The Origin and History of the Cities Bible Study

Lets take a journey through the history of the cities and see what role they have in the salvation and destruction of men, woman and children, aka families.

All verses are KJV unless otherwise stated.

1. Who was Cain?

And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD. Gen 4:1

2. Who built the first city?

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. Gen 4:17

3. What kind of person was Cain?

And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him. Gen 4:8

NOTE: The first city was built by the first murderer.

4. Who was Nimrod?

Now these are the generations of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth: and unto them were sons born after the flood. Gen 10:1

And the sons of Ham; Cush, and Mizraim, and Phut, and Canaan. Gen 10:6

Cush fathered Nimrod, who became the first fearless leader throughout the land. He became a fearless hunter in defiance of the LORD. That is why it is said, “Like Nimrod, a fearless hunter in defiance of the LORD.” Gen 10:8-9 ISV

5. What city did Nimrod build?

His (Nimrod) kingdom began in the region of Shinar with the cities of Babylon, Erech, Akkad, and Calneh. Gen 10:10 ISV

6. What kind of building was the centerpiece of Babylon?

They told each other, “Come on! Let’s burn bricks thoroughly.” They used bricks for stone and tar for mortar. Then they said, “Come on! Let’s build ourselves a city and a tower, with its summit in the heavens, Gen 11:3-4 ISV

7. Why did they build the tower?

and let’s make a name for ourselves so we won’t be scattered over the surface of the whole earth.” Gen 11:4 ISV

8. Did their city with a very high building impress God?

However, the LORD descended to look over the city and the tower that the humans were building. The LORD said, “Look! They are one people with the same language for all of them, and this is only the beginning of what they will do. Nothing that they have a mind to do will be impossible for them! Come on! Let’s go down there and confuse their language, so that they won’t understand each other’s speech.” So the LORD scattered them abroad from there over the surface of the whole earth, so that they had to stop building the city. Therefore it was called Babylon, because there the LORD confused the language of all the earth, and from there the LORD scattered them over the surface of the entire earth. Gen 11:5-9 ISV

HIStory about Lot.

9. Where did Lot choose to make a home for his family?

Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom. Gen 13:12.

10. What kind of people lived in Sodom?

But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly. Genesis 13:13;

And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous; I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know. Gen 18:20-21

11. How did God respond?

Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven; And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground. Gen 19:24-25

12. What was Lot’s second choice?

And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed. 18 And Lot said unto them, Oh, not so, my Lord: 19 Behold now, thy servant hath found grace in thy sight, and thou hast magnified thy mercy, which thou hast shewed unto me in saving my life; and I cannot escape to the mountain, lest some evil take me, and I die: 20 Behold now, this city is near to flee unto, and it is a little one: Oh, let me escape thither, (is it not a little one?) and my soul shall live. Genesis 19:17-20.

NOTE: In Lots second choice is revealed the fact that it was “a little one”, meaning it only had a small population did not make it a safe place, “And Lot went up out of Zoar, and dwelt in the mountain, and his two daughters with him; for he feared to dwell in Zoar: and he dwelt in a cave, he and his two daughters. Gen 19:30”. So likewise for us to say it only has a small population does not make it safe for us to stay. When God says come out, He means come out.

13. How did Lot’s Children and their spouses receive the message to flee the city?

And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons in law, which married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the LORD will destroy this city. But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law. Gen 19:14

NOTE: It may be clearly understood that his married daughters treated his message the same as their spouses by the fact that they did not leave.

14. Did Lot leave the city willingly?

And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the LORD being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city. Gen 19:16

15. What effect did city life and exposure to evil have on Lot’s daughters?

And the firstborn said unto the younger, Our father is old, and there is not a man in the earth to come in unto us after the manner of all the earth: Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father. And they made their father drink wine that night: and the firstborn went in, and lay with her father; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose. And it came to pass on the morrow, that the firstborn said unto the younger, Behold, I lay yesternight with my father: let us make him drink wine this night also; and go thou in, and lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father. And they made their father drink wine that night also: and the younger arose, and lay with him; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose. Thus were both the daughters of Lot with child by their father. And the firstborn bare a son, and called his name Moab: the same is the father of the Moabites unto this day. And the younger, she also bare a son, and called his name Benammi: the same is the father of the children of Ammon unto this day. Genesis 19:30-39.

16. Where was Lot’s wife’s heart, and what was the result?

But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt. Gen 19:26

17. What does God say happened to Lot’s family?

Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners. 1Co 15:33

18. What does God have to say about city life?

Destroy, O Lord, and divide their tongues: for I have seen violence and strife in the city. Day and night they go about it upon the walls thereof: mischief also and sorrow are in the midst of it. Wickedness is in the midst thereof: deceit and guile depart not from her streets. Psalm 55:9-11.

19. What does Satan want to cover the face of all the world with, and what will God do to stop him?

Prepare slaughter for his children for the iniquity of their fathers; that they do not rise, nor possess the land, nor fill the face of the world with cities. Isa 14:21.

20. What is pronounced against the cities?

Woe unto them that join house to house, that lay field to field, till there be no place, that they may be placed alone in the midst of the earth! Isa 5:8

21. Will the cities be judged?

Now, thou son of man, wilt thou judge, wilt thou judge the bloody city? yea, thou shalt shew her all her abominations. Ezekiel 22:2.

22. Will the cities be judged according to the light they have rejected?

Then began he (Jesus) to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not: Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you. And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee. Matthew 11:20-24.

23. Where does the judgment start, and end?

For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? 18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? 1Pe 4:17-18

24. Who receives the mark/seal of God?

And the LORD said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh (sorrow) and that cry (warn others not to partake) for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof. Eze 9:4

NOTE: We will not look into what the mark or seal is in this study.

25. What is the message concerning the city, Babylon, in Rev 18:1-6?

And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory. And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies. And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, Rev 18:1-4

26. Who does this message apply to?

And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. Rev 18:4

27. Why are they to COME OUT OF BABYLON?

And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities. Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double. Rev 18:4-6

28. What will happen to the church in the city?

And to the others he said in mine hearing, Go ye after him through the city, and smite: let not your eye spare, neither have ye pity: Slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women: but come not near any man upon whom is the mark; and begin at my sanctuary. Then they began at the ancient men which were before the house. And he said unto them, Defile the house, and fill the courts with the slain: go ye forth. And they went forth, and slew in the city. And it came to pass, while they were slaying them, and I was left, that I fell upon my face, and cried, and said, Ah Lord GOD! wilt thou destroy all the residue of Israel in thy pouring out of thy fury upon Jerusalem? Then said he unto me, The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceeding great, and the land is full of blood, and the city full of perverseness: for they say, The LORD hath forsaken the earth, and the LORD seeth not. And as for me also, mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity, but I will recompense their way upon their head. Eze 9:5-10

29. What is broken down at the presence Of of the LORD?

I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful place was a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down at the presence of the LORD, and by his fierce anger. Jer 4:26;

30. Which cities will fall?

And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath. Revelation 16:19.

I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful place was a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down at the presence of the LORD, and by his fierce anger. Jer 4:26;

31. But what will happen to those who will be found written in the Book of life?

And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. Dan 12:1

He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. Rev 3:5

32. What is one of the signs that we are to come out?

And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived. Rev 18:23

33. What is the word sorceries in the original Greek that the Prophet John wrote, and what does it mean?

Answer: G5331 φαρμακεία pharmakeia (far-ma-kei’-a) n.

1. the use of drugs, potions, and enchantments.

2. poisoning (“pharmacy”).

34. Based on the original word, how should the verse read?

Answer: for by your pharmacy were all nations deceived.

35. Are we living in the time when we can see that happening?

NOTE: The above verse comes after, and is in the same chapter as : “Rev 18:4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.” And therefore is the sign that tells us to come out?

36. Personal question: Who wants to be found living in the city when they are judged?

Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. 2Cor 6:17-18

Grace be with you, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love. I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth, as we have received a commandment from the Father. 2John 1:3-4