Nehemiah 2, In many of our spiritual endeavors, we are not unlike Nehemiah whom YHVH tasked with rebuilding the broken down and burned walls of Jerusalem to protect the house of YHVH (i.e., the temple) from the enemies of Israel.
Like Ezra, Nehemiah’s predecessor, he faced and had to overcome many physical and spiritual obstacles to complete his divine mission. His initial walk around Jerusalem to survey conditions was prophetic of the battles he’d soon be facing to rebuild the wall.
Before he could celebrate the victory of a completed wall, he’d have stare down the enemies of YHVH face to face.
First he passed through the Valley Gate, which is a prophetic picture of the valley of the shadow of death of David’s famous twenty-third psalm. This death may even include the death of our vision (i.e., the death to our own personal plans and wishes as opposed to those of YHVH).
Next he came to the Serpent Gate, which is a picture of everything Satan, the Adversary and Accuser of the brethren, will throw at you to hinder you from completing the task YHVH has given you.
Then he encountered the Dung (or Refuse) Gate. This is a spiritual picture of all the garbage the enemy throws at us to keep us from fulfilling our divine mission. This could include things such as physical distractions, false accusations, false brethren, the heathen around us, hindering demonic spirits, physical sickness, lack of finances, doubt, fear, discouragement and unbelief.
Next Nehemiah came to the broken down and burned gates of Jerusalem representing all the broken and failed dreams and attempts of our past to accomplish YHVH’s purposes in our lives including past personal failures and defeats at the hands of our physical and spiritual enemies.
It was necessary for Nehemiah to encounter and to overcome all these obstacles, which, in reality, he used as stepping stones to his success. These passage points served to bring him to the place of victory resulting in the spiritual outpouring represented by the Fountain Gate and the King’s Pool, which he arrived at next. These last two spots in the ancient city of Jerusalem that are references to water are clear spiritual allusions to and are biblical Hebraisms representing the waters of YHVH’s Word or truth (i.e.,the Torah), as well as to the outpouring of the Spirit of Elohim. Spirit and truth combined are what all true worshipers of YHVH need in order to lead them into the deeper waters of a spiritual relationship with the Father as Yeshua indicates in John 4.
In these times of trials and pressure from all sides, may YHVH grant you, as he did to Nehemiah, the strength of vision and faith to overcome the obstacles in your life. May they become mere stepping stones to victory for the glory of Elohim and the advancement of his spiritual kingdom.
