| “Then Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brethren the priests, and they builded the sheep gate” (Nehemiah 3:1). |
| “But the fish gate did the sons of Hasenaah build” (Nehemiah 3:3). |
| “Moreover the old gate repaired Jehoiada the son of Paseah” (Nehemiah 3:6). |
| Yesterday we mentioned the ten gates that were in the wall of Jerusalem, and the fact that they had meanings to their names. We might wonder why so many gates were needed, if the wall was mainly for protection. But there were people and things that needed to come into the city, and other things that needed to be taken out from time to time. Every city with a wall needs some gates in it. |
| You and I should be separate from this world, but this does not mean that we never have any contact with the world. No, we are to be separate from the world, but not isolated from it. We see this particularly with the first gate mentioned — the sheep gate. That would speak of the gospel going out, and people being saved. In the New Testament, the Lord Jesus often refers to us as His sheep. Also, we notice that the sheep gate had no locks or bars; it was always available for those who might want to come in. That is like the gospel today. |
| The fish gate also speaks of the gospel, for the Lord Jesus told Peter and Andrew, “I will make you fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19). You and I have this privilege today, for we are to go out and bring people to the Lord Jesus. Peter and Andrew were used to catching fish, but the Lord said to Peter, “From henceforth [now on] thou shalt catch men” (Luke 5:10). |
| Thirdly, we have the old gate. I am not sure just what it was used for in Nehemiah’s time, but maybe it was simply an older gate than some of the others. But for us, perhaps it is a picture of our needing to stand firmly for what the Lord has given us, and not to be wanting something new. Since the Bible was completed, many people have come forward, saying that they were prophets of God, and pretending to have some special new teaching from the Lord. But this cannot be, for the Word of God is complete; it cannot have anything added to it. |
