Invading armies establish their authority in the major cities. That’s where the people are, that’s where the power resides, and that’s where all the resources are that must be controlled. In every war in every generation invaders always focus on 
the cities. Modern movie makers and TV screen writers have captured a modern view of it for us in many of their movies and TV series. But this theme goes back many years. Jeremiah 4:29 contains his prophecy about the coming invasion of Jerusalem, the capital city of Judah. It says, “At the noise of horseman and archer every city takes to flight; they enter thickets; they climb among rocks; all the cities are forsaken, and no man dwells in them.”
Man takes great pride in his great cities. From the tower of Babel to the Empire State building the major cities in our world represent the power and advanced living standards of every civilization. When cities fall, civilizations fall. I will always remember the first time I saw the “Planet of the Apes” with Charlton Heston. The ending scene showed the statue of liberty lying in the sand. It identified the fact that man had destroyed himself and the animals (Apes) rose up to take control. America had destroyed itself.
Cities present to us a sense of self sufficiency. We have all the things we could need or even want for the most part. We feel safe and secure amidst the crowds. People meet all our needs for food, water, shelter, comfort and a sense of belonging. We don’t need God so much with hot and cold running water! Yet everything on earth is subject to God’s authority and reign. Nothing man can build will be safe enough, secure enough, or satisfying enough without God. Sometimes when we invest too much confidence, hope, and faith in our civilizations God acts to point out how immaterial they are to Him. I remember an old song entitled, “Sinner Man.” Oh, sinner man, where you gonna run to? I’ll run to the seas. The seas will be a boiling. I’ll run to the stars! The stars will be a falling. I’ll run to the mountains! The mountains will be a crumbling! Oh sinner man, where you gonna run to on that day? Naham 1:7 tells us that there is only one safe place to run; “The LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; he knows those who take refuge in him.”