Spiritual truths from the gates of Jerusalem

Nehemiah 3

Click here for chart

Just as there are 12 gates in the New Jerusalem so too there were twelve gates in the Jerusalem of Nehemiah’s time. In Nehemiah 3, ten gates are mentioned and the two which are not mentioned here but mentioned in chapter 12:39 are the gate of Ephraim & the prison gate (Neh. 12:39).

There is no certainty as to the actual location of some of these gates especially the gate of Ephraim and the Prison gate.

The names of these ten gates tell the story of the gospel and the Christian life.

Nehemiah could have begun his record with any of the gates, but he chose to start and end the report with the Sheep Gate.

He begins with this gate and moves in an anticlockwise direction.

The sheep gate was near the Temple and is the first to be built for this was the gate though which the sheep were brought into the city to use in sacrifice at the Temple.

Nearby we read in John 5:2 (sheep market) was the pool of Bethesda meaning "house of mercy."

It was in two parts and one was used for healing when the angel stirred the water and washing by the poor. The other part was sued to wash the sheep before sacrifice.

It was near to the gate today know as Stephen’s gate or Lion gate (where they though Stephen was taken through to be stoned outside Jerusalem).

It led through to Gethsemane where the Lord Jesus allowed Himself to be taken by His captors without resisting.

This gate typifies the work of the Lord Jesus.

When we were in the Shetland Islands, the believers with whom we stayed own a sheep farm and they took us to see the sheep being shorn.

As the cutters were used to remove the fleece, they were cutting the flesh and drawing blood. I asked if they sheep feel pain, and I was told that they do but they did not make a noise. We were also told that when the professional shearers come with their machines they are very rough and the sheep get cut a lot.

In this we saw a picture of our Lord Jesus, stripped of His clothes, scourged, beaten, buffeted, spat on and crucified. Blood poured from His wounds yet He never made a noise. He did not revile, He did not curse or shout. He was silent.

The work significantly begins with the sheep gate and ends with the sheep gate. We start the Christian life with Christ and end this life with Christ nothing else in life matters. It is the work of the cross that sustains us through out life.

He is the Alpha and Omega. The work of Christ is the foundation for time and eternity.

We read that Eliashib the high priest did not build it with locks and bars. Looking at it practically we see that he was not faithful since later he lets the enemy in. However in the context we are looking at in these gates, we see the wonderful truth that the work of Christ has no locks and bars. Salvation is for the whosoever.

Its location is probably where the Damascus gate stands today. Through this way the Lord would have passed on His way to Calvary, the place of the skull.

It was the place where merchants brought fish from the Mediterranean Sea to sell.

Fish was usually caught in the Sea of Galilee and the River Jordan and brought for sale in the open courtyard behind the gate.

This was located to the west of the Sheep Gate, and between the two stood the Tower of Hammeah ("the hundred") and the Tower of Hananeel (v. 1). These two towers were a part of the city’s defense system and were close to the citadel, where the soldiers guarded the temple and protected the northern approach to the city which was especially vulnerable.

One of the first things a new Christian learns to do with great enthusiasm is witness to others. We see this in the next gate, the fish gate where fish were brought into the city from the Mediterranean sea and from the river Jordan. It reminds us of the words of the Lord Jesus in Matthew 4:18-20

The Lord did not tell His disciples that they should become fishers of men but that He would make them such if they followed Him.

To be a soul winner, we must follow the Lord’s example. He went to where the people where.

By a well, in houses, by the sea side, the market, etc…

During the same time we visit the Shetland Islands we were also taken fishing for the first time in a little boat out into the North Sea.

The hooks were baited and I cast them over board but no fish came up. I remembered the words of the Lord Jesus in John 21, "Cast the net on the right side of the ship and ye shall find". I cast on the right side but alas no fish there either!

Then we moved onto another part of the sea and when my wife cast in her line, immediately several fish were caught. You see, we were initially fishing where there were no fish. We needed to be where the fish were.

The same is true in the gospel. We often sit in our half empty gospel halls and lament that no outsiders have come to listen. The preacher preaches the gospel to the believers telling them to repent and be saved! Yet our problem would be solved if we went to where the people are in the markets, streets, and lanes of the city. When we cast the gospel net where the people are found then we are more likely to catch some.

How sad to learn that this gate needed repair and so too in many places the gospel work is well nigh in ruins through decades of neglect.

There were those who zealously repaired it in vv. 3-4 reminding us of the church at Thessalonica.

In verse 5 we read that in connection with regarding this gate there were those who were too proud to stoop down to work hard.

"Those whom God has blessed have a deep responsibility resting upon them. Do we realise that the world is perishing for lack of the knowledge that we possess? The four lepers felt they dare not settle down to the enjoyment of their abundance and leave others to their fate.

How do we feel about this! Sometimes it happens that the saints who are the best fed are poorest workers. They would Prefer endless Bible readings to a vigorous Gospel campaign. Is this right Peter and John were so Profoundly convinced of the importance of the facts of the Gospel that when they were told to proclaim them no more, they replied: "We cannot but Speak the things which we have seen and heard" (Acts 4: 20). As well bid the sun to cease its shining and the river its flowing as tell such men to be quiet."

These comments were made during the First World War and show that the rot had already set in the British assembles.

The fish gate was finished with locks and bars. The gospel of the grace of God is not only to be zealously preached but zealously defended against those who preach error.

Other mentions of the fish gate -

The Old Gate is probably the same as the Corner Gate (2 Kings 14:13; Jer. 31:38).

It probably received its name from being part of the old quarter of the city.

Some students identify this with the "Mishneh Gate"; the Hebrew word means "second quarter" or "new quarter" (Zeph. 1:10, NIV). In Nehemiah’s day, the northwest section of the city was "the mishneh" or "new quarter"; and this gate led into it. What a paradox: the old gate leads into the new quarter! But it is from the old that we derive the new; and if we abandon the old, there can be nothing new (see Jer. 6:16 and Matt. 13:52).

When Augustine was young he, like many, indulged in sinful practices. After his conversion to Christ, he met with a woman who had been a fellow participant in sin with him. She was glad to see him and approached him, "Augustine." He ran away from her as fast as he could. She called out to him, "Augustine, it is I," stating her name. To this he turned around and replied, "but it is not I. The old Augustine is dead, and I am a new creature in Christ Jesus."

This is where Nehemiah started his night time investigation of the ruins of the city (2:13).

It is located on the south wall and was approximately at the place where the Jaffa Gate stands today.

Both the Valley Gate and the Dung Gate opened into the Valley of Hinnom.

Mentioned also in 2 Chronicles 26:9, "Moreover Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the corner gate, and at the valley gate, and at the turning of the wall, and fortified them."

John the Baptist preached repentance.

The valley were the lowly downcast people whom the Lord will exalt.

The mountains were the Pharisees who were proud and would be cut down in judgment. The axe was already laid to the root of the tree.

The crooked were the tax collectors who would be made straight.

The rough were the soldiers who were told to do violence to no man and were made smooth.

As Christians we must be lowly and humble.

This is illustrated in the story of Abraham and Lot.

Though Abraham was promised the whole land and he was the more spiritual man, he gave the honour of choosing the best part of the land to carnal Lot.

Peter was thinking of the time when the Lord Jesus girded Himself with a towel and washed the feet of His disciples.

The Lord Jesus went on to teach that true happiness is not to be found in being served but serving others.

Many think that the only real way to be happy is to win the lottery, to buy a mansion, to hire servants and at the click of a finger will polish the shoes, cook the dinner, clean the house and drive the car but real happiness is to be found when we serve others our of love.

The Lord has promised His presence, His protection and His Support.

Paul went through many valleys but the grace of God sustained him.

The Dung Gate was located on the southernmost tip of the city probably where the Valley of Hinnom meets the Tyropaeon Valley which is also called the Dung Valley. It was near the Pool of Siloam.

In the Valley of Hinnom, the city disposed of its rubbish and a sewer ran out of the city there.

It became a picture of Gehenna the lake of fire, the place "where their worm dieth not, and their fire is not quenched" (Mark 9:44).

It was originally the place of the grossest idolatry where King Manasseh had sacrificed children to idols (2 Chron. 33:6), but King Josiah had desecrated the place by turning it into a dung heap (2 Kings 23:10).

Turning someone’s house into a public latrine was the great humiliation that could be shown. Nebuchadnezzar threatened this to the wise men of Babylon (Dan. 2:5).

Paul was once proud of what he was and what he had done. He was excelled in all that the world considered great. But when he was saved he counted it all as dung that he might win Christ.

As Christians we must remove all that is filthy from our lives, not just that which all know is filthy such as of the flesh but of the spirit too, things such as spiritual pride and arrogance.

A Christian man lost his home and mill when a flood washed them away. He was broken-hearted and discouraged as he stood surveying his loss. Just then he saw a glittering object that had been uncovered by the waters. It was gold! The disaster he thought had made him a beggar had actually made him wealthy.

When Paul was saved, the world thought he had lost all that it considered great but Paul found in Christ a treasure far greater than all.

This was situated near what is called the "The Gihon Spring" or "The Spring Of The Virgin" because early inhabitants thought Isaiah uttered his famous prophecy of the virgin birth there (Isaiah 7:14) It is the only perpetual spring in Jerusalem and the oldest known source of water for the ancient city.

Solomon was anointed there amidst scenes of great joy.

In the reign of Hezekiah a 530 meter tunnel was dug from the spring to the pool of Siloam.

The fountain speaks of the Spirit of God.

The world needs its external things to give happiness that does not last.

The believer has a fountain inside that needs no external things such as booze, bingo, bookies, and drugs. We have a constant source of joy and satisfaction. The Holy Spirit dwelling within the believer brings joy and satisfaction like cold waters to a thirsty soul and this blessing flows out to others.

Since it comes after the dung gate it teaches us that unless we get rid of what is displeasing to the Lord in or lives we shall not experience the fullness of joy or power of the Holy Spirit. Then we can be a blessing to others.

The Water Gate was not far from the Fountain Gate and the Gihon Spring.

It featured in the water ritual on the Jewish harvest festival of Sukkot, the feast of tabernacles.

The "Nethinims" ("those who are given") were probably temple servants, descendants of the Gibeonites who were made drawers of water (Josh. 9:23). They would naturally want to live near the most important source of water for the city.

Water is a symbol of the Word of God.

We must let the Word of God cleanse our ways.

It is to be noted that this gate was next to the fountain gate. It is the Holy Spirit who applies the word of God to our lives when we allow Him to.

It was at the Water Gate that Ezra and the priests expounded the Bible to the people. When the Holy Spirit applied it to their hearts, they wept.

Like the Word of God it represents it needed no repair. God’s Word has been once and forever settled. Men’s ideas, opinions and theories change like the shifting sands of the sea shore but the Word of God is the solid rock upon which we can depend. It was good for the past generation and it is just as relevant for the present generation and to those to come.

Robert Ingersoll, the famous American atheist and infidel held up a copy of the Bible and said, "In fifteen years I'll have this book in the morgue." Fifteen years rolled by. Ingersoll was in the morgue, and the Bible lives on.

The Pharisees went to the right hand and added to the Word of God their man made traditions.

The Sadducees went to the left hand and removed from the Word of God the teachings they did not like such as angels, life after death and the resurrection.

There are those who twisted the Word of God.

The word "wrest" means "put to the torture". Like inquisitors of old who took a poor innocent man off the streets just to find him guilty of something he did not commit torture him. They twist his bones and body until he says what he does not mean. Such the false prophets and cults of today do with the Word of God. They twist it to say what it does not mean.

If we want to succeed in the Christian life and be pleasing to God, we must not turn to the right hand or left hand but obey God’s Word wholeheartedly.

Hymns writer Anne Steele puts it like this –

The Horse Gate was further up on the eastern wall and near the Temple. It was the place where traffic to the King’s palace went in and out. The horses of the king were led through this place.

It was possibly named after the horses that the kings of Judah had given to sun worship and Josiah had removed.

It was the place where wicked Athaliah was slain.

Also mentioned in -

The horse speaks of warfare.

Christians are also to be good soldiers of Jesus Christ and we are in a warfare.

This provided the entrance to the temple area from the Mount of Olives. It was the site now occupied by the sealed Golden Gate. Tradition says that the Lord Jesus entered this gate during His triumphal entry riding on a foal of an ass.

In the sixteenth century, the gate was sealed up with blocks of stone by the Turkish sultan, Sulayman the Magnificent. Jewish and Christian tradition both connect the Golden Gate with the coming of the Messiah to Jerusalem, and Muslims associate it with the future judgment.

This gate faces the Mount of Olives and the Lord Jesus shall return through this gate.

Ezekiel saw the glory of the Lord depart in stages out of the Temple, out of this gate and up to the Mount of Olives to return to heaven.

The Lord Jesus having being risen again went by the same way back to heaven a rejected but glorified Man.

But Ezekiel saw that same glory return and it typifies when the Lord Jesus shall return to reign.

It is interesting that this comes after the horse gate for we read of the Lord coming back to judge riding a white horse. He will destroy all who oppose Him.

An oft told story is worth repeating.

Our absent Lord has given special commendation to those who not only WAIT for His return, but also earnestly WATCH for Him. The difference between these terms is illustrated by the story of a fishing vessel returning home after many days at sea. As they neared the shore, the sailors gazed eagerly toward the dock where a group of their loved ones had gathered. The skipper looked through his binoculars and identified some of them: "I see Bill's Mary, and there is Tom's Margaret and David's Anne." One man became concerned because his wife was not there. Later, he left the boat with a heavy heart and hurried up the hill to his cottage. As he opened the door, she ran to meet him saying, "I have been waiting for you!" He replied with a gentle rebuke, "Yes, but the other men's wives were watching for them!"

The gate north of the East Gate and standing at the north-west corner of the wall.

The name Miphkad is translated as the "appointed" place in Ezekiel 43:21 and refers to the place set apart for the burning of the sin offering.

It reminds us of Hebrews 13:12

Some think it is identical with the prison gate or gate of the guard.

It reminds us that we shall all be summoned to give account of our service for the Lord Jesus at His judgment seat.

1. Romans 14 Fellow believer and behaviour.

2. 1 Corinthians 3 Local assembly and rewards.

3. 2 Corinthians 5 Body and motives

4. 1 Corinthians 4v5 Motives

It is interesting to note that it was Malchiah the goldsmith’s son who built up to this gate.

This reminds us of 1 Cor. 3:11-13, "For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is."

The person and work of Christ is the only foundation for a local church.

The only true foundation is a doctrinal foundation. He is the foundation and the precious metals and jewels speak of Him. Our teaching must exalt Him and build up the saints if it is to be rewarded.

Let us see to it that we work with gold like Malchiah and not wood, hay and stubble.

A wealthy man before leaving on an extended tour of Europe, said to his contractor, "While I am away, I want your to build me a fine new home according to these plans. Be sure you work with extreme care, and use the best of everything. Tell me the cost as soon as you have it and I'll send you a check." During the process of construction the contractor discovered many opportunities to substitute inferior materials; he put in his own pocket the money he saved. His employer would never know the difference, and he himself would profit. But he soon regretted his dishonesty, for the wealthy man upon his return inspected the finished home and said: "You have built it exactly as I wanted it, and I'm sure that you used the best of everything in its construction. Now, in appreciation for your long years of service to me, I am giving you this new home for your very own. Here's the deed!"

Congregation, you are building for eternity. As Paul says, you can choose the materials you use. Do you build with inferior materials or do you build with choice materials on the foundation of Christ? Don't ever forget, the house we will have later on depends on the material we are using now.