Better Together (Part 2)
Rubble to Restoration: A Study in Ezra and Nehemiah • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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vv. 13-14) Humility and Duty
vv. 13-14) Humility and Duty
The construction of the west wall was an enormous project that included two gates and over 500 yards of wall (“a thousand cubits” or about 1,720 feet). Both the Valley Gate and the 500 yards plus of wall were rebuilt by a man named Hanun and the residents of Zanoah. Undertaking such a long section of wall perhaps suggests that this section of the wall was in better condition than the rest. Either way the commitment by the people is what is being emphasized here.
The Dung or Refuse Gate was located at the southern point of the city and set above the Valley of Hinnom.
Application:
At times in our lives we all come face-to-face with unpleasant or undesirable tasks that have to be accomplished. How we approach these distasteful or even lowly tasks reveals much about our character and attitude. Some people are too prideful to touch lowly task, feeling they are too important or too intelligent. Others, never dirtying their hands with common work...
It is far to easy for us to exalt ourselves above others. Thinking to highly of ourselves, feeling that we are better, superior, or of more value than others. But this is not what God teaches us.
4 Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
10 But when you are invited, go and sit down in the lowest place, so that when he who invited you comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, go up higher.’ Then you will have glory in the presence of those who sit at the table with you.
25 And He said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those who exercise authority over them are called ‘benefactors.’ 26 But not so among you; on the contrary, he who is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he who governs as he who serves.
3 For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.
3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.
5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,
8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.
5 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.”
6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,
15 For thus says the High and Lofty One
Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy:
“I dwell in the high and holy place,
With him who has a contrite and humble spirit,
To revive the spirit of the humble,
And to revive the heart of the contrite ones.
8 He has shown you, O man, what is good;
And what does the Lord require of you
But to do justly,
To love mercy,
And to walk humbly with your God?
[Pr. 11:2, 16:18, 16:19, 21:4, 22:4, 29:23]
vv. 15-32) Diligence and Zeal
vv. 15-32) Diligence and Zeal
Work on the east wall included the construction of five gates, named in the Scripture passage. However, the important thing to note is the diligences of the laborers. They were filled with a zeal to accomplish the task at hand. One worker in particular, Baruch, was known for his zeal and diligence. last week we mentioned that several other workers are said to have built two sections of the wall too.
The Fountain Gate
[15] The gate and a section of the wall of the Pool of Siloam was built by Shallun
[16] The next section was built by a ruler also named Nehemiah: Ran to a point opposite the royal cemetery as far as the water reservoir and the House of the Heroes.
[17] The next section was built by the Levites.
[17] The next two sections were built by the two district rulers of Keilah
Hashabiah
Bavai
[18-19] The next section was built by the ruler of Mizpah: Began opposite the Armory and ran to the corner, the angle or turning point of the wall.
[20] The next section was rebuilt by Baruch, who was known for his zeal and diligence: Ran up to the door of the High Priest’s house.
[21] The section that ran from the High Priest’s door to the end of his house was rebuilt by Meremoth, who built two sections of the wall.
[22] The next section was built by the priest from the surrounding region.
[23] The next three sections were repaired by three men whose houses sat next to the wall: Benjamin, Hasshub, and Azariah.
[24] The section from Azariah’s house to the turning point or corner was built by Binnui.
[25] The next section was built by Uzai: This was the opposite the corning and the tower that projected out from the king’s palace (near the court of the guard).
The Water Gate
[26] The temple servants under the supervision of Parosh repaired the wall opposite the Water Gate.
[27] The Tekoites rebuilt their second section: From the Great Projecting Tower to the Wall of Ophel.
The Horse Gate
[28] The priest made repairs opposite their own houses.
[29] Zadok repaired the adjoining section opposite his house.
The East Gate
[29] The keeper of the east gate repaired this section. Apparently the gate in front of his house was in good condition so he pitched in and helped anyways.
[30] Three other diligent workers built the next three sections:
Hananiah
Hanun
Meshullam
The Inspection Gate
[31] The section opposite this gate was rebuilt by a goldsmith: Ran from the housing for the temple servants and merchants to the Upper Room above the corner.
[32] The last section of the wall from the corner to the sheep Gate was rebuilt by the other goldsmiths and merchants.
Application:
The hard work and diligence of these workers set up a rather dynamic example for us. In undertaking any task we should be filled with a zeal to do our best.
17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
23 And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men,
Before the Lord, we should be giving our very best effort.
Think how much could be achieved here in our church is we got serious about our callings. Calling is Christ’s personal work that He has called you too, while God’s purpose for us is to be made in the image of Jesus Christ.
Think how much our community could be effected.
58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
28 Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need.
11 that you also aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you, 12 that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and that you may lack nothing.
[Pr 6:6, 10:4, 10:5, 20:13]
Gates to Freedom:
Gates to Freedom:
As we have seen over the last two weeks of our study, Nehemiah actually organized the rebuilding of Jerusalem’s walls around the ten gates. As we have read this chapter and if we scan it, we can notice that the material is arranged around the gates. This is because the ten gates tell us the story of rebuilding. Not just rebuilding of Jerusalem but also of a believer’s life. So let us glean from the gates:
v.1) The Sheep Gate:
v.1) The Sheep Gate:
What we have right off the back is the Sheep Gate, and one that is uniquely set apart from any other. One that was consecrated by the priest and the first one mentioned. Remind you of anyone?
29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
Jesus is that lamb but not only is He the Lamb, He is also mentioned here as a Shepherd that gives His life for the sheep.
9 I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.
Jesus stated that He is the door.
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
He is the gate by which we must come to in our Christian life, because it is only through Him that we unlock every other gate. Once a person has:
13 For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
The Bible tells us:
28 And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.
The Fish Gate:
The Fish Gate:
Now that we’ve come to the sheep gate our salvation solidified. We are commissioned to be as the Apostles, fisher’s of men.
17 Then Jesus said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.”
Proclaiming the goodness of our God, sharing our testimonies, and preaching the gospel to everyone.
PROCLAIMING THE GOODNESS OF GOD
8 Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good;
Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!
SHARING OUR TESTIMONIES
15 My mouth shall tell of Your righteousness
And Your salvation all the day,
For I do not know their limits.
16 I will go in the strength of the Lord God;
I will make mention of Your righteousness, of Yours only.
3 Declare His glory among the nations,
His wonders among all peoples.
PREACHING THE GOSPEL
1 Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, 2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.
3 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures,
14 How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? 15 And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written:
“How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace,
Who bring glad tidings of good things!”
v.6) The Old Gate:
v.6) The Old Gate:
The Old Gate should remind us that old things are important too. We can have a very misguided view, that we only need the newer Scriptures and that the Old Testament is rather outdated, or God is different in the OT. But that is not the case and to understand the full counsel of God’s Word we need both the OT and NT.
16 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.
But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’
52 Then He said to them, “Therefore every scribe instructed concerning the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his treasure things new and old.”
Family I hope we are all treasuring the OT and the NT:
4 For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.
11 Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.
v. 13) The Valley Gate:
v. 13) The Valley Gate:
Something that every true believer will have to face is the valley gate. These are the hardships trials and tribulations of life. I’m reminded of Ps 23:4-5
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil;
For You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
What should give us courage is that we have been given eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. And He has promised:
20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.
With Christ we can agree to this statement.
2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.
When we are going through these difficult times, they are some of the best times that we can produce fruit because we are not trusting in ourselves but in the God who is always with us.
7 “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord,
And whose hope is the Lord.
8 For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters,
Which spreads out its roots by the river,
And will not fear when heat comes;
But its leaf will be green,
And will not be anxious in the year of drought,
Nor will cease from yielding fruit.
It is important to understand that your life is not guaranteed to be smooth sailing once you have accepted Christ as your savior. If you are rightly living for and with God expect to be attacked, because you are a threat to the enemy.
v. 14) The Refuse Gate:
v. 14) The Refuse Gate:
The refuse gate or the dung gate for countless years has been referred to as the gate leading to the valley of Hinnom. Many scholars and pastors have taught this, that Jesus when speaking of Gehenna was a reference to the valley of Hinnom. That it was a rubbish heap or garbage dumb which was always moldering with fire.
It was actually a Jewish scholar that came to this conclusion, he also had never been to Israel and there is no archaeological evidence for this either.
With that being said this was like the gate where you took out the trash. In our Christian lives it is important to be removing the sin that so easily ensnares us.
12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
Another side of this gate for our lives would be:
16 Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
After all we should desire to have a very short list with God and with our brothers and sisters. When we confess we are cleansed and will have a clean conscience.
9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
v.15) The Fountain Gate:
v.15) The Fountain Gate:
Coming to the fountain gate it reminds us that, we come to God’s fountain for refilling and refreshing of the H.S.
37 On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. 38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”
18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit,
Throughout Scripture oil is a picture and type of the H.S.
10 But my horn You have exalted like a wild ox;
I have been anointed with fresh oil.
11 My eye also has seen my desire on my enemies;
My ears hear my desire on the wicked
Who rise up against me.
12 The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree,
He shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
13 Those who are planted in the house of the Lord
Shall flourish in the courts of our God.
14 They shall still bear fruit in old age;
They shall be fresh and flourishing,
15 To declare that the Lord is upright;
He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.
v. 26) The Water Gate:
v. 26) The Water Gate:
There is something really neat about this gate… and that is that there was no need to repair this gate.
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, 26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word,
God’s Word needs no repairs. Family do not let anyone strip the Bible from you. Also this is the seventh gate mentioned and 7 is the number of perfection. As much as we need to give our physical bodies water, our spiritual man needs to be feed and given water of the Word of God.
So be in His Word!
v. 28) The Horse Gate:
v. 28) The Horse Gate:
The Horse Gate located on the eastern wall close to the palace grounds and temple area. This was the site where the wicked Queen Athaliah was executed. Being close to the place and leading into the Kidron Valley, the Horse Gate reminds us of warfare.
12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
Not only that but the fact that Jesus is coming back, and He will be coming back not to bring peace (riding a donkey) but to wage war against the wicked and perverse generation in the end times:
11 Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. 12 His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. 13 He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses.
v. 29) The East Gate:
v. 29) The East Gate:
This is the gate Jesus will be coming through:
1 Afterward he brought me to the gate, the gate that faces toward the east. 2 And behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east. His voice was like the sound of many waters; and the earth shone with His glory. 3 It was like the appearance of the vision which I saw—like the vision which I saw when I came to destroy the city. The visions were like the vision which I saw by the River Chebar; and I fell on my face. 4 And the glory of the Lord came into the temple by way of the gate which faces toward the east. 5 The Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court; and behold, the glory of the Lord filled the temple.
1100 AD the turks sealed the gate… thinking it would prevent Jesus from entering. Graves
v. 31) The Miphkad or Inspection Gate:
v. 31) The Miphkad or Inspection Gate:
All of mankind will be set before God:
31 “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats.
Gospel
v. 32) The Sheep Gate
v. 32) The Sheep Gate
All begins and ends with Jesus