A TALE OF TWO CITIESMATTHEW 21:44

BABYLON: A GREAT CITY BUILT BY PRIDE

• Revelation 17,18• Political and business power (17:2, 18:3)• Earth-dwellers made drunk with her wine (17:2)• Persecuted disciples of Jesus (17:6,16)

THE SEED OF BABYLON IS BABEL

• Genesis 11• “Come let us make bricks” (v3)• “Come let us build for ourselves a city” (v4)• “Come let us make for ourselves a name” (v4)• “Otherwise we will be scattered” = false unity (v4)• Relative success• God says, “Come let Us… scatter them” (v7-8)

JERUSALEM: A HOLY CITY BUILT BY BROKENNESS

• Genesis 11-15

• Started by God (15:7)

• Test of brokenness:

1. relatives (12:1)

2. Possessions (13:9-10)

• Abraham built an altar and called on the Name of

the Lord (12:7, 12:8, 13:4, 13:18, 22:9)

JERUSALEM: ARCHITECTED AND BUILT BY GOD

• Hebrews 11• Lived as an alien even in land promised to him (v8-9)• Looked for city whose architect &builder is God (v10)• Didn’t give up and go back to his old country (v13-16)• Trusted God even when promise seemed dashed (v17-19)

THE SEED OF JERUSALEM IS THE ALTAR

• Romans 11:36 – 12:13• From God, through God, to God (11:36)• Starts with an altar (12:1)• The church is then built as one body in Christ (12:5)

GOD IS OUR TEMPLE

• Revelation 21• Coming down out of heaven from God (v2)• Made ready as a bride adorned for her husband (v2)• God Himself will be among them (v3)• Along the way… tears, mourning, crying, pain (v4)• No building… God Himself is the building (v22)

Let’s be faithful to build the altar every day,God will build the city!