The Sheep Gate Series

“The Sheep Gate Message 1”

The Spiritual Application of the Gates

Nehemiah 3:1-31 Monte T. Brown

August 3, 2014 Sunday Morning

Stapp Zoe Baptist

Prelude

It is important to mention that the Word of God is ever living and ever speaking to us through each word on these pages.

Contrary to what some may teach or think God has not changed and God has not given up on Israel anymore than he has given up on us. He has a plan for Israel and he has a plan for us.

Each day that passes, we see more and more of the Word of God unveiling before us.

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.

Introduction

As I said before the Word of God is ever living and ever speaking to us through each word on these pages.

Contrary to what some may teach or think God has not changed.

Replacement theology is not scriptural and God has not given up on Israel anymore than he has given up on us.

He has a plan for Israel and he has a plan for us.

As we begin this series on the Gates of Jerusalem let me remind you of the Spiritual Application of the Gates.

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.

Sometimes we just go right past the best part and never see it.

We need to turn to the book of Nehemiah as we examine the gates of Jerusalem.

The first gate is “The Sheep Gate.”

The Sheep Gate

Nehemiah 3:1 Then Eliashib (ih LIGH uh shib) the high priest rose up with his brethren the priests, and they builded the sheep gate; they sanctified it, and set up the doors of it; even unto the tower of Meah (MEE uh) they sanctified it, unto the tower of Hananeel (hu NAN ih el)

Nehemiah 3:32 And between the going up of the corner unto the sheep gate repaired the goldsmiths and the merchants.

The very first gate mentioned is the Sheep Gate and there is a good reason that Nehemiah started with the Sheep Gate.

It was called the Sheep Gate because this was the gate which the sheep and lambs that were to be used in temple sacrifices were bought through.

It was a key gate for the worship of God.

Sometimes we forget the most important gate and pass it by because it wasn’t the biggest or finest gate.

It is the Sheep Gate that brings to us the forgiveness of our sins.

In the Old Testament, it was the Sheep Gate that opened the way for the sacrifices for our sins.