Wisdom's Corner
He Built a City

Many cities around the world are named after the men who founded them, or built them, or were the king/queen over the people in the city when it was built. Constantinople, Leningrad, Victoria, and Washington are just a few cities that we could name that are named for such reasons.

In the Bible, the Jews called Jerusalem the "City of David." They considered the city to be great because David had made it that way by following God.

At the time of the writing of the New Testament, people had a word to describe someone who founded a city. That word is used in Hebrews 2:10. "For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings."

The word for someone who founded a city is the word translated as "captain." Christ founded the heavenly Jerusalem. In Hebrews 12:22-23 we read, "But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels. To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect."

When the Hebrews read this book, they would have a very clear picture of what the author was saying. Christ came to earth, died, and was raised from the dead so that he could found the heavenly city of Jerusalem. Christ founded the city in which only those who are saved may live.

The only way to find out how to live in that city is to learn what the Bible tells us to do. Until next time, keep reading and studying your Bible. And if any of this is hard to understand, ask an adult to help you.

Mark McWhorter

Copyright 1999

Published by The Old Paths Bible School
(http://www.oldpaths.org)