Jerusalem- Rebuilding The Gates (Part 3) Series

Series: Biblical Cities- Jerusalem [#17]

JERUSALEM- REBUILDING THE GATES (PART 3)

Matthew 23:37

Introduction:

We are continuing in our Series about some of the most mentioned Cities in the Bible. Tonight, we are going to study the city that is 1st on the list- Jerusalem. Jerusalem is mentioned 811 times in the Bible. Currently, there are 3 different Religions that consider Jerusalem to be a holy site- Judaism, Islam, and Christianity.

Matthew 23:37

We have been studying how Nehemiah rebuilt and replaced the gates around Jerusalem. It is important to know that the people worked on the gates that were close to their homes. As they built these gates, they had enemies that did everything they could to stop their progress. It got so bad, that they had to work with their weapons ready to fight.

Nehemiah 3:26

1. The Water Gate.

The 7th gate is The Water Gate, and it symbolizes the Word of God. The Water Gate was used to bring water into the city. Although there was a spring of water and an aqueduct that brought some water into the city; it didn’t bring all of the water in. The rest was carried in through the Water Gate.

Often God’s Word refers to itself as “water”. We also need to notice that this is the 7th gate mentioned. The number 7 is the number of perfection and completion; and the only way we might be completely perfect is to grow in God’s Word. It is also important to note that this is the only gate that needed “No repairs”. There are many today who try to “improve the Word of God”.

In Scripture, water often represents the Word of God and it is at this gate where the Word of God was read to the people. In Nehemiah 8 most of the people hear the Word read for the 1st time in their lives.

Nehemiah 8:5-6

The Word of God should cause you to…

* Worship.

We see here in this passage several elements of worship.

^ Respect.

As the Book was opened, the people stood up. This wasn’t just any book, this was the Word of God. They showed respect. They listened. Just standing there wasn’t enough. They were focused and paid attention to what was being read. What you focus on is what you worship. They participated. The people responded with the words “Amen”. That means that they agreed.

^ Reaction.

There were physical responses as well as verbal. As the Word was being read, they raised their hands. They bowed down. They worshipped God.

Nehemiah 8:8-9

The Word of God should cause you to…

* Weep.

On 1 of the greatest days in the lives of these people, they are weeping. Why? As they heard the Word, they didn’t just hear it with their ears; but they heard it with their heart. The Word soaked into their lives and when it did, they realized that they had fallen short of what God had asked of them.

The Bible is referred to as a mirror in the Book of James. James asked a great question. If you take a mirror and look into it and there are some problems, don’t you fix the problem? The Bible should be the same way. This is 1 of the main reasons we should study the Word of God is so that we know what we should be doing and when we don’t do it, it should bother us. God is good. He has taken all that sin and junk that you have confessed to Him, and He has gotten rid of it. It’s gone.

Nehemiah 8:10-12

The Word of God should cause you to…

* Rejoice.

Nehemiah told the people to stop crying. Why? Did he not want them to repent and change? Of course he did; but once they had done that; it was handled. Confessing your sins to the Lord is just the beginning. Once that is done, you are clean. You have a reason to celebrate and rejoice.

Christians, we have many reasons to celebrate and praise the Lord. You have been washed cleaned by the blood of the Lamb and God sees you as perfect. As a child of God, you are going to spend all eternity worshipping and praising Him. The reason so many Christians are weak is because we have lost our joy. We get focused on the circumstances instead of the Savior. When we think of the goodness of the Lord we will be strengthened.

Nehemiah 8:13-17

The Word of God should cause you to…

* Obey.

Worshipping God, weeping over our sins, and rejoicing and praising God are not enough. If we don’t take what we learn from the Word of God and obey it; it won’t fulfill its purpose in your life. If you ran out of water and after several days found some fresh clean drinking water; and run up, put some in your mouth, and sloshed it around in your mouth- Would that be enough? No. You must ingest it. Your body needs the water to function. Christians, your spiritual body needs the Word of God to function.