{"id":2243,"date":"2016-07-23T13:59:11","date_gmt":"2016-07-23T18:59:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/?page_id=2243"},"modified":"2025-08-18T07:14:59","modified_gmt":"2025-08-18T12:14:59","slug":"nations","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/nations","title":{"rendered":"Cities, Kingdoms, Nations and Tribes"},"content":{"rendered":"

IT IS NOT ABOUT GEOGRAPHY OR HISTORY<\/strong>
\nAnyone who has read the Bible knows that there are many references to geographical entities<\/a> called cities <\/a>(1,074), kingdoms<\/a> (107) nations<\/a> (374) and tribe\/tribes<\/a> (302). In these modern days our tendency is to think of these entities as legal, corporate entities with unique physical languages, boundaries, governments, people and cultures. In Biblical usage, however, application of these conventional definitions would be misleading and steer readers from the spiritual symbolism God intends.<\/p>\n

God’s purpose in the Bible is not to give us lessons in history or geography. Knowing historical and geographical information adds to our spiritual understanding, of course, but our goal is to learn about God and how he works in the spirit world — not about politics, science, or other things that can be observed in the natural, physical world. Because God is always giving instructions\u00a0in\u00a0<\/a>righteousness, we<\/span> always look for the spiritual intent of scripture and not the literal meaning<\/a>. Therefore, we should interpret cities<\/a>, nations<\/a> and tribes<\/a> as unique groupings of religious people who are under the authority of religious leaders– not as geopolitical<\/a>\u00a0entities. Kingdoms, however, are not groupings of people but have more to do with governmental authority which we shall discuss in the following pages.<\/p>\n

STUDY TIP: Although we are ultimately concerned with the spiritual meaning of cities, kingdoms, nations and tribes, we must acknowledge that God uses the natural facts about these and other physical locations in the Bible to communicate spiritual content. We therefore recommend researching factual information about these physical entities.<\/p>\n

The internet has many sites where such information can be found. One site we\u00a0have found useful\u00a0is WebBible Encyclopedia.<\/a>\u00a0This site contains facts and scriptural references for an extensive list of Biblical locations. It does not appear to offer much in terms of the spiritual meaning of physical locations, but readers who are experienced in symbolic interpretation will be able to discern spiritual content when they combine intellectual (i.e. ginosko) knowledge with spiritual (i.e. epiginosko) knowledge.<\/a><\/p>\n

This recommendation comes with the usual caution to use discernment when consulting non-biblical resources. Just because they claim to be Biblical and Christian does not guarantee that they are without\u00a0error. Nevertheless, God does communicate spiritual truth through natural and historical facts, and he does reward those who make an effort to search for truth.<\/p>\n

The best clues we have about the spiritual nature of cities, nations and kingdoms are found in these scriptures from Revelation:<\/p>\n

Revelation 11:1-8<\/a> KJV <\/span>And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood , saying, Rise, and measure<\/a> the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein. <\/span> 2<\/span> But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months. <\/span> 3<\/span> And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. <\/span> 4<\/span> These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth. <\/span> 5<\/span> And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed . <\/span> 6<\/span> These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will . <\/span> 7<\/span> And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them. <\/span> 8<\/span> And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.<\/span><\/p>\n

COMMENTARY: As is well known, the book of Revelation is filled with prophecies and enigmatic<\/a> symbolism<\/a>. This is especially true for Jerusalem which has three meanings:<\/p>\n