When the people began to build the walls according to Nehemiah’s plan, there was immediate, tremendous opposition. The enemies of the Jews knew that if the walls were completed and the gates were hung, the city would become secure and the rule of the whole land of Israel from Jerusalem would begin soon afterward. Every means was used by the enemy to try to stop this from happening.
Despite this, Nehemiah pressed on and urged all the leaders to be ready to fight as well as to build. If the enemy attacked at any particular point along the wall, the ones nearest that area were commanded to blow a trumpet and call for help. Then they would all come together to that place and support their brethren to resist the attack- Nehemiah 4: 17-20. No one could work in isolation and concentrate only on his own thing at his particular part of the wall. They had to work together as one team, although they were spread out in many places all around the wall.
Nehemiah 4: 14 do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, great and awesome, and fight for your brethren, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your houses.
Under Nehemiah, each builder restored the part of the wall that was in front of his own house. Each man built a house of his own in his own particular style. But each also took responsibility for the part of the wall that was adjacent to his own house within the city. The builders worked in such a way that what they were doing fitted into the overall plan and formed a continuous wall without any break. There was unity, order, and relationship in what they were doing. They recognized Nehemiah’s overall governmental headship of the city and adhered to the single city plan of which they were all part.
Nehemiah, the governor of the city, with the many other leaders working with him, accomplished the fifth step in rebuilding the city by completing the wall in an amazing 52 days! The city was now well on the way to being secure. But the gates also had to be established. Nehemiah 3: 1-6: 19.
Once the wall was finished, they continued rebuilding the city as a united team under the governor. There were many leaders working together and many individual projects within different responsibilities and specific roles for each person.
The completion of this wall meant a new security and protection for all those who lived in the city. It now had definite boundaries and a clearly defined city limit. As a result, each person had to decide whether to live inside or outside the walls. Those who lived inside were more secure but had to come under the authority and government of the elders of the city who ruled over them from the nearest gate.
The sixth way to rebuild the city was the hanging of doors on the gates of the city. Nehemiah’s builders did this by hanging strong metal reinforced wooden doors at each end of the entrance tunnels, which had been deliberately made through the wall at intervals around the whole perimeter. This allowed people, carriages, and merchandise to enter and leave the city at a number of different points. It was these tunnels, plus the doors, which were called the gates of the city. The tunnels were quite long, as the city walls of those ancient cities could be up to 100 feet thick. The doors at each were closed at night to protect the city so it could be kept absolutely secure through the hours of darkness.
Elders ruled in the gates.
At each gate, a group of elders was appointed. They sat on Thrones at the gates with armed guards available to them. From this position they could observe everyone who passed into and out of the city. They could examine the contents of any wagon to see what it contained and then decide whether to let the people and their merchandise in. They could also prevent anyone leaving in an unlawful manner. At least one of the elders from each gate also sat with the governor on the City Council and helped govern the entire city.
In addition, the people who lived near a particular gate would come to the elders at that gate to have their disputes settled. So, the elders also acted like local judges or magistrates.
We see a great allegorical example of this in the book of Ruth when Boaz went to the elders in the gates to settle the inheritance issue with his near relative. It had to be legally decided as to which of them would exercise their right of redemption as Naomi’s closest relative after she and Ruth returned to Bethlehem from Moab. The nearest relative who had first claim to redemption stated before the elders he did not want to exercise his right to redeem the land of Elimelech and marry Ruth-Ruth 4.
All of this was legally settled at the gate before the elders. Then Boaz, as the next nearest relative, was free to become the Redeemer and buy back the land and marry Ruth. As a result, Ruth was now free to marry Boaz and recover all the lost inheritance of her former husband, one of the two sons of Elimelech. She also bore children to Boaz and became the mother of Obed, the grandmother of Jesse and the great grandmother of David. Thus, she became part of the direct bloodline of Jesus after flesh. This is all a glorious allegorical picture of Christ and his church- Ruth 4: 13-17.
In this way, city government was established. The city councilors ruled on behalf of the king under the direction of the governor, who planned a strategy to maintain the King’s rule over the whole region. From there they subdued the region and ruled over it on behalf of the king. Local elders in the various gates ruled the daily lives of the people under the city’s governor headship. The entire city was protected from thieves, robbers, and every kind of villain, for they could no longer enter freely at any point as they had before.
Watchmen on the walls
Lookouts were manned to watch day and night from the towers built into the walls so as to give early warning of anyone suspicious approaching the city. If it appeared dangerous, the guards were warned to mobilize and, if necessary, shut the gates of the city and be ready to resist any attack. Several examples of these are found in the scriptures. In spiritual terms, these lookouts could be the prophetic intercessors who could mobilize the spiritual warriors in a similar way.
Each city had an army Garrison of seasoned warriors stationed within the city in order to enforce the King’s rule over the land. They worked in and around the city to patrol the land and maintain the King’s authority.
Living outside the city
Some people preferred to live outside the city walls. They enjoyed some of the benefits of the city without being subject to its government or committed to its corporate life. But they were always the first casualties whenever an enemy attacked without warning! Villages were not able to provide what the stronger cities could because they were fewer in number, more vulnerable outside the protection of the strong city walls and had limited resources with which to train warriors and resist invaders. In ancient times most of the farmers and workers lived within the city walls and went out into the fields during the day to work. When danger was imminent, the watchers on the walls blew trumpets to warn the people to come back inside the walls where they could be protected.
A pattern for the church
All the principles of city government and city life discussed above are applicable to the church. The city church is the fulfillment of all the types and shadows that are so powerfully illustrated here, including: the proper authority and power of the king; delegated leadership in an organized structure to do the work effectively; watchful lookouts in the form of intercessors to warn of danger; the necessary number of trained warriors to fight the battles and protect the leaders and the sheep; and the corporate resources to provide for the needs of the entire church. The city church can provide resources, training, and protection to the local churches until they are all strong enough to sustain themselves.