The Book of Nehemiah Series #5
THE JERUSALEM GATES # 3
The Gates of Spiritual Progression - Part 3
By Pastor Jim May
Last week we started up the East Wall of the City with Nehemiah as they were rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. We have spoken already about the Sheep Gate, the Fish Gate, the Old Gate, the Valley Gate, the Dung Gate, the Fountain Gate and the Water Gate. Now we are ready to move on to the third and final phase of the rebuilding of the walls of the city and its gates.
The last three gates that are to rebuilt by Nehemiah and those who worked beside him each have a double meaning to you and I. First they will give us a picture of what is needed in our lives as we complete our service to the Lord. Secondly, they give us a prophetic picture of things that will occur in the End Times. As we draw ever closer to connecting once more with the Sheep Gate and the completion of the wall, we will also see how God’s plan of Redemption is finished and how that God regains control of mankind and all of creation from the devil.
Before we go on, let’s to a quick recap of what has happened so far in the building process.
We enter into this life of service to God through the Sheep Gate that represents our Lord Jesus Christ and his sacrifice upon the cross.
Then we pass through the Fish Gate where we are made fishers of men and we are made over-comers by the word of our testimony and the Blood of the Lamb.
Then we pass through the Old Gate that reminds us to stay true to the truth of the gospel as laid out by our Lord and by his apostles at the very foundation of the church, remembering that the Apostle Paul warned us that many would come preaching a false gospel and lead many astray.
Then we pass through the Valley Gate as we often find ourselves passing through low points and valleys of testing and trials, and even sometimes persecution, for the Lord’s sake. That’s where faith is made stronger.
Then we pass through the Dung Gate where we must cast aside every weight of sin that so easily besets us. We must be like the Apostle Paul and count everything in this world as dung so that we may obtain the inheritance of our eternal home in Glory. At the Dung Gate, the fire of the Holy Ghost will burn away the rebellious nature that tends to cling to each of us, sometimes quickly; sometimes slowly.
Then we pass through the Fountain Gate and we discover the hidden truths of the Word of God as we are cleansed and refreshed by the washing of water by the Word of God. Even as the fountain at this gate never ran dry, we can be assured that not one word of God’s Word will ever fail.
Then we pass through the Water Gate as we continually partake of that Living Water of Life that comes through Jesus Christ. Everlasting joy, peace and mercy are ours. Forgiveness is ever there for those who will be washed in and drink of the Water of Life.
Now let us continue our look at Nehemiah’s work and that of the people who were with him.
The construction continued on the walls of the city and the next gate to be repaired after the Water Gate was the Horse Gate.
Nehemiah 3:28, "From above the horse gate repaired the priests, every one over against his house."
This was the gate where the Kings of Israel would pass with their chariots and horses as they went to and from the palace. When they left the city to do battle, they would ride out at the head of the army, at least when they were really behaving like a king and not letting the army leave without them like David did.
When the battle was over and the victory was won they would come back in through the Horse Gate either riding in the victor’s chariot or riding on a white charger to signify that they were the conqueror of their enemies.
When you read about horses in the Bible, they represent two attributes in the Christian life:
·Discipline - James 3:3, "Behold, we put bits in the horses’ mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body."
·Warfare - Zechariah 10:3, "Mine anger was kindled against the shepherds, and I punished the goats: for the LORD of hosts hath visited his flock the house of Judah, and hath made them as his goodly horse in the battle." Song of Solomon 1:9, "I have compared thee, O my love, to a company of horses in Pharaoh’s chariots."
The Lord of Hosts is ever attempting to bring the Body of Christ into a condition of being ready for battle. Just like in a worldly army, the first step in preparing an army for battle is to create a high state of discipline for untrained soldiers.
Like it or not, believe it or not, you are a soldier in the Lord’s Army and He is preparing you for battle through discipline. Our continual exercise in studying His Word, prayer, and serving the Lord, is all a part of our disciplinary training. Just as a natural army must remove the individual thinking and instill a team spirit, Jesus has to teach us to be a part of His team, for none of us can stand alone against Satan.
While no power of Hell can overcome the church, if we are to be on the winning side, then we must be a part of that team, or that army, called the Church; the Body of Christ.
The Horse Gate reminds us that we are in a spiritual warfare.
A second view of the Horse Gate is that it also reminds us of the Second Coming of Jesus as described in Revelation 19:11, "And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war."
Spiritual warfare is a requirement of every Christian because we are all in a battle against the powers of darkness. That warfare requires discipline, and when we have fought a good fight and kept the faith, then we shall go to be with the Lord in the air. Then there will come a day when we shall all return to this earth with Jesus in the lead. We will all be riding white horses as we follow the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords into one final battle against the devil.
Now let us continue building the walls and gates of the city as we travel ever closer to the north and to the place where we will have come full circle at the Sheep Gate once again.
Looking now at the map of the city wall you will notice that these final four gates to be rebuilt are very close together. What could this signify for you and I, especially in light of what must transpire during these Last Days and End Times?
I believe that Jesus Christ is coming soon and that events will begin to happen very quickly once they are put into motion.
Only about seven years will pass from the Rapture of the church to the end of time as we know it and there are a lot of terrifying events that will occur in the war of good against evil in this present world.
Therefore the events depicted by these gates must come close together.
We must be ready for the coming of the Lord to catch his Bride away because that’s the next event on the Prophetic Calendar. The church will soon be gone and we will be at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. During the time when this world will be reeling and shaking in its death throes we will be with Jesus facing the BEMA, the Judgment Seat of Christ, where all of our works will be judged and we will receive our eternal reward.
The Horse Gate should serve as a reminder to stay close to God and obedient to his Word. Discipline, both spiritually and fleshly, are necessary and discipline in these areas of life is sorely lacking in the church of today. We live in a very permissive church world where anything and everything is embraced in the name of expediency. But we can’t accept every little wind of doctrine that comes along. We must maintain a high state of discipline, sticking to the ways that we learned back at the Old Gate.
From the Horse Gate the wall continued until we reach the East Gate.
Nehemiah 3:29, "After them repaired Zadok the son of Immer over against his house. After him repaired also Shemaiah the son of Shechaniah, the keeper of the east gate."
The East Gate has been set-aside especially by God and was known by Jews for one particular event. Do you know what that event is? It is the coming of the Messiah to deliver Israel in the last days! From the time of Ezekiel the prophet, the East Gate has been permanently closed. This gate was left intact when Nebuchadnezzar’s army conquered Jerusalem. There was no damage to repair.
God’s design in this undamaged gate is to let us know that his Word is true and that his prophecies are true and no man can interfere in God’s plan for redemption. When the gate was closed and sealed up, it was to remain sealed until Jesus comes to enter in through that gate.
Ezekiel 44:1-3, "Then he brought me back the way of the gate of the outward sanctuary which looketh toward the east; and it was shut. Then said the LORD unto me; This gate shall be shut, it shall not be opened, and no man shall enter in by it; because the LORD, the God of Israel, hath entered in by it, therefore it shall be shut. It is for the prince; the prince, he shall sit in it to eat bread before the LORD; he shall enter by the way of the porch of that gate, and shall go out by the way of the same."
The east gate, when it is open, provides access to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives. If you know anything about the second coming of Christ, you will know that when Jesus returns He will return to this mountain, where his feet will first touch the earth, causing a great earthquake and the Mount of Olives will split in two. Jesus will then enter Jerusalem through the East Gate.
Some of you may recall the old hymn that is titled, “I Will Meet You In The Morning”. I can still remember when I was a teenager and I heard Vestal Goodman sing that song. You could just picture the Lord coming at that very moment, as she would sing, “Keep your lamps all trimmed and burning, for the Bridegroom watch and wait. Oh be ready faithful children, lest for you it be too late.” One part of that song contains these words, “I will meet you in the morning; I will meet you in the morning; just inside the Eastern Gate, over there.”
What is that referring to? It points to the gathering of God’s people just inside the Eastern Gate when we come back with him riding on white horses and Jesus enters the City of Jerusalem as its recognized Messiah.
The East Gate then speaks of the return of Jesus Christ. Prophetically the East Gate is very close to the Horse Gate because the day of God’s wrath ends with the coming of the Lord Jesus as described in Revelation 19.
Revelation 19:11-16, "And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS."
We must keep our lamps all trimmed and burning at the Horse Gate and discipline ourselves not listen to those who would say that Jesus isn’t coming again. We must be watching and waiting and keeping our eyes upon the Eastern Sky. Jesus is coming soon!
From the East Gate we see it is just a quick move upward, or northward to the next gate, which is the Inspection Gate.
Nehemiah 3:31, "After him repaired Malchiah the goldsmith’s son unto the place of the Nethinims, and of the merchants, over against the gate Miphkad, and to the going up of the corner."
The Hebrew word used for this gate’s name is “miphkad”. It is a word that can be translated in many ways - "appointment, mandate, designated spot, mustering, the numbering in a census." For this reason, different Bible scholars and different versions of the Bible name this gate in different ways. It is called “the Inspection Gate", "the Muster Gate" and "the Gate Miphkad". For the sake of this series we shall call it The Inspection Gate.
This gate speaks to us of the BEMA seat of Christ where our lives are inspected and rewarded appropriately. In our Christian experience we should be living with this in mind. We are called to live our lives with eternity in view, caring more for the things of eternity than the temporal that we see around us. Prophetically this gate also represents the judgment of the nations that takes place when Jesus returns. His “inspection” of his own Bride serves to bring us reward and eternal life; but His “inspection” at the Great White Throne Judgment, serves only to condemn those who rebelled against Him.
The “Inspection” of each of us, one by one is recorded in Judgment of Christ when separates the sheep from the goats.
Matthew 25:31-34, "When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world
Matthew 25:41-46, “Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal."
The Inspection Gate reminds me of a military inspection. The commander calls all of his troops to come to attention. They are lined up, one after another, rank upon rank, as the commander steps in front of each one. They are checked for their appearance, their demeanor, their adherence to the military code, the cleanliness and condition of their weapons, clothing, shoes, brass buckles and everything else. If any of you have ever been in the military and had to stand by as the captain did a “white glove inspection” of your weapon, or of your barracks, you will know what I am talking about.
At the Inspection Gate, Jesus examines the condition of the church, the Bride of Christ, to make sure that there are no spots, wrinkles, blemishes or any such thing. There is where the final exam takes place and your salvation is finally sealed.
The Inspection Gate means more than that however. There will be two great judgment seats that will come, or two great inspections if you will. One will be for the sheep and one for the goats. Those who make it to the first judgment seat of Christ are blessed indeed for none will be lost who go there. But for those who must face the second judgment, the Great White Throne Judgment, it will be a very different story for none of these shall enter into Heaven’s realms.
Are you ready for the Inspection Gate right now? Should Jesus return right now, you are going to have to pass through the Inspection Gate to enter into the New Jerusalem!
Now the “Inspection Gate” has been completed and the final work of restoring the wall of the city comes to its completion as the last section was rebuilt between the Inspection Gate and the Sheep Gate where the work had begun.
We come again to the Sheep Gate where the sacrificial lambs entered in. For those who have accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior, His blood is their ticket into the New Jerusalem. Jesus is their advocate before the Father in Heaven. It is only through his sacrifice, and not by our works at the Inspection Gate, that any will enter there.
For those who have refused him, they too will have to pass through the Inspection Gate and come again to the Sheep Gate.
They will be forced to bow their knee in humiliation, and in recognition of whom Jesus is. They too will be forced to confess that Jesus Christ is Lord and that it is He alone who is the perfect lamb that was sacrificed for the sin of the world.
But it will do them no good then. Their eternal fate, or destiny is sealed. They have passed the Inspection Gate and failed inspection and now they are forced to pass by the Sheep Gate on their way to hell’s flames. Too be so close and yet so very far away.
Most of you know that one of my favorite books is the classic by John Bunyan titled “Pilgrim’s Progress”.
Near the very end of the journey when two of the characters of the book named Christian and Hopeful are ushered into the Celestial City through the gate. There came after them a man whose name was “False Hope”. False Hope walked up to the gate and knocked expecting that the door would be opened for him. Instead he found that he didn’t have his ticket (salvation) and he was taken from the very gate of Heaven and cast immediately into the flames of hell. What a tragedy!
How many people are deceived by Satan, and by their own heart, into believing that they will somehow make it in without going by way of the Cross and repentance for sin? There will countless millions of souls that will fail the test at the Inspection Gate and be cast into outer darkness, right into the flames of Hell, there to remain forever. And they will pass right by the very entrance to Heaven, able to look over into its wonder and beauty, but they will never enter there.
Thus we have finished the construction of the walls and gates of Jerusalem. Nehemiah’s band had completed their task against all odds. Like the church, nothing could prevail against them as long as they kept their focus on the work that they were called to do.
We have completed the gates and the walls but there are a few points of interest that I would like to make concerning the lives and attitudes of the workers.
First we must realize that if the walls and gates were going to be rebuilt then everyone would have to do their part. This is a picture of how the church is meant to operate. The pastor is not meant to be a one-man band that does everything while the others rest and sit on their laurels. We all have different gifts and every gift is to be used for the edification of all and the building of the church.
Ephesians 4:11-13, "And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ:"
Secondly we must realize that everyone has something to offer in the building up of the Body of Christ and the walls of the city, even if they don’t think they do.
The perfume makers, the priests, the stone masons, the soldiers, the carpenters, the goldsmiths or jewelers, the apothecaries or druggists, and merchants, both men and women; all of them had their part to do and all of them helped to build the walls and the gates.
Maybe you are unsure of your gift and what God is calling you to do with your life. Maybe you don’t think you have anything to offer. If that is you then remember Hananiah! He was a perfume maker by trade and yet he was still willing to get in there, get his hands dirty and help do his part by repairing part of the wall. If a man who made perfumes can build a wall then you also can help in the building of the church!
Thirdly remember that the walls and gates of Jerusalem began as each worker began rebuilding the gate and wall nearest their own home.
Nehemiah 3:10,23,30 ‘Next to them Jedaiah the son of Harumaph made repairs opposite his house… After them Benjamin and Hasshub carried out repairs in front of their house… After him Meshullam the son of Berechiah carried out repairs in front of his own quarters.’
They were considerate of the other people who needed help and they knew that collectively they would all contribute to the rebuilding of the wall; but individually they still wanted to make sure their own home had a solid wall of protection surrounding it.
We must make sure we have taken care of our lives at home first before we are used to help others.
We must make sure that we are not different people in and outside of church, nor are we any different when we are at home alone when no one can see us. One of the things that Jesus hated the most was the hypocrisy of the Pharisees. They liked to be seen as ‘spiritual’ among the people while in reality they were actually white washed tombs Jesus said.
Let us all be like Nehemiah’s workers and make sure that our home life is taken care of first before any ministering or service to others is under taken.
Fourthly we must remember that the work on the walls and gates was voluntary.
No one was paid money and no one was drafted or forced to take part in rebuilding the walls. They all volunteered knowing that the glory of God’s name was at stake. What’s more they didn’t expect to be rewarded for their work!
Chick Swindol said on the radio recently that ‘one of the biggest areas of concern comes when Christians think that they must get their rewards and recognition for what they do in this life.” They forget to lay their treasures in Heaven and let God do the rest.
Lastly we must remember that God is taking names and writing notes in his books!
God is constantly recording every word and deed that we do in this life! The Bible doesn’t just say that lots of people made repairs to the wall. It specifically names each person that made repairs and their names have been recorded for all of history!
Malachi 3:16-17 says, "Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name. And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him."
The Lord records everything we do and say for our time at the Inspection Gate. That’s where He will determine what rewards will be given. Nothing is done for the Lord in vain on this earth, even if no one else sees it.
Don’t lose heart in your work for the Lord because God does not forget your work and the love that you have shown toward His name.
Keep on building the walls and gates in your life. One day you will enter into the New Jerusalem through the Sheep Gate and it will be worth it all!
