Tomorrow's Mayors
The mayors in today's cities are little or no different from those over whom they rule. They, too, have human nature. They, too, are subject to vanity, jealousy, lust and greed—all loo often increased because of their position.
Mayors often must ignore urgent problems because to bring them out into the open and to suggest a concrete solution would offend a certain bloc of voters and wash their whole political career down the drain.
And when a mayor does make a sound proposal for getting rid of some evil in his city, it often gets bogged down or lost entirely in a mountain of bureaucratic red tape or in political haggling. Meanwhile the city suffers on.
Many mayors are mere figureheads. Their office sounds important and impressive, but often in fact it is weak and rather powerless.
The mayors of tomorrow's cities will have no such problems. They will possess the power they need. And they will not be motivated by greedy, selfish desires in using this power. They really WILL have the interest of their people at heart.
The rulers of tomorrow's cities, as shocking as it may seem, will be divine Spirit Beings. They will be members of the God Family, the Kingdom of God - immortal SPIRIT BEINGS ruling in God's government on this earth under Jesus Christ!
God has promised a position of rulership in the soon - coming world tomorrow to ALL who by their lives in this present age—the world today—meet the conditions which God has laid down."And he that overcometh [and that includes human nature], and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over ihe nations: And he shall rule them with a rod of iron" (Rev. 2:26 - 27).
For some this "power over the nations" is going to involve ruler - ship over cities. This is shown by the parable of the pounds in Luke 19. In this parable example, ruler - ship over two, five or ten cities is given to those who qualify. Those who overcome and produce more arc given the greater rewards (verses 16 - 19), Those who fail to produce anything receive no reward (verses 20 - 27).
 God is going to appoint as tomorrow's mayors those who qualify for positions of rulership over cities. For more details about the entire pattern of God's government, as it will be in the world tomorrow, write for the free book The Wonderful World Tomorrow—What It Will Be Like.
Tomorrow's cities will be ruled by Spirit Beings who are God. And how will they rule? Why, with all the resources of wisdom, understanding, love, might and POWER of the God Family!
How These Mayors Will Rule?
These rulers won't cater to some groups and individuals at the expense of others. They won^t be influenced in the least by petty politics. Their rule will be just.
They won't fear being thrown out of office by unruly troublemakers - They will possess the power to swiftly put down any self - exalting, rebellious elements, neither will these rulers tolerate filth, shiftlessness and degeneracy. Today when uncultured families are put in new apartments and schools by the government, what happens? Do these people appreciate what they are given? In many cases NO! In a period of months many new facilities have fixtures stolen, doors and windows are broken, the smell of urine pervades halls and elevators and the whole place is a wreck!
In tomorrow's cities people will be taught that this is not the way to live. They will simply not be allowed to be degenerate. Those who insist on being that way will be punished so swiftly and surely that they will learn very quickly. And all will hear and fear!
Yes, tomorrow's mayors will guide their subjects to obey God and to receive his blessings. They will impose a warm and merciful rule that will bring joy! They will insist on happiness for their citizens. They will demand goodness in their lives. And they will COMMAND them to be healthy, and filled with a sense of well - being and contentment!
And most of these subjects will quickly learn that God's way is best. They will want God's Spirit to lead and guide them. They will desire to obey God's laws. They will be converted, cooperative people.
With this kind of divine ruler and this kind of subject, the rest is a sheer joy to think about.
Can Cities Be Clean, Beautiful, Safe and Inspiring?
Why can't city streets be clean, broad, tree - lined avenues interspersed with sparkling fountains, interesting malls and imaginative sculpture? Why can't the city's conglomeration of bright lights be arranged in beautiful, artistic schemes and designs? Why can't unsightly poles, conduits and wiring be universally hidden from view? Why can't gaudy neon signs be toned down and ugly billboards be eliminated? Why can't necessary information on buildings be done in neat lettering with good taste?
Why can’t city buildings have appealing architectural flair and design - complementing one another in an aesthetic, harmonious whole? Why can’t public buildings, schools and churches be devoid of pagan symbols and be kept undefaced and unmarred?
Why can't air and water be clean and pure? Why can't dumping unnecessary soot, waste, refuse and chemicals into air and water be stopped? Why can't industry be located in a separate part of the city, where its natural noise and dirt wouldn't affect the homes, schools and stores?
Why can't cities have adequate parks and playgrounds with trees, shrubs, flowers, birds, animals, lakes and streams?
Why can't cities have fast, efficient systems of transportation that will whisk people downtown without having to clog the street with their cars? Why can't cars be built so they don't pollute the air?
Why can't cities be safe? Why can't elderly people go for an evening stroll without being assaulted? Why can't children play without fear of being molested? Why can't people go shopping without fear of being robbed either by a pickpocket or by the cheap, shoddy, misrepresented products they buy?
The answers to all these questions and dozens more like them is THEY CAN! Cities CAN be clean, beautiful, safe and inspiring.
But about the only hope of ever achieving these things in today's cities is to start from scratch! And that is exactly what is going to be done. But how?
Today's Cities to Be Destroyed
As we have already shown, In tomorrow's cities, God is going to establish a program to rehabilitate human nature. As this program gets into full swing, the sociological problems the problems of crime, violence, immorality, divorce and delinquency will be solved.
Then it will be possible to go to work on the physical aspects of the city; the streets, buildings, parks, homes, schools, transportation.
Here, too, God will start from scratch. But HOW? How can you start from scratch in cities like Chicago, New York, London, Sydney, Toronto, Johannesburg, Tokyo or Manila?
In the same way that Berlin, Warsaw and other European cities started from scratch after they were destroyed in World War 11!
Yes, shocking as it may be, Bible prophecy reveals that our present-day cities are going to be devastated with all the destructive force of modern warfare! But WHY?
WHY Our Cities Destroyed
God is going to allow this world's cities to be destroyed for the very reason why they are festering sores on the earth's face to begin with— and that reason is SIN! Our cities are full of sin. Of course all this could be avoided.
Speaking to modern Israel—the United States, the British Commonwealth peoples and the democracies of northwest Europe—God warns:
"For if ye throughly amend your ways and your doings; if ye throughly execute judgment between a man and his neighbour; if ye oppress not the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, and shed not innocent blood in this place, neither walk after other gods to your hurt: then will I cause you to dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers, for ever and ever" (Jer, 7:5-7).
Yes, if we as a people would even now QUIT SINNING and turn to God, our land and cities could be spared from the catastrophes shortly to come. If we were willing to cooperate with God, he would work out some other way to make our cities decent places to live—without having to suffer the ravages of war, But human beings refuse to do this (Jer, 7:8-10, 28; 8:5-6; 9:5-6, 8).
Yes, it is because of SIN that God is going to punish us and destroy our cities. Whole chapters and books of the Bible are devoted to warning us of this sobering REAL fact.
Notice Ezekiel’s dire prediction: "In all your dwelling places the cities shall be laid waste.... And mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity: I will recompense thee according to thy ways and thine abominations that arc in the midst of thee; and ye shall know that I am the Lord that smiteth.. ..
 "The sword is without, and the pestilence and the famine within: he that is in the field shall die with the sword; and he that is in the city, famine and pestilence shall devour him. . *. They shall cast their silver in the streets, and their gold shall be removed: their silver and their gold shall not be able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of the Lord. . . .
"Make a chain: for the land is full of bloody crimes, and the city is full of violence. Wherefore I will bring the worst of the heathen, and they shall possess their houses. . . . And ye shall know that I am the Lord: for yc have not walked in my statutes, neither executed my judgments, but have done after the manners of the heathen that are round about you...,
"They shall eat their bread with carefulness, and drink their water with astonishment, that her land may be desolate from all that is therein, because of the violence of all them that dwell therein. And the cities that are inhabited shall be laid waste, and the land shall be desolate; and ye shall know that I am the Lord" (Ezck. 6:6; 7:9, 15, 19, 23-24; 11:12; 12:19-20).
What a terrible time of destruction that will be. But, thankfully the story doesn't end here!
The Joyous Rebuilding
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