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- Preaching the Living WORD through
the Written WORD - 2 Tim 4;:2 - |
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NEHEMIAH’S
ORGANIZATION OF THE WORK (Pt. 3) (Neh 3:13-23) 5/2/10
Grace Bible Church,
Gillette, Wyoming Pastor Daryl Hilbert I. THE VALLEY GATE WAS
REBUILT (3:13) A. The Valley Gate was
repaired by Hanun and people from Zanoah, located 9-10 miles west of
Jerusalem. The Valley Gate was the gate where Nehemiah began and finished his
nighttime inspection (2:13). B. Nehemiah mentions that this group had
repaired about a thousand cubits (aprox. 1500 ft.) of the wall. Some have
thought that this was too much to be repaired by one group. Some have even
suggested Nehemiah was merely stating the length of the wall. However, taking
into account that this section of the wall was less likely to be attacked,
damage to it was minimal. II. THE REFUSE GATE WAS
REBUILT (3:14) A. In vs. 13, Nehemiah
recorded that the wall was repaired to the Refuse (Dung) Gate, but in vs. 14
the Gate was repaired. B. The Refuse Gate led to the Hinnom Valley
south of the city and was the general dumping site. Technically, it was where
dung from animals was swept and collected in heaps outside the walls (Ex
29:41). It was later removed to the fields. The dunghill has been an image of
the deepest degradation (Ps. 113:7; Lam. 4:5; 1 Sam. 2:8). C. The Gate was repaired by Malchijah the son
of Rechab, the official of the district of Beth-haccherem. Beth-haccherem
(meant “place of the vineyard”), was a signal station (Je 6:1). Malchijah,
was an official of that district and willing to put aside whatever official
duties he had to help with the rebuilding of the city. III. THE FOUNTAIN GATE WAS
REBUILT (3:15-23) A. The Fountain Gate (15) 1. The
Fountain Gate, located at the southeast corner of the city was repaired next.
It was here that Nehemiah’s evening tour was impassible, forcing him through
the Kidron Valley (2:14). Another official named Shallum repaired the
Fountain Gate. Beside hanging is doors, he put on a roof (“covered it”). 2. Pool of Shelah (15) a) The Gate
was the entrance to the Pool of Shelah, which may have been also known as the
Pool of Siloam (cp. Lk 13:4; Jn 9:7, 11) or the even the King’s Pool. b) It was in close proximity the King’s
Garden and the steps of the city of David. 3. The
King’s Garden (15) a) The
King’s Garden was where Zedekiah, Judah’s last king, had gone in his attempt
to escape from Jerusalem while the Babylonians were conquering the city (Jer.
39:4). 4. Stairs
from City of David (15) a) Stairs
that descend from Jerusalem to the Pool and Garden are mentioned. IV. LANDMARKS FOR THE WALL
(3:16-23) A. One or Two Walls 1. On a
controversial note, some have suggested two walls at the southern part of the
city. Various maps of Nehemiah’s Jerusalem show a wall inside the outer
walls. 2. The location is uncertain as reflected by
the differing maps. It even has some biblical support in 2Ki 25:4 and Je
39:4). However, it is highly likely that Nehemiah records the repair of the
outer walls near the landmarks recorded. 3. The answer could lie in the fact that at
this point, Nehemiah had to build new walls because of the immense and
irreparable rubble on the eastern slope. a) It is
clear that we are no longer following the course of a previously existing
wall, with its gates and other features. Rather, a new course for the wall is
carefully defined by reference to local landmarks, familiar no doubt to the
writer’s contemporaries, but completely unknown to us in nearly every case.
The reason for this is clear. The eastern slope is very steep. The walls had
suffered badly and the whole area can have been little more than a formidable
mass of tumbled rubble. To clear this and reterrace the slope would have been
a major undertaking, beyond the means available to Nehemiah in the time at
his disposal, and in fact unnecessary at this stage in view of the city’s
reduced population. (Willamson, H.
G. M. (2002). Vol. 16: Word Biblical Commentary : Ezra-Nehemiah.) B. Tombs of David (16) 1. Another
Nehemiah (son of Azbuk) is mention, who was an official of Beth-zur, made
repairs as far as the tombs of David. The tombs of David are the burial place
of David and his descendants. 2. The whereabouts of this burial place was
at least known up till the time of the First Century apostles (cp. Ac 2:29).
However, extensive Roman quarrying may have obliterated the burial site. C. Artificial Pool (16) 1. The
Artificial Pool may have been a second pool to the north of the Pool of
Shelah, and it could have been the “King’s Pool. 2. If the Artificial Pool was another name
for the Pool of Shelah, then there was only one pool, it would be the King’s
Pool, and would coincide with rarity of such pools. D. House of the Mighty Men
(16) 1. The
mighty men of valor were the men whom God gave divine strength to lead the
military of Israel. These men accomplish super human feats in battle (2Sa
23:8ff; 8-10, 20-21). 2. They were honored with houses inside the
city and were able also to protect the city from within. 3. A group of Levites and others officials
volunteered to help with the work (17-18). E. Armory at the Angle (19) 1. The
“ascent of the armory at the Angle” (v. 19) is another point near the eastern
wall. 2. The angle was apparently some turn in the
wall that afforded a natural buttress of protection. F. House of Eliashib (20) 1. This new
section contains the identification of houses of individuals. 2. Nehemiah names Eliashib and his house as
a landmark. G. House of Meremoth (21) 1. Meremoth
may have been priest (cp Ez 8:33). H. House of Benjamin and
Hasshub (23) I. House of Azariah (23) V. SYMBOLISM OF THE CHRISTIAN
LIFE IN THE GATES A. Sheep Gate - Conversion
(Jn 10:7-9, 27) B. Fish Gate - Evangelism (Mt 4:19-20) C. Old Gate - Victory over the Old Self (Ro
6:6; Co 3:9) D. Valley Gate - Perseverance (Ro 5:3-5) E. Refuse Gate - Confession and Obedience
(1Jn 1:7, 9) |
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