NEHEMIAH 2 (FROM CAC'S NOTES)
NEHEMIAH 2 (FROM CAC’S NOTES)
The building of the sheep-gate was by the priestly family, and it is the only gate that is said to be hallowed. The sheep-gate would stand in relation to election and the sovereign work of God in His saints. It suggests that we come into God’s city by His sovereign call — saints by calling, as we see in Romans, 1 Corinthians and Thessalonians.
This gate is hallowed; that is, it regards the saints as apart from sinful flesh and characterised by the work of God. It is, speaking generally, how John regards the sheep. They are seen as belonging to the Father and given by Him to the Shepherd Son, so that none perish, but have life eternal. To view the saints as born of God is a very holy view of them: they are, indeed, hallowed. Nothing could give a more intense thought of the holiness of the city than to see that we can only enter into it as the sheep of Christ.
Then the fish-gate speaks of the saints as having had a history in the world but as having been caught in a divine net and secured for God. It looks at what is secured by human [p. 250] instrumentality. It is men who let down the net and who bring the catch to shore, and who select the good fish to be put in vessels. It is the kingdom side in which responsibility has place, and the labour of men in preaching. The net broke in Luke 5 but it did not break in John 21.
We only find six gates built or repaired, which would suggest, perhaps, that the complete idea of administration can hardly be set up in a day of recovery. The principle is set up but with certain limitations. It is rather the power of the thing as made good without assuming to have more than is consistent with a day of remnant conditions. The assembly as the city takes character from its gates. “Each one of the gates, respectively, was of one pearl” (Revelation 21: 21); whichever way you approach you get an impression of what the assembly is to Christ as the “one pearl”.
In approaching the city of God we get certain impressions at the gates, and we only go into the city as we take up these impressions. People who wash their robes can come in by the gates into the city.
The first gate is the sheep-gate. This is peculiarly John’s teaching. The first thought the Lord suggested to His disciples was that He would make them fishers of men. The fisherman would be responsible to see that they had fins and scales — the principle of selection (Matthew 13). Skill and care are required.
The gate of the old wall would indicate that God’s ancient principle of separation from evil must be owned as characteristic of His city. Abraham was called out from country, kindred and father’s house. Israel was to be a peculiar people (Psalm 1).
Then the valley-gate is the poor in spirit. “Learn from me” — a broken and contrite heart, a broken spirit, trembling at God’s word-converted and blessed as little children.
The dung-gate is seen in Philippians 3.
The fountain-gate speaks of spiritual privilege, so it is covered, suggesting that we come now to what is known privately to lovers of Christ.
[p. 251] The building and repairing consist in setting up; then it is evident that they become available after being burned with fire.