“The Valley Gate Message 4”
The Spiritual Application of the Gates
Nehemiah 3:13 Monte T. Brown
August 17, 2014 Sunday Night
Stapp Zoe Baptist
Prelude
In light of the events unfolding in the Middle East and the fact that we are living in end times I see it is important that we understand the importance of the Promise Land and that city called “The City of God.”
“The City of God” is Jerusalem and it has been in the headlines of history for thousands of years.
Part of the uniqueness of this city is the wall that surrounds the city. Within the wall are the gates that outline the premature of the city.
Each one of these gate sends us a message that applies to us today.
The book of Nehemiah list ten of the twelve gates that needed repaired.
I would like us to look at all twelve gates and gleam insight from each of these gates.
Each one of the gates is unique and gives us a specific message about our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
These messages are vivid and clear in our day just as they were in 445 BC and prior.
God uses these gates to reveal the coming Messiah to the Jews of that day and today.
They reveal Him from His first coming sacrifice to His Second Coming and the final judgment.
It is fascinating how God finds many different ways to tell the message of Christ, the good news. This is one more.
Praise be to God the Father who desires salvation for all. 1 Timothy 2:4 MB
There is so much spiritual applications within these gates, their positions in the wall of the city, the order in which they were rebuilt and the purpose of each gate.
Each gate speaks to us of the different experiences in our Christian walk that each of us will face.
Their order and position is very specific and give us insight into the journey that God takes each of His children on.
The Valley Gate overlooked the Valley of Hinnom and the Valley of Kidron. Together they represent God’s judgment upon His enemies as well as his mercy. The Valley Gate overlooked the Kidron Valley. It is located along the eastern side of Jerusalem between the Temple Mount and the Mount of Olives. To the South of the city Kidron joins the Valley of Hinnom. The pool of Gihon is located in the Kidron Valley.
The Hinnom Valley is noted for judgment and destruction by fire.
The word translated “Hell” in the New Testament is from the word “Gehenna” which comes from the Hebrew word “Gehinnom” or Hinnom.
A garbage dump was located in part of this valley.
Fires were kept burning day and night to consume dead bodies, garbage, and rubbish.
The Gate was used by the people who would take their rubbish to the valley to have it burned away.
The Valley Gate calls us to see Mercy:
It calls us to see Mercy triumphing over judgment. It calls us to cry out for Mercy!
A Valley of Judgment:
The Valley was also a place where Judgment came or was announced. It was the scene of idolatrous practices in the days of Ahaz (2 Chronicles 28:3) and Manasseh, who made his children to pass through the fire in the valley to worship the god Molech (2 Kings 23:10). It became a dumping place for destroyed pagan items (2 Chronicales 29:16, 30:14).
This valley is said to be the gathering place for the last great judgment and is referred to as “The Valley of Jehoshaphat” in Joel 3:2.
The Judean King sacrificed his eldest son to the Canaanite god Molech. Today the valley is known as Sultans Pool, the popular summertime concert venue.
A Valley where Mercy is seen:
While this Gate, and the Valleys it overlooks, are associated with Judgment they are also associated with Mercy.
David first returned the Ark of the Covenant to this Valley to a tent next to the Gihon Spring in the valley.
The ark remained here in the valley during David’s time until Solomon built the Temple following King David.
Wherever the Ark rested there was the Mercy Seat.
Once a year the priest sprinkled blood over it to remove the sins of the people.
Jesus road his donkey from the Mount of Olives through the valley to His Triumphal Entry in Jerusalem.
On the night of Jesus’ betrayal He left the city of Jerusalem and crossed through the Kidron Valley to the Garden of Gethsemane. He crossed the valley to the Garden of Gethsemane to bear our sins and our judgment. Jesus became our Mercy Seat.
In I John 2:2 we are told, “And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but for also for the whole world.” The word “propitiation” means Mercy Seat Covering.
The Mercy Seat is about “intercession.”
He passed through the Valley to intercede for the world and for you and me.
Application of this Gate of Mercy:
Although we are deserving of judgment as were the ancient kings of old, Jesus has walked through the valley of death and destruction for us.
He took our judgments upon himself.
He numbered himself with us and our sins and rubbish by going through the valley and hanging on a cross with two criminals.
Jesus identified himself with us by taking our sins upon Himself. He came and numbered himself with us so he could extend Mercy and not Judgment, “We all like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” (Isaiah 53:6)
Our rubbish was not taken to a valley to be burned up to remove its filth.
Our rubbish was put upon Christ to bear to the cross.
“By oppression and judgment he was taken away.. He poured out His life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.” (Isaiah 53:12)
It is amazing that in the midst of the worst sin God sends Jesus to bear and remove our defilement by having him become sin for us and bear away our rubbish. In so doing, our worship of God is restored.
The Ark of the Covenant is established in us.
In the midst of the valley was Davidic worship and the Psalms were birthed.
In the midst of the valley is The Pool of Gihon giving life through water to Jerusalem. In the midst of two thieves, Jesus hung between heaven earth demonstrating His mercy to those who deserve judgment.
He then turns to you and me as He did to the women at the well and says, “I will cause a fountain of living water to come forth from your innermost being. My Father is seeking those who will worship Him in spirit and in truth.” (John 4:14, 22)
I will use you to put my Mercy on display for the world to see! I will use you to intercede for the lost who deserve judgment that they too might come to see and know My Mercy.” (I John 5:14-16)
Jesus wants to pass through our valley which deserves judgment and establish mercy in us!
He will remove our rubbish and cause us to join Him in interceding for the lost and declaring His mercy that all will have their rubbish removed and be filled with living water.
Then together we will rejoice in His salvation and join king David in worshipping our God in spirit and in truth.
Prophecy concerning God’s Mercy for Israel:
“Awake, awake, O Zion, clothe yourself with strength. Put on your garments of splendor, O Jerusalem, the holy city.
The uncircumcised and defiled will not enter you again. Shake off your dust; rise up, sit enthroned, O Jerusalem.. All day long my name is constantly blasphemed.
Therefore my people will know my name; therefore in that day they will know that it is I who foretold it. Yes, it is I.
How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, ‘Our God reigns!’ Listen!
Your watchmen lift up their voices; together they shout of joy, When the Lord returns to Zion, they will see it with their own eyes.
Burst into songs of joy together, you ruins of Jerusalem, for the Lord has comforted his people, The Lord will lay bare his holy arm and all the ends of the earth will see the salvation of our God.
Just as my servant (Jesus) will act wisely he will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted.
Just as there were many who were appalled at him – his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any man and his form marred beyond human likeness – so will he sprinkle many nations (Mercy Seat Sprinkling), and kings will shut their mouths because of him. For what they were not told, they will see, and what they have not heard, they will understand.” (Isaiah 52)
“Father in Heaven, we come before you to stand in the Gate of the Valley to pray for the inheritance it represents for Israel and the nations of the earth. We lift up the prayer of the prophet Daniel and cry out to you as he did this day for Mercy covering over Israel and our Church.”
Daniel’s Prayer:
“O Lord, we and our kings, our princes and our fathers are covered with shame because we have sinned against you.
The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him; we have not obeyed the Lord our God or kept the laws (truths) he gave us through his servants the prophets.
All Israel (and we nations) have transgressed your law and turned away, refusing to obey you.. Just as it is written in the Law of Moses, all this disaster has come upon us, yet we have not sought the favor of the Lord our God by turning from our sins and giving attention to your truth.
The Lord did not hesitate to bring the disaster upon us, for the Lord our God is righteous in everything he does; yet we have not obeyed and turned to him.
Now Lord our God who brought your people out of Egypt with a mighty hand and who made for yourself a name that endures to this day, we have sinned, we have done wrong.
O Lord, in keeping with all your righteous acts, turn away your anger and your wrath from Jerusalem, your city, your holy hill. Our sins and the iniquities of our fathers have made Jerusalem and your people an object of scorn to all those around us.
Now, our God hear the prayers and petitions of your servants. For your sake, O Lord, look with favor on your desolate sanctuary.
Give ear, O God, and hear; open your eyes and see the desolation of the city that bears your Name.
We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy.
O Lord, forgive!
O Lord, hear and act!
For your sake, O my God, do not delay, because your city and your people who bear your Name.”
Daniel 9:3-19
