The following studies are illustrations, not interpretations, of the access points into God’s presence.
“Walk about Zion, and go all around her. Count her towers; mark well her bulwarks; consider her palaces; that you may tell it to the generation following. For this is God, our God forever and ever; He will be our guide even to death” (Ps 48:12-14). These stories were recorded not for our amusement but “for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope” (Rom 15:4). So what should we tell the generations to follow concerning our city walkabout? We’ll examine the first four city gates in this lesson, then more in the next two, until we complete the circuit. Do you have sturdy walking shoes? First, we see we all must start at Gate 1, the Sheep Gate (Neh 3:1), which led from the sheep market to the altar, the place of sacrifice. It is in beholding “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” ( Jn 1:29) that our journey of new life begins. Not far away is Gate 2, “the Fish Gate” (Neh 3:3), where the road heads to Galilee. Soon after conversion, we should learn how to be “fishers of men” (Mt 4:19). How can one on the way to heaven not care about those on the way to hell? Next is Gate 3, “the Old Gate” (Neh 3:6), probably because through it ran the old path. “Ask for the old paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; then you will find rest for your souls” ( Jer 6:16). We don’t need the old paths of 200 or 500 years ago, but those walked by the apostles 2,000 years ago! Walking only by the Word is what we need. Nearby is Gate 4, the “Valley Gate” (Neh 3:13), where we learn from the lowly Jesus that the way up is down. This is vital for the new believer, “lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil” (1 Tim 3:6). What lessons these gates can teach!