Throughout Scripture, God shows a special care for cities, those places of concentrated human interaction that in the ancient world were all-important for protection, trade, and especially public worship. Salvation history begins in a garden, but it ends in a city, the new Jerusalem, God’s chosen dwelling place on earth (Rv 21:2-3).
On the one hand, a city can be the epitome of evil—human society organized without any reference to God and thus characterized by idolatry, immorality, injustice, and violence. At the beginning of the Bible, the very first city was built by Cain, the murderous son of Adam and Eve (Gn 4:17). A little later, Babel (precursor to Babylon) exemplified human arrogance and worldly ambition (Gn 11). At the end of the Bible, Babylon (a code name for Rome) is the ultimate symbol of worldly wealth, pleasure, and power that is ferociously hostile to God’s people but will be judged by God: “They cried out as they saw the smoke of her burning . . . ‘Alas, alas, for the great city where all who had ships at sea grew rich by her wealth! For in a single hour she has been laid waste’” (Rv 18:18-19).
On the other hand, a city could be the epitome of human flourishing, a place of peace, joy, and prosperity (Jer 33:10-11). The Psalms celebrate Jerusalem, the holy city: “Great is the LORD and greatly to be praised in the city of our God! . . . the joy of all the earth, Mount Zion . . . the city of the great King” (Ps 48:1-2).
The prophets often decry the injustice that takes place in cities, especially toward the poor and vulnerable. They warn of the results of continuing in such wrongdoing: economic ruin, unrestrained violence, depopulation, enemy occupation.
Yet no city, no matter how depraved, is beyond the reach of God’s mercy. So God calls his people to intercede for cities. “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem!” (Ps 122:6). Abraham prayed for God to spare the wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrah from judgment (Gn 18). The prophet Jonah was sent to save Nineveh, the capital of the oppressive Assyrian empire, from impending destruction by calling it to repentance.
Even when the Jews were exiled in Babylon, God commanded them to “seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile” (Jer 29:7).
What is God’s program for urban renewal? Although economic investment and good government are important, urban renewal is fundamentally the result of the people of the city turning back to God and doing what is right in his eyes: “Turn to me and be saved” (Is 45:22), “Cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause” (Is 1:16-17).
It is God himself who brings urban restoration in response to his people’s prayer and repentance. May his wonderful promise be fulfilled for Detroit:
Thus says the Lord GOD: . . . The land that was desolate shall be tilled, instead of being the desolation that it was in the sight of all who passed by. And they will say, “This land that was desolate has become like the garden of Eden, and the waste and desolate and ruined cities are now fortified and inhabited.” Then the nations that are left all around you shall know that I am the LORD; I have rebuilt the ruined places and replanted that which was desolate. . . . This also I will let the house of Israel ask me to do for them: to increase their people like a flock. . . . Then they will know that I am the LORD.’” (Ezek 36:33-38)
