We have been taking a weekly journey around the walls of Jerusalem, stopping to observe the condition of the gates that surround the city. We leaned that in 587 BC, Babylon attacked Jerusalem. They burned the Temple, the palace, all the houses, and all the important buildings. They broke down the city walls and burned the gates.
In about 466 BC, Nehemiah was an exiled Jew in the service of King Xerxes in Persia. He learned the Jews who remained in Jerusalem were rebuilding the Temple, but that the city’s defensive walls and gates were still destroyed. The Persian King gave Nehemiah permission and support to return to Jerusalem and begin the restoration process of the city’s gates and walls.
This week we want to talk to you about the restoration of the Horse Gate.
The horse gate was located next to the horse stables. Horses were used in battles against Israel's enemies. The horse is always the symbol of battle in Scripture. This is the gate that reminds us that we are in a spiritual war! We must restore this understanding in every household, so they are prepared for spiritual attacks. There will be surprising events, and unexpected circumstances in our lives. Everybody is going to face a battle. However, we can be equipped for the battles.
Ephesians 6:11-13 (NKJV) reads:
11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
This is what we are geared up for daily, in order to fight this battle. We are not fighting against people. Your heart and home must accept this or else you will find yourself fighting against those who are not your true enemies.
We need to be alert to this reality of spiritual warfare. Let’s restore the gate of spiritual warfare; the Horse Gate!
---Chris and Carol Green
