July 2: A Tale of Two Cities
And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God. Revelation 21:10
There is a deliberate comparison made in Scripture between the heavenly city of God, the holy Jerusalem, and the great city (16:19) of confusion, that is end-time Babylon, referred to as a city, though her influence is worldwide. The Holy Spirit’s intent, through John the Revelator, is to create a desire in each of us for the holy city of God!
The city of Satan, also called the great city will inevitably be fractured (16:19), and it is already fallen (14:8; 18:2, see also Isaiah 21:9 and Jeremiah 51:6-9). It is earthly and rebellious. The holy and heavenly city of God will be peopled with those in whom His image has been restored, along with the angels who remained faithful. All will be faithfully united under His banner of love, and even though currently still on earth, God’s people are already considered citizens of heaven (see Philippians 3:20).
In the deceiver’s attempt to counterfeit, both cities are described as decorated with gold and precious stones (compare Revelation 17:4 and 21:19-21).
A few contrasts: the harlot city (17:1,5) vs. the bride city of the Lamb (21:2), the habitation of demons (18:2) vs. the dwelling place of God (21:3), the place of unclean things (18:2) vs. no unclean thing shall enter it (21:27), the Euphrates flows through it (16:12) vs. the river of life flows through it (22:1), offers the cup of abominations (17:4) vs. offers the water of life (21:6; 22:17), nations and kings give their power to it (16:14; 17:2,13,17; 18:3) vs. nations and kings bring their glory into it (21:24), its inhabitants are not recorded in the book of life (17:8) vs. inhabitants recorded in the book of life (21:27), it will be put out of existence (20:9; 21:8; see also Daniel 7:11 and 2 Peter 3:10) vs. it will exist for eternity (21:5; 22:3, see also Daniel 7:26-27), light will never shine in it again (18:23) vs. The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light. 21:23
By faith Abraham waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God. Hebrews 11:10