Neh 2:13-15 | KingComments | STEP | Nehemiah wants to familiarize himself with the extent of the destruction of the walls, and to take it in. The natural heart would give up courage at the sight of so much ruin. For Nehemiah it only makes the necessity of rebuilding clearer, while at the same time he knows that only God can enable him to do so. He goes out at night. When the others are asleep, he is wide awake. He does not go dreamily along the ruins. In full awareness of what he sees, he goes along the walls. As he drives on, the extent of the work will become more and more evident to him. It will all have looked even bleaker in the night. Whenever there is a work to be done for God – a solid and not superficial work – the servant, like Nehemiah, must undertake such an inspection trip beforehand. He must spend the night mourning amid the ruins. It is foolish to deny the ruin and not to see the hopelessness of the situation as it is. The full extent of the task must come to us. Have we ever sacrificed an hour’s sleep for the spiritual state of the church or our surroundings? Have we ever consciously stayed awake while others slept soundly and peacefully? Do we ever become restless from the fact that countless people are lost forever? Before God gives a revival, He wants to break our hearts. That happens on the route Nehemiah takes. The “Valley Gate” speaks of lowliness, humiliation. This is where the investigation begins: with humbling oneself “under the mighty hand of God” ( ). The “Dragon’s Well” is a reminder of satan, “the great dragon” ( ). He is the instigator, the source of all misery among the people of God. The “Refuse Gate” is reminiscent of what has no value whatsoever. Through this gate, all useless and dirty objects are taken out of the city. In the same way we have to clear out of our lives what fills our lives with that of no value. These are the first stations we have to pass on our way to examine the walls and the gates. Once all the useless and harmful things in our lives have been removed, we can proceed to the “Fountain Gate “. Here we may think of the power of the Holy Spirit. He is the fountain of living water. Everyone who believes in the Lord Jesus receives Him ( ). Through the Holy Spirit, the Word of God becomes a “King’s Pool”, the next station. We will discover the glory of God’s King, the Lord Jesus, in the Word of God, of which the water of the pool is a picture ( ), through the working of the Holy Spirit. When He comes to our attention, everything that we still trust in will disappear. There is no room left for anything else. We are then ready to give our full attention to the task that the Lord has given us in our hearts. After this inspection tour, Nehemiah returns to the “Valley Gate”. Humiliating himself stands at the beginning and at the end of his investigation. In order to be used by God it is necessary that humility constantly characterizes us. That is not to say that sometimes it is not necessary to take firm action. We will see that in Nehemiah. Some lessons 1. Before we can begin a special work for the Lord, we must have proven that we do not like our rest. Are we always open to people who are really in need? Are we prepared to sacrifice a night’s rest or a meal for them? 2. Following the Lord Jesus begins by denying ourselves ( ). Then we are able to humble ourselves. 3. We have to get rid of what is hindering the work of the Lord. This includes sins, but also things that are not sinful, but which nevertheless take up so much of our lives that they are an obstacle ( ). 4. 4. It is necessary to humble ourselves, see the power of the enemy, and do away with everything in our lives that is not good. However, it should not be limited to that, as we would then only be focused on ourselves and on the enemy. The Holy Spirit must be given the room to present the glory of the Lord Jesus to us. 5. The greater He becomes, the more everything that could still give us some carnal support falls away. 6. Humility can be learned from the Lord Jesus, who says: “Learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart” ( ). He always is.

‏ Nehemiah 2:13-15

Inspection of Walls and Gates

Nehemiah wants to familiarize himself with the extent of the destruction of the walls, and to take it in. The natural heart would give up courage at the sight of so much ruin. For Nehemiah it only makes the necessity of rebuilding clearer, while at the same time he knows that only God can enable him to do so. He goes out at night. When the others are asleep, he is wide awake. He does not go dreamily along the ruins. In full awareness of what he sees, he goes along the walls. As he drives on, the extent of the work will become more and more evident to him. It will all have looked even bleaker in the night.

Whenever there is a work to be done for God – a solid and not superficial work – the servant, like Nehemiah, must undertake such an inspection trip beforehand. He must spend the night mourning amid the ruins. It is foolish to deny the ruin and not to see the hopelessness of the situation as it is. The full extent of the task must come to us. Have we ever sacrificed an hour’s sleep for the spiritual state of the church or our surroundings? Have we ever consciously stayed awake while others slept soundly and peacefully? Do we ever become restless from the fact that countless people are lost forever?

Before God gives a revival, He wants to break our hearts. That happens on the route Nehemiah takes. The “Valley Gate” speaks of lowliness, humiliation. This is where the investigation begins: with humbling oneself “under the mighty hand of God” (1Pet 5:6). The “Dragon’s Well” is a reminder of satan, “the great dragon” (Rev 12:9). He is the instigator, the source of all misery among the people of God. The “Refuse Gate” is reminiscent of what has no value whatsoever. Through this gate, all useless and dirty objects are taken out of the city. In the same way we have to clear out of our lives what fills our lives with that of no value. These are the first stations we have to pass on our way to examine the walls and the gates.

Once all the useless and harmful things in our lives have been removed, we can proceed to the “Fountain Gate “. Here we may think of the power of the Holy Spirit. He is the fountain of living water. Everyone who believes in the Lord Jesus receives Him (Jn 4:14 ; Jn 7:38-39). Through the Holy Spirit, the Word of God becomes a “King’s Pool”, the next station.

We will discover the glory of God’s King, the Lord Jesus, in the Word of God, of which the water of the pool is a picture (Eph 5:26), through the working of the Holy Spirit. When He comes to our attention, everything that we still trust in will disappear. There is no room left for anything else. We are then ready to give our full attention to the task that the Lord has given us in our hearts.

After this inspection tour, Nehemiah returns to the “Valley Gate”. Humiliating himself stands at the beginning and at the end of his investigation. In order to be used by God it is necessary that humility constantly characterizes us. That is not to say that sometimes it is not necessary to take firm action. We will see that in Nehemiah.

Some lessons

1. Before we can begin a special work for the Lord, we must have proven that we do not like our rest. Are we always open to people who are really in need? Are we prepared to sacrifice a night’s rest or a meal for them?

2. Following the Lord Jesus begins by denying ourselves (Mt 16:24). Then we are able to humble ourselves.

3. We have to get rid of what is hindering the work of the Lord. This includes sins, but also things that are not sinful, but which nevertheless take up so much of our lives that they are an obstacle (Heb 12:1).

4. 4. It is necessary to humble ourselves, see the power of the enemy, and do away with everything in our lives that is not good. However, it should not be limited to that, as we would then only be focused on ourselves and on the enemy. The Holy Spirit must be given the room to present the glory of the Lord Jesus to us.

5. The greater He becomes, the more everything that could still give us some carnal support falls away.

6. Humility can be learned from the Lord Jesus, who says: “Learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart” (Mt 11:29). He always is.