We know of many names for the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the scriptures, and also that they are not mere titles; but they tell us of our Heavenly Fathers character, His attributes, describing Who He is. As well as us knowing Him by His names, we are also better able to understand how He protects, sustains us and intervenes in our situation when necessary.
This reinforces that He is faithful – emeth – אֶמֶת
He is the One Who will bring us through to victory.
The Hebrew word translated faithfulness
means: steadfastness, firmness, fidelity.
The faithfulness of God means that our Heavenly Father is: unchanging in His nature,
faith (1), faithful (2), faithfully (6), faithfulness (10), lasting (1), nor* (1), right (1), true (18), truly (4), truth (80), truth that you may correctly (1), truthful (2)
Genesis 32:10 HEB: הַחֲסָדִים֙ וּמִכָּל־ הָ֣אֱמֶ֔ת אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשִׂ֖יתָ NAS: and of all the faithfulness which KJV: of all the mercies, and of all the truth,which thou hast shewed INT: the lovingkindness all the faithfulnesswhich have shown
One name we know very well from Psalm 23 is
the Lord our Shepherd.
Shepherd in Hebrew is Rohi.
Yahweh Rohi means: The Lord My Shepherd.
In Psalm 23, David calls upon his Shepherd to be his guide through both the good and the dark places in life. A shepherd feeds his flock and leads them to green pastures. Ezekiel 34:11-15. Yeshua/Jesus – our Good Shepherd is leading us, protecting us, delivering us, hearing us, feeding us, and so much more. When we allow Him to be all of these things to us, really allowing the Lord to be our Shepherd, then David’s words I shall not want will be ours too.
If the Lord is our Shepherd, then we are His sheep. Psalm 100:3 says Know that the LORD, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.
In Micah chapter 2 there is another reference to His people being as sheep:
Micah 2:12-13: “I will surely assemble, O Jacob, all of thee; I will surely gather the remnant of Israel; I will put them together as the sheep of Bozrah, as the flock in the midst of their fold: they shall make a great noise by reason of the multitude of men. The breaker is come up before them: they have broken up, and have passed through the gate, and are gone out by it: and their king shall pass before them, and the Lord on the head of them.”
The Hebrew imagery and tradition gives us a great picture of a shepherd making an overnight place of protection for his sheep by building a makeshift rock wall up against the hillside.
When he lets the sheep out in the morning, the shepherd makes a hole/ a break, in the fence/wall by removing some of the stones. Then he steps through the break/gate and the sheep follow after him. They have been tightly corralled all night and the sheep push one another, all trying to get through at the same time, which in their eagerness to get out breaks the wall further, widening the opening. Finally they all break through out into the pasture and run after their shepherd.
In this passage the breaker and the king are one and the same person but, as the rabbis interpret it, the breaker is Elijah, and their king is the Messiah.
In the New Testament we can relate this to Matthew 17:12/13 where Yeshua/Jesus says But I say to you that Elijah has come already, and they did not know him but did to him whatever they wished. ….….Then the disciples understood that Hespoketo them concerning Johnthe Baptist.
The rabbis teaching on this passage in Micah 2 is that Elijah would come first as the breaker, the one who would make the first hole in the rock. He goes before the Messiah to prepare the way for Him.
The Messiah is the king who follows Elijah and leads the sheep through the gate to the kingdom of God. The ones following the Messiah will be so anxious to pass through the gate, that they will deliberately widen the gate, like the sheep, ready to get out of their pen and into green pastures.
in Matthew 11:12:it reads “And from the days of John the Baptist until the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.”
The word violent in the Matthew passage in the Greek is biastes which carries the idea of breaking forth.
In the Aramaic the word used is qetira which has the idea of breaking away from a restraint.
In Jesus/Yeshuas day the teaching in Micah was well known and He was possibly referring to this passage in Micah when He spoke in Matthew 11:12 of taking the kingdom of God by breaking out or removing any restraints.
The translation of the Greek word biastes or of the Aramaic word qetira as violent, gives the impression of aggressive anger rather than the idea of an eager desire to be near the Messiah and unfortunately can be misleading.
What seems clear is that John the Baptist is the breaker here. He makes the breach/hole in the rock wall/gate and goes forth as he has opened the way. He is the Elijah that the rabbis suggest in their teaching on Micah 2. Now as the King, Yeshua/Jesus leads the people/sheep through, and they are so eagerly desiring to enter into the kingdom, like the sheep they break through the gate rushing to the Messiah and the kingdom of heaven.
if in this instance, Yeshua/Jesus is referring to the rabbis, then He is not talking about taking the kingdom by aggression and violence, but is referring to this imagery. This picture was one, which every one listening to Him knew from the old testament. This being, that the people/sheep will be so eager and excited to break out of their old traditions in order to follow the Messiah and enter the kingdom of Heaven; that they will biastes or qetira, that is, they will break down the narrow gate and widen it so that more and more can quickly break through.
In 2 Samuel 5:20 there is another picture of the Lord and of breaking through:
And David came to Baal-perazim, and he smote them there, and said, The Lord has broken through my enemies before me, like the bursting out of great waters. So he called the name of that place Baal-perazim [Lord of breaking through].
He hath overpowered and scattered them, as waters, when they make a breach in a bank, overflow and carry all before them.
20 And David came to Baal-perazim, and David defeated them there. And he said, “The Lord has broken through my enemies before me like a breaking flood.”
Strongs 1188
Baal Peratsim: “possessor of breaches,”
a place in Palestine
Original Word:בַּעַל פְּרָצִים Transliteration:Baal Peratsim Phonetic Spelling:bah’-al per-aw-tseem’
From ba’al and the plural of perets; possessor of breaches;
2 Samuel 5:20 HEB: דָוִ֥ד בְּבַֽעַל־ פְּרָצִים֮וַיַּכֵּ֣ם שָׁ֣ם NAS: came to Baal-perazim and defeated KJV: came to Baalperazim, and David INT: came David to Baal-perazim and defeated there
2 Samuel 5:20 HEB: הַה֖וּא בַּ֥עַל פְּרָצִֽים׃ NAS: he named that place Baal-perazim. KJV: the name of that place Baalperazim. INT: place he Baal-perazim
1 Chronicles 14:11 HEB: וַיַּעֲל֥וּ בְּבַֽעַל־ פְּרָצִים֮וַיַּכֵּ֣ם שָׁ֣ם NAS: So they came up to Baal-perazim, and David KJV: So they came up to Baalperazim; and David
1 Chronicles 14:11 HEB: וַיֹּ֣אמֶר דָּוִ֔יד פָּרַ֨ץ הָֽאֱלֹהִ֧ים אֶת־ NAS: God has broken through my enemies KJV: God hath broken in upon mine enemies INT: said and David has broken God enemies
1 break or burst out, from womb Genesis 38:29 (J; with accusative of congnate meaning with verb); from enclosure Micah 2:13.
break or burst out, from womb with the breaking of the waters just prior to giving birth.
1 chronicles 14:11 Baal-perazim. — Lord, or owner, of breaches, or breakings forth. “Baal” may refer to Jehovah ( comp. 1Chronicles 9:33, Note); and perāzîm may have also meant the fissures or gullies.
God has broken through my enemies by my hand, like a bursting flood.
So David and his men went up to Baal-perazim, where he defeated the Philistines and said, “Like a bursting flood, God has burst out against my enemies by my hand.”
2 Samuel 5:20 HEB: דָּוִד֒ וַיֹּ֕אמֶר פָּרַ֨ץ יְהוָ֧ה אֶת־ NAS: The LORD has broken through my enemies KJV: The LORD hath broken forth upon mine enemies INT: David said has broken the LORD enemies
Strong’s Concordance 6555
parats: to break through
Original Word: פרַץ Transliteration: parats Phonetic Spelling: (paw-rats’) Definition: to break through
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin a prim. root Definition to break through NASB Translation became…prosperous (1), breaches (1), break (2), break their down (1), break down (1), break forth (1), breaker (1), breaking away (1), breaks through (2), broke (1), broke down (1), broken (3), broken down (5), broken through (2), destroyed (1), distributed (1), employ violence (1), everywhere (1), increase (1), increased (3), infrequent* (1), made (1), made an outburst (1), outburst* (2), overflow (1), sinks (1), spread (3), spread abroad (1), tear down (1), through (1), tore down (2), urged (4).
Strongs 6559
Peratsim: a mountain in Isr.
Original Word: פְרָצִים Transliteration: Peratsim Phonetic Spelling: (per-aw-tseem’)
The breaking out of the sheep – the place of the breaches.
This is the place they left their gods and they were burned up completely. It’s a place of a spiritual battle.
David had a similar experience when he encountered the Lord fighting for them in 2 Samuel and 1chronicles. He described it as like a river bursting over its banks and overwhelming his enemies, a similar scene to the sheep rolling out over the stone walls, pictures the rush and flow or the breaking through.
Yeshua/Jesus our shepherd, our Messiah – our breaking through. He is Lord of breaking through.
Whatever prison we are in, whatever situation seem to have us penned in, He is the Way out, He is the breach that leads to our freedom. He is Lord of breaking through. Just like a river bursting over its banks, after the water has risen to the point beyond capacity, our Heavenly Father promises that we will never be tested beyond what we can handle and then the break through comes!
No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.
God is faithful, and he will not let you be tested beyond your strength, but with the testing he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to endure it.
1Corinthians 10:13
He is the Lord our Shepherd, the One who makes a breach in the wall for us to rollout over the wall and follow Him like a overflow of rushing water eager to enter into His kingdom!
He is the Lord of the Breaking through. He is the place of the breaches. He is baal Perazim, He is the spiritual break through and the natural breaking through in our situation and circumstances.
Ba’al P’ratzim – Lord of breaking through.
Baal Peratsim: possessor of breaches.
It is time to burn our idols and any thing that we put before the Lord in our lives. David said God has broken through my enemies by my power like a river breaking through its banks. Because he obeyed the Lord’s command… the victory was assured.
Its time for us to paratz – to break through. John went before Messiah and Messiah has gone before us and opened the WAY. He knows where you are and your situation, He has not forgotten you… the Lord of breaking through has made a Way for you. Keep your eyes on Him, your Good Shepherd is about to call you out by name.
Read Micah 2:12,13 again…..
We are grafted into Israel through Messiah, Who is The breaker.… Who has come up before them: and passed through the Veil, the Gateway, the Dalet, the Door to the Father.
He is the King who has passed before us… the prison door is open wide what are we still doing inside?
He is the Lord our breakthrough,
believe it,
receive it
and see the salvation of the Lord today.
Shalom aleikhem
chaverim and mishpachah!
Peace to friends and family.
Shavua Tov, Have a blessed week.
Make certain Messiah Jesus/Yeshua is your Redeemer, Savior, Lord and soon returning King and that you have a personal relationship with Him.
It’s all about Life and Relationship, NOT Religion.
You are very precious in His sight.
Not sure ..you can be…
SIMPLY SAY THE FOLLOWING MEANING IT FROM YOUR HEART..don’t delay one more minute,
SAY IT RIGHT NOW…
Heavenly Father I come to you in the Name of Jesus/Yeshua 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/Yeshua 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/Yeshua 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/Yeshua. Thank you that you have accepted me into your family in Jesus’/Yeshua’s name.
The prophet Ezekiel says that a day will come when there will be 12 gates in the city walls, one for each of Israel’s tribes. (Ezekiel 48:31-34).
There can be some confusion as to which gate is called what because, over the generations they have been given different names depending on who was in control of the city.
A GATE
שַׁ֫עַר shaar
gives access to the City; it is a seat of power, authority and influence; 1 Chronicles 9:22-23
Cities were walled with gates to protect those inside, it was a security defense; they were very thick.See pictures below.
The walls around the Old City of Jerusalem were built in the early 16th century by Turkish Sultan, Suleiman the Magnificent.
There are many stories connected to
Sha’ar Yerushalyim
the walls of Jerusalem.
Via the gates people entered and left the city, by them, Jerusalem was conquered numerous times, and here trading has taken place for thousands of years. Although the gates of Jerusalem were in a slightly different place in Biblical times, the city gates were a place to learn Torah and to teach the laws in scripture. Today, officially there are 8 gates in the walls of the Old City, although there are a few extra “unofficial” gates. 7 of the official gates are still in use, while one has been blocked off for hundreds of years.
If we count 12 the list would be:
The Valley Gate (2:13; 3:13). Also 2Chronicles 26:9.
The Gate of the Fountain (2:14; 3:15; 12:37), on Ophel at the Gihon spring that is mentioned in 2Kings 25:4. Jeremiah 39:4.
The Sheep Gate (3:1; 12:39). North of the Temple.
The Fish Gate (3:3; 12:39). Also 2Chronicles 33:14. Zephaniah 1:10.
The Old Gate (3:6; 12:39). Also 2Chronicles 33:14, and 2Kings 22:14,college. Also called the First Gate.Zechariah 14:10.
The Dung Gate (2:14; 3:14; 12:31). Probably same as Harsith Gate (Jeremiah 19:2); sometimes rendered the Gate of Potsherds/Pottery Gate. Leading to Hinnom. .
The Water Gate (3:25, 26).
The Horse Gate (3:28). Also 2Kings 11:16. 2Chronicles 23:15. Jeremiah 31:40. South-east of the Temple, and close to the city and house of David.
The East Gate (3:29). East of the Temple, and connected with it.
The Gate of Miphkad (3:31). Probably north-east of Temple. Also called The Registry Gate.
The Gate of Ephraim (8:16; 12:39). Also 2Chronicles 25:23.
The Prison Gate(12:39), or Gate of the Guard2Kings 11:6, 19
In Nehemiah 3, the first sixteen verses refer to Jerusalem, and the latter sixteen verses to Zion (or the city of David), south of Moriah. Those who wish to study these, and a comparison with chapter 12, will find it explains most of the difficulties connected with the layout of the city.
Four of the gates of Jerusalem face the cardinal directions; the Damascus Gate to the north, the Golden Gate to the east, the Zion Gate to the south, and the Jaffa Gate to the west.
The remaining gates are:
the Flower, or Herods Gate,
the Lion Gate,
the Dung Gate,
and the New Gate.
The Old City of Jerusalem had eight gates in its walls.
Suleiman’s original walls had six gates:
Damascus Gate,
Herod’s Gate,
Stephen’s Gate,
Dung Gate,
Zion Gate and
Jappa Gate.
The gates were all designed and built to have an L-shaped entry instead of a straight line of entry. Taking this sharp ninety degree turn would have slowed down an invading army in the final moments of a siege. The “L” turns have been removed from Stephen’s Gate and the Dung Gate to better facilitate modern traffic but can still be seen in the other four gates.
The Gates Of Jerusalem in Nehemiah’s Day.
Nehemiah chapter 3 describes the building of the walls and gates of the city, giving the names of the individuals and families who performed the work and the portion of the wall or gates on which they were employed.
After the Babylonian Captivity, when the Jewish people returned to their homeland, Jerusalem lay in ruins. The Temple, the city walls, and the gates had been destroyed as a result of the three invasions of Nebuchadnezzar and his forces in 606 BC, 597 BC, and 586 BC.
Much work needed to be done, and Zerubbabel, Ezra, and Nehemiah each led groups of the returned remnant in the task of rebuilding the city of Jerusalem.
Restoring the gates was a necessary element in rebuilding the walls and securing the city. The dictionary defines a gate as a movable structure controlling entrance or exit through an opening in a fence or wall or any means of entrance.
Under the adverse conditions which he encountered, Nehemiah’s task was enormous.
The job required a team effort, as described in chapter 3. To accomplish the task, Nehemiah assigned specific work places to individuals and families, who were assigned to work on sections of the wall or gates near their homes. This provided the motivation needed to complete the work and it also avoided wasting time that would have been needed to travel to other parts of the city. It assured the workers that they would be near their homes to protect their families in the event of an attack. Each family was to use all of its available talent, thus making it a household project v. 21, 23–24, 26, 28–30. In addition to local residents, many people who lived outside of Jerusalem were assigned to work on sections of the wall where homes were sparse v. 2, 5, 7, 27.
Some of the work assignments were given according to their roles in life .e.g. v. 1 the High Priest and other priests were assigned to rebuild the
Sheep Gate which was important to the priests
because animals were brought through that gate to the Temple for sacrificial offerings.
Beginning from the north wall of the Temple, and going forward counterclockwise 10 gates are mentioned inchapter 3.
The circumference of the walls was approximately 2 1/2 miles, or 4 km. and covering approximately 220 acres/890308 sq.metres.
There are spiritual applications for our lives today
reflected in the
10 gates names
and what they were connected to.
The Sheep Gate, Fish Gate, and Old Gate
were located in the northern section of the wall.
The Sheep Gate
is the first gate mentioned in Nehemiah.
The building of the wall and gates
begins from the Sheep Gate
in Nehemiah 3,
because
everything begins from the offering of
the Lamb
Yeshua HaMashiach/Jesus Christ.
The first gate is the Sheep Gate
and, next to it,
the Tower of Hananel, which means God’s mercy
or something to do with the mercy of God;
and the Tower of the Me’ah, which is the Hebrew word for one hundred.
As just mentioned, that is the gate to which they brought the sheep into Jerusalem to be sacrificed in the temple.
Recall, when Yeshua/Jesus said
if a shepherd loses a sheep,
he’ll leave the 99 and go after the 1?
(Luke 15:3-7)
If 1 sheep is missing,
it is not counted as a legitimate flock.
A flock had to be 100!
Sometimes, some of us go astray, maybe some fall away and young believers sometimes backslide. In times of stress and crisis, it can sometimes seem that the Lord has abandoned us, and so we wander off. This is not true and the Good Shepherd comes after us because He doesn’t want to lose any that the Father has given to Him. The Sheep Gate is representative of Messiahs statement in
John 10:27
The spiritual meaning of the Sheep Gate is that the High Priest built it, and that through that gate,lambs and sheep were brought to the temple for sacrifice.
Note that the sheep gate had no locks or bars,
for
the door of salvation
is open to everyone.
This was the only gate that was sanctified,
setting it apart as a special gate!
IN v. 1, 32 on the northeast corner of the wall. was the location of The Sheep Gate named because sheep were led through it to the Temple. It was near the market where sheep were sold and close to the Sheep Pool where the Temple sacrifices were washed. The Sheep Gate was also near another well known place, the Pool of Bethesda (Jn. 5:2).
The Tower of Hammeah (hundred) and the Tower of Hananel (12:39). Were Between the Sheep Gate and the Fish Gate.
The Tower of Hananel is also mentioned in Jeremiah 31:38 and Zechariah 14:10 as the northernmost part of the city.
The Sheep Gate is a reminder to us of calvarys’ cross. Yeshua/Jesus was “the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sin of the world” Jn. 1:29 Humanity is described as wayward sheep (Isa. 53:6) who need a shepherd to lead them into God’s eternal heavenly sheepfold. Yeshua/Jesus is the door through which sinners can enter the sheepfold and be redeemed (Jn. 10:1–9).Believers are bought with a price according to 1 Cor. 6:20, the blood of God’s Lamb, Jesus Christ/Yeshua HaMashiach
Then Eliashib, the high priest, rose up with his brethren, the priests, and they builded the sheep gate; they sanctified it, and set up the doors of it. (Nehemiah 3:1)
The Sheep Gate in Jerusalem was near the temple; it was where the sacrificial animals were brought in to be offered on the altar. It is in keeping that the priests should build this particular gate, for it speaks of Christ and His work upon the cross for us. That is exactly what the prophet had said:
He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. (Isaiah 53:7)
When John the Baptist marked Christ out for His ministry he said,
“Behold the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29).
It makes one wonder if the Yeshua/Jesus came in at the Sheep Gate every time He entered the city except on the day of the Triumphal Entry?
We do know for sure that He came in through the Sheep Gate to the Pool of Bethesda, where He healed the blind man. That act was symbolic of the fact that He came as the Lamb of God to take away the sin of the world, the poor man who was healed is a picture of every sinner who, will find deliverance from sin if they are willing to come to the cross of Messiah.
Yeshua/Jesus not only came in through that gate, but they took Him out through that gate when He was arrested and also when He was led out to be crucified. The Sheep Gate was the place of judgment, telling us that He bore the judgment of our sin. This is the gate where we must begin with God, because He is not prepared to meet us anywhere else but at the cross.
It is interesting to note that,
next unto him the men of Jericho built. Nehemiah 3:2. Jericho was the city of the curse, and the men of Jericho were building right next to the Sheep Gate.
Surely, that’s not by chance!
Messiah bore the curse of sin on the cross for us.
in Galatians, Paul wrote saying:
Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us; for it is written, Cursed is everyone that hangeth on a tree. Galatians 3:13.
The old Sheep gate
שער כבשים
sha`ar ha-tso’-n or sha’ar ke-ves
is also known as
St Stephens gate
and
Lions gate
שערהאריות Sha’ar ha-Arayot,
to the north of the Haram es-Sherif, or temple area from which the path leads down into the valley of the Kedron.
The first gate has implications in being called sheep (sacrifical lamb) and lion (of Judah/tribes) and Stephen seeing heaven opened, (martyr). This is where we too must begin our journey into His Kingdom/City…
At the foot of the cross where
freedom from the curse of sin awaits us.
Jesus Christ/Yeshua HaMashiach is the High Priest of the ReNewEd Covenant, He is the Lamb, who offered His life as the price of our sins.
As our spiritual High Priest, Yeshua/Jesus set up doors of the Sheep Gate, which means that
He is the Door of the sheep.
To receive salvation and, therefore enter God’s kingdom, a man must enter through the blood of the Lamb, Jesus Christ/Yeshua haMashiach.
John 10:7 Then said Jesus to them again, Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.
It is very significant that
Eliashib in Hebrew means:
God restores.
Again it’s not by chance but our Heavenly Fathers’ design that, as High Priest, he was the one who rebuilt the Sheep Gate and the walls surrounding it.
The Gates continue in Part 2!
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.
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