Walls and Fences in the 21st Century (Part 5 of 18)

Last updated on: March 31, 2019 at 8:00 am by Kermit Zarley

Walls and Fences in the 21st Century (Part 5 of 18) 2019-03-27T09:08:50-07:00 Kermit Zarley

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

[For an explanation of these 18 posts, see Part 1 published on 3/27/2019.]

Pope Francis and President Trump Dispute about Walls

In 2016, Donald Trump campaigned for the U.S. presidency, which he won. The main plank of his platform was that he promised to build a wall on the nearly 2,000-mile U.S.-Mexico border to stop illegal immigration and transportation of narcotics. The U.S. had a decades-old problem with illegal immigration across this border, and the U.S. Congress had been dis-functional in solving the problem. Trump pledged to solve it with a “big, beautiful wall.” But he was known for being light on statistics. For instance, he constantly asserted, “Mexico will pay for the wall.” Yet Mexico was very opposed to such a barrier. And Trump pretty much never explained how that would occur. As for how to construct the wall, Trump first suggested pre-cast concrete planks as high as fifty feet. (He later conceded that a combo wall and fence might do just as well.)

At the same time, Roman Catholic Pope Francis expressed sympathy for poor folks trying to find a better life by emigrating to foreign countries. So, he announced in opposition to President Trump, “building walls . . . is not Christian.”

With all due respect to the pope, he really thinks walls are not Christian? Most of the 110 acres of The Vatican have defensive walls. You can view them on the Internet. Yet, access is easily obtained. But that’s because times are different. Does Pope Francis need to visit the Vatican library and brush up on his Vatican history? Its huge walls were first constructed in the ninth century to keep out invasion of barbarians.

Trump likes a good fight. But he said he likes Pope Francis and doesn’t want to argue with him. Nevertheless, President Trump replied, “No leader, especially a religious leader, should have the right to question another man’s religion or faith. Disgraceful!” Ah, Mr. Trump, Jesus sometimes did a lot more than just question a man’s religion. He once told his opponents, “You are from your father the devil, . . . he is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8.44).

Donald Trump is no theologian. Still, he could have gotten one-up on the pope by mentioning God’s walled, holy city in heaven. It’s in the Bible—at the end. Someday, this beautiful city will come down toward earth. In the last two chapters of Revelation, John the author says of his vision, “I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, . . . It has a great, high wall with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, . . . The angel who talked to me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city and its gates and walls. . . . He also measured its wall, one hundred forty-four cubits” (Rev 21.2, 12, 15 NRSV).

That’s a lot higher than Trump’s proposed wall. During antiquity, the common cubit was eighteen inches long. Thus, this wall is 216 feet tall! And no one will scale it illegally. People must “enter the city by the gates” (Rev 22.14). The best part about this city is that “the throne of God and of the Lamb [Jesus] will be in it” (v. 3). So, even God and Jesus are right now enclosed within walls in this holy city in heaven.[1]

[1] For more biblical information about this city of God, see Gal 4.26; Heb 11.10, 16; 12.22.

Previous Post

March 30, 2019

Tiger Woods Defeats Rory McIlroy

Next Post

March 31, 2019 Kevin Kisner Wins WGC-Dell Technologies

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Angels Billy Graham Blog Description Book Reviews Christian Living Christianity Christology Church History Current Events Deity of Christ? Disarmament Eschatology Evangelicalism Ezekiel 38-39 Film Reviews God Golf Gospel Harmonization Health History Holy Spirit Incarnation? Interview Islam Israeli-Palestinian Conflict Jesus Last Empire Literary Announcements Major Championship Winners Masters Monotheism My Books New Testament Old Testament Politics Primitive Weapons Ryder Cup Science Society of Biblical Literature The Bible The Restitution of Jesus Christ Trinitarianism Trinity? Uncategorized Unconditional Love? War on Terrorism

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What did Jesus feed to the 5,000 people?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Bread and fish Chicken and rice Fruit and cheese Cake and wine

Books by This Author Books by Kermit Zarley Blog

See All Titles »