Onto Gate 2



Welcome to Gate/'gat/- A Blog Series
Definition of gate

Onto Gate 2


Definiton of a Bolt

2a: a wood or metal bar or rod used to fasten a door
2b: the part of a lock that is shot or withdrawn by the key
4: a metal rod or pin for fastening objects together that usually has a head at one end and a screw thread at the other and is secured by a nut

Definiton of a Beam

1a: a long piece of heavy often squared timber suitable for use in construction
1e: one of the principal horizontal supporting members

intransitive verb
1: to send out rays of light
2: to smile with joy

Definition of a Bar

1a: a straight piece as of wood or metal that is longer than it is wide as for a lever, support, barrier, or fastening.
2a: something that obstructs or prevents passage, progress, or action; such as law
2b: an intangible or non physical impediment
3b (1): the barrier in the English Inns of Court that formerly separated the seats of the benchers or readers from the body of the hall occupied by the students

MEASURE
STANDARD


Thank you for joining The Road2Wholeness Blog for Gate 2.  Today we continue to look at the rebuilding project led by Nehemiah to restore the Wall around the City of Jerusalem.  As we move through this blog, we'll refer back to some of the definitions that have been pointed out above.  Let's begin with scripture to give a greater context for where we are in the story.

Nehemiah 4:1-2 reads, "When Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became angry and was greatly incensed.  He ridiculed the Jews.. 'What are those feeble Jews doing?' 'Can they bring the stones back to life from those heaps of rubble-- burned as they are?"'

Verse 7 reads, "But when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites and the people of Ashdod heard that the repairs to Jerusalem's walls had gone ahead and that the gaps were being closed, they were very angry.  They plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and stir up trouble against it.

Nehemiah 4:19 reads, "Then I said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, 'The work is extensive and spread out, and we are widely separated from each other along the wall.  Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, join us there.  Our God will fight for us!"'

I'll like to approach this blog from an inside-out perspective.  Inside-Out not limited to the inside, but appealing to both.  Here we are still talking about the actual rebuilding project of Nehemiah's day and The New Jerusalem; the city built on a hill within us.  We've already established by the Word of God that the Lord is the gate.  Here we see Nehemiah has been presented as a door.  He becomes just as it states in the definition of "Door" a means of access or participation in what God has decided to do for the City of Jerusalem.  When we started out the book, Nehemiah had not shared with anyone what God had placed on his heart.  Now we have come to the point in the story where nobles, officials, and the people are working to rebuild and all under his leadership.  Therefore, the burden has been placed at the door.  In the above scripture from Nehemiah 4:19, we see that the work is extensive and they are widely separated from each other along the wall.  He then instructs the people to follow the sound of the trumpet in order to come together in times of battle and/or confrontation.

In Corinthians 12:12, 14, and 17-23, it says, "Just as the body though one has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ.  Even so the body is not made up of one part but many.  If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be?  If the whole body was an ear, where would the sense of smell be?  But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be.  If they were all one part, where would the body be?  As it is, there are many parts, but one body.  The eye cannot say to the hand, 'I don't need you!'  On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor."  As believers in Christ and parts within the body of Christ, can we recognize the sound of the trumpet? 

I also wonder if we can recognize the rebuilding project that is going on even now.  The trajectory of the Bible reveals the desire of God's heart to achieve the vision He had in the beginning.  Thus God's rebuilding has never stopped.  In fact, we know that Jesus said before he departed to carry the gospel throughout the world.  He also said, "The harvest is plenty, but the workers are few."  I see that, and I also see that there is a need for a Nehemiah who can keep all the workers from working at the same opening in the wall.  Likewise, I see that there is a need for The People of God to be aware of all of the elements surrounding the rebuilding of the wall.  Most importantly, I believe that a greater importance should be placed on the building of the wall surrounding The New Jerusalem; a city built on a hill within us.

Today we take a quick look at some of the terms or materials mentioned in the rebuilding process.  Over an over again as you read through this book, it is said that... beams were laid and doors with their bolts and bars were put in their place.

When we look at the definition for the term beam, we see the words principal and horizontal. Usually as we think of "principal" in most things worth participating in, we draw a picture of a vertical kind of line.  However, in Nehemiah's rebuilding project and in our roles within the Body of Christ; the word horizontal comes into play.  Lest we lose a vital piece of material.  This is also seen as Nehemiah oversees the project with even some high priest under his direction, and working beside him.

As we look at definition 3b of the word bar, we see a past usage of the word, but still very telling.  Bar- the barrier in the English Inns of Court that formerly separated the seats of the Benchers or readers from the body of the hall occupied by the students.  The Word of God tell us to be doers of the Word and not simply reader or hearers.  Here we see that there is a bar, a measure, a standard that separates the two.  And we need our bars within the wall and securing our doors; both inside and out and both spiritually and literally.

Lastly we take a look at the bolts.  Obviously, we need bolts to keep things fastened.  In the case of Nehemiah, the people were the bolts and kept the project together.  If we recall the verses highlighted above, there were many enemies of the rebuilding of the wall. One of the scriptures emphasizes that when the adversaries saw that the gaps were being closed they were enraged.  Also in Nehemiah 4:22, Nehemiah says to the people, "Have every man and his helper stay inside Jerusalem at night, so they can serve us as guards by night and as workers by day."  Nehemiah 4:17 says, "Those who carried materials did their work with one hand and held a weapon in the other."

So we see that the materials; their usages, their meanings, and those that carried them were all essential and remain essential in the way we see our life in Christ and in God's greater scheme of things, because the question still remains... "What are those feeble Christ followers doing?  Can they bring the stones back to life from those heaps of rubble?"

Remember to go within that you may never go without.  The God within you awaits you.  Until our paths collide again, I wish you... Peace, Love, Life, and Complete Wholeness in Christ.


In Service,


NaTisha Renee Williams

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