The Joyous Rebuilding

An all-wise God will have to deal with us in the only language we understand PHYSICAL FORCE and PUNISHMENT.

But once he has dealt with us in this way, and once we have learned our lesson, then Jesus Christ will return to this earth to set up God's government. And then our cities will be rebuilt; this time GOD'S way.

Notice the loving lone in which God comforts Israel whom he has had to punish:

"For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer. For thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left; and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited" (Isa. 54:7, 8, 3).

"For God will save Zion, and will build the cities of Judah: that they may dwell there, and have it in possession. The seed also of his servants shall inherit it: and they that love his name shall dwell therein" (Ps. 69:35-36).

When God sets his hand to build tomorrow's cities with the help of his spirit servants, how fantastic do you think those cities will be? They will be beautiful beyond description!

And they will be filled with joyful thankful people:

"I will cause the captivity of Judah and the captivity of Israel to return, and will build them, as at the first. . . . Again there shall be heard in this place, which ye say shall be desolate without man and without beast, even in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, that are desolate, without man, and without inhabitant, and without beast. The voice of joy, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, the voice of them that shall say. Praise the Lord of hosts: for the Lord is good; for his mercy endureth for ever .,." (Jer. 33:7, 10-11).

A city can only be as prosperous as the hinterland upon which it depends for its food and raw materials. In the world tomorrow this problem will be solved, too. Agricultural prosperity will be unbelievably great in all rural areas. "And the desolate land [most of today's earth] shall be tilled, whereas it lay desolate in the sight of all that passed by. And they shall say, This land that was desolate is become like the garden of Eden; and the waste and desolate and ruined cities are become fenced, and are inhabited. ... I will increase them with men like a Hock" (Ezek, 36:34-35, 37).

In the world tomorrow, city dwellers aren't going to be crowded into small, cracker box apartments with no backyards and almost no privacy. Instead, "they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and drink the wine thereof; they shall also make gardens, and eat the fruit of them" (Amos 9:14).

Imagine! Gardens in the city! actually growing food! And imagine people interested in having a garden and working in it! With good food and sufficient exercise, fresh air and sunshine, city people will be robust and healthy instead of pallid and sickly.

Yes, the cities of the world tomorrow are going to be far superior to anything on earth today-God promises: "And I will multiply upon you man and beast; and they shall increase and bring fruil: and I will settle you after your old estates, and will do better unto you than at your beginnings: and ye shall know that I am the Lord" (Ezek. 36:11).

Jerusalem the Capital City

In just a few short years Jerusalem will be the showcase of the whole world. In the world tomorrow it will be the world capital and the model city from which all other cities will get their example. It will be fabulous beyond description.

Jesus Christ, as chief ruler, will make his dwelling there. With him will be many other high-ranking spirit rulers and assistants who will help him administer God's world government.

Here are a few highlights of what Jerusalem will be like then:

"Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion [a part of Jerusalem], on the sides of the north, the city of the great King. God is known in her palaces fora refuge" (Ps. 48:2-3).

"Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God hath shincd'I (Ps. 50:2).

"Jerusalem shall be safely inhabited" (Zech. 14:11).

"Jerusalem shall be inhabited as towns without walls for the multitude of men and cattle therein" (Zech. 2:4),

The gates of Jerusalem will be open day and night (Isa. 60:11) so that the various peoples and nations can bring gold, silver and valuable materials into it. They will be richly blessed for doing this, and those who refuse will be "utterly wasted" (verse 12).

All kinds of rare woods will be brought "to beautify the place of my [God's] sanctuary; and I [God] will make the place of my feet glorious" (verse 13).

Jerusalem will be called "The city of the Lord, The Zion of the Holy One of Israel" and it will be made "an eternal excellency, a joy of many generations" (verses 14-15).

"For brass I will bring gold, and for iron I will bring silver, and for wood brass, and for stones iron: I will also make thy officers peace, and thine exactors righteousness. Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, wasting nor destruction within thy borders; but thou shalt call thy walls Salvation, and thy gates Praise" (verses 17-18).

"Thou shalt be called, The city of righteousness, the faithful city" (Isa. 1:26).

Truly, "Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God"! (Ps. 87:3-)

Delegations from all nations will go up to Jerusalem to worship, to offer praise and thanksgiving, to be spiritually uplifted and inspired and to receive instruction from God and his servants.

"Jerusalem is builded as a city that is compact together [skyscrapers]: whither the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord, unto the testimony of Israel, to give thanks unto the name of the Lord. For there are set thrones of judgment, the thrones of the house of David. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thce. Peace be within thy walls* and prosperity within thy palaces" (Ps. 122:3-7).

"It shall yet come to pass, that there shall come people, and the inhabitants of many cities: and the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying. Let us go speedily to pray before the Lord, and to seek the Lord of hosts: I will go also. Yea, many people and strong nations shall come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the Lord" (Zech. 8:20-22).

This is what Jerusalem will be like in just a few short years!

Tomorrow's Cities and YOU

There is much, much more that could be said about tomorrow's cities.

They will have for visitors delightful restaurants whose personnel cheerfully and courteously serve sumptuous meals without a sickening pall of cigarette smoke hanging heavy in the air. They will have no obscene and violent movies only clean, wholesome, entertaining, educational films all under supervision of God's government. They will present thrilling musical productions. They will have exciting recreational centers. They will have interesting, scintillating museums of art, science and natural history.

Cities ought to be places where people go to be intellectually challenged, to be mentally stimulated, to be socially invigorated, to be culturally enriched and to be spiritually inspired?

In the world tomorrow* cities WILL BE this way.

The big question for you is, will YOU be there to enjoy it? Will YOU have a part in making these cities fabulous places for people to live?