Eden into Babylon

2 minutes 30 seconds read

How does one bring Eden into Babylon? When God first created mankind, he set them in a garden, and it seems that he intended them not just to cultivate that garden, but to extend the boundaries of that fruitful area into all of Creation. But then came the cities. The places where murderous exiles like Cain dwell, where man in his arrogance tries to reach God in Babel, where pride and abominations fill the land in Sodom. The beautiful traces of that first garden, and the life-filled blessing it contained are slowly obscured by the man-made monstrosities of mortar and brick.

How did we get to this? And more importantly, what will God do about it?

Somehow, in the most incredible reversal of all, God promises us a future in the heavenly… city? This is a city not made by men’s hands, but whose builder and maker is God. And the descriptions in Revelation fill us with hope. It is a garden city. Full of life and blessing. That is what we long for.

Living in one of the world’s most populated cities, amongst one of the most unreached people groups in the world, is a challenge to say the least. A physical Babylon surrounds us in concrete towers, while the spiritual nature of Babylon is very much alive and kicking in society. How does one plant the seeds of the gospel of life in such circumstances? Certainly not by adding the work of men’s hands to the mix.

We are thankful to be part of a vibrant church that, though young, is growing and bearing fruit in the heart of our city in South Asia.

Here, there is a historical divide between believers from a traditional background and a majority faith background, Islam. One believer, Beauty,* is from a traditional background. For many years she didn’t believe that the majority people were worthy of receiving the good news. She viewed them with suspicion and hatred. But as she got exposed to good teaching and vibrant faith from other believers, the seeds planted in her bloomed into some beautiful flowers. She came to love her neighbours, and is regularly out sharing with people and praying for them, even using their slightly different dialect. Beauty is also a member of my English class and is regularly praying with non-believing students that attend.

One day, Beauty and a foreign worker in our church were out looking to share with others, but only men were around. They prayed for just one female, and the next minute came across Hope.* Hope was something of a reluctant atheist, having left the majority faith due to its hypocrisy, and had been incredibly depressed for months. They shared with her, and then started to study the word together. Very soon Hope trusted the Lord, and her inward reality finally caught up with her name. Beauty, the previous hater of this group, recently ‘dunked’ Hope in a nearby river. Like the river that makes glad the city of God. That brings life to it. Life that changes the hearts of believers and unbelievers alike, and bears much fruit. Babylon cannot stop these seedlings from breaking through the cracks.

*Names have been changed for security and library images used