In Nehemiah

Jews have been returning to Jerusalem from Babylon over the last 80 plus years. Ezra and team rebuilding the temple - but the walls of the city are still in ruins.

Ezra - priest and scholar of the Law; Nehemiah was a government work - King’s cup bearer.

News about the poor condition of the city of Jerusalem moves Nehemiah to ask God for help and in chapter 2, we begin to see the answer to that prayer.

Please stand for the reading of God’s Word.

Nehemiah 2:1–8 NIV

1 In the month of Nisan in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was brought for him, I took the wine and gave it to the king. I had not been sad in his presence before, 2 so the king asked me, “Why does your face look so sad when you are not ill? This can be nothing but sadness of heart.” I was very much afraid, 3 but I said to the king, “May the king live forever! Why should my face not look sad when the city where my ancestors are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?” 4 The king said to me, “What is it you want?” Then I prayed to the God of heaven, 5 and I answered the king, “If it pleases the king and if your servant has found favor in his sight, let him send me to the city in Judah where my ancestors are buried so that I can rebuild it.” 6 Then the king, with the queen sitting beside him, asked me, “How long will your journey take, and when will you get back?” It pleased the king to send me; so I set a time. 7 I also said to him, “If it pleases the king, may I have letters to the governors of Trans-Euphrates, so that they will provide me safe-conduct until I arrive in Judah? 8 And may I have a letter to Asaph, keeper of the royal park, so he will give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel by the temple and for the city wall and for the residence I will occupy?” And because the gracious hand of my God was on me, the king granted my requests.

The Word of God, for the People of God

Nehemiah - Jesus

At the right hand of the King; At the right hand of God

Left the palace to restore his people; Left heaven to help mankind

Wept over the state of Jerusalem; Wept over the blindness of Jerusalem. Luke’s account of Palm Sunday - the triumphant entry into Jerusalem

Reformed the activity of the Levites in the Temple to restore the Sabbath; Jesus cleared out the merchants to restore proper worship and prayer in the Temple - after he arrived in the Temple on Palm Sunday

Broken - Restore

The world is broken - will always be broken - Garden of Eden introduced sin - sin still present and has consequences. Nehemiah built the physical walls of Jerusalem and continued to fuel the revival of God’s people. Jesus can build our spiritual walls against sin and Satan and revive us!

Final historical context of the OT - worship and living as God’s people in the Temple inside Jerusalem. NT begins with the gospel - spiritual restoration of worship and lifestyle through Christ’s entry as King into Jerusalem - the beginning of what we know as Holy Week ending with his death and burial.

The Gate

8 gates in Nehemiah’s time - 12 gates in Jesus’ time. Why this particular gate on Palm Sunday?

Golden Gate or Eastern Gate - faces the Kidron Valley and the Mount of Olives. The Garden of Gethsamene was here. Closest gate to the Temple.

Special gate: Jews - Messiah; Muslims - future resurrection; Christians - triumphant entry (Palm Sunday)

OT prophecies that this gate would be closed up because the Messiah entered through it. It has been closed/opened by Muslims and Christians - closed since 1541 as an historical part of the “old walls” of Jerusalem. 8 old gates exist today - only 7 are open. It was a Muslim Sultan who closed it to prevent Jesus from coming through it, but OT prophecy says God will close the gate because God (Messiah) has passed through it.

Psalm 24:7–10 NIV

7 Lift up your heads, you gates; be lifted up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. 8 Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. 9 Lift up your heads, you gates; lift them up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. 10 Who is he, this King of glory? The Lord Almighty— he is the King of glory.

Won’t you let Jesus the King of glory, enter through the gate of your heart today?

Nehemiah rebuilt the gate.

Jesus, the Messiah, entered through the gate.

Jesus is in Nehemiah.

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