WATER GATE

💦 THE WATER GATE 💦

Nehemiah 3:26 Moreover the Nethinim who dwelt in Ophel made repairs as far as the place in front of the Water Gate toward the east, and on the projecting tower.

The Water Gate led from the old City of David to the Gihon Spring, located adjacent to the Kidron Valley. If the Fountain Gate reminds us of the Spirit of God, the Water Gate reminds us of the Word of God.

In fact,it was at the Water Gate that Ezra and the priests conducted a great Bible conference and explained the Scriptures to the people.

💦📖He read it aloud from daybreak till noon as he faced the square before the Water Gate in the presence of the men, women and others who could understand.

Nehemiah 8:3📖💦

That this gate is not said to have been repaired, as were the others, suggests that the Word of God stands forever and won't fail.

📖Psalm 119:89 Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven. 📖

The Bible does not need to be repaired or improved, it's perfect. Therefore, we must earnestly study it and obey it fully.

APPLICATION 💦

❓Have you entered the water gate?

❓Do you read God's word each day?

❓Do you seek His will?

The fountain gate

 THE FOUNTAIN GATE 

Nehemiah 3:15 Shallun the son of Col-Hozeh, leader of the district of Mizpah, repaired the Fountain Gate; he built it, covered it, hung its doors with its bolts and bars, and repaired the wall of the Pool of Shelah by the King’s Garden.

The Fountain Gate was on the east wall, just north of the Dung Gate, in a very strategic location near the Pool of Siloam. The Gihon Spring that fed the water system was an important source of water in the city. In the Bible, water fountains are a picture of the Spirit.

💦John 7:37-39 If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water. But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive💦.

Only the Holy Spirit can empower the Christian life.

Jesus' command to come and drink is in the present tense.

❓What does that mean?

Christ doesn't want us to drink once and then leave. He wants us to continually drink from His unlimited source. For without Him we can do nothing

Paul gives a similar command:

🎶Ephesians 5:18-19: Be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord. 🎶

Again the command to be filled is in the present tense. The result is rivers of living water flowing from out of our hearts.

❓ How do you know when these rivers are flowing ?

🎤When you speak to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs

🎶When you sing and make melody in your heart to the Lord.

Spiritually speaking, we have moved from the Valley Gate, humility to the Dung Gate, cleansing to the Fountain Gate fullness of the Spirit.

Valley gate(humility)----> Dung gate(cleansing)-----> Fountain gate (fullness of Spirit).

APPLICATION⛲

❓ Have you come to the fountain gate?

❓ Are you continually drawing living water from Jesus Christ?

❓ Are you filled with His Holy Spirit?

❓ Do you have a song in your heart?

If you don't have a song in your heart I would suggest it is because you aren't drawing on Christ. I would suggest that you aren't spending time alone with Him and seeking Him through out the day.

DUNG GATE

🚪 THE DUNG GATE 🚪

Nehemiah 3:14 Malchijah the son of Rechab, leader of the district of Beth Haccerem, repaired the Refuse Gate; he built it and hung its doors with its bolts and bars.

Reason behind the name : 

The Dung Gate was located at the southernmost tip of the city, near the Pool of Siloam. It was a main exit to the Valley of Hinnom, where the city disposed of its garbage. The sanitary disposal of waste materials is essential to the health of a city. This gate did not have a beautiful name, but it did perform an important service!

It reminds us that, like the city, each of us individually must get rid of whatever defiles us, or it may destroy us.

2 Corinthians 7:1 Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God

Application 🔆

Every believer has been saved from their sin once and for all. But we still need daily cleansing from sin along the way. These sins don't affect our salvation, but they do affect our fellowship with God. They also affect our fellowship others.

❓Do you keep a short account of sin? ❓Do you seek the Lord's cleansing each day? You need to!  God has provided cleansing.

THE VALLEY GATE

🚪 Nehemiah 3:13 Hanun and the inhabitants of Zanoah repaired the Valley Gate. They built it, hung its doors with its bolts and bars, and repaired a thousand cubits of the wall as far as the Refuse Gate🚪

The Valley Gate is where Nehemiah began his nocturnal investigation of the ruins of the city.

🐴 By night I went out through the Valley Gate

Nehemiah 2:13🐴

Reason behind name : 

As this gate led to the valley of Hinnom. So it is called the Valley Gate 

❓What is a valley?

A valley is a lower part in the land, between two higher parts which might be hills or mountains.

Every Christian needs a valley gate, for God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. Yes, we want to be on top of the mountain! But God takes us through valleys too! Often God takes us from the mountain top experiences into deep valleys to teach us grace and humility. But we need to be afraid, for He is with us!

👣Even though I walk

through the darkest valley,

I will fear no evil,

for you are with me

Psalms 23:4 👣

It is only as we yield to Christ and serve others that we can truly enter into the fullness of the life He has for us. Jesus Christ gave us the perfect example. He humbled Himself taking on the form of a servant, obedient to death. Therefore God has exalted Him. Everyone needs to be aware of the dangers of pride.

1 Peter 5:5-6 Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble. Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time. 

Application

Have you entered through the valley gate?

Every believer needs to continually humble themselves before God. God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. Do you humble yourself before God often?

Are you honest with Him?

Do you seek His grace for life's trials?

THE OLD GATE

THE OLD GATE

📖 Nehemiah 3:6 Moreover Jehoiada the son of Paseah and Meshullam the son of Besodeiah repaired the Old Gate; they laid its beams and hung its doors, with its bolts and bars.📖

Reason behind the name:

Studies show that "The Old gate" was probably located at the northwest corner of the city. It is also known as the Mishneh gate. In Nehemiah’s day, the northwest section of the city was the mishneh or new quarter; and this gate led into it. What a paradox: the old gate leads into the new quarter!

👣Thus says the Lord: Stand in the ways and see, And ask for the old paths, where the good way is, And walk in it; Then you will find rest for your souls.

Jeremiah 6:16👣

People are always looking for something new, when what is needed is the old ways that work. The illustration of walking is used in the Old and New Testaments to describe godly living.

What are the old paths?

✨Faith in God

✨Obedience to His Word

God has always asked men to walk by faith in Him. We read that Enoch and Noah walked with God. God was pleased with them because of their lifestyle, their walk of faith.

✨ For we walk by faith, not by sight.

2 Corinthians 5:7✨

We are called to go through the Old Gate. The Old Gate refers to the old paths. Today, I would like all of you to take a trip down memory lane and think of the old paths that we had taken. When we were saved, we had this fire burning inside of us! We had so much of zeal for the Lord. As days went by, the zeal has reduced.

❤Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first.

நீ ஆதியில் கொண்டிருந்த அன்பை விட்டாய் என்று உன்பேரில் எனக்குக் குறை உண்டு.

Revelation 2:4❤

Can you think of all the things you did in the beginning?

I used to read the Bible on my knees. The verses used to come to life and I could not stop reading the Bible.

Today, let us stop and go back in time. May we love God the way we loved Him in the beginning! Even more! But certainly not less! Come, let us go through the Old Gate!

Application

Have you entered in through the old gate?

Are you walking in the old paths? Are you obeying the timeless truths of God's Word?

Are faith and obedience hallmarks of your life?

Are you struggling through life or do you have rest in your soul?

THE FISH GATE

Nehemiah 3:3 Also the sons of Hassenaah built the Fish Gate; they laid its beams and hung its doors with its bolts and bars. 

Reason behind the name: 

Merchants used this gate when they brought fish from the Mediterranean Sea, and there may have been a fish market near the gate. This was a key entrance to the city. 

Spiritual meaning of the gate: 

The fish gate speaks of service for the people.

When Jesus called four of the disciples he told them that He would make them fishers of men.

🎣Matthew 4:18-20 And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. Then He said to them, Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men. They immediately left their nets and followed Him. 🎣

These verses show how Christ saves our soul to make us soul winners. We are saved to serve! God has freed us from sin to serve Him.

But be very careful to notice that this gate comes after the sheep gate. Salvation must come before service. We cannot save ourselves through service. Good works are the fruit of salvation not the root of it.

🎣 CATCHING FISH AND WINNING SOULS 💓 

1. Bringing the fish from the deep🐟

The fishermen attempt to bring the fish deep in the sea to the surface. A man who serves God brings the man who is deep in sin to Christ.

2. The sea is rough 🌊

Yes, the sea is rough. Yet, the fisherman goes and casts his net. It's not an easy thing to serve the Lord. Yet, we need to serve the Lord.

3. Jesus in our boat 🚣‍♂

Jesus got into Simon's boat and helped him catch fish. When Jesus is with us, He will help us win souls.

THE SHEEP GATE

Eliashib the high priest and his fellow priests went to work and rebuilt the Sheep Gate.

Nehemiah 3:1

Reason behind the name of the gate :

This was the gate through which the animals were brought into the city including the temple sacrifices. So it was called the sheep gate. 

The only gate that was sanctified: 

The sacrifices were made for the sins of the people. The Scripture says that without the shedding of blood there can be no remission for sins. The only way to God is through sacrifice.

This is the only gate of which it is recorded that it was sanctified, that is, dedicated to God in a special way. 

1.The sheep gate reminds us of Jesus Christ

🚪 I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture

John 10:9🚪

2. This door is always open

Nothing is said about the gate’s locks and bars, for the way is never closed to the lost sinner who wants to come to the Savior. What a beautiful analogy! He is always there for us! The gate to our Lord is always open!

3. He is the alpha and the omega

Nehemiah could have begun his record with any of the gates, but he chose to start and end the report with the Sheep Gate. Jesus is the beginning and the ending.

🌀 * I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, says the Lord, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty. Jesus is the author and finisher of our salvation*

Revelation 1:8🌀

Application

Jesus Christ is the only one who can save us.

❓Have you come to Him for cleansing from sin?

❓Have you entered in at the sheep gate?

❓Or are you trying to get in another way?

Jesus is the only way. Will you enter in through Him?

Taken from

https://sermons.faithlife.com/sermons/114864-ten-gates-to-spiritual-growth-nehemiah-3b

Our daughters

👩 OUR DAUGHTERS 👩

Shallum son of Hallohesh, ruler of a half-district of Jerusalem, repaired the next section with the help of his daughters.

Nehemiah 3:12

 Shallum was ruler of a half-district of Jerusalem. That must make him a very powerful and a wealthy person. But what makes him special? He built the wall with his daughters! Building the wall is not an easy task. But he made his daughters involved in it. Either the girls had the desire or Shallum called them to participate. But he did not act as a stumbling block. He allowed them to serve the Lord.

My father was like Shallum while my mother was very protective.

I wanted to learn cooking but my mother feared that I would get hurt After I got married, I had to learn cooking from scratch. My father would teach the Bible while my Mother stood there anxiously thinking, “Oh! My daughter!”.

Today, are we being over protective or are we training our daughters to spread the light of God?

👩 our daughters will be like pillars carved to adorn a palace.

Psalms 144:12👩

Our daughters are compared to carved pillars. The more the carving, the more the beauty. We must not fear that the pillar will experience pain during the carving. We must keep on carving. A pillar will support a building. In the same way, our daughters must be pillars of the family.

Today, let us learn to be like Shallum. He trained his daughters to serve the Lord. They are a part of the Bible! We talk about them today! 

Are we carving our daughters in the way they should be carved or are we protecting them and hindering them from serving the Lord?

Position did not stop them!

✨Uzziel son of Harhaiah, one of the goldsmiths, repaired the next section; and Hananiah, one of the perfume-makers, made repairs next to that. They restored Jerusalem as far as the Broad Wall.

Nehemiah 3:4✨

POSITION DID NOT STOP THEM

Here we see that, goldsmiths and perfumers stepped up to build the wall. Gold and perfume had a very high value in the olden times.

They were given as gifts to Jesus Christ when He was born.

🎁Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

Matthew 2:11🎁

They were doing costly and valuable things, but they did not stop themselves from building the wall. They did not tell, “I make gold and perfume. How can I build a wall? What will people think about me?”

ZACCHEUS, the tax collector : 

I am reminded of Zacchaeus. He was a tax collector. He was in a very high position. He had a lot of money. He had a high status in the society. But that did not stop him from running ahead of the crowd and climbing on a sycamore tree to SEE JESUS. Imagine this situation in today’s world! The people around him would have shot a video and made it viral! He did not bother what others will think about him. He wanted to see Jesus! Jesus saw his desire, went into his house that day and gave him the gift of salvation.

In the same way, the goldsmith and perfumer did not let their status stop them from serving God!

Missionaries from foreign countries stepped into India to share the gospel. They did not let their status, education stop them from serving God! Doctors, highly educated people, men and women from influential families let go of everything to serve God!

Asanam- feast of love : 

In Tuticorin, we have a function called "asanam" where a feast is given by the church to many people. The women of the church bring knives and cutting boards to cut vegetables. They all join hands to serve God. Teachers, doctors, engineers, house wives - join hands and serve God. I was reminded of this when the goldsmith and perfume maker joined hands with the people to build the wall! restored Jerusalem as far as the Broad Wall.

Enduring hardships for Christ

✨Uzziel son of Harhaiah, one of the goldsmiths, repaired the next section; and Hananiah, one of the perfume-makers, made repairs next to that. They restored Jerusalem as far as the Broad Wall.

Nehemiah 3:4✨

Thought from the verse:

A goldsmith has to do very fine work. His hands will get hurt during building work. But he does not think about it when he works for God. 

A worker in the salt pans:

I watched an incident on TV where a fisherman comes to work in the salt pans. The salt pan owner tells them, “Eyesight and strong hands are very important for a fisherman. The strong sunlight in the salt pans will affect your eyes. The salt crystals will cut through your palms”. But the fisherman replied: “I need to collect money for an important cause. So please don’t stop me!”.  I was reminded of this when I read this verse.  

St. Damien of Molokai: 

St. Damien is known as the leper for Christ. In 1866, to curb the spread of the disease, Hawaiian authorities decided to consign lepers to an isolated community on the island of Molokai. St. Damien went to Molokai to help the neglected people of the island. What surprised the lepers most was that Damien touched them. Other missionaries and doctors shrank from the lepers. In fact, one local doctor only changed bandages with his cane. But Damien not only touched the lepers, he also embraced them, he dined with them, he put his thumb on their forehead to anoint them, and he placed the Eucharist on their tongues. All of these actions spoke volumes to the dejected lepers. They showed that Damien didn’t want to serve them from afar; he wanted to become one of them.

Despite the idyllic community Damien had built through a decade of work, the moment he feared finally arrived in December 1884. One day, while soaking his feet in extremely hot water, Damien experienced no sensation of heat or pain—a tell-tale sign that he had contracted leprosy.

He wrote home to his brother: “I make myself a leper with the lepers to gain all to Jesus Christ”. 

Worshipper and the Builder

Nehemiah 3:1Then Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brothers the priests, and they built the Sheep Gate. They consecrated it and set its doors. They consecrated it as far as the Tower of the Hundred, as far as the Tower of Hananel.

The high priest had the privilege of getting more closer to the presence of the Lord than anybody else. He alone had the blessing of going into the Holy of the Holies to offer worship to the Lord. What a joy is to dwell in the  sanctuary, in the very presence of the Lord! Even Psalmist felt jealous on the sparrow who built her nest near the altar in the sanctuary:

Psalms 84:3 Even the sparrow finds a home,and the swallow a nest for herself,where she may lay her young,at your altars, O Lord of hosts,my King and my God.

But Eliashib, the High Priest didn’t stop in the sanctuary, enjoying the presence of the Lord, he stepped into the world, to the people, got his hands dirty, built the wall with the other people. 

We can see lot of people who could dwell in His presence, in prayers, Reading the scriptures for hours. But when it comes to the world, they step back, they withdraw from people whom they can not mingle with, they avoid some, despise some. But is this a true mark of a worshipper? 

Jesus too spent lot of time in Father’s presence, He spent his nights and early mornings alone with His Father in mountains and wilderness. But the next morning, He touches the leper, heals the blind, goes to a sinner’s house, gets pushed and crushed in the crowd, yes, He spent His whole day going around and doing good.

Father, help us to remember Eliashib and our Higher priest Jesus, didn’t just dwell in your presence but also got into the world, to your people. Help us O Lord, it is so easy to think that we love you, when we find it very tough to love people who are made in your image. Help us to remember that the first commandment is to love you and the second equivalent command is to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. Help us to be a worshipper and also be a builder Lord, in Jesus name we pray, amen!

May our lives speak Lord!

Nehemiah 3:1 Then Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brothers the priests, and they built the Sheep Gate. They consecrated it and set its doors. They consecrated it as far as the Tower of the Hundred, as far as the Tower of Hananel.

The high priest is the first person mentioned who pitched in and helped with the work. Spiritual leaders must lead not only by word but also by action. May be the priests, who were in the highly esteemed position, being the mediator of God and men, could have avoided the work. But they were the first persons to pitch in. They didn’t just preach, they lived what they preached. 

Yes dear sisters, may be we are also serving as leaders, ministers in different areas. 
Are we living out what we are preaching? 
Jesus didn’t just preach about serving, He lived out as a servant; 
He didn’t just preach about loving the enemies, He loved the enemies on the cross. 

Lord, help us O Father that we will live, what we preach, what we write and what we share with others. May we be like Eliashib and the priests, may our lives speak louder than our words. May we not be known as a good preacher or a writer or a prayer warrior, but be known by our fruits and by our lives in Christ. 

Lord, you didn’t just taught us about serving but lived out as a servant, give us that privilege Lord, to live what we preach.  For we know Lord, not whoever calls you Lord, Lord but who does your will enters the Kingdom of Heaven. Not one who prophesies  nor who heals nor who drives out demons in your name but he who does your will enters the Kingdom of Heaven. 

May we who preach, may not be disqualified. May we remember those who teach will be judged with greater strictness. Help us to live worthy of the calling we received and May our lives speak Lord, in Jesus name we pray, Amen.