Nehemiah
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NEHEMIAH 3
NEHEMIAH 3
The Lord led Ezra and Zerubbabel back to Jerusalem to
rebuild the temple. Their task was to rebuild the temple.
Nehemiah was a layman . Nehemiah’s work was to rebuild
the wall and the gates of Jerusalem. The Lord accomplishes
His work in different ways through different men.
The rebuilding of the walls and gates tells us about
God’s plan of salvation.
The ten gates were selected to tell the story of the Good
News of Jesus Christ. It started with the sheep gate and
ends with the sheep gate.
(1) Then Eliashib the high priest rose up with his
brethren the priests, and they builded the sheep gate;
they sanctified it, and set up the doors of it; even
unto the tower of Meah they sanctified it, unto the
tower of Hananeel.
The sheep gate is where the Lord Jesus entered into Jerusalem.
The sheep gate is the gate through which animals were brought
for sacrifice.
In John 5:2, we are told that on one occasion Jesus came through
the sheep gate and came to the pool of Bathesda. Jesus used the
sheep gate to enter into Jerusalem.
In John 1:29, John the Baptist said about Jesus,
“Behold the lamb of God,
which taken away the sin of the world “.
The sheep gate symbolizes the cross of Christ. Jesus is
the Lamb of God.Jesus takes away the sin of the world.
Jesus said, I am the way, truth, and the life. No man comes unto the
Father but by me.
Jesus is the only way to begin with God. What will you do with the
Lord Jesus who died for you ?
(2) And next unto him builded the men of Jericho.
And next to them builded Zaccur the son of Imri.
Joshua said, “Cursed be the man before the Lord that
riseth up and buildeth the city of Jericho…”
Jericho was a place of the curse. These man came up from Jericho to
Jerusalem .These men worked next to the sheep gate.
Today we live in a world that had been cursed by sin. We lived in cursed
world.
The soul that sinneth, it shall die (Ezek 18:4).
We need Lord Jesus to save us.
(3) But the fish gate did the sons of Hassenaah build,
the doors thereof, the locks thereof, and the bars thereof.
It is who also laid the beams thereof, and set up
the fish gate that fish were brought in from the sea and river.
What does the fish gate symbolize ?
In Matt 4:19, Lord Jesus said to His followers,
“I will make you fishers of men “.
(4) And next unto them repaired Meremoth the son
of Urijah, the son of Koz. And next unto them repaired
Meshullam the son of Berechiah, the son of Meshezabeel.
And next unto them repaired Zadok the son of Baana
.
God took note of the folks who worked to rebuild
the wall. Their names were recorded in the Word of God.
(5) And next unto them the Tekoites repaired;
but their nobles put not their necks to the work of their Lord.
Their nobles thought that they were too good to do the labour work
for the Lord. They were too proud to lift heavy stones to repair the
walls of Jerusalem. The proud nobles would not put their necks to
work. God also took notes of the lazy folks. They were not
witnessing for God at all.
(6) Moreover the old gate repaired Jehoiada the son of Paseah,
and Meshullam the son of Besodeiah; they laid the beams
thereof, and set up the doors thereof, and the locks thereof,
and the bars thereof.
In Jeremiah 6:16 , Thus said the Lord,
“ Stand ye in the ways, and see, and asks for the old paths, where
is the good way, and walk there upon , and ye shall find rest. “
We are living in a day where people are constantly searching
for something new. This constantly searching for the new is
leading many people to frustration. It leads folks down to a dead
end street with no purpose in life. New ways are not always
the right way.
The Lord tells us to stand firmly and see carefully at the ways.
The Lord wants us to ask for the old paths to find the good proven
way of the Lord. Walk in the righteous way of the Lord and you
shall find rest for your souls.
(7) And next unto them repaired Melatiah the Gibeonite,
and Jadon the Meronothite, the men of Gibeon,
and of Mizpah, unto the throne of the governor on
this side the river.
(8) Next unto him repaired Uzziel the son of Harhaiah,
of the goldsmiths. Next unto him also repaired Hananiah
the son of one of the apothecaries, and they fortified
Jerusalem unto the broad wall.
The goldsmiths were making sacrifices for the Lord. Goldsmiths
were accustomed to sitting at their benches and working with small
pieces of gold. They were not used to working with huge stones.
Uzziel did hard work rebuilding the wall.
The Lord take note of folks who makes sacrifices to the Lord.
Apothecaries were druggists. They don’t make pills larger
than a person can swallow.
Hananiah was the son of one of the apothecaries , yet he
was working with huge stones to rebuild the wall.
The Lord took note of the folks who made sacrifices to
the Lord. And God recorded it in His Word.
(9) And next unto them repaired Rephaiah the son of Hur,
the ruler of the half part of Jerusalem.
God looks at the hearts of men to see their faithfulness.
Everything we have has been given to us by the Lord.
The Lord expected more from folks who were given more.
(10-11) And next unto them repaired Jedaiah the son
of Harumaph, even over against his house. And next
unto him repaired Hattush the son of Hashabniah.
Malchijah the son of Harim, and Hashub the son of
Pahath-moab, repaired the other piece, and the tower
of the furnaces.
(12) And next unto him repaired Shallum the son of
Halohesh, the ruler of the half part of Jerusalem,
he and his daughters.
The women were also eager to help rebuilding the wall.
(13) The valley gate repaired Hanun, and the inhabitants
of Zanoah; they built it, and set up the doors thereof,
the locks thereof, and the bars thereof, and a thousand
cubits on the wall unto the dung gate.
The valley gate that is the gate that led out of the city of
Jerusalem down into the valley.
The valley gate reminds us of the valley of the shadow of
death.
(14) But the dung gate repaired Malchiah the son of
Rechab, the ruler of part of Beth-haccerem;
he built it, and set up the doors thereof, the locks thereof,
and the bars thereof.
The dung gate is important for the health of the city. Filth was
carried out of the dung gate. Garbage was taken away.
If we confess our sins , He is faithful and just to forgive
us our sins, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness
(1John 1:9)
Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let
us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh
and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God
(2 Corinthians 7:1).
We have to recognize that we need to confess our sins to
God. True confessions is the means to get out the filth
and garbage.
(15) But the gate of the fountain repaired Shallun the son
of Col-hozeh, the ruler of part of Mizpah; he built it,
and covered it, and set up the doors thereof,
the locks thereof, and the bars thereof, and the wall of
the pool of Siloah by the king's garden, and unto the stairs
that go down from the city of David.
Jesus said to the woman at the well,
But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give
him shall never thirst ; but the water that I give him shall
be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting
life (John 4:14).
Jesus said,
He that believes in me , as the scripture hath said,
out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water
( John 7:38)
Jesus spoke of the Holy Spirit , which the believers shall
receive.
But ye are not of the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be
that the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if any man
have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his
(Romans 8:9).
The Holy Spirit dwells in every believer.
When a beleiever is filled with the Holy Spirit, he is
a fountain of living water which gush out blessings
to other folks.
(16) After him repaired Nehemiah the son of Azbuk,
the ruler of the half part of Beth-zur, unto the place over
against the sepulchres of David, and to the pool that was
made, and unto the house of the mighty.
(17) After him repaired the Levites, Rehum the son of Bani.
Next unto him repaired Hashabiah, the ruler of the half
part of Keilah, in his part.
(18) After him repaired their brethren, Bavai the son
of Henadad, the ruler of the half part of Keilah.
(19) And next to him repaired Ezer the son of Jeshua,
the ruler of Mizpah, another piece over against
the going up to the armoury at the turning of the wall.
(20) After him Baruch the son of Zabbai earnestly
repaired the other piece, from the turning of the
wall unto the door of the house of Eliashib the
high priest.
Baruch worked willingly to repair the wall.
(21) After him repaired Meremoth the son of Urijah
the son of Koz another piece, from the door of the
house of Eliashib even to the end of the house
of Eliashib.
(22) And after him repaired the priests, the men of the plain.
The priests also worked hard using huge rocks to
rebuilding the wall.
(23) After him repaired Benjamin and Hashub over
against their house. After him repaired Azariah
the son of Maaseiah the son of Ananiah by his house.
(24) After him repaired Binnui the son of Henadad
another piece, from the house of Azariah unto the turning
of the wall, even unto the corner.
(25) Palal the son of Uzai, over against the turning of the wall,
and the tower which lieth out from the king's high house,
that was by the court of the prison. After him Pedaiah
the son of Parosh.
(26) Moreover the Nethinims dwelt in Ophel, unto the place
over against the water gate toward the east, and the tower
that lieth out.
The water gate symbolizes the Word of God. It is here at the water
gate that Ezra put a pulpit. It is here at the water gate ,
Ezra read the Word.
In John 15:3, the Lord Jesus said,
“Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto
you”.
In John 17:17 , Jesus prayed,
“ sanctify them through thy truth. Thy word is truth “.
(27-28) After them the Tekoites repaired another piece,
over against the great tower that lieth out, even unto
the wall of Ophel.
From above the horse gate repaired the priests,
every one over against his house.
Horses were ridden by soldiers. Horses were used in
wars. The Lord Jesus rode a small donkey into
Jerusalem. The donkey was the animal ridden by
kings.
The horse gate speaks of the soldier service of the
believers.
(29) After them repaired Zadok the son of Immer over
against his house. After him repaired also Shemaiah
the son of Shechaniah, the keeper of the east gate.
The east gate is located on the east side of Jerusalem. In
the morning the east gate is the first gate to be open,
because the east gate is facing the direction of the rising
sun. All night the watchmen guard the wall. Early in the
morning the watchmen watch the eastern horizon for
the first sign of daybreak. Enemies might be hiding in the
darkness. After a while appearing in the eastern horizon,
a glimmer of light. Finally the sun is coming up. If the
watchmen see no enemy , the gate will be opened.
Believers should be gathering at the eastern gate because
there is a glimmer of light on the horizon. Soon the sun may
be coming up.
But before the sun rises , the Bright and Morning Star will
appear
.
(30) After him repaired Hananiah the son of Shelemiah,
and Hanun the sixth son of Zalaph, another piece.
After him repaired Meshullam the son of Berechiah
over against his chamber.
It is interesting . All this man Meshullam did was repair
the part over against the chamber where he lived.
Apparently God expects him to repair only this small part,
and God recorded it.
(31) After him repaired Malchiah the goldsmith's
son unto the place of the Nethinims, and of the
merchants, over against the gate Miphkad,
and to the going up of the corner.
Miphkad means review or registry. When a stranger came
to Jerusalem, he had to first stop by the Miphkad gate to
register.
(32) And between the going up of the corner
unto the sheep gate repaired the goldsmiths
and the merchants.
We begin at the sheep gate and we go up unto the sheep
gate..Jesus is the lamb of God. Jesus died for your sins
and mine.
Nehemiah
chapter
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13