Nehemiah Part 14

Nehemiah -- Part 14 -- Inspection Gate 

Miphkad Gate also called the Inspection Gate, the Muster (gathering) Gate and the Judgment Gate

          The wall between the Miphkad Gate and the Sheep Gate was repaired by Malkijah, the goldsmith and other goldsmiths and merchants. Miphkad means “commandment or mandate” and “appointed place.” At the Miphkad Gate there is higher wisdom and revelation knowledge. The Miphkad Gate is the gate of inspection, numbering and gathering at God's appointed place.  This will happen in the future at the bema seat of Christ.

Jesus was inspected and found without flaw. We who believe in Him are to judge (inspect ) ourselves and see our true condition. (see 1 Cor. 11:31)

At the Miphkad Gate, we are refined by fire removing any dross, and gathered together as one temple of God to accomplish God's purpose. The temple servants (Nethinims) gathered at this Gate to be given assignments. The Nethinims were assigned to the Levites and priests for service in the sanctuary of God. Those who have allowed Christ’s refining will also serve the leaders of the House of God.

The Miphkad Gate is the highest gate and is located next to the Sheep Gate. The rebuilding of the wall around the city of Jerusalem began and ended with the Sheep Gate. All begins and ends with the love, forgiveness and grace of Jesus, the Shepherd of the sheep, through His sacrificial blood. Each succeeding gate brings us higher and closer to the Lord. God is maturing us spiritually through the spiritual message of these gates.

The Miphkad Gate is a high calling. It will come at a cost! As Jesus became a Living Sacrifice for us, we must become a living sacrifice for Him. At the Miphkad Gate, we hear God's commandments and do them because we love Him and want to bring Him glory and honor through our actions, words and deeds. We offer ourselves as living sacrifices to God as refined gold. Christ inspects us and commissions us to do a particular work for Him. We are trained and ready!

King David would leave his palace and stand at this Gate looking down at his army who were putting on their armor to prepare for battle. The king’s soldiers gathered together as one mighty army. These soldiers would be inspected at the Miphkad Gate by the King to see if they were prepared for battle at any moment. Believers are well aware that they must be prepared and ready for spiritual warfare at all times. We must put on our full spiritual armor. (see Eph. 6:11-17)

Spiritually, this gate represents the bema seat of Christ that all believers will come before where our work will be tested to see what sort it is.....enduring substances of gold, silver and precious jewels or wood, hay and stubble that will be burnt up and of no eternal value in God's kingdom. “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.” 2 Cor. 5:10  Our sin will not be judged because we are saved by the blood of Jesus and the penalty paid, but our works will be inspected and judged. To inspect means to come up to a standard. Only the righteous works we did for God's kingdom will be of eternal value. All the rest will be burnt as wood, hay and stubble.  This is why Jesus told us to store up treasures in heaven.  Only the righteous acts we did for His Kingdom will be eternal.

As Moses said in Exodus 17:15, “The Lord is our banner.” God wants us to come up higher and raise the standard of our flesh and its ways by reflecting His holy, high standard. As Nehemiah had to inspect the true condition of the wall and its gates, we must also see our true condition and allow Jesus to raise us up to a higher standard. We are His dwelling place. We must desire His rebuilding of our hearts and lives for the glory of God, just as the rebuilding of the temple, wall and city of Jerusalem were rebuilt for the glory of God.

The names of the leaders and laborers in Nehemiah were preserved in the Book of Life – the Word of God – as an example for future generations. Those who love and follow Jesus will also be written in the Book of Life. Jesus will come with His reward in His hand for the high, holy work we did for His Kingdom. As Jesus didn't reach and fulfill His purpose right away, believers will also have to be prepared for God's high calling.

The rebuilding of Ezra and Nehemiah was a labor of love so God's people could live, worship and serve God in safety and peace. This work also brought honor and glory to God. Followers of the Lord of glory must labor for the same.

The wall around Jerusalem has gone full circle, just as the Word of God goes full circle. The end is in the beginning. The Anointed circle of the Word is our wall of protection to keep us in the ways of God that defeats the enemy of our souls. The Word also reveals the true character of the Godhead. In the midst of their enemies, God protected and supported His laborers and the work at the time of Nehemiah. He does the same for those who love His Son Jesus and are working to establish His Kingdom on earth as it is in heaven.

Understanding the spiritual messages of the gates around the city of Jerusalem helps us understand the meaning of Psalm 87:2 – The Lord loves all the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob. Jacob was his earthly/fleshly name and reflected his fleshly behavior –deceiver. God loves all the gates of Zion because they represent the maturation of a believer in the True God and the way into His Holy City. God wants us to be a mature Bride prepared and ready for the coming of our Bridegroom Jesus. Ezekiel saw a vision of the “coming of the glory of the Lord” through the East Gate. (Ezekiel 43:1-5) In the future, we will see the coming of the Lord of glory—Jesus.