Nehemiah rebuilding the gates and wall

The gates are in the wall. Within the wall is the city. Within the city is the temple. Within the temple is the holy of holies. This was where the Lord communes with His people from off the mercy seat which is upon the ark of the covenant which contained the rod of Aaron that budded, a jar of manna, and the tables of stone upon which the commandments of the first covenant were written.

All of these are types and shadows reflecting Christ from above. The walls of the city are as the body of man. The gates are the senses (eyes, ears, mouth, touch, smell). The temple is to be built within our hearts beginning with the altar of Christ. The altar must be built with the whole stones of the doctrine of Christ. These stones are the 12 elements of the gospel of Christ: grace, faith, righteousness, justification, sanctification, holiness, charity, truth, peace, rest, regeneration, and renewing of the mind.

Within the symbolism of the ark and mercy seat, we see the record and the witness. This is the truth and Spirit of God. Both must be present for faith to be made living by God. Thus our sanctification begins with the baptism of the Spirit evidenced by tongues and our instruction by apostles in the doctrine of Christ. As we receive the engrafting of His Spirit, the witness of tongues, and this instruction from above, we are building the altar of Christ in our hearts.

When the altar of Christ is built within the heart with the whole (uncut) stones, then we have communion with God through the spiritual priesthood of Christ and then He conforms us to the image and likeness of Christ from within (thus rebuilding the temple and city in His image and likeness.) In this we experience the regeneration of the soul and the renewing of our minds.

This is the purpose of God sending forth living apostles as servant-stewards of His holy ordered knowledge. Apart from His active oversight, people take the scriptures into any direction that they find pleasing in their own sight. We see this over and over again in the scriptures and God always restores faith by raising up stewards to restore order to His knowledge. This is also what He's doing today through the restoration of living apostles of Christ preaching and teaching as concerning our responsibility to serve God through the spiritual priesthood of Christ in Spirit and in truth.

Free online lessons on the doctrine of Christ: http://s8wministries.org/courses.php