Nehemiah 3
Gates and Walls for the Home
The third chapter of Nehemiah contains a divine treasure chest of principles for Christian homes. Here we read how Nehemiah and his followers began the work of rebuilding Jerusalem’s walls and gates. Of particular interest are the names of the gates and the order in which they are mentioned. The principles they present are vitally important to apply in building and protecting Christian homes from being destroyed by the enemy’s attacks.
The Need for Walls
Jerusalem needed a wall to protect it from the enemies that constantly sought entrance. Dad and Mom, you need to build a very strong moral wall of separation from the “present evil world” around your children, for it also constantly seeks to gain entrance to your home. But you cannot successfully build a wall of protection against the world by “educating” your children about all the evils that exist what a hopeless, wearisome and defiling task!
Here is the divine key for building this wall: “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things” (Phil. 4:88Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. (Philippians 4:8)).
Feed much on the divinely pure and wholesome principles and doctrines of God’s Word for yourself and for your lambs. Enjoying them, talking of them and living them in practical reality is the best way to build a wall of protection around your family.
Dad and Mom, beginning to build this wall requires personal exercise, love for and commitment to the Lord Jesus a personal walk in obedience to Himself. “Them that honor Me I will honor. ”
Not only be careful of your words and actions, but guard carefully the kinds of electronic entertainment media, reading material, toys, games even clothing styles that you allow in your home. Each of these things can, if not carefully regulated, allow the world and its defiling ways an entrance into the lives of your beloved children.
May your wall be high and strong, founded on the principles of God’s Word and held together by the mortar of personal love for Christ and your lambs!
The Need for Gates
No matter how strong the wall, there must also be gates. Gates allow controlled entrance as well as providing a way for safe removal of harmful influences.
Your home also needs more than walls. It must have a way for the good to enter as well as a means of discarding harmful things that may already have gained entrance in short, it needs strong gates that can be shut and locked as well as opened.
Locked gates provide security against the deceptive efforts of the world to imperceptibly gain entrance into the very bosom of the Christian family. Because we live in the last days, it is vitally important for parents to keep these moral gates locked so that its habits, principles and philosophies not gain entrance and begin to characterize your home and children!
Gates for Administration
In the book of Nehemiah we find a total of twelve gates named as being built in the wall around Jerusalem. This provides a lovely picture of the administrative perfection and completeness of the New Jerusalem mentioned in Revelation 21.
The Christian home, if properly protected with a moral wall and gates, will be a wonderful place where God’s blessing is administrated for the good of the whole family. Dad and Mom! The Lord wants this administration of blessing always to characterize your home. When that is so, it will be a place where children grow strong in “spirit and soul and body” (1 Thess. 5:2323And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Thessalonians 5:23)). But this “administration” must be carried out in faithful obedience to God and His Word.
Love (spirit), order (soul) and discipline (body) are essential in forming the foundation of family administration. Remember, too, that Dad is the head of the home, responsible for its administration, while Mom is to “rule” the home (1 Tim. 5:1414I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully. (1 Timothy 5:14) JND) in the fear of God and as submitted to her husband.
Gates for Responsibility
Though Nehemiah rebuilt twelve gates in Jerusalem’s wall, only ten of them are mentioned in the third chapter. This presents another important principle for Christian parents that of responsibility.
Dad and Mom, you are responsible before God to protect and build your home in the fear of God and in moral separation from influences of this world.
Sometimes Christian homes contain a motto, “Jesus is the Head of this house.” While not wanting to be critical, this is not so. Jesus is Head of the church, Lord of all and to be owned as Lord by each believer. But He is not “Head” of the home. That is Dad’s responsibility, and if Dad doesn’t carry out that responsibility in faithfulness to the Lord, no one else can. The same holds true for the sphere in which Mom is responsible to act. Fathers are responsible to mold, mothers to nurture. The result of parents’ refusing to accept God-given responsibility in these spheres will be disaster.
Let’s consider some of the family principles suggested in the names of the first ten gates and as we do, we will also meditate a little on the order in which they are listed.
The sheep gate is first. Parents, God has given you a flock your family is that beloved little flock. Your home must have an entrance for them solid and secure a gate provided which only your children use a moral, spiritual and natural entrance into safety and joy that is theirs alone to enjoy in your home.
Hospitality and care for others is important and encouraged in the Word of God (Rom. 12:1313Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality. (Romans 12:13); Titus 1:88But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate; (Titus 1:8)). But your children come first. They are your most important service for the Lord. God has given them to you, that, like Hannah of old, you may give them back to Him for His service. See that keeping your vineyard (your family) takes precedence over any other care or service for the Lord. “They made me the keeper of the vineyards; but mine own vineyard have I not kept” (Song of Sol. 1:66Look not upon me, because I am black, because the sun hath looked upon me: my mother's children were angry with me; they made me the keeper of the vineyards; but mine own vineyard have I not kept. (Song of Solomon 1:6)).
Parents must also be leaders of their children, going in and out through this gate shepherding them through a crooked and perverse world as well as guiding them to the green pastures and quiet waters of rest found in following the Lord Jesus.
The sheep gate also suggests the vital importance of daily, in faith and with much prayer, presenting the gospel to your children. This is not the work of one parent it ought to be the united effort of both. Evangelical zeal for other souls is wonderful (“do the work of an evangelist”; 2 Tim. 4:55But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry. (2 Timothy 4:5)), but the most critical evangelical field you have in which to sow the gospel is within the bosom of your home.
“Thou shalt be saved, and thy house” (Acts 16:3131And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. (Acts 16:31)) is a wonderful promise. But don’t be slothful or careless in presenting Christ as Saviour to your children. Speak often in loving reverence the blessed name of Jesus from the time they are infants. Let them see your own personal love for Him constantly displayed in your daily actions.
Keep this gate securely locked that the foxes (little, unjudged sins) or the wolf (gross wickedness) not gain entrance, wreaking havoc with your lambs. “Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks” (Prov. 27:2323Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds. (Proverbs 27:23)). “An hireling... seeth the wolf... and leaveth the sheep... and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep” (John 10:1212But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. (John 10:12)).
Ed.