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THE TEN GATES (1-5)
Nehemiah 7:1, “Once the walls were built and I had set the doors in place…”
The walls of the city had been complete, but the doors needed to be installed. Without the doors set firmly in place the city was still vulnerable to outside attack.
Same with us.
There were 10 gates or doors around the city of Jerusalem. Each had a name. You can find these names in Chapter 3. What do these doors have to do with you and me?
I believe quite a lot. Let’s look at the first 5 gates/doors and see how they connect to the doors of our lives today.
The first gate was the Sheep Gate. This gate represents the sacrificial Lamb, Jesus, and His work for you and me on the Cross of Calvary.
It all begins at the Cross. As Believers we must remain at and cling to the foot of the Cross. It is there we learn to live a sacrificial life of service to others as Jesus did.
The second gate was the Fish Gate.
This represents our Christian witness. The fish has long been a symbol of Christianity. We’ve been called and commanded by Jesus to preach the Good News.
If we struggle to open our mouth to others about the goodness of Jesus in our lives, we might need to get the Fish Gate built back up in our lives.
The third gate is the Jeshanah Gate, which means “old”.
This gate represents Absolute Truth.
Truth is old. But just because it’s old doesn’t mean it’s obsolete.
We are in an age where the old truth is being pushed aside for a new, improved truth that is subjective and relative. It justifies lifestyle and morality to fit into what this age wants to do and how they want to live.
But truth has always been truth. A million years before Creation and a million years into eternity, the Absolute Truth of God’s Word will stand.
Jesus is the Word made flesh. And God’s Word says, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My Word will remain.”
If the Truth Gate has been watered down and compromised in your life, rebuild it and make it strong again.
The fourth gate is the Dung Gate.
This represents a daily purging in our lives. Too many Christians are spiritually constipated. We’ve allowed for too long things like unforgiveness and bitterness to stay clogged up inside of us instead allowing a daily purging to keep us clean and attractive to others.
If you feel your Dung Gate is in disrepair then allow the cleansing of the Lord to make you well again.
The fifth gate is the Valley Gate.
A valley is a low place. This represents humility.
Jesus came to serve and not be served. He’s our example. May we be a humble servant reflecting Christlike humility and reject pride in pride in our lives.
God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.
May we constantly check to make sure our Valley Gate is in good repair, because the enemy of pride is a relentless foe.
Those are the first five gates. We’ll look at the last five gates next time. But in the mean time, how are your gates doing?
Allow the Lord to help you build up and keep strong your Gates of Sacrificial Service, Christian Witness, Absolute Truth, Daily Purging, and Christlike Humility.
Those around you are in desperate need of these qualities. May we be examples of these things to those the Lord has placed in our lives.