Have you ever thought about that? God didn’t tell people to build cities. Where did they come from?
“Cain lay with his wife, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Enoch. Cain was then building a city, and he named it after his son Enoch.” (Genesis 4:17) [No, I don’t want to get into the question of where Cain’s wife came from; we’re talking about cities. ;-)]
This verse sets us up for a lot of what we see in Genesis. It’s not God’s people that build cities, it’s those that are living away from God. One of the purposes of building a city was the idea of leaving a legacy. In Argentina, there is a saying that talks about how a man can leave a legacy: “Have a son, write a book, plant a tree.” In the ancient world, they might have inserted “Found a city.” Like Cain, however, many founders of cities named them after someone else, so in a way they served as a monument to another person.
Another clue about ancient cities is in the previous verse: “So Cain went out from the LORD’S presence and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden.” (Genesis 4:16) As I said, it wasn’t Gods people who built cities. Cain has been talking with God about his fear that someone will kill him to avenge Abel’s death. Living away from the presence of God, he feels the need for protection. Remember that ancient cities were typically walled for defense purposes. They were built to allow men to band together for mutual defense. Cities were about men depending on men instead of depending on God.
The building of cities reflects basic human tendencies: the desire to be remembered and the inclination to seek protection in other men rather than in God.
The Kitchen of Half-Baked Thoughts
And yet, how does this chapter of the story of God seem to conclude, or transition into whatever is next?
“I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God…” For people to live in community, for art to flourish (nomads don’t write much, and hunter-gatherers don’t have much time to sculpt), a place is needed. What will that place look like?
Let’s remember that even in the 1st century, cities like Antioch had indoor plumbing and other amenities. Learning more than basic practical skills requires a level of social development.
I think the image we see in Revelation tells us at least two things — the direction of redemptive movement (ie, not AWAY from creation) and the image-of-God creativity that can be reflected in redemptive culture-building. I agree with your exegesis within the context of Gen 1-11: I think God is pointing out how fallen man tries to glorify himself, and city/tower building is one way. But within the greater context of the mission of God and the whole of Scripture, I think citybuilding is like being a doctor. If you’re in medicine to get rich or to make a name for yourself, you’ve corrupted something that should reflect the healing nature of God.
Nick,
Isn’t the point of Hebrews 11 that we should be seeking THAT city and not any city on earth?
Now, admittedly, I’m not addressing the issue of city life today. I think that the church needs a Christian presence in the areas where the most non-Christians are; that’s part of our ambassadorship. I think the “city building urge” is expressed in other ways today.
Grace and peace,
Tim
Indeed that IS the point of Hebrews 11.
But if I am a wealthy man in the Congo, let’s say, who comes to Christ, perhaps my most influential and accessible method of seeking THAT city is to establish a town where rape victims and orphans of war can experience the redemptive love of Christ. Imagine also the cities of refuge in ancient Israel. Where would innocents have fled if God did not establish those cities?
I still agree with the deeper point you are sharing. The city-building drive of fallen men and women is still dangerous and very much alive and powerful today.
I have wondered where cities came from. And where Cain found a wife. (o;
Interesting discussion, thanks for the thoughts.
I embarrassingly left off the qualifier of “ancient cities” in the last paragraph. That was really what I had in mind.
Grace and peace,
Tim