Urban Living: Cities of the Future
Hong Kong is a bustling city with a lot of energy. People are stacked on top of each other as it is the world's most vertical city. Will cities in the future all look like this or is there a better way forward for urban development?
Human population continues to explode. We are approaching 8 billion people on the planet. India and China alone contain about one-third of the world’s population. Websites such as “Worldometer” have been set up to show a continuous readout of world population growth—these are estimated numbers based on statistical analysis. It’s amazing to watch the numbers shooting upwards. The first two months of 2020 saw world population increase by over 20 million! Hong Kong is one of the most densely populated areas on earth: its small area is packed with over 7 million people.
The past century has seen a vast, worldwide migration to cities. Urban areas provide large numbers of jobs and therefore are magnets when it comes to supporting oneself. City life is now the norm and this is not likely to change in the near future.
Cities can be amazing places. The denser populations can support institutions that rural areas cannot, such as great libraries, museums, universities and cultural centres for the performing arts. The architecture can be fascinating, with a mix of very old and very new buildings. And metropolitan areas are also transportation hubs with easy access to the world.
Hong Kong, as a global financial centre with a world-class seaport, draws a great number of people. Living in close proximity in this great city is the norm, and this aspect can provide a challenge, not only in Hong Kong, but in all major urban centres. It doesn’t seem to be what God intended for human habitation. There are warnings in the Bible about densely-packed populations: “Woe to those who join house to house; they add field to field, till there is no place where they may dwell alone in the midst of the land!” (Isaiah 5:8, NKJV).
A human being seems to require a certain amount of “alone” time. We need time to think about our lives and contemplate our future. It’s always good to have a secluded place where our minds can dwell on the positive things in life and be thankful for what we have (Genesis 24:63; Philippians 4:8). Quiet time is much easier to find in rural areas.
Humanity seems to have a natural yearning for wild places. People travel the world to visit areas with majestic natural views. Just looking at the night sky can be an exhilarating experience—it can make us feel very small against the backdrop of the universe. Three thousand years ago, King David understood this and wrote: “When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained, what is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him?” (Psalm 8:3-4, NKJV).
But how does one see the sky in a city environment with lights everywhere? It’s one of the negative aspects of city life. Traffic congestion, noise, pollution and constant competition can take a great toll on our spiritual life. People packed together can give rise to social conflict and allow easy transmission of disease as the recent COVID-19 crisis shows. Noisy neighbours and inconsiderate drivers can easily lead to confrontational situations.
There are other areas where large population warning bells have been sounded. For decades, food shortages have been predicted but, as of yet, have not been seen on a global scale. And large urban areas pose another related problem: vast amounts of food must be continuously transported into these relatively small areas. A disruption in the delivery system could come from many sources, including natural disasters.
The Bible tells us of a soon-coming time of international trouble. Wars, plagues and food shortages will be some of many problems. It’s a time when humanity will bring itself to the brink of extinction (Matthew 24:22).
After that period of upheaval will come a time of peace and prosperity, like no other in human history. There will be cities, but unlike what we see today, God will have them designed and planned to be much less crowded, and safe for children to play in the streets (Zechariah 8:5). Provision will be made for green space, and there’s sure to be a way to see the night sky!
For a preview of God’s intentions for peace, beauty and harmony on the earth in the not too distant future, please read our booklet: The World Ahead: What Will It Be Like?