GODS WORD WILL PREVAIL! (Nehemiah 3:28)

Above the Horse Gate the priests repaired, each one opposite his own house.

THE STUDY:

          The Horse Gate stood north of the Water Gate, adjacent to the temple area. It was here that wicked Athaliah was executed (2 Chron. 23:15). God warned His people not to trust in horses and chariots (Deut. 17:14–20), but Solomon imported them from Egypt (1 Kings 10:26–29), and they became an important part of the nation’s defense system (Isa. 2:7). The Horse Gate reminds us that there is warfare in the Christian life (2 Tim. 2:1–4) and that we must always be ready to do battle (Eph. 6:10–18).^[1]

          The Horse Gate may speak, then, of soldier-service in a world opposed to God and His truth. It bids us to “contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.” (Jude 3)

          The truth has been given to us at a great cost, not only to the One who is Himself “the Truth,” but for its preservation, and recovery when lost at times.^[2]

WHAT WE CAN WALK AWAY WITH ….

• We walk away this morning with the understanding that just as the days of Jesus, there will always be a battle for the faith. God’s word will be challenged and attempts will be made to silence it. BUT HIS WORD WILL PREVAIL!

APPLICATION:

 I watched a movie a few years ago called, “The Book Of Eli!” If you have not seen this movie and are planning too don’t read or listen to me from this point on. The main character “Eli” explains to his partner “Solara” his mission. According to Eli, his book is the last remaining copy of the Bible, as all other copies were intentionally destroyed following the nuclear war. He says he was led to the book by a voice in his head, which then directed him to travel westward to a place where it would be safe. The voice assured him that he would be protected on his journey. Thus, for the last thirty years he has been traveling west, guided by his faith.

Once He arrives to his destination Eli tells the guards that he has a copy of the King James Version of the Bible. Once inside, Eli, who is revealed to be blind, begins to dictate the Bible from memory to the leader of the group. Eli dies, but not before he has finished reciting the Bible. The printing press at Alcatraz begins making copies of the new King James Bible.

Today, let us remember no matter how crazy the world may seem, no matter what efforts are made to silence or destroy our faith, GODS WORD WILL PREVAIL!

Blessings my friends

Pastor Rod

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^[1] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). Be Determined. “Be” Commentary Series (45). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

^[2] Ironside, H. A. (1913). Notes on the Book of Nehemiah (47). New York: Loizeaux Bros.

Vital and Necessary! (Nehemiah 3:25-26)

After him Pedaiah the son of Parosh 26 and the temple servants living on Ophel repaired to a point opposite the Water Gate on the east and the projecting tower.

THE STUDY:

          This morning we are going to skip a few verses due to the understanding that it took many to rebuild the wall and “all” were instrumental. Today we want to look at the “Water Gate.” The “Water Gate” led from the palace-temple complex to the Gihon Spring (cf. 8:1, 3, 16; 12:37).^[1]

          The Nethinim were servants, and it is only fitting that they should have the care of this gate, for water is very generally a type of the word of God. “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto according to Thy word” (Ps. 119:9).

          We do not read of any repairs being made here, only that the Nethinim dwelt over against the water gate. Possibly this port needed none. At any rate, we know that of which it speaks needs not to be repaired, for the word of God liveth and abideth forever. All vain man’s assaults upon the word of God have left it uninjured and unchanged. We are called upon to defend it, contending earnestly for the faith once for all delivered to the people of God, but it would be irreverent to attempt to patch or improve it.

          The water of the Word is what Christ uses to wash His disciples’ feet and to keep them free from defilement (John 13:1–16; 15:3). It is written: “Christ also loved the Church, and gave Himself for it, that He might sanctify and cleanse it by the washing of water by the Word,” etc. (Eph. 5:25, 26).^[2]

WHAT WE CAN WALK AWAY WITH ….

• We walk away this morning with the understanding that just as the “Valley Gate” resembled humility, the “Dung Gate” resembled cleansing, and the “Fountain Gate” resembled the filling of the Spirit, the “Water Gate” resembles the watering of the Word of God that is needed in one’s life.  

APPLICATION:

Billy Graham said: “In August of 1949, I was so filled with doubts about everything that when I stood to preach and made a statement, I would say to myself: I wonder if that is the truth. I wonder if I can really say that sincerely. My ministry had gone."

 “I then took the Bible up into the high Sierra Nevada mountains in California. I opened it and got on my knees. I pled, ’Father I cannot understand many things in this Book. I cannot come intellectually all the way, but I accept it by faith to be authoritative, the inspired Word of the living God! ’”

I am convinced there is nothing more significant, more important, or more powerful than the word of God. It needs to be the very water we bathe with every morning before we take a shower. Today, let God’s word become like the air you breath: vital and necessary!

Blessings my friends

Pastor Rod

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^[1] Breneman, M. (1993). Vol. 10: Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther (electronic ed.). The New American Commentary (191). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.

^[2] Ironside, H. A. (1913). Notes on the Book of Nehemiah (44–45). New York: Loizeaux Bros.

Freedom & Empowerment! (Nehemiah 3:15)

And Shallum the son of Col-hozeh, ruler of the district of Mizpah, repaired the Fountain Gate. He rebuilt it and covered it and set its doors, its bolts, and its bars. And he built the wall of the Pool of Shelah of the king’s garden, as far as the stairs that go down from the city of David.

THE STUDY:

          The Fountain Gate (v. 15) illustrates the ministry of the Holy Spirit (John 7:37–39). The thing I would like to point out this morning is the order of these gates: first, there is humility (the valley gate), then cleansing (the dung gate), and then the filling of the Spirit (the fountain gate).^[1]         

          To the woman at the well, the Lord Jesus spoke of a fountain (not merely a well) of living water. Again in John 7 He cried, “He that believeth on Me … out of his inward parts shall flow rivers of living water.” The fountain of living water is a type, or symbol of the Holy Spirit who indwells all believers.^[2]

                   

WHAT WE CAN WALK AWAY WITH ….

• We walk away this morning with the understanding that as Nehemiah is describing the rebuilding of the wall he is also describing the steps for restoration for the people spiritually: humility, cleansing, and the filling of the Holy spirit.

APPLICATION:

As a minister I have had the wonderful blessing of introducing people to Christ. I have been doubly blessed with the opportunity to lead some of those individuals into the experience of (Sanctification) or what some may call the “infilling of the Holy Spirit.”

I recall a quote from Dr. Mervin Smith (District Superintendent on the WV South), “I don’t believe Satan gets to upset about people accepting Christ as their personal savior. The walls of hell are shaken when that person is sanctified.” Satan still has a chance to cause someone to go astray after they receive Christ. It is when the believer surrenders all to Christ and desires the very nature change God wants to do within him/her that diminishes Satan’s power significantly. This is when Satan is most fearful, when God’s children seek to be empowered by the Holy Spirit.

Don’t let Satan take away or cause you to miss the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. Today can be the day you surrender it all to God and receive the power to resist sin and live for Christ as was intended from the very beginning. Today can be the day you live in the freedom and empowerment of the Holy Spirit.

Blessings my friends

Pastor Rod

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^[1] Wiersbe, W. W. (1993). Wiersbe’s Expository Outlines on the Old Testament (Ne 3). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

^[2] Ironside, H. A. (1913). Notes on the Book of Nehemiah (42). New York: Loizeaux Bros.

“OLD ME!” (Nehemiah 3:14)

Malchijah the son of Rechab, ruler of the district of Beth-haccherem, repaired the Dung Gate. He rebuilt it and set its doors, its bolts, and its bars.

THE STUDY:

          “Dung Gate” was also known as the Refuse Gate. It was the southernmost gate, leading to the trash dump in the Hinnom Valley. It is probably to be identified as the Potsherd Gate mentioned in Jer 19:2. In the NT, the trash dump outside the Refuse Gate is associated metaphorically with the place of the eternal punishment of the wicked (e.g., Matt 5:22, 29, 30; Luke 12:5; Jas 3:6).^[1]

          The sanitary disposal of waste materials is essential to the health of a city. This gate did not have a beautiful name, but it did perform an important service! It reminds us that, like the city, each of us individually must get rid of whatever defiles us, or it may destroy us (2 Cor. 7:1; 1 John 1:9).^[2]       

                   

WHAT WE CAN WALK AWAY WITH ….

• We walk away this morning with the understanding that just like a city that needs to dispose of garbage and waste in a physical sense for its health and well-being. A person needs to do the same thing spiritually in order for them to be healthy and clean which is the way God had designed it!

APPLICATION:

I have been blessed to have crossed paths with many of the saints of today. One of the things that I admire about them and long to experience within myself is that unbreakable oneness with Jesus. These folks don’t have to wake up in the morning and decide if they are going to serve Christ or be used by Him that day. They don’t have to spend a large amount of time in prayer trying to decipher what God is trying to tell them. Their very nature      is saturated by Christ!

I am not saying I have to make a conscience decision every day to follow Christ or not. I am getting better at hearing and listening to the Holy Spirit. What I long to have is the “OLD ME” gone and nothing but the Holy Spirit dwelling within.

We all have those moments of the “old me” rearing its ugly head. For me, it doesn’t have the same power or control. For others they are able to surrender it to Christ and be delivered from it. But, for some, they still hang on to this garbage or waste and never sense the healthiness Christ has for them. Today, let go of that garbage and waste that has been negating the blessings and freedom Christ wants to give you.

Blessings my friends

Pastor Rod

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^[1] Barry, J. D., Grigoni, M. R., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Mangum, D., & Whitehead, M. M. (2012). Faithlife Study Bible (Ne 2:13). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.

^[2] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). Be Determined. “Be” Commentary Series (43–44). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

The Prideland! (Nehemiah 3:13)

Hanun and the inhabitants of Zanoah repaired the Valley Gate. They rebuilt it and set its doors, its bolts, and its bars, and repaired a thousand cubits of the wall, as far as the Dung Gate.

THE STUDY:

           Today we are going to look at the next gate to be repaired and that is the Valley Gate. If you remember, the Valley Gate is where Nehemiah’s nighttime inspection started and ended when he first arrived. Hanun is from the town of Zanoah which is about thirteen miles southwest of Jerusalem. Hanun’s name is very interesting; it means “Favored.”

          The Valley Gate opened up into the Hinnom Valley which is known to be the area where all the garbage was disposed of. This surely suggests humility—a willingness to take a lowly place so that the Lord may be exalted.

                   

WHAT WE CAN WALK AWAY WITH ….

• We walk away with the understanding that no matter what your status in society may be: Mayor of the town or garbage man, you are needed for the work of the Kingdom.

APPLICATION:

          Pride is a characteristic found in every fallen creature, who really have nothing to be proud of; for “What do you have that you did not receive?” (I Cor 4:7) Even in connection with service for the Lord, how this unholy thing creeps in, leading one servant to be jealous of another, instead of catching the Master’s voice as He says, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!”^[1]

          One of the commentators states: Every Christian needs a “valley gate,” for God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble (1 Peter 5:5–6). It is only as we yield to Christ and serve others that we can truly enter into the fullness of the life He has for us (Phil. 2:1–11).^[2]

          Today, don’t let pride raise its ugly head! Remember, it’s not about being first, right, or on top! It is about allowing the Holy Spirit to work through you and in you so that His will be done. Pride clogs up the flow of the Holy Spirit. Let us not miss out on seeing what only God can do today because of PRIDE!

Let’s move out of the Prideland and into the presence of God!

Blessings my friends

Pastor Rod

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^[1] Ironside, H. A. (1913). Notes on the Book of Nehemiah (39). New York: Loizeaux Bros.

^[2] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). Be Determined. “Be” Commentary Series (43). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.