RESTORATION BEGINS

REVIEW

Ezra had restored worship, but there was not control of access and egress to the city. A type of the The born again spirit with a carnal mind.

Jack Hayford - Rebuilding the Real You

Nehemiah (ne-he-mi’-ah) = Jehovah comforts; Jehovah has consoled; the comfort of GOD; i.e., the aid of the LORD; (roots = [1] to comfort; [2] Jehovah).

John 14:16 AMP16 And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, and Standby), that He may remain with you forever—

Jerusalem’s walls are destroyed, and even though the temple is rebuilt, the city is in rubble and the gates are burned with fire.

1. The gates are burned with fire:

a. There are 10 gates to Jerusalem

b. With the gates destroyed, anyone could come in at any point.

c. They had no control of access and egress.

d. This can be compared to how many people are not able to shut out of the minds depression and temptation.

e. We need a secure line of defense against the Adversary and also against our own flesh.

2. The temple is the center of the people’s worship. It can be likened to God’s inner work within the believer whose spirit has been reborn (John 4:24).

3. The inner temple (our spirit) can be alive, but in the outward working of our lives, there is still brokenness, just as the walls of the city were broken as a result of the past.

4 RESTORING THE WALLS

a. The walls of Jerusalem were broken as a result of sin and judgment from the Lord.

b. Our souls can be broken from sin and violation of God’s established order

Time – The Holy Spirit will spend all the time necessary to rebuild you. He is patient and merciful.

Authority – The privilege of praying and operating in the name of Jesus.

Materials – Elements within you that are battered by the past can be readied for rebuilding the real you just as the broken, fallen stones of Jerusalem’s wall.

Protection in the event of opposition. The Holy Spirit will provide you with an angelic guard force and stay with you throughout the rebuilding process.

The soul is the command center of the personality:

1. Mind — thinking, reasoning processes

2. Emotions — feelings

3. Will — action as a result of thinking and feeling

NEHEMIAH CHAPTER THREE

Nehemiah 3:1–5 NLT

1 Then Eliashib the high priest and the other priests started to rebuild at the Sheep Gate. They dedicated it and set up its doors, building the wall as far as the Tower of the Hundred, which they dedicated, and the Tower of Hananel. 2 People from the town of Jericho worked next to them, and beyond them was Zaccur son of Imri. 3 The Fish Gate was built by the sons of Hassenaah. They laid the beams, set up its doors, and installed its bolts and bars. 4 Meremoth son of Uriah and grandson of Hakkoz repaired the next section of wall. Beside him were Meshullam son of Berekiah and grandson of Meshezabel, and then Zadok son of Baana. 5 Next were the people from Tekoa, though their leaders refused to work with the construction supervisors.

THE SHEEP GATE

This is entrance used by the sheep market, it was where the sacrificial lambs for the temple would have been selected.

John 1:29 NLT

29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!

THE FISH GATE

Matthew 4:19 NLT

19 Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!”

The enigma of new believers.

One does not learn evangelism, one surrenders to it. ~PD

Nehemiah 3:6–12 NLT

6 The Old City Gate was repaired by Joiada son of Paseah and Meshullam son of Besodeiah. They laid the beams, set up its doors, and installed its bolts and bars. 7 Next to them were Melatiah from Gibeon, Jadon from Meronoth, people from Gibeon, and people from Mizpah, the headquarters of the governor of the province west of the Euphrates River. 8 Next was Uzziel son of Harhaiah, a goldsmith by trade, who also worked on the wall. Beyond him was Hananiah, a manufacturer of perfumes. They left out a section of Jerusalem as they built the Broad Wall. 9 Rephaiah son of Hur, the leader of half the district of Jerusalem, was next to them on the wall. 10 Next Jedaiah son of Harumaph repaired the wall across from his own house, and next to him was Hattush son of Hashabneiah. 11 Then came Malkijah son of Harim and Hasshub son of Pahath-moab, who repaired another section of the wall and the Tower of the Ovens. 12 Shallum son of Hallohesh and his daughters repaired the next section. He was the leader of the other half of the district of Jerusalem.

THE OLD GATE

Here the believer is called to engage with and see the crucifixion of the “old man.”

Nehemiah 3:8 NLT

8 Next was Uzziel son of Harhaiah, a goldsmith by trade, who also worked on the wall. Beyond him was Hananiah, a manufacturer of perfumes. They left out a section of Jerusalem as they built the Broad Wall.

Romans 6:6 KJV 1900

6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

Romans 6:6 TPT

6 Could it be any clearer that our former identity is now and forever deprived of its power? For we were co-crucified with him to dismantle the stronghold of sin within us, so that we would not continue to live one moment longer submitted to sin’s power.

Uzziel the goldsmith, Hananiah, the “nose.” Perfumers are affectionately referred to as “noses.” They can sniff a cologne and tell you each of the components used in it’s manufacture. Discernment is being built into the wall.

Then there was the self-interested believer - Harumaph

The Exhaustive Dictionary of Bible Names Harumaph

Harumaph (ha-ru’-maf) = Flat; nose; flat nosed.

Pekingese dogs - chasing a parked car

Nehemiah 3:13 NLT

13 The Valley Gate was repaired by the people from Zanoah, led by Hanun. They set up its doors and installed its bolts and bars. They also repaired the 1,500 feet of wall to the Dung Gate.

THE VALLEY GATE

To the low places.. Trials, temptation, and humility.

Matthew 4:1 NLT

1 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted there by the devil.

Nehemiah 3:14 NLT

14 The Dung Gate was repaired by Malkijah son of Recab, the leader of the Beth-hakkerem district. He rebuilt it, set up its doors, and installed its bolts and bars.

THE DUNG GATE

It was from the Dung Gate that Nehemiah initially surveyed the walls and gates of Jerusalem.

Nehemiah 2:13–14 NLT

13 After dark I went out through the Valley Gate, past the Jackal’s Well, and over to the Dung Gate to inspect the broken walls and burned gates. 14 Then I went to the Fountain Gate and to the King’s Pool, but my donkey couldn’t get through the rubble.

The Dung Gate led to the land fill for Jerusalem. Human and animal dung, as well as parts of sacrificial animals that couldn't’ be used. This along with other forms of garbage were taken from the city.

Our goal is the Fountain Gate, but we will never get there without addressing the Dung Gate.

THE FOUNTAIN GATE

The Fountain Gate was located near the Pool of Soloam where Jesus sent the blind man to wash in John 9:7

THE WATER GATE

The type of the local church. You can live for more than a month without food, but only 3-4 days without water. God is the God of “we” and “our”.

1 Corinthians 6:19 NLT

19 Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself,

The word “your” refers to the body corporate.

Nehemiah and Ezra gathered all the people at the Water Gate and read the Law of Moses. We are told that the people spent several hours standing to hear the precious Word. Revival broke out. Therefore, the Water Gate became the place of gathering, of teaching, of fellowship. I would liken that to the local church. The new convert should unite with other believers in worship and service to God who loves and cares for us. But, that is not all that a believer needs. Thus, the next gate lies very near to the Water Gate. It is called…

THE HORSE GATE

The horse was the primary beast of burden in ancient times, tasked with service to all humanity.

Our conversion at the Fountain Gate prepares us for the high calling of worship at the Water Gate and service as seen in the Water Gate - discipleship, to equip us for service to humanity - the Horse Gate.

THE EAST GATE

Access to the Temple, egress to the Garden of Gethsemane. These two seasons are always on the path of the maturing believer.

Ottoman Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent rebuilt it together with the city walls, but walled it up in 1541. He did so due to the Jewish, and later Christian prophecies that the Messiah would return through that gate.

The East Gate, or place of conversion and transformation is heavily guarded by the enemy.

THE INSPECTION GATE

Referred to also as the “Miphkad” gate, was the final gate to be rebuilt.

This represents two things:

To the Saved: The Judgement Seat of Christ, or the BEMA seat.

To the rejecters of Christ: The Great White Throne of Judgement.

2 Corinthians 5:10 NLT

10 For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body.

1 Corinthians 3:13–15 NLT

13 But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person’s work has any value. 14 If the work survives, that builder will receive a reward. 15 But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builder will be saved, but like someone barely escaping through a wall of flames.

Revelation 20:14 NLT

14 Then death and the grave were thrown into the lake of fire. This lake of fire is the second death.