FIRST BAPTIST BIBLE CHURCH-

The Fish Gate according to the Modle of the Second Temple is called today Damascus Gate. Some put the Fish gate way inside the city. But the large stones at the foundation of the Damascus gate shows that this gate dates back to king Solomon.

" And next unto him builded the men of Jericho. And next to them builded Zaccur the son of Imri. But the fish gate did the sons of Hassenaah build, who also laid the beams thereof, and set up the doors thereof, the locks thereof, and the bars thereof. And next unto them repaired Meremoth the son of Urijah, the son of Koz. And next unto them repaired Meshullam the son of Berechiah, the son of Meshezabeel. And next unto them repaired Zadok the son of Baana. And next unto them the Tekoites repaired; but their nobles put not their necks to the work of their Lord." Neh:3:2-5

The sheep gate was the symbol of salvation and the fish gate is the symbol of obedience. The statement between the two gates is "And next unto him builded the men of Jericho. And next to them builded Zaccur the son of Imri."

The builders between the sheep gate and the fish gate are:

1. Men of Jericho : The word Jericho means fragrant place. Joshua cursed the person who will build Jericho "And Joshua adjured them at that time, saying, Cursed be the man before the Lord, that riseth up and buildeth this city Jericho: he shall lay the foundation thereof in his firstborn, and in his youngest son shall he set up the gates of it." Jos:6:26:

2. Zaccur the son of Imri means remember the promise or what the Lord have said.

After we are saved we have to read the word of God to find out what the Lord have commanded us to do. When we know the Lord commands we must OBEY.

The sheep gate was the symbol the Lord Jesus Christ dying on the cross as the lamb of God to take away the sin of the world. The fish gate is the symbol of the death, burial and resurrection of the lord Jesus Christ. "For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." Mt:12:40 As Jonah came out from the belly of the whale also the Lord Jesus Christ came out from the heart of the earth.

To believe in the death, burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ is the foundation of the Christian faith. "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." Rom:10:9

The first commandment in the Old Testament is "Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment." Mt:22:36-38 The Lord Jesus Christ obeyed this commandment and all the other commandments. This is why he was the only righteous person who lived on this earth. This is why God came in flesh to obey the law and be perfect, and then to die for us and redeem us from the curse of the law. No other person was able to obey the first commandment.

After a person accept the Lord Jesus Christ as his personal savior he is first commanded to be baptized then to join the church and after that to obey all the commandments. The first commandment in the New Testament is baptism. "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:" Mt:28:19 Notice here after a person is descipled he must be baptised. The first commandment in the New Testament is baptism and it is the easiest commandment to obey and no excuse is accepted. Baptism is the symbol of the death, burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.

"But the fish gate did the sons of Hassenaah build, ..." Hassenaah means the thorny, the pricky (sting). "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?" 1Cor:15:55 The Lord Jesus Christ had victory over the grave and death. We are waiting for his glorious appearing and all the dead in Christ will rise first then we will be raptured because our Lord had victory over the grave and death.