Walls, gates, and Christmas, conclusion

As we close this week of study, we are inching ever closer to the magical days that we call Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. We may not celebrate on exactly the right day, but that's not the point! The point is to set aside time and meditate, ponder, and celebrate the coming of Christ to our world. He put aside His might and power and became flesh and dwelt among us.

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14)

At Bethlehem, that babe in the manger was adored by shepherds. In Egypt, He was revered by the wise men. He grew, He learned, and He matured -- then He taught, and ministered, and bore the weight of all our sins as He was unjustly crucified.

He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. 25 For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. (I Peter 2:24-25)

But He conquered death! He rose again and was seen by many.

For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. 6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8 and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born. (I Corinthians 15:3-8)

And He has promised that He is going to come again. The next gate on our tour of the old walls is the East gate -- and that makes us think of the second coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ. The scriptures confirm it will happen "in the east" and that He has promised to return:

Then the man brought me to the gate facing east, 2 and I saw the glory of the God of Israel coming from the east. His voice was like the roar of rushing waters, and the land was radiant with his glory. (Ezekiel 43:1)

And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. (John 14:3)

For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.  (I Thessalonians 4:16-17)

When He returns, this time it will be to judge - the final gate on our tour of the walls and gates of Nehemiah's Jerusalem is the Muster, or Inspection gate. The meaning of the word carries with it the idea of troops who would line up for review. And God is going to call all souls for judgment one day:

You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or why do you treat them with contempt? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat. (Romans 14:10)

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad. (II Corinthians 5:10)

As we stand there, however, our sins will be covered by His precious blood:

He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God! Hebrews 9:12, 14)

As we study these gates, we can see the whole meaning of Christmas. The whole hope of our Christian life. The gospel is presented to us here just as clearly as in other passages:

For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope. (Romans 15:4) 

Surely these are reasons to joyfully celebrate the birth of our Savior!
Merry Christmas!