Continuing from part one …

Recall

A GATE gives access to the City; it is a seat of power, authority and influence; 1 Chronicles 9:22-23.

We enter God’s City through these Gates;

Matthew 5:14; Hebrews 11:10; 12:22

These Gates reflect the restoration of Kingdom Principles in the lives of God’s people.

The Restoration of the 12 Gates reveals the rebuilding of an original structure: God’s Divine Order and Government;

Gen. 35:22; 1 Kings 4:7; Matt. 10:1; Rev. 12:1; 21:12-21

Last post was a look at The SHEEP Gate –

The principle of conversion, repentance, atonement, new birth.

Nehemiah.3:1-2; John 3:3

Sheep enter through the DoorJesus/Yeshua and become part of God’s flock; John 10:7-16

Jesus/Yeshua seeks after sheep who wander and go astray; Isaiah 53:6.

 

The next Gate:

And the fish gate did the sons of Hassenaah build…. Nehemiah 3:3

Fish Gate – sha’ar dag -שַׁ֤עַר דָּג

This was one of Jerusalem’s main entrances in the days of the First Temple, according to 2 Chr. 33:14. This gate led out to the main road north from Jerusalem/Yesushalyim, the road descended to the coastal plain through Beth-Horon. The majority of researchers agree that it is located close to the site where the Damascus Gate is today.

This gate was called the Fish Gate because merchants brought fish from Tyre or the Sea of Galilee through it to the fish market 13:16.

Fish Gate – sha’ar dag -שַׁ֤עַר דָּג

reminds us of Jesus/Yeshua’s words concerning soul winning.

We are to become fishers of men Mt. 4:19 in response to Yeshua/Jesus’ call to His disciples.

 It seems that the Fish Gate was next in line to the Sheep Gate. Recall that the first thing Yeshua/Jesus was to send them out immediately after being saved, to witness for Him. The woman at the well and the possessed man among the tombs were examples of this recorded in John 4:5-38 and Mark 5:1-20.

At the time of Nehemiah, the Fish Gate was in disrepair. That is like so many believers who, for long periods of time, make no attempt to witness or win anyone to Messiah. There are many Believers who are fishing; sometimes they do not catch anything, but we’ll never catch a fish until we try! He is still calling us to be fishers of men because all around us today there are hungry hearts. 

      Yeshua/Jesus said to His disciples, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” He is giving us the same message as we stand before the Fish Gate.

Nehemiah 3:3-5; Matthew 13:47-49; Mark 16:15; Luke 5:6-9

The abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee Is 60:5 

The FISH Gate -shows us the principle of evangelism, outreach, soul-winning.

 An interesting note:

      And next unto them the Tekoites repaired; but their nobles put not their necks to the work of their Lord. (Nehemiah 3:5)

Think what it would mean to be recorded in God’s book that, when the opportunity presented itself to put ourselves to the work of the Lord, we did not do it and missed the opportunity!

They were right next to the Fish Gate. Scripture says,

He that withholdeth grain, the people shall curse him… Proverbs 11:26.

Today some are withholding grain/the Word of God, from those that are hungry.

 

Prov. 11:30

tells us that

he that winneth souls is wise

and He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves [souls] with him Ps. 126:6.

Every believer should heed Mt. 28:19–20 and share the message of salvation, so that souls will be saved and we will shine as the stars forever and ever Dan. 12:3. and of course we are to make disciples of those that choose to follow Messiah.

As previously, mentioned, the majority of researchers agree that the Fish Gate was located close to the site where the Damascus Gate is today.

Damascus Gate שער שכם‎, Sha’ar Sh’khem

meaning

Shechem Gate, or Nablus Gate.

Sha’ar Shchem שער שכם

also known as

Nablus Gate

was built in 1542 by Suleiman the Magnificent and faces north. In Hebrew, the gate is named after the important northern city in Israel in ancient times, Shechem. The triple gate has one large center gate originally intended for important people, and two smaller side entrances for commoners.

It was also called Neapolis Gate around 325-638 AD

The original gate is believed to have been built during the period of the Second Jewish Temple or בית מקדש , that was destroyed by the Romans. In the second century AD during the reign of Hadrian, the Romans built a new gate.

A Roman victory column was erected in front of the gate,

giving the gate its Arabic name

Bab el-Amud,

meaning the

Gate of the Column/Pillar or Column Gate.

The Romans would place milestones along the roads and highways that they built throughout their empire in order to measure distance.  Point zero in the land of Israel was a great pillar just inside Damascus Gate and the name preserves its memory.  The pillar, for which the gate was named, has been seen in ancient art works. During the British mandate excavation unearthed the gate, however the column was never found.

The Damascus Gate is the largest and most magnificent and was probably the gate used as the main entrance to the city in ancient times and two towers stand on each side of the gate prepared for battle.

The Gates led to the main roads leading from the city. In this case the road leads to Shechem – Nablus and then on to Damascus…The road along which Saul met Yeshua/Jesus.

These are photos of the modern day Damascus Gate note the thickness of the walls bottom right photo!

Currently it opens to the beginning of the Arab bazaar and marketplace and to the Moslem Quarter and is the busiest of all the Old City gates. The location of this gate today marks the position of a major city gate from when Herod Agrippa expanded the city walls in 41 AD.

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In the northwest corner is

The Old Gate

11

Moreover, the old gate repaired Joiada, the son of Paseah…. (Nehemiah 3:6)

this gate is identified with the

Corner Gate of

2 Kings 14:13 and Jeremiah 31:38.

Scholars differ in their Opinions concerning the use of the term Old Gate, but some believe this gate was so named, because it was the main entrance into the old city of Salem /Jerusalem on the north side.

Maps differ in their opinions of the position of the Old Gate as shown on the diagram.

The Old Gate is one of the many gates of the wall of Jerusalem, located on the northern side. It was repaired by the Jebusites during the wall rebuilding in the Book of Nehemiah.

In some versions the gate is called

the Jeshanah Gate, which translates to the old gate.

Despite the destructive fire of the city, evidently it left some remnant of the walls and gates that could be put to use so repairs to the third gate are recorded as the beams being laid, the doors set in place, and bolts and bars attached. This is similar to the repairs of many of the other gates.

Young’s Literal Translation uses the word strengthened rather than repaired, because the Hebrew word gives the idea of making strong and firm.

There are no references to the old gate having a specific use, as the Sheep and Fish Gates did however, it was in a convenient place for everyone as an entrance and exit from the city.

The Old Gate brings to mind the old man being renewed spiritually by our Heavenly Fathers spirit of Holiness. We could look at this in a significant way, that as The Old Gate is made new, repaired, strength­ened in order to fulfill the purpose of the Fish Gate, and this is only made because of the Sheep Gate.

“You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self which is being corrupted by its deceit­ful desires, to be made new in the attitude of your minds, and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” Ephesians 4: 22:

Everything is connected! We know that it is impossible to serve God until we are made new in Messiah. Becoming fishers of men depends on us being renewed, strengthened and made firm in our faith and walk and only through the Lord Jesus/Yeshua Messiah.

The Old Gate serves to remind us that in us all some of the old still remains.

But just as The old gate, though dam­aged and broken, was not thrown away when Nehemiah and his men came to rebuild; the gate was repaired, strengthened and put to good use/re-purposed! And renamed the New Gate.

The prophetic type in the Old Gate seems to be that men are plagued with a sin nature which is inherited from Adam. The unregenerate man is known in Paul’s writings as the old man:
“Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin” Romans 6:6.
 Ephesians 4:22 and Colossians 3:9

There is an ongoing struggle for each of us, because we are not suddenly transformed the moment we become born again from above. Because we are left in our bodies of death; and there will always be this tension between the old and the new while we are still on the earth. Paul said “What a wretched man I am. “Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God – through Jesus Christ our Lord.” We are made new spiritually, but our physical bodies are still part of the old creation.

Because the Old Gate reminds us of the old man/nature of believers in Yeshua/Jesus. It contrasts God’s ways and with our old lifestyle before we began to walk with Him Jer. 6:16. In Jeremiah 6:16 we find this statement:

      Thus saith the LORD, Stand in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk in it, and ye shall find rest for your souls.

We are living in a day when we are interested in the new thing; the newest model of car, style of clothes, and gadgets for the house, etc. Things may change around us, but the human heart remains the same and the constant search for something new, is the thing that is leading us to frustration.

We need to ask for the old paths. Jeremiah said that when we do we will find rest for our souls.

We need to restore the old virtues for the pattern of living today. Although the human heart is the same as it has always been, its needs are greater because of the technological life in which it is surrounded.

We are to put off the opinions of the old nature and walk in the newness of Jesus/Yeshua’s life as Col. 3:5–17 tells us to, so that sin has no dominion over our everyday living. Rom. 6:6–14.

The Old Gate sets forth the concept that sinful man needs to hear the Gospel of the Lamb. Those who tell the story are called fishers of men and enter in through the New Gate of Jesus/Yeshua.

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HaSha’ar HeChadash –

The New Gate  השער החדש

or HaSha’ar HeHadash

השער החדש

Gate of Hammid

The New Gate

is known in Hebrew as HaSha’ar Hechadash,

Heb. השער החדש

and in Arabic as Bab el-Jadid, the Gate of Hammid. 

This gate was constructed in 1889 by permission of Sultan Abdul Hamid II.

Called HaSha’ar HeChadash, the New Gate because it is the newest gate added to the old city of Jerusalem. Unlike all the other gates that were part of the original design of the wall constructed by Suleiman the Magnificent in the 16th century, this gate was breached in 1889. Though it was opened by the permission of the Ottoman ruler, it was done in the waning years of that empire. The New Gate was breached to afford the Christian pilgrims, and some note, specifically to provide the German Emperor William II easier access to the Christian Quarter.

This gate is also called Gate of Hammid in honor of the Sultan Abdul Hamid who gave permission to build it.

After the New Gate was captured by Jordan in 1948 it was closed off. It was reopened in 1967 after the Six Day war when Israel regained control of the Old City and the New Gate.

At the end of the Six Day War, Israeli soldiers file past a burnt vehicle as they enter the Lions’ Gate (or St Stephen’s Gate), Old City of Jerusalem, Israel, June 11, 1967. Israeli forces defeated the Jordan, which had held the Old City of Jerusalem since the 1948 Arab-Israeli War.

In The OLD Gate we can see the principle of the restoration of foundational truths. Nehemiah 3:6-12; Ecclesiastes 1:9

This is the uncovering of scriptural truth and a return to the apostles teaching and practices;

Isaiah 28:10; Hebrews 6:1-2

Remove not the ancient landmark which thy fathers have set.

Prov. 22:28

Ask for the ancient paths!

The New Gate was not part of the original 1535 design of Suleiman the Magnificent.

Even though the New Gate is located just up the hill from the Damascus Gate in the north wall, there’s no comparison. 

The New Gate was placed into the wall by the Ottomans in 1887 so that people could easily access the homes being built outside the city wall to the north of the city. The sultan Abdul Hamid also wanted to assist the Christian pilgrims from Russia, (they stayed at the Russian Compound just outside these walls), within easy access to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. 

The New Gate is located near the northwestern corner of the city and leads into the Christian quarter.

New Gate  Sha’ar Chadash 

was not a part of the original plan of the city walls. It was opened in 1887 by the Turkish sultan Abed el Hamid in order to give Christian pilgrims who had settled in this area outside of the Old City walls direct access to the sites holy to them in the Christian Quarter. Since it is the most recent of all gates to be built it is called the New gate and it faces Northwest.

From looking at the gates we become aware that next to the Old Gate there was another gate called the Gate of Ephraim. Ephraim means fruitfulness or doubly fruitful and it was at the beginning of a long valley, or depression in the landscape called the

valley of the cheese makers

or the Tyropoean Valley.

Today this valley runs through the center of the old city parts of the excavated wall run parallel to it.

As we make progress in our walk, there will be a choice either

the old gate or the gate of Ephraim?

We may have been called like the one lost sheep or we may have been caught like a fish.

When first we are born again from above the scales fall off our eyes like Saul/Paul on the road to Damascus and we see truth for the first time. After a few days we begin to wonder if it is real and do we want to make that lifetime commitment. We have come through the sheep gate and through the fish gate now there is a choice which one will we choose….

the old gate back to the old life and friends

or

the gate that leads to fruitfulness?

It is tied directly to Matthew 13:20,21 and Mark 4

the sower and the seed.

The Old Gate lies at the threshold of a valley a long deep valley

The Tyropean Valley.

Here the believer will have trials which valleys represent. However we are to go through the valley as in the shepherds Psalm 23 and He is with us all the Way.

More Gates coming in the next post…

Shalom shalom

‘Mishpachah’

‘Family/Tribe’

משפחה

Mish-pa-KHa,

friends, visitors and every reader…

Please don’t leave this page before making certain you are His

and are truly born from above.

Know of a certainty that Jesus/Yeshua is

your Redeemer, Savior, Lord

and soon returning King

and that you have a personal relationship with Him.

You are greatly loved and precious in His sight.

It’s all about Life and Relationship, not Religion.

NOT SURE? YOU CAN BE..

SAY THE FOLLOWING FROM YOUR HEART RIGHT NOW…

Heavenly Father I come to you in the Name of Jesus asking for forgiveness of my sins for which I am truly sorry.

I repent of them all and turn away from my past.

I believe with my heart and confess with my mouth that Jesus is your Son and that He died on the cross at calvary to pay the price for my sin, so that I might be forgiven and have eternal life in the kingdom of Heaven. Father I believe that Jesus rose from the dead and I ask you to come into my life right now and be my personal Savior and Lord and I will worship you all the days of my life. Because your word is truth I say that I am now forgiven and born again and by faith I am washed clean with the blood of Jesus.  Thank you that you have accepted me into your family in Jesus’ name. Amen.