Pray for Detroit - Vision for the City
by Dr. John Saba

John and Jeanine Saba

My vision and His plan for the City of Detroit have never changed. Being a real estate broker with a medical training background has made it easy for me to understand and see the vision for Detroit.

“All of us are given vision that we may see beyond where we now are.”  The invisible spiritual things of God are clearly seen in the natural, as written in:

Romans 1:20—For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power andGodhead; so that they are without excuse. (KJV)

And this is how it is.

City of Jerusalem

Here, you will find a map of the City of Jerusalem during the times of Ezra and Nehemiah. (It is shown on page #746 of the Life Application Study Bible.)

The State of Michigan is shaped like a hand with the location of Detroit at the base of the thumb. Biblically, the defeated warriors had their right thumbs cut off so that they could no longer hold their swords and fight.

Judges 1:6—But Adonibezek fled; and they pursued after him, and caught him, and cut off his thumbs and his great toes. (KJV)

The thumb was also where the leprous were anointed for healing and the priests were anointed for the work of the Lord.

Leviticus 8:24—And he brought Aaron's sons, and Moses put of the blood upon the tip of their right ear, and upon the thumbs of their right hands, and upon the great toes of their right feet: and Moses sprinkled the blood upon the altar round about.  (KJV)

Correlating the map of Detroit with the hand, the cutting or removal of the thumb would be at the location of Woodward Avenue. The Holy Spirit told me that it is not “Woodward” but really “Wormwood”, bitterness, and doctrine that have separated “My People from My People.”

The constant applying of pressure at the base of the thumb  (where Detroit is spiritually and physically located) would promote stronger contractions for the “birthing” process to bring forth that “man-child.”

This is the same technique that midwives do in their assisting the delivery of a newborn baby. She would physically apply pressure to the base of the pregnant woman’s thumb in order to strengthen the uterine contractions during delivery.

There has been and is much pressure upon Detroit and its people. Many have used this “pressure” to push them into their own business, using their skills that they acquired while working for others.

Remember that when the children of Israel came out of Egypt, they were trained and skilled as weavers of clothing, goldsmiths, designers of fine jewelry and garments, farmers, shepherds, teachers, and builders.

In the rebuilding of a city for the work of God, we must follow the Book of Nehemiah. As they began to rebuild the City of Jerusalem, the first Gate to be repaired was the Sheep Gate.

Nehemiah 3:1—….Then Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brethren the priests, and they builded the sheep gate; they sanctified it, and set up the doors of it. (KJV)

The Sheep Gate represents a place and time of sacrifice and prayer and must be completed before the Fish Gate, which represents evangelism.  

Ren-Cen, Detroit, Michigan

The shape of Nehemiah’s Jerusalem is the exact shape of the Heart (Hart) of the City of Detroit. The heart of the city would begin at Hart’s Plaza and the Ren-Cen  (which means rebirth) in downtown Detroit and extend north along I-75 to Eight Mile Road.  Continuing westward along Eight Mile in the same fashion and westward direction as did Nehemiah, we would pass the Sheep Gate and then the Fish Gate and then the Old Gate.

This would then bring us to the Old Gate at the junction of Eight Mile Road and the Lodge (Route 10). We would then continue south along the east side which is the Broad Wall of the Lodge and return to the Ren-Cen.

Nehemiah 3:8—Next unto him repaired Uzziel the son of Harhaiah, of the goldsmiths. Next unto him also repaired Hananiah the son of one of the apothecaries, and they fortified Jerusalem unto the broad wall. (KJV)
Detroit, as it relates to Nehemiah's Jerusalem

Other similarities between Nehemiah’s Jerusalem and the City of Detroit are:

  • The steps from the City of Jerusalem to the City of David are at the same location as the steps at Hart’s Plaza.
  • The Arabic-speaking community at I-75 and Seven Mile, just as the Arabic-speaking community on the eastern banks of Jerusalem.
  • The location of the Dung Gate would spiritually be the corresponding location of the Rouge River where it empties into the Detroit River.
Nehemiah 3:14—But the dung gate repaired Malchiah the son of Rechab, the ruler of part of Bethhaccerem; he built it, and set up the doors thereof, the locks thereof, and the bars thereof.  (KJV)
  • The Fountain Gate of Jerusalem is spiritually located at the location of the Fountain at Hart’s Plaza.
Nehemiah 3:15—But the gate of the fountain repaired Shallun the son of Colhozeh, the ruler of part of Mizpah; he built it, and covered it, and set up the doors thereof, the locks thereof, and the bars thereof. (KJV)
  • The Pool of Siloah is spiritually located at the junction of Grand River and Trumbull.
Nehemiah 3:15—...and the wall of the pool of Siloah by the king's garden, and unto the stairs that go down from the city of David.  (KJV)
  • Pilgrim Church - Detroit, Michigan
    In Detroit, at the junction of Grand River and Trumbull is The Pilgrim Church and the home of I Am My Brother’s Keeper Ministries; the founder of which is the late Pastor Henry Covington. 

    This is where the blind man saw and others will receive vision as written in John 9:6 & 7: “He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay and said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing.” (KJV)
  • The Court of the Prison mentioned in Nehemiah 3:25 correlates with the Detroit prison located at Mound and seven mile.  
Nehemiah 3:25—“Palal the son of Uzai, over against the turning of the wall, and the tower which lieth out from the king's high house, that was by the court of the prison. After him Pedaiah the son of Parosh.” (KJV)
  • The Water Gate of Nehemiah 3:26 is spiritually located at the Dequindre and McNichols area.
Nehemiah 3:26  “Moreover the Nethinims dwelt in Ophel, unto the place over against the water gate toward the east, and the tower that lieth out.” (KJV)
  • The Horse gate of Nehemiah 3:28 correlates with the Horse Coliseum of the State Fairgrounds located at State Fair and Woodward Avenue.
Nehemiah 3:28—“From above the horse gate repaired the priests, every one over against his house.” (KJV)
Detroit and Canada

As seen on the map, the shape of this area with its base ending at The Tunnel to Canada is the shape of a womb. The Word (or “Sperma”) of God needs a “womb” to impregnate.  To prepare a womb for the impregnation of a sperm, the womb must be mature. The menses of innocent blood must be shed and so much innocent blood was shed here in Michigan that we have a river called the Rouge River (because it became red with the blood of the Native Americans).

  • The “Birth Canal” or tunnel extends THROUGH the Waters of the Detroit River at the junction of Lake St Clair and Lake Erie AND INTO Canada.

As you view the map of Ontario, Canada and continue to follow this “birthing process,” the continuation of this line would travel through the City of Windsor to the City of Harrow. This required “cutting of the flesh” would thereby “circumcise” the Province of Ontario, Canada.
Every major move of God required the removal of the flesh. Before the children of Israel could cross the Jordan River to enter the promised Land of Canaan, all of the men were circumcised. ( Joshua 5:2-5 )   What better place for God to “show up and show off” as a Father than in the most Fatherless city in America (and where there is a Father, his average age is 17)? Here in Detroit, where the unemployment is the highest and foreclosures are the greatest!

Here is Detroit, a city built on seven hills with mines of salt and a people that are truly the “salt of the earth.” Detroit is really the place, and you are the people.

In my 30 years of ministering, I have never found one “homeless” person that was not “churched” by one of the more than 20,000 ordained ministers of the City of Detroit.

Detroit is an awesome city inhabited by awesome people. Many of these people have moved here from other parts of the world. Some are here and really did not know the purpose or the plan for their lives here in Michigan.

God has a purpose and a plan for you and for Detroit.

Remember what God reveals to us in the spiritual will always be followed with a physical confirmation. We here in Detroit are being prepared for the gathering of peoples that will be brought to this city.

Michigan

To assist and prepare us for this gathering, God has sent us many visionaries who see the plan of God in this State of Michigan, which is shaped like His hand, and this City of Detroit shaped as His Jerusalem.

Business leaders, be encouraged.
Single parents, be encouraged.
Homeless, be encouraged.
Ministers, be encouraged.

DETROIT, BE ENCOURAGED.
SPEAK POSITIVELY ABOUT DETROIT.

The vision will happen.

Habakkuk 2:2—“Write the vision. Make it plain that he may run who reads it”.  (KJV)

God’s Word will NOT return void. It will accomplish what He said it will do, and that is to BLESS YOU AND DETROIT.

Dr. John Saba
PrayForDetroit.com

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