Nehemiah was facing a challenge rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem, the walls represent protection, security, something that Jerusalem no longer have much time, and it required a lot of work and effort of an entire nation to rebuild the city.
The Nehemiah Chapter 3 is very special because it shows the necessary organization for this great task. The text teaches about unity, commitment, such that we can apply in our lives. Studying the Word we learn that in Jerusalem at that time had 12 gates to enter the city, large doors that were also destroyed, and along with the walls also needed restoration.
Each door had a function in the city, but also a spiritual meaning for us, so we can draw some valuable lessons.
1. The Door of the Sheep and Cattle (Ne 3:1) "And he arose Eliashib the high priest, with his brothers the priests and built the Gate of Livestock, which the consecrated ..."
Learn the Word of God that the first group in the reconstruction of the walls that was led by Eliashib was high priest, the example started by leadership, this group began building the Port of cattle, also known as Gate of the sheep, took this name because for this gate passed the sheep that were destined to the altar (sacrifice).
The interesting thing is that this door was the only one to be consecrated, was the starting point in rebuilding the walls.
Says the Word of the Lord:
I am the door, if anyone enters through me will be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
John 10:9
I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
John 10:11
I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.
John 10:14
This gate reminds us of who we are and whom we serve, we are sheep and our Pastor is called Jesus Christ, and we need this with our lives on the altar of the Lord, that our lives need to be restored and consecrated to the service of the Kingdom.
If for some reason you no longer have heard the voice of their Shepherd, restore their communion with Him, listen to His voice, He died for you, He gave His life for you, and rose again to give you the victory.
2. The Fish Gate - (Ne 3:3, 12:39) "And they built the fish gate did the sons of Hassenaah which emadeiraram, and raised its doors with its locks and its bars" (Nehemiah 3:3 .)
This door was used as a meeting place for selling fish there after restoring attract many merchant several regions.
This port is working, reminds me of the call of Peter:
And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers;
And he said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you fishers of men.
And they straightway left their nets and followed him.
Matthew 4:18-20
All chosen were called to be a witness, the Lord has called us to make disciples, to preach the gospel.
If you have stopped working for the Lord, have buried their gifts and talents is a sign that this area needs to be restored in your life, stand as the text says, be established with its locks and bolts close this area to the enemy and opens it to God.
3. Old Port - (Ne 3:6) "And the old gate repaired Jehoiada the son of Paseah, and Meshullam the son of Besodeiah
Old door and ancient has two meanings:
First we have to leave our past behind, the old man has to die to the world, today we are new creatures in Christ Jesus, washed and redeemed by the Blood of the Lamb.
According to the Word of God is unchanging, despite its age it never gets old, it is always current, our God is not interested in innovations to attract more people, but that his Word is preached in essence, no fad unadorned, but the anointing of the Holy Spirit.
Jeremiah 6:16 says: "Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls."
The Word of God is our spiritual food, because not only the man lived by bread, but by every word of God. Every revival has to be centered on the Word of God.
4. Valley Gate (Nehemiah 3:13) - "The Valley Gate, repaired Hanun, and the inhabitants of Zanoah ...".
This door when restored and open front gave a voucher, and when we talk of the valley, we speak of struggles and difficulties we all face in our lives.
We all go through struggles, but in the life of a servant of God is a place where we spend to be approved by God.
And when this area this restored in our lives we know the Lord is with us, and that even in the valley we can glorify and exalt the name of the Lord because the victory guaranteed.
You who are going through struggles, that you are suffering, do an analysis of how this his trust in God, we know that Christians go through many struggles during his walk, the gate is narrow, and many are the afflictions, but must be of good cheer, Jesus has overcome the world.
If your confidence shaken this restore this area, trust the Lord to rise, restore your life, seek the Lord, strengthen it, the Lord has called you to die in the valley, but pass through this valley with the Lord, and the other side sing the song of victory.
Even 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.
Psalms 23:4
So many times we need to analyze our lives, see where the gaps are, and restores them, so we can live in safety.
Jesus is with you and will not abandon you.
5. The Dung Gate (Nehemiah 3:14) "And the Dung Gate, repaired Malkijah son of Rechab, the ruler of the district of Beth Haccherem ...."
This gate was restored when used for cleaning the city, where garbage was taken out and thrown in the valley called Hinnom.
For us today is the cleaning that we do in our lives, many have accumulated trash within the hearts, we need to keep our hearts pure, clean, without macula so that the power of God work in our lives.
Come near to God and he will come near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and, ye double minded, purify your hearts.
James 4:8
we see that we need to take the garbage of our lives:
Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
Envy, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you, as I have told you before, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
Galatians 5:19-21
We must keep in our lives only that which glorifies God, we need to restore this area and let it go again of God is:
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.
Galatians 5:22
To have a victorious life we need the fruit of the Spirit, we must learn that the Bible does not speak fruit but fruit, and all this achieved when we let God into our hearts through the glorious presence of the Holy Spirit, who every day make us want more like the Lord Jesus Christ, who is our greatest example.
6. Source Port (Ne 3:15) "And the gate of the fountain repaired Shallum the son of Col-hoze, the ruler of the district Mizpa ..."
This was next door to the pool of Siloam, where Jesus healed a man born blind (John 9:10-11). As its name says next to this door was a fountain, a spring of waters, pristine waters, pure.
We know that Jesus is our source:
And on the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood upright and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come to Me and drink.
He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.
John 7:37-38
But whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst, but the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.
John 4:14
Many have suffered because they have changed the source of life that is Jesus, and has sought tanks that do not retain water:
For my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.
Jeremiah 2:13
Once you drank from the Fountain that Jesus is no point you to other sources, since the water will not have the same flavor. Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever will be, the source is still alive and in the same way, if your case is again running for Jesus, He did not give up on you.
Jesus is an inexhaustible source.
7. The Port Mifcade (Guard) (Ne 3:31) "After him repaired Malkijah son of a goldsmith, to the house of Nethinim and merchants, over against the door Mifcade ..."
This was the gate of the guard, and it was very important for the safety of the city, this great door was a sentry tower, and there was always monitoring soldiers ready for any attack of the enemy.
This destroyed the door when leaving the city vulnerable to an imminent attack, the enemy easily enter the city and could make a very big mess.
This port is in our lives where we must watch and pray:
Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation, indeed, the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.
Matthew 26:41
Be sober, be vigilant because the devil, your adversary prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour;
1 Peter 5:8
Praying at all times with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
Ephesians 6:18
Only positioning ourselves through prayer and vigilance will be prepared to defeat the enemy in the name of Jesus.
We need to position ourselves at the feet of Jesus and restore this area in our lives, for the battle is great.
We can learn a lot from Nehemiah in this area as well:
And they called each other all to come and fight against Jerusalem, and to deviate from his purpose.
But we prayed to our God and set a watch against them day and night, because of them.
Nehemiah 4:8-9
Nehemiah when he learned that the enemy was getting up to destroy the work of God, he prayed and placed guard against them.
We know that our weapons are not carnal, but mighty through God to destroy the strongholds (2 Corinthians 10:4). Believe is the older brother who is with us, God is on our side.
If you have given gap in this area, position yourself, restore your life to God, do not look at the man, look to Jesus.
8. The patio door of the prison (Ne 3:25; 12:39)
The prison was an underground prison that were in Jerusalem, and this patio that bore his name, the inmates get out walking and sunbathing. In this court the prophet Jeremiah was imprisoned (Jer. 32:2).
This door symbolizes jails and prisons to try to ravage the lives of the servants of God, so we have to be restored to this area, as this is the port where we must maintain vigilance:
And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
John 8:32
Jesus is the truth that frees, we must be with our lives before God, ever vigilant as we have an opponent who does not mess around, but if we are strong in the Lord and without breach the evil does not touch us.
9. The Water Gate (Nehemiah 3:26).
Water Gate was the place where he had a stream of waters, crystal clear waters. In our lives is our encounter with the Lord Jesus, where we drank the water that Christ gives, is a place of encounter with God and His Word, was the place chosen by the priest Ezra to read the Word of God:
And come the seventh month, and being the children of Israel in their cities, all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the street that was before the water gate, and they spake unto Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the LORD had commanded to Israel.
And Ezra the priest brought the law before the congregation both of men and women, and all that could hear with understanding, upon the first day of the seventh month.
And he read therein before the street that was before the water gate from the morning until midday, before the men and women, and those that could understand, and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law.
Nehemiah 8:1-3
And this text shows one of the greatest revivals in history where a people after living a great miracle, seeing the restored town with its ramparts raised, a safe city, full of Peace, now live a great revival, a thirst for the Word of God.
The Porta das Aguas is the symbol of the filling of the Holy Spirit, where we worship and bow down at the feet of the Lord.
10. The Horse Gate (Nehemiah 3:28).
The door of the horses were the horses which were used in the wars. Symbolizes the battles, the struggles we face in our lives.
The fight against our enemy:
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but rather against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
As well as our struggle against our own flesh:
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but rather against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
We learned that we must always be prepared for war, in constant vigilance.
11. The Eastern Gate (Nehemiah 3:29).
It is believed that this is the gate through which Jesus entered Jerusalem, and which is now sealed. It is expected that the Messiah would enter through her at his second coming.
Represents for us the return of Jesus:
Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, so you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.
If we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring upon Jesus and with him those who have fallen asleep.
We say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who are asleep.
For a given order, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, the Lord himself shall descend from heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise first.
After that, who are alive shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-17
The servant of God must always be waiting for the second coming of Jesus, and be prepared because it can be at any time:
As for the day and hour nobody knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father Matthew 24:36
This will be the most glorious day in the life of the Christian, to meet face to face with Jesus.
Maranatha.
12. The Gate of Ephraim (Ne 12:39).
This name was given to the second son of Joseph, which means double portion, or doubly fruitful:
The second son called Ephraim, saying, "God made me to prosper in the land where I have been."
Genesis 41:52
It was also chosen by the son Jacob as a son would receive the blessing of the firstborn:
And Joseph took them both, Ephraim on his right, near Israel's left hand, and Manasseh on his left, near the right hand of Israel, and approached him.
But Israel stretched out his right hand and laid it upon Ephraim's head, though it was the younger, and crossing his arms, put his left hand on Manasseh's head, even though Manasseh was the eldest son.
Genesis 48:13-14
When Joseph saw his father placing his right hand on Ephraim's head, did not like, so took his father's hand, to change it from Ephraim's head to Manasseh,
and said, "No, my father, this one is the oldest, put his right hand on his head."
But his father refused and said, "I know, my son, I know. He also shall become a people, will also be great. Nevertheless, his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his descendants will become many people . "
Genesis 48:17-19
We are part of a blessed church:
The general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect;
And to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.
Hebrews 12:23-24
And we were chosen by God to be fruitful and blessed, and with Christ all things we can, because we've been blessed, we can trust, we can rejoice because we have hope in God.
Instead of your shame you shall have double honor, And instead of outrage rejoice in their portion: therefore in their land they shall possess the double: everlasting joy shall be.
Isaiah 61:7
Believe, edify your life in Christ Jesus, if there is any breach restore, learn from the Gates of Jerusalem, God has great things to accomplish in your life.
Jesus loves you.
