Series: Rebuild The Gates [#4]
THE VALLEY GATE
Nehemiah 3:13
Introduction:
The idea that the Christian life is a “bed of roses” is a trick from the devil. As Christians, we have to go through difficult times. With that in mind, we come to our next gate that was rebuilt- The Valley Gate.
Nehemiah 3:13
On this map you will notice that there is a long distance between the Old Gate and the Valley Gate. For a new Christian, the Lord allows a time that He teaches, builds strength, and increases our faith. God’s presence seems so strong. This can go on for some time as indicated by the positioning of the Old and Valley gates; but sooner or later the Valley Gate must come.
The Valley Gate is where…
1. You experience growth.
If you go to the top of a mountain, you generally find stony ground that is barren. It is down in the valley where one finds fertile ground. Our spiritual life is no different. We all love to be on those spiritual mountaintops where it seems like we are holding hands with the Lord, but it is when we are walking through the valleys that we find growth.
The Valley Gate is where…
2. You escape the fires of Hell.
The Valley Gate led to 2 main valleys that defined Jerusalem geographically and historically. 1st, the Hinnom Valley separated Mount Zion from the Hill of Evil Counsel and the "plain of Rephaim" to the south. Solomon erected high places for the idol god called Molech in this valley to whom children were sacrificed by fire. King Josiah made the valley "ceremonially unclean" by spreading human bones over it and from then on it became the garbage dump of the city. Because of its ceremonial defilement and its history of human sacrifice by fire, this valley came to be called "Ge Hinnom" or "Gehenna" which is the name used for hell itself, the Lake of Fire.
Most people have to hit bottom and experience Hell itself before they will listen to the voice of the Lord. It is when a lost person hits bottom and realizes that their life is no better than a garbage dump that God can begin to work in their life.
The Valley Gate is where…
3. You learn patience and dependence upon the Lord.
The 2nd valley was called the Kidron Valley, which means "dim, dusky, and gloomy". It was across this valley that Jesus walked to go to the Garden of Gethsemane before He was arrested and crucified. For many it was known as “the valley of the shadow of death”. That gives us a new meaning for Psalms 23:4 when David said, "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me."
It was in the Kidron Valley that the pagan altars and images were burned during the cleansing of Jerusalem. Sometimes we go into the valleys because of sinful choices we make and at other times we go through valleys because God wants us to grow stronger.
Conclusion:
These can be very long valleys for some of us and sometimes the trials are fiery and hot; but remember that in the valley the garbage in our lives is burned away and spiritual maturing and growth occurs while our hearts become fertile ground in the valley. The rocky, stony heart that we may have had on the mountaintop when we were filled with pride and self-reliance is broken and shattered and turned into a place where the seeds of God’s Word can grow.
