Conclusion
The Bible has much to say about the city, some of it is good and some of it is bad. We cannot gloss over the fact that Scripture often speaks of the city as a place of corruption, evil, and rampant sin, and that God is often the destroyer of cities. But all of this does not deter God from His original plan to have a city of people who worship Him. God not only came up with the idea for a city, established the first city, and made a home among His people in the city, but God continues today to love the city. And one day He will bring about the eclipsing of this earthly city with a heavenly one, one that fulfills His original design for the city and one where people perfectly live out city life as God intended.
God loves the city; now the question comes to us…Do we love it?
For further reading on this subject see:
- Arnold, B.T. “City, Citizenship.” New Dictionary of Biblical Theology. ed. D.A. Carson, Graeme Goldsworthy, Brian S. Rosner, and T. Desmond Alexander . Downer’s Grove: IVP, 2000. 414-416.
- Bakke, Ray. A Theology As Big as the City. Downers Grove: IVP, 1997.
- Carson, D.A. Christ and Culture Revisited. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2008.
- Edwards, Jonathan. The End for Which God Created the World. In The Works of Jonathan Edwards. Vol. 2. Edinburgh: Banner of Truth.
- Hoekema, Anthony. “Heaven Is Not Just An Eternal Day Off,” Christianity Today (June 6, 2003), http://www.chrsitianitytoday.com/ct/2003/122/54.0.html.
- Jacobsen, Eric. Sidewalks in the Kingdom. Grand Rapids: Brazos, 2003.
- Keller, Timothy. “A Biblical Theology of the City.” Online at www.theresurgence.com
- Van Pelt, Michael & Richard Greydanus. Living on the Street: The Role of the Church in Urban Renewal. Hamilton, ON: Work Research Foundation, 2005.
- Wolters, Albert M. Creation Regained. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2005.
Sparrow & Heart Soul Care 
Dave, I just happened to stumble upon your blog and this series was exactly what I was looking for. I’m a student in L.A getting my bachelors in Biblical Studies. I’m interested in church planting and urban renewal. Thanks for your diligent analysis of the biblical text here.
You may enjoy “View From the Urban Loft” by Benesh. I just finished reading it.
Grace,
Jordan
Thanks for the encouragement and the recommendation. A great deal of the material from these posts is found in and better developed I am sure by Tim Keller. He did a series on God’s urban heart that was superb.
God bless,
Dave