Gate 8 - The Valley Gate
VALLEY GATE: Lord have mercy
(Nehemiah 3:13) The Valley Gate was repaired by Hanun and the residents of Zanoah. They rebuilt it and put its doors and bolts and bars in place. They also repaired five hundred yards of the wall as far as the Dung Gate. (NIV)
(Nehemiah 3:13) The Valley Gate was repaired by Hanun and the residents of Zanoah. They rebuilt it and put its doors and bolts and bars in place. They also repaired five hundred yards of the wall as far as the Dung Gate. (NIV)
The Valley Gate was named as such because it opened up to one of the several valleys that surrounded the city. It was also the place where Nehemiah did his inspection of the walls and discovered the desperate state they were in (Nehemiah 2:13-18).
The Valley Gate symbolizes our need for God’s mercy. It is a reminder that we are full of sin and must humble ourselves before God, acknowledging that we too are in a desperate, broken state and need his mercy. God’s mercy motivated King Cyrus to allow and enable Nehemiah to organise the restoration of the walls and gates. In God’s mercy, Christ humbled Himself to come down to this world to die for our sins, restoring the relationship between mankind and God.
Joel 2:12-13a “Even now,” declares the LORD, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.” 13 Rend your heart
and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in love (NIV)
and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in love (NIV)
Psalm 51 :1-4a, 9-12
Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love;
according to your great mercy blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.
3 For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is always before me.
4 Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight;
.................
9 Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity.
10 Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me (NIV)
Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love;
according to your great mercy blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.
3 For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is always before me.
4 Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight;
.................
9 Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity.
10 Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me (NIV)
Titus 3:4-7 But when the kindness and love of God our Saviour appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Saviour, 7 so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. (NIV)
Refuse bin in connection with Dung gate
Thank you for your prayers and proclamations. Let us thank the God of Heaven He has opened a way to hear our prayers though His Son, Jesus Christ, who is The Way, The Truth, The Life (John 14:6) and The Resurrection (John 11:25)
All scripture references used on this website are taken from the 'New International Version' of the Bible (NIV) unless otherwise stipulated