In a chapter of his book Culture Shift entitled Neneveh, New Orleans, and the City of Man, Albert Mohler looks at the destruction of cities and civilizations and reminds us, the citizens of Augustine’s “City of God,” what our perspective ought to be:
Poetry and literature are filled with references to ruins and the passing of civilization. Percy Bysshe Shelley told the story of King Ozymandius, whose abandoned statue mocked his claim to be “Ozymandius, king of kings.” As Shelley described the scene: “Nothing beside remains, round the decay / of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare / die lone and level sands stretch far away” [Percy Bysshe Shelley, Ozymandius (1818)]. Standing at the very apex of Queen Victoria’s empire, Rudyard Kipling warned of the judgment that was to come. “Far-call’d our navies melt away / on dune and headland sinks the fire. / Lo, all our pomp of yesterday / is one with Nineveh and Tyre!” he intoned [Rudyard Kipling, Recessional (1897)].
Remember that Augustine described the two cities as created by two kinds of love. As he taught his fellow Chris tians, “The earthly city was created by self-love reaching the contempt of God, the heavenly city by the love of God car ried as far as contempt of self. In fact, the earthly city glories in itself, the heavenly city glories in the Lord. The former looks for glory from men, the latter finds its highest glory in God, the witness of a good conscience” [Augustine, The City of God]. Alas, we are tempted by the wrong love, and we are easily seduced by the wrong city.
Augustine was absolutely certain—and absolutely correct—in emphasizing the temporary nature of the earthly city and the passing power of its love. Only the heavenly city remains, and all earthly cities will follow Nineveh, Tyre, Babylon, and every other metropolis and village into oblivion. One day, unless that Day of Judgment comes sooner, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, and all the cities we now know and admire will be covered with dust, if not with water.
In the midst of all this, the church—representing the city of God—must keep its wits about it. Jerome, one of the great leaders of the church as Rome fell, asked the wrong question: “What is to become of the church now that Rome has fallen?” The City of God is represented wherever the church is found, and the church is safe by the power of God. Christians must be humbled by a biblical view of history that understands the difference between the earthly and the heavenly cities, one that understands full well that every earthly city will fall and that only the City of God will remain. In the meantime, we should pray humble prayers and ask for God to preserve the earthly city until His king dom comes. As Kipling called England to pray: “Lord God of Hosts be with us yet, lest we forget, lest we forget!” [Kipling, Recessional].
—Albert Mohler, Culture Shift: Engaging Current Issues with Timeless Truth (Moltnomah, 2008), 142–143.
TrackBack URL: http://www.thirstytheologian.com/mt/mt-tb.cgi/938
Share this post:
Posted in: Albert Mohler · Church & Culture · Culture Shift
Link · 0 TrackBacks
← Previous · Home · Next →
Comments on this post are closed. If you have a question or comment concerning this post, feel free to email us.