This Crummy Town

Looking forward to the heavenly Jerusalem

09/27/2021

Zec 8:1-8 This word of the LORD of hosts came: Thus says the LORD of hosts: I am intensely jealous for Zion, stirred to jealous wrath for her. Thus says the LORD: I will return to Zion, and I will dwell within Jerusalem; Jerusalem shall be called the faithful city, and the mountain of the LORD of hosts, the holy mountain. Thus says the LORD of hosts: Old men and old women, each with staff in hand because of old age, shall again sit in the streets of Jerusalem. The city shall be filled with boys and girls playing in its streets. Thus says the LORD of hosts: Even if this should seem impossible in the eyes of the remnant of this people, shall it in those days be impossible in my eyes also, says the LORD of hosts? Thus says the LORD of hosts: Lo, I will rescue my people from the land of the rising sun, and from the land of the setting sun. I will bring them back to dwell within Jerusalem. They shall be my people, and I will be their God, with faithfulness and justice.

It is always fascinating to figure out what city we finally call home. Have you ever wondered how you ended up in the town where you currently live? People often ask me how my family came from India and ended up in Arkansas. Most people in India have never even heard of Arkansas. But we came here because we had very good friends who moved here from India and told us what a great place it is to raise a family. They were right: I was raised here!

Many older Americans end up in different towns as they chase their children and grandchildren and what to live close to them. Younger people relocated because they are offered a better job somewhere else or go to college in another town. Sadly, that is why some of our younger people leave Fort Smith: for better educational or economic opportunities.

They are like George Bailey in the movie “It’s a Wonderful Life,” who could not wait to leave Bedford Falls to see the world. Remember the scene where he throws the rock through the window of the old house and says what he wished for? He says very excitedly, like many youngsters in Fort Smith: Mary, I know what I’m going to do tomorrow, and the next day and the next year and the year after that. I’m shaking the dust of this crummy town off my feet and I’m going to see the world!” But where does George end up living? Right there is Bedford Falls, where he raised his family and saves the town from greedy Mr. Potter. It is always fascinating figuring out where we finally end up calling home.

If you asked the priests, prophets and kings of the Old Testament where they wanted to end up calling home, they would all resoundingly respond: “Jerusalem!” All forty-six books of the Old Testament either explicitly or implicitly speak of Jerusalem as fondly as George Bailey finally loved Bedford Falls. For example, our first reading from Zechariah says: “Thus says the Lord: I will return to Zion, and I will dwell within Jerusalem; Jerusalem shall be called the faithful city, and the mountain of the Lord of the hosts, the holy mountain.” In other words, by hook or by crook, every eye in the Old Testament looked to return to Jerusalem, and even God’s eye gazed lovingly on that earthly city.

But the New Testament initiates a decisive shift in this sacred real estate, from the earthly Jerusalem to a heavenly Jerusalem. Thus we read in Hb 13:4, “For here we have no lasting city, but we see the one that is to come.” So, don’t feel too attached to Bedford Falls, or to Fort Smith, or to the old Jerusalem, but seek a heavenly home. And the last book of the Bible, Revelation, reveals what the new Jerusalem will look like. We read in Rv 21:10: “[The angel] took me in spirit to a great, high mountain and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God.” That is, our home is nowhere on earth.

That is why Ep. 2:19 tells us that we are still “strangers and sojourners” until we reach our heavenly home, the new Jerusalem. In other words, keep in mind this shift in sacred real estate from the Old to the New Testament, from the Old to the New Jerusalem, from the earthly to the heavenly city, which even Abraham desired, as it says in Hb. 11:10: “For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and maker is God.”

Folks, how do you feel about the city where you live? Some people love their hometown and hope to never leave; others hate their hometown and cannot wait to leave. It is amazing how much time and talent, money and manpower we pour into building and beautifying our earthly cities. And that is a good thing, because we continue to work of creation begun by God in Genesis.

But be careful not to forget the seismic shift in sacred real estate in the Bible: from the earthly city to the heavenly one. Ultimately, everything we build here rests on sad and will one day wash away. Only he who builds a heavenly home builds on rock that lasts forever. George Bailey was right: compared to the new and eternal Jerusalem, every other city, in a sense, is just “this crummy town,” because one day it will crumble.

Praised be Jesus Christ!