More Jerusalem Gates

8/8/2011 7:41:27 AM

SPIRITUAL DIARY

My Worship Time                                                                                                             Focus:  More Gates

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                                                         Reference:  Various Scriptures

                Message of the verses:  It is not a practice of mine to miss any days in doing this Spiritual Diary, but yesterday was not the best of days for me, probably a day when I needed to do this more than ever but it did not get done so I like Paul “but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead,

 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

                The Fountain Gate (Nehemiah 3:15):  “Shallum the son of Col-hozeh, the official of the district of Mizpah, repaired the Fountain Gate. He built it, covered it and hung its doors with its bolts and its bars, and the wall of the Pool of Shelah at the king’s garden as far as the steps that descend from the city of David.”

                The Fountain Gate was on the East wall and it was just north of the Dung Gate.  The pool that is mentioned in verse fifteen is the Pool of Siloam, the pool that Jesus told the blind beggar to wash in after He applied mud to his eyes.  This gate was also near the water tunnel that was built by King Hezekiah which was an important water supply for the city of David. 

                Let’s look at the spiritual meaning for this gate and some of the others by looking at a quote from Dr. Wiersbe, “In the Bible, water for drinking is a picture of the Holy Spirit of God (John 7:37-39), while water for washing is a picture of the Word of God (Ephesians 5:26; John 15:3).  Spiritually speaking, we have moved from the Valley Gate (humility) to the Dung Gate (cleansing) to the Fountain Gate (fullness of the Spirit).”

                The Water Gate (Nehemiah 3:26): “The temple servants living in Ophel made repairs as far as the front of the Water Gate toward the east and the projecting tower.”

                The Water Gate is not said to have been in need of repair.  This will be an important issue when the spiritual meaning for this gate is seen.  Jerusalem is one of the great cities of the world, and one of the differences between Jerusalem and other cities is that it is not built on a river.  When you think of cities like London, Paris, New York, New Orleans, Saint. Louis and others they are built by a river, not so with Jerusalem for they had to get their water supply by springs and channels.  One can still walk through the channels that King Hezekiah made today.

                Dr. Wiersbe point out the spiritual meaning by writing if the “Fountain Gate reminds us of the Spirit of God, the Water Gate reminds us of the Word of God.  In fact, it was at the Water Gate that Ezra and the priests conducted a great “Bible conference” and explained the Scriptures to the people (Nehemiah 8:1 and following).  That this gate is not said to have been repaired, as were the others, suggests that the Word of God stands forever and will not fail (Psalm 119:89; Matt. 24:35).  The Bible does not need to be repaired or improved.”

                 Spiritual meaning for my life today:  Before beginning this SD I was thinking about Hebrews 4:12, a verse that speaks of the importance of the Word of God and now I study about the Spirit of God and the Word of God as represented by two gates in Jerusalem.  Only God can do things like this.

My Steps of Faith for Today:

1.       Trust that the Lord will continue the difficult times in my life to continue to teach me contentment.

8/8/2011 9:01:41 AM