(Gen 4:16-17 KJV) 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.
It is interesting to note here that the first City in scripture was built by a ‘criminal’, someone cursed from the earth and hiding from the face of God, a fugitive. Where in this context, a city, was considered a place guarded by men on watch, in fear of what?
In fear for our lives and in fear of God’s non provision do we build cities and a means to establish our place in the earth to overcome our lack and insecurity. It is the way of the world, emphasized once again, by the behaviour of the people following the flood, where for fear of being scattered they try to establish a city, later to be known as Babylon.
(Gen 11:1-4 KJV) And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech. And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there. And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them thoroughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for mortar. And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.
Originally, in scripture, a ‘house’ was not a building, but a reference to a family lineage. (Gen 12:1 KJV) Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will show thee:
(2 Sam 7:5-7 KJV) Go and tell my servant David, Thus saith the LORD, Shalt thou build me an house for me to dwell in? Whereas I have not dwelt in any house since the time that I brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt, even to this day, but have walked in a tent and in a tabernacle. In all the places wherein I have walked with all the children of Israel spake I a word with any of the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to feed my people Israel, saying, Why build ye not me an house of cedar?
Cities eventually become disconnected from life and God (ungodly) where the people, in them, grow like caged animals, enslaved, perverse and unnatural (artificially dependent on one another and immoveable from their object art, decadence and idolatry. Such is the nature of Babylon, where accountability to God, is lost to men and material intoxication.
(Gen 11:8-9 KJV) So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city. Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the LORD did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the LORD scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.
Truth is… the whole earth is our home and we should love and look after every part, not just that little part which we think we have bought, to the neglect of everything else.
Trees have roots, birds have nests, but men were designed for mobility it is easy to pick up a tent and move in God's will, not so easy to move a city.
(Luke 9:58 KJV) And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.
NO PLACE LIKE HOME