) its gates will never be closed; and they will bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it; and nothing unclean, and no one who practices abomination and lying, shall ever come into it, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life" (Rev. 21:25-27).
You also asked where in the bible it talks about cities other than Zion in a good light. I can think of at least two examples.
First are the cities of refuge which are commanded by Yahweh to exist throughout the land of Israel (Num. 35).
Another example is the city of Nineveh. After they repented from their wicked ways, it says, "When Elohim saw their deeds, that they turned from their wicked way, then Elohim relented concerning the calamity which He had declared He would bring upon them. And He did not do it" (Jon. 3:10) and, "'Should I not have compassion on Nineveh, the great city in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know the difference between their right and left hand, as well as many animals?'" (Jon. 4:11).
If it is impossible to rely upon Yahweh in the city, then why would he ever create a city, command a city to be built, or have compassion upon a repentent city?
Can a city be evil? Yes, clearly. But are cities necessarily evil?
Very Thought provoking Jared. I believe we are to grow and flourish where YHWH has us. If there were no believers living in the cities, then who would be a witness to the sinner. YHWH has us where we are for a reason and we are to use the talents He gave us to glorify Him. So, I say...in the city or in the country....Glorify YHWH with your walk. Again, very thought provoking article. May YHWH bless you and yours.
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