Walls and gates . . . and Christmas?

Some scholars and preachers have read and studied the third chapter of Nehemiah, and they've been impressed with the names of the gates listed there. I thought we could take a look at these, at the workers on the walls, and the builders of the gates - and think about them in terms of Christ Jesus and His coming to earth.
Each of these gates could be said to have special significance in terms of our salvation and our lives as believers.

Still with me?
Awesome!
Reading through the chapter, we come across ten named gates that I'd like to look at in detail. Here is the list: the Sheep gate, the Fish gate, the Old gate, the Valley gate, the Dung gate, the Gate of the Fountain, the Water gate, the Horse gate, the East gate, and the Muster gate. Each of these has a vivid message about the Messiah, and about the message of the gospel.
Isn't it amazing how God finds so many different ways to tell the world the message of His Son? This is just one more!

God our Savior, 4 who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. (I Timothy 2:3b-4

When we look at maps of old Jerusalem, it appears that to make this list of gates and workers, Nehemiah moved counterclockwise along the wall. He began at the Sheep gate.

The Sheep gate was the very first gate to be repaired, because it was so vital to the worship in the restored temple. This gate in the eastern wall was the place where the offerings or sacrifices were brought in. When we think of the word "offering" we often think of an alternate word, "gift." A  young child may present a parent or friend with a gift, and the money usually has come from the adult! But it's important to give and receive such gifts, because it expresses a relationship of commitment and of love. When the ancient Israelites gave their offerings and the priests made their flock animals be sacrificed, they were giving to God some of what He had given to them. This expressed their close relationship to God, their repentance of their sins, and their desire to deepen the bond between them and YAHWEH.

It wouldn't hurt for us to be reminded of the system that God had set up for His people. Burnt offerings of flock animals were totally consumed in the fire on the altar. Grain offerings would have a handful placed on the fire and the remainder was reserved for the priests. A sacrifice of "well-being" and "fellowship" was a little different: some of the inner organs were burned and the remaining meat was divided between the priests and the offerer.  The sin offering depended upon the identity or status of the person bringing it; a chief priest would bring a bull and ordinary citizens would bring a lamb. Those who were very poor could bring a grain offering. Lastly, a guilt offering was a flock animal whose organs would be burned and the flesh eaten by the priests. All of these have two things in common -- the presence of smoke which produced a "pleasing aroma" and the special treatment of blood, the life force of the animal and the only prescribed remedy for the remission of sin.

So, the Sheep gate would be where the sheep entered the temple area to be slaughtered. Sheep and lambs, we know, are used in the Bible as symbols of Christ.

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!  (John 1:29)

The Sheep gate speaks of our very first experience of our Christian life; it's when we realize that we are sinners, and that Jesus, the Lamb of God, takes away the sins of the world. The Sheep gate reminds us of His coming to the manger in Bethlehem, to one day be sacrificed for our sins. This was the very first gate to be repaired, because without sacrifice, there's no hope for sinners. There's no salvation without sacrifice. Also notice that for other gates, we are told about the security measures, the locks, and the bars -- not so on the Sheep gate. Scholars draw the parallel that the door of salvation is always open to the sinner -- not closed and locked.

The second gate mentioned is the Fish gate. This was where the fishermen came with their catch, and sold it at market to the folks in the city of Jerusalem. It's interesting that it's the one mentioned after the Sheep gate . . . after our salvation, it's important for us to turn to the work of Jesus, to be "fishers of men."

17 And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” (Mark 1:17)

 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. (Romans 1:16)

How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? (Romans 10:14)

It's the "next step" for us as believers. In fact, if we truly have begun a new life, we should be so enthusiastic and so joyful that it's hard for us NOT to tell others!

More on the gates of Jerusalem next time!