Day 7 The Water Gate (Ten Days at Ten Gates)
Prayer Challenge . Ten Days of Prayer Challenge
Read Day 7 in Ten Days at 10 Gates
Today we come to the Water Gate. Here is a short archeology article about the water gate. The Water Gate
In the devotional Grant Lutton makes several really interesting points. I love that he mentioned the fall feasts, and referred to times in scripture where this gate and the feasts were both mentioned. He mentioned the story in Ezra 3:1-6 and Nehemiah 8.
1 “All the people came together as one in the square before the Water Gate. They told Ezra the teacher of the Law to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded for Israel.
2 So on the first day of the seventh month Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, which was made up of men and women and all who were able to understand. 3 He read it aloud from daybreak till noon as he faced the square before the Water Gate in the presence of the men, women and others who could understand. And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law.
4 Ezra the teacher of the Law stood on a high wooden platform built for the occasion. Beside him on his right stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah and Maaseiah; and on his left were Pedaiah, Mishael, Malkijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah and Meshullam.
5 Ezra opened the book. All the people could see him because he was standing above them; and as he opened it, the people all stood up. 6 Ezra praised the Lord, the great God; and all the people lifted their hands and responded, “Amen! Amen!” Then they bowed down and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.
7 The Levites—Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan and Pelaiah—instructed the people in the Law while the people were standing there. 8 They read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear and giving the meaning so that the people understood what was being read.
9 Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and teacher of the Law, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to them all, “This day is holy to the Lord your God. Do not mourn or weep.” For all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law.
10 Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
11 The Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Be still, for this is a holy day. Do not grieve.”
12 Then all the people went away to eat and drink, to send portions of food and to celebrate with great joy, because they now understood the words that had been made known to them.
13 On the second day of the month, the heads of all the families, along with the priests and the Levites, gathered around Ezra the teacher to give attention to the words of the Law. 14 They found written in the Law, which the Lord had commanded through Moses, that the Israelites were to live in temporary shelters during the festival of the seventh month 15 and that they should proclaim this word and spread it throughout their towns and in Jerusalem: “Go out into the hill country and bring back branches from olive and wild olive trees, and from myrtles, palms and shade trees, to make temporary shelters”—as it is written.
16 So the people went out and brought back branches and built themselves temporary shelters on their own roofs, in their courtyards, in the courts of the house of God and in the square by the Water Gate and the one by the Gate of Ephraim. 17 The whole company that had returned from exile built temporary shelters and lived in them. From the days of Joshua son of Nun until that day, the Israelites had not celebrated it like this. And their joy was very great.
18 Day after day, from the first day to the last, Ezra read from the Book of the Law of God. They celebrated the festival for seven days, and on the eighth day, in accordance with the regulation, there was an assembly.”
This is one of my favorite fall feast passages of scripture, and until today, I never even noticed the mention of the water gate. I love that no matter how many times I read the scriptures there is always something new to learn.
Grant Lutton focuses in on the relationship between water and light, belief and action, truth and light. He tells a story of going to the eye doctor and being told that to improve ones vision the doctor prescribes a washing of the eyes daily, even twice daily if possible, in order to improve ones vision.
How do we wash our eyes with the water that brings clarity? Where is this water?
My first thought went to a passage in Ephesians.
19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
26 For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. 28 Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses. 29 How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know him who said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge his people.” 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
32 But recall the former days when, after you were enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings, 33 sometimes being publicly exposed to reproach and affliction, and sometimes being partners with those so treated. 34 For you had compassion on those in prison, and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one. 35 Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. 36 For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised. 37 For,
“Yet a little while,
and the coming one will come and will not delay;
38 but my righteous one shall live by faith,
and if he shrinks back,
my soul has no pleasure in him.”
39 But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.
I think we go to the Word, Yeshua, daily. We draw from the well each morning to be renewed and refreshed. The water that clears our vision and allows us to see truth and walk in it is found in a routine of washing daily. I tell my children to wash their face first thing in the morning, and before they go to bed each night. I tell them you don’t have to scrub it or use any soap or cleanser, just cold or hot water to get the dirt off and to open the pores so they stay clean. I always say, “hot or cold, but not lukewarm.” I think we should do this spiritually too. Connect with Yeshua and His Word each morning when we wake, and each evening before we lay down to sleep. I grew up in the understanding the importance of daily devotions. This was taught in our home. But, it can become routine, monotonous, and just something to check off my to do list if I am not careful. It is like lukewarm water. It will remove some dirt, and it may even open a few pores, but it isn’t going to have the same effect as hot or cold water. If I want to be refreshed and renewed by the water of life, I have to be intentional and purposeful in applying it to my life. I have to take the time to do it right.
Today, as I think on these things, I want to be intentional. I want to get my water from the source that brings everlasting life.
So, I pray, Father,
Help me be intentional to come to the water each day. Give me the desire to clear my vision and walk in truth. Let me not get too comfortable in my routine, but rather give me a passion and motivation to continuously go to the well and hand you my bucket so that you can draw up the water and give it to me. I want to be fully dependent on You. But, when I need my eyes cleared and You say go to the pool. Give me feet that will run to the waters edge and obediently apply the water.
Father, you ae good and Your love endures forever. Thank you for your generosity to all your children. Pour out Your Spirit on us today, and always.
In Yeshua’s name
Amen
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We are Bible believing, scripture only people. We love to learn about the Hebrew roots of our faith. We believe it is important to not add or subtract from the Divine Word of God. The compiled scriptures that agree with one another and have no contradiction is the 66 books of what is commonly referred to as the Christian Bible, or the Holy Bible.
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