June 2nd, 2012
Today’s reading from Encounter with God

A City On A Hill

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Opening Prayer

Eternal God, with You all things are possible. Help me to persevere in doing Your will each day.

Read Revelation 17:1-18

[1] One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the punishment of the great prostitute, who sits on many waters. [2] With her the kings of the earth committed adultery and the inhabitants of the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her adulteries.” [3] Then the angel carried me away in the Spirit into a desert. There I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns. [4] The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and was glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls. She held a golden cup in her hand, filled with abominable things and the filth of her adulteries. [5] This title was written on her forehead: MYSTERY BABYLON THE GREAT THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. [6] I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of those who bore testimony to Jesus. When I saw her, I was greatly astonished. [7] Then the angel said to me: “Why are you astonished? I will explain to you the mystery of the woman and of the beast she rides, which has the seven heads and ten horns. [8] The beast, which you saw, once was, now is not, and will come up out of the Abyss and go to his destruction. The inhabitants of the earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the creation of the world will be astonished when they see the beast, because he once was, now is not, and yet will come. [9] “This calls for a mind with wisdom. The seven heads are seven hills on which the woman sits. [10] They are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come; but when he does come, he must remain for a little while. [11] The beast who once was, and now is not, is an eighth king. He belongs to the seven and is going to his destruction. [12] “The ten horns you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but who for one hour will receive authority as kings along with the beast. [13] They have one purpose and will give their power and authority to the beast. [14] They will make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will overcome them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings-and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers.” [15] Then the angel said to me, “The waters you saw, where the prostitute sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations and languages. [16] The beast and the ten horns you saw will hate the prostitute. They will bring her to ruin and leave her naked; they will eat her flesh and burn her with fire. [17] For God has put it into their hearts to accomplish his purpose by agreeing to give the beast their power to rule, until God’s words are fulfilled. [18] The woman you saw is the great city that rules over the kings of the earth.”

Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. All rights reserved throughout the world. Used by permission of International Bible Society.

Meditate

“Let Christ who loved Jerusalem … make just our laws and pure our hearts, so shall we be reborn” (Ernest T. Campbell). And be reborn, we must.

Think Further

Two cities feature in the final chapters of Revelation—Babylon and Jerusalem, both metaphors for the biblical story. Babylon is the great city of violence and conquest, the city of exile for Israel, far from their home in shattered Jerusalem. For John, however, writing over six hundred years after the exile, Babylon, drunk with the blood of God’s people, could only be Rome: a place of Christian persecution under Nero and Domitian. As for Jerusalem, once again that city lay in ruins, the Temple destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD.

Cities illustrate both the creative gifts of humans made in God’s image, and the depths of wickedness and meanness of our fallen nature; they house slums, cathedrals, art galleries and traffic jams, street crime and soup kitchens, red-light districts and shops. Cities are where most Christians are called to witness and work for the transformation of city life. Some churches, filled with music and worship, are large enough to be visible flagships demonstrating God’s love and grace to the city, reaching out in evangelism and pastoral care. Some will be small and friendly, providing a haven for the lost and despairing, running children’s clubs and lunches for the elderly.

Some of the Christians of Rome, to whom Paul had written his letter, would have learned of the fall of Jerusalem to the Roman armies; some would live to experience fierce persecution. But I hope they would later have had copies of John’s great Revelation, giving them God’s view of history, both past and future, for one day they would stand in the new Jerusalem, the holy city, the bride of the Lamb, shining like the sun in the new creation, singing songs of glory before the throne.

Apply

Do you pray for cities? If you live or work in a city, join with others to pray for city life, including government.

Closing prayer

Lord, I pray today for my city. It’s an ordeal for many, a delight for some. May I light a candle of hope that others can see.

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