Quote:
Originally Posted by Jo S
This is false. "Enoch' was the first ever city recorded in scripture.
Genesis 4:17;
"Cain knew his wife, and she conceived and bore Enoch.When he built a city, he called the name of the city after the name of his son, Enoch.
Quote:
In God's original creation there was no buildings or cities. If the new heavens and new earth is a restoration of God's creation then I expect there to be no buildings either. Cities are a symbol of man-made rebellion against God. Cities are also for protection from enemies. In a perfect new earth I cannot see why any of these things would be needed.
Since Babel was not the first city, this effectively renders the premise of city = rebellion invalid.
Perhaps these things were not realized in God's original creation because Adam and Eve fell from grace before they were able to build it, we do not know. However, we can conclude that God in fact had a beautiful city in mind because it is described in Revelation and will eventually come to pass when the new earth is created.
|
OK. I had the wrong city in mind. But I am correct that it was in rebellion, because God told Cain that he would wander the Earth, and Cain rebelled by building himself a city.
And Cain went out from the presence of the Lord, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden. And Cain knew his wife; and she conceived, and bare Enoch: and he builded a city, and called the name of the city, after the name of his son, Enoch.(Genesis 4:16-17)
After leaving God's presence, Cain proceeded to create a life independently of God and the city was for new found protection and strength independent of God.
On the biblical principle of "first mention", we can conclude that from this time forward, cities built by men are symbols of independence and rebellion from God.
We should not confuse God's permissive will with His perfect will. In his perfect will, Israel would never have had a king, or a temple. Kings and temples was the habit of the surrounding pagan nations. God wanted his people to be different, as not realized until the New Testament and today.