FOUR EVIL HORSES

Gates of Hell 

PRAYER - "Corporate Worship"

As repairs to Jerusalem progressed, Ezra called the people together into a street by the water gate for a reading of the word of God. He stood on a pulpit of wood above all the people (the only pulpit mentioned in the Bible) surrounded by other priests. When he opened the book, all the people stood up. "Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with lifting up their hands." Corporate worship is a glorious exercise.

Nehemiah 8:6 - "And they bowed their heads, and worshipped the LORD with their faces to the ground."




PRINCIPALS - "The Horse Gate"

Nehemiah rebuilt the horse gate, where horses entered the king's palace. It is where wicked queen Athaliah was slain. Jeremiah prophesies a day when this gate will be holy unto the LORD and will never be thrown down again. That could only occur in the millennial kingdom of Jesus Christ. Anciently, horses represented warfare. Prophetically, four evil horses patrol the earth in the endtime until Jesus returns on His white horse to conquer all armies at Armageddon. The horse gate presupposes a church militant. Child of God, fight on!

Nehemiah 3:28 - "From above the horse gate repaired the priests."

PRINCIPLES - "The Gate Miphkad"

Nehemiah repaired the gate Miphkad, north of the temple. "Miphkad" is variously translated "muster, gather, assign, appoint." Merchants gathered in the nearby markets. Workmen aggregated there when David prepared materials for the new temple. Nethinims (temple servants) established a community there. Most significantly, crowds of Roman soldiers carried out harsh judgments on Jesus there. The greatest "muster-gathering-appointment" of all is our final judgment. "It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment." What have you profited, if you gain the whole world and lose your soul? 

Nehemiah 3:31 - "...the gate Miphkad."

PROPHECIES - "The East Gate"

The east gate, at the temple entrance, welcomes Jesus Christ to return. As Israel went into captivity, Ezekiel saw cherubims carry the throne of God from the temple across the east gate. He prophesied that the eastern gate would later be shut until the Prince returns and enters it. (It has been shut since 1541 AD.) "His feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, ...before Jerusalem on the east," (Zechariah 14:4). The Shekinah glory of the LORD will return to Jerusalem through the east gate as Jesus enters, following Armageddon. 

Nehemiah 3:29 - "...the east gate."