Continuing: In the previous post we discussed the schism and the LORD allowing the tares and His people to grow together until the time of the repair, and our reentering His city wherein rests His house. Today the LORD begins us in Nehemiah 3 and it mentioning the restoration of the gate of the fountain as a pattern for us to know it is His will being done in our time, as He witnesses to/in these messages.
The record of the gate of the fountain appears in Nehemiah 3:15 and comes just after we are told of the Dung Gate. The gate is on the southeaster part of the city and is said to derive its name, meaning rubbish, from its being the gate through which the trash was taken out of the temple, to the trash heap in the valley of Hinnom to be burned, (in gehenna.) (It is symbolic of hell – of the tares being gathered and burned. See the prior post for greater context.)
Again I must warn the new reader: without the foundation laid here through devotion to daily reading and study, you will only see the surface waters and should dare not expect to see of the vast depth in the words.
In the prior post we began in the preamble telling of those attacking this message because its unorthodoxy made them uncomfortable in the shambles they had become contented in. We saw them and their fight again this refreshing as the tares among us, sown by the enemies of God’s plan and will. Nehemiah is telling of just such a time when the repair of Jerusalem’s wall was underway and the tares there were vigorously fighting it, even if as now, failing miserably (their self-inflicted torment – rejecting the peace offered.)
Nehemiah 3
15 But the gate of the fountain repaired Shallun the son of Colhozeh, the ruler of part of Mizpah; he built it, and covered it, and set up the doors thereof, the locks thereof, and the bars thereof, and the wall of the pool of Siloah by the king’s garden, and unto the stairs that go down from the city of David.
As we know is often the case, the deeper continuity is found in the un-translated meaning of the names; seeing them we are able thereby to then understand the obvious pattern in association with others we know. This is Divine providential preprograming meant to be seen as the Holy Spirit releases it to us. It is the witness we have been told of in 1 John 5 as a witness on earth as waters flowed from the LORD’s fountain, after it has been delivered to those receiving it as the Word come undeniably from the Father in heaven. We have seen it is the Spirit that carries and delivers the word between heaven and earth, and, as we’ve discussed, our delivering it, fighting the good fight to deliver it as received, is the blood, meaning our sharing in the LORD suffering when He showed us the way into perfection (the holy of holies – purity and holiness as we have become made in the image and likeness of GOD.)
In this vein we see Nehemiah 3:15 speaking of this entryway to this fountain being repaired by Shallun, meaning the recompense, and reward. Shallun is from the same word shalam, meaning peace, as in a reciprocal respect and security in all aspects of human interaction (the second of the two great commandments we are told of by the LORD, upon which hangs all the Law and the prophets. “Hangs” means all things point to accomplishing this end reward. The first of the great commandments is: love God – because He first loved us and gave Himself to save us from ourselves (1 John 3:16;) and the second: love your neighbor as yourself.) The word is virtually the same as is found in the name Jerusalem; compounded from words deriving from yarah, meaning to flow from, as to be taught and then founded upon this teaching: and shalam, meaning peace, as defined above.
Shallun is said to be the son of Colhozeh, the word “son” coming from the Hebrew word ben, meaning son as a builder of the family name. Colhozeh (Kol-chozeh) is a compound word from kol, meaning whole, as in every, and all: and the word chozeh, meaning seer, from the word chazah, meaning to contemplate and perceive.
In this we see the entryway repaired is to the fountain of the word flowing directly from the LORD, and delivered uncorrupted as received. This repair comes from those preaching and teaching this way to peace, the true gospel of good tidings and the only way to true peace. It begins with one faithful son building the name (the identifier of the LORD, and His children) into the whole family/house with the intention that all are abled to see as/what the Father sees, and become part of the family (and to as many as received Him gave He power to become the sons/children of God.)
This is our awakening from the sleep spoken of in Isaiah 52 as we read in verse 7 of our once awakened understanding it is the LORD speaking in those preaching this gospel (good news) of peace. Again, as we have previously discussed in detail, it is awakening by believing this report, as Paul tells us in Romans 10 as he quotes this from Isaiah 52 & 53 (all pasted below.)
In Nehemiah 3:15 after being told of entering the City of God by way of these fountains of peace personified in all those seeing as God sees, we are next told of these as rulers in Mizpah. Mizpah is from the word mitspeh, meaning a watch tower; it is from the word tsaphah, as in those peering into the distance. It is telling of those who are able to see what is coming and seeing knowing it as what they are waiting for. (Do you see it?)
Once the door and the security are reestablished we are told of where the waters are pooled at Siloah. This is the same name as appears as Shiloah in Isaiah 8:6, and is only used these two times. There it tells of the waters refused, as it speaks of the people instead choosing the counsel of the tares mixed among them, over the counsel coming for the LORD (see the prior post.) As we know it is speaking of the water that flow from under Zion (also see Revelation 22:1.)
These things are written to be expanded on now, in this time when those who have raised themselves up above us by their own power (tares,) have become so ignorant and therefor incapable of leading us anywhere except toward maintaining the shambles in its current state. All that is asked of us is to believe the report.
Isaiah 52
1 Awake, awake; put on your strength, O Zion; put on your beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city: for henceforth there shall no more come into you the uncircumcised and the unclean.
2 Shake yourself from the dust; arise, and sit down, O Jerusalem: loose yourself from the bands of your neck, O captive daughter of Zion.
3 For thus says the LORD, You have sold yourselves for naught; and you shall be redeemed without money.
4 For thus says the LORD God, My people went down aforetime into Egypt to sojourn there; and the Assyrian oppressed them without cause.
5 Now therefore, what have I here, says the LORD, that my people is taken away for naught? they that rule over them make them to howl, says the LORD; and my name continually every day is blasphemed.
6 Therefore my people shall know my name: therefore they shall know in that day that I am he that doth speak: behold, it is I.
7 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that brings good tidings, that publishes peace; that brings good tidings of good, that publishes salvation; that says unto Zion, Your God reigns!
8 Your watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing: for they shall see eye to eye, when the LORD shall bring again Zion.
9 Break forth into joy, sing together, you waste places of Jerusalem: for the LORD has comforted his people, he has redeemed Jerusalem.
10 The LORD has made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.
11 Depart you, depart you, go you out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go you out of the midst of her; be you clean, that bear the vessels of the LORD.
12 For you shall not go out with haste, nor go by flight: for the LORD will go before you; and the God of Israel will be your reward.
13 Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high.
14 As many were astonished at you; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men:
15 So shall he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider.
Romans 10
1 Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel [all those calling themselves the children of God] is, that they might be saved.
2 For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.
3 For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.
4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that is the believes.
5 For Moses describes the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which does those things shall live by them.
6 But the righteousness which is of faith speaks on this wise, Say not in your heart [in your own corrupted reasoning,] Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:)
7 Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.)
8 But what says it? The word is near you, even in your mouth, and in your heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;
9 That if you shall confess with your mouth the LORD Jesus, and shall believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you shall be saved.
10 For with the heart man believes unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
11 For the scripture says, Whosoever believes on him shall not be ashamed.
12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same LORD over all is rich unto all that call upon him.
13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the LORD shall be saved.
14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, LORD, who has believed our report?
17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
18 But I say, Have they not heard? Yes truly, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.
19 But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses says, I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you.
20 But Isaiah is very bold, and says, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me.
21 But to Israel he says, All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people.
1 John 3
1 Behold, what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knows us not, because it knew him not.
2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
3 And every man that has this hope in him purifies himself, even as he is pure.
4 Whosoever commits sin [acts from corrupted reasoning, and errs in judgment] transgresses also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
5 And you know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.
6 Whosoever abides in him sins not: whosoever sins has not seen him, neither known him.
7 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that does righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.
8 He that commits sin is of the devil; for the devil sins from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remains in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever does not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loves not his brother.
11 For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.
12 Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous.
13 Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.
14 We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loves not his brother abides in death.
15 Whosoever hates his brother is a murderer: and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.
16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
17 But whoso has this world’s good [this word/gospel of the way of peace, that is for the healing of the nations,] and sees his brother have need, and shuts up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwells the love of God in him?
18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.
19 And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.
20 For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart [our corrupted reasoning,] and knows all things.
21 Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.
22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
23 And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.
24 And he that keeps his commandments dwells in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit which he has given us.
Revelation 22
1 And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.
2 In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
3 And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him:
4 And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.
5 And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the LORD God gives them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.
6 And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the LORD God of the holy prophets sent his angel to show unto his servants the things which must shortly be done.
7 Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keeps the sayings of the prophecy of this book.
8 And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which showed me these things.
9 Then said he unto me, See you do it not: for I am your fellow-servant, and of your brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God.
10 And he said unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand.
11 He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.
12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.
13 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.
14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
15 For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loves and makes a lie.
16 I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.
17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that hears say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
18 For I testify unto every man that hears the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:
19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
20 He which testifies these things says, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, LORD Jesus.
21 The grace of our LORD Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
Isaiah 53
1 Who has believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?
2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he has no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.
3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
4 Surely he has borne our grief, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth.
8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.
9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.
10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he has put him to grief: when you shall make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.
11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.
12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he has poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
