James Green
Nehemiah 3
When the remnant of Judah returned to Jerusalem from their captivity in Babylon, they were few in number and had many enemies, but they determined in the fear of the Lord to repair the ruined walls of the city.
This was a great work, but it was “the work of their Lord,” verse 5, and He had stirred up their hearts to do it. They felt that His name was dishonored, and His city lying in ruins, and though the work was “great and large,” and they were “separated upon the wall” (4:19), they had the support of Him whose cause it was, so that they were able to complete their labor.
It is interesting to notice that the whole city is mentioned in this chapter:
Verse 1. — Then Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brethren the priests, and they builded the sheep gate.
Verse 32. — And between the going up of the corner unto the sheep gate repaired the goldsmiths and the merchants.
No part of the wall was overlooked and every gate was repaired; one man could not have done all this, but each man could build the part over against his house; and as they built each in his place they had the whole in view, there was no clashing one with the other, they were “workers together” in “the work of their Lord.”
An important lesson is taught us here: nothing less than the whole circle of God’s truth and work must occupy our thoughts. There is the Church, the Body of Christ, and the gospel; our affections must not be narrowed or cramped or set on a smaller circle. We may not be able to do great things, but what we do must be done with the whole of God’s interests in view: the work is great, but it is one in which we have no need to allow our weakness to discourage us, for the good hand of our Lord will be with us, as we are in communion with Him, so that we may act upon the apostolic exhortation “Quit you like men.”
The Sheep Gate
The first of the gates to be repaired was the sheep gate, and at this gate we must all start. Happy is that soul that has heard the Shepherd’s voice, and can say “The Lord is my shepherd.” He came seeking the sheep. He was the good Shepherd who laid down His life for them (John 10:11).
What deep affection throbs in those words, “MY sheep”! (John 10:14). Oh, the wonders wrapped up in that companion word “His own”! Angelic intelligences served Him; worlds on worlds have been called into existence at His bidding: yet amidst the whole universe that He has brought into existence by His power, there is one company He calls “His own”, His very own, the flock for which He gave Himself, out of the depths of infinite love. Fellow-believer in Jesus, you and I, through grace, form part of this flock: He gave His life for us, and that is why we must begin at the sheep gate, and truly we must also end there, in the eternal anthem, “Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and His Father; to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever, Amen” (Rev. 1:5, 6).
The Fish Gate
Ver. 3. — “ But the fish gate did the sons of Hassenaah build.
This seems to be the gospel gate. When we have been established in the precious truth that we are Christ’s sheep, it is our privilege to go out and fish: fish for souls. God would have us earnest in this blessed work: the heart of the Lord was set upon it, for He said to His disciples, “Come ye after Me, and I will make you to become fishers of men” (Mark 1:17).
We can all be of some use in this service. If you cannot preach, you can pray for those that do. There are more results from prayer than we think. Many a servant of God has had his heart rejoiced by seeing souls brought to Christ without knowing, perhaps, what lay behind the success of his labors: someone out of sight and unknown had been crying to God to save souls, and the blessing had come that way. Beloved saints of God, let us pray. May we be kept closely in touch with this work of the Spirit of God, and so help to build “the fish gate.” Keep this repaired and wide open, that men may “be added to the Lord” daily. There is one important verse (the fifth) in connection with this.
“But their nobles put not their necks to the work of their Lord.”
It is His work; He came into this world to seek and to save: shall we be found negligent in this service of grace? It is a wonderful privilege to be associated with Himself in any way; let us not be like these men of position that put not their necks to the work of their Lord.
The Old Gate
Ver. 6. — Moreover the old gate repaired Jehoiada.”
Here it was the old gate, reminding us of the passage: “Ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls” (Jer. 6:16).
The old paths have been choked up; the old ways need clearing. There is many a saint of God who needs to have the old gate repaired, to be built up in that which was established from the beginning in Christ. Satan is ever ready to provide something new — the latest thing. May God remove the rubbish and enable us to build up our souls in the truth, as old as the thoughts of God Himself, that which existed in His eternal purpose before all worlds. Man ‘ changes: God does not. He has established all the blessed truth in the death, resurrection and ascension of His beloved Son, and those who by His grace are built up in that which was from the beginning, are able to help others back to the old paths.
The Valley Gate
Ver. 13. — “The valley gate repaired Hanun ... ”
Before we can go up, there must be the going down. We may feel our lack of power, and how feeble are the desires of our hearts after Christ: we may feel how little we have the conscious knowledge of divine things; but do we remember that these things can only be gained by the way of the valley of humiliation? In the years of the past we may have longed that the realities of God might be the controlling power in our lives: He longs to satisfy that desire, but it can only be brought about in the “low places.” It is a wonderful moment when we are willing to be led into the valley, and have to do with God there. There must ever be a going down before the going up, the valley before the mountain, the cross before the crown, the sorrow before the reigning. This is always God’s way, that we may be “bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body” (2 Cor. 4:10).
The Dung Gate
Ver. 14. — But the dung gate repaired Malchiah the son of Rechab...”
The Apostle Paul knew something of this place; he had no place or position in this world; he accepted the cross, and in his practical experience had to say, “We are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day” (1 Cor. 4:13). What do we know of the path of rejection? How much we shrink from it; and yet, what shall we say when we think of that way, un-cheered by earthly smiles, which was trodden by the Son of God? He, the Eternal Son, the Infinite One, was cast out, rejected, rebuffed, scorned, despised, spit upon! What is any little slight put upon us compared with that? May we truly accept in heart occupation with Himself His own path, “disallowed indeed of men.” He has no other place for us here, “It is enough for the disciple to be as his Master” (Matt. 10:25). This is left to us as a legacy, “For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on Him, but also to suffer for His sake” (Phil. 1:29). It is a faithful saying: “For if we be dead with Him, we shall also live with Him: if we suffer, we shall also reign with Him” (2 Tim. 2:11, 12).
The Fountain Gate
Ver. 15. — “But the gate of the fountain repaired Shallun the son of Colhozeh...”
The builders did not stop at the dung gate; if you know something of what it is to be an outcast, there is the gate of the fountain-the fountain of the fourth of John, springing up to everlasting life.
This gate, as the remainder of verse 15 shows us, is intimately connected with the king’s garden by the pool of Siloah (which is by interpretation “Sent,” John 9:7), and with “the stairs which go down from the city of David,” which He, the Sent One, descended, when He laid aside His Messiah glory, that He might open up the way for His own into the garden of His own delight: the Father’s love (John 14:1).
It may be our portion to be cast out here, indeed it must be; but at the same time in the power of the Spirit we may have the foretaste of the joys eternal, which shall be the unending portion of the “many brethren” (Rom. 8:29), with Him, the Firstborn, in the Father’s house. “With Thee is the fountain of life” (Psa. 36:9).
The Water Gate
Ver. 26 — “The water gate towards the east.”
If there is the springing fountain of John 4:14, there must also be the flowing waters of John 7:38. If the fountain within us springs up to God, there will be the flowing out also of streams of living water for thirsty souls around. How great a privilege to be channels of that of which Christ is source. Why is it that often we have to mourn our weakness? Is it not that we lose sight of the presence of the Holy Spirit? “But this spike He of the Spirit, which they that believe on Him should receive” (John 7:39). Is the Spirit’s power weakened? Thank God, He is ever the same, and is not less occupied with the whole interests of God than ever He was. If, then, in our souls’ history, these seven gates are truly repaired, and the Holy Spirit has His true place of control within us, He will see that the three remaining ones are set up.
The Horse Gate
Ver. 28. — “From above the horse gate repaired the priests, every one over against his house.”
The horse is used in Scripture as the symbol of power; and power, whether for joy, worship, service or endurance, is always connected with the Spirit of God. He it is who recalls to us the words of our Lord; leads us into the deep things of God; and, unveiling the future, shows us things to come, that we may abound in hope through the power of the Holy Spirit, and so repair the east gate.
The East Gate
Ver. 29. — “ After him repaired also Shemaiah the son of Shechaniah, the keeper of the east gate.’’
And what is the east gate? It is the gate of the sun-rising. How often do we take our stand there, beloved, and lift our wishful, longing eyes in hope, waiting to see the Morning Star arise?
Christ is coming! May we be as men that wait for their Lord. When first that precious truth was brought home to us, we laid our heads down on our pillows and said, “Perhaps before the morning we shall see His blessed face.” Is this hope as fresh as it was? Is it less bright in our souls than when it first came to us? It ought to have grown brighter, for we are nearer to it now than ever we were — nearer to that moment when we shall see Him as He is. “The Spirit and the Bride say, come.” “Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus” (Rev. 22:17 and 20).
There is only one gate more — ten in all — for the wall in Nehemiah is connected with us in our responsibility here, and ten in Scripture stands for this. There are twelve gates in the heavenly city of Revelation, for there all is perfect, for the true administration of God’s will with men: twelve stands for this.
The Gate Miphkad
Ver. 31. — “After him repaired Malchiah the goldsmith’s son... over against the gate Miphkad.”
That word, “Miphkad,” is translated in 2 Samuel 24:9 “number,” and in Ezekiel 43:21, “appointed place.” Beloved saints, that blissful moment is soon to dawn when God shall make up the number of His elect in the appointed place; soon the Lord will fulfill His own word for us, “I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am there ye may be also” (John 14:2-3).
May God grant us to keep before our souls the whole circle of the truth, with which the Spirit of God is occupied: not one part of it but the whole; and that our hearts may rejoice in carrying on “earnestly,” like Baruch in ver. 20, any part of that work which falls to our lot; and that every saint of God may have his or her place in our prayers.
There is just a word for our sisters in connection with the building of the wall. You will find in verse 12 That the daughters of one of these men took their share in the work: — “And next unto him repaired Shallum,... he and his daughters.” I think that is very precious; everyone has some work to do, something to build up of Christ in the soul of another, however obscure her place may be. You have the opportunity for passing on that which has been made precious to your own soul, to those you come in contact with. Whatever you yourself, dear sister, have received of Christ, pass it on, and His Name shall be glorified.