THE SHEEP GATE
THE SHEEP GATE
Sunday, August 25, 2013
Pastor Carolyn Sissom
Recently someone prophesied to me that “the gates” of Texas would begin to connect with our church. I had lunch yesterday with Rev. Sharyn Dacbert, who pastored The Sheep Gate Fellowship, San Antonia, TX. She had an accident over a decade ago that left her an invalid and wheel-chair bound for ten years. The Lord has supernaturally healed her. With a remnant, the Lord has restored the ministry of The Sheep Gate Fellowship under her oversight.
I heard her story of suffering, her courage, sacrifice, prayers and her divine healing. However, when she mentioned the Sheep Gate, my Spirit was quickened. I asked her if the Lord named the ministry. She said, “Yes”.
All of you know the story of how the Lord named us, “The Eastgate”. Heaven was showing up in our meetings in 1989. I asked the Lord, “What does Heaven call us?” The answer came instantly, “The East Gate”.
I have taught and preached many times about the figurative meaning of The Eastern Gate.
In Ezekiel 43 and 44, the Eastgate is the Gate that was shut when the Glory of God departed from the temple. Jesus was the Temple of God during the time of His earthly ministry. Through Jesus, the Glory of God returned to the temple. We are now the Temple of the Lord and the Glory of God will return through His Gospel Church as we give him place and repent of our sins that He may dwell in us and the Glory of God will dwell and abide in the Bride of Christ. “Behold the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them.”
In Nehemiah, the principle of the East Gate is newness of life, glory and power. The repairers of the Eastgate in Nehemiah are Zadok and Shemaiah, the son of Shechaniah. (Shekenah Glory).
Todd Bentley recently prophesied in San Antonio that the first place revival will break out is at the East Gate.
The Sheep Gate is on the North-east corner of the temple. The principle of the Sheep Gate is conversion, atonement, sacrifice, divine healing and new birth. Between the Sheep Gate and the East Gate is the Miphkad Gate, the principal of reward and judgment.
The overall principle of the twelve gates in Nehemiah is restoration.
The Sheep Gate by that name is mentioned three times in scripture and that is in the Book of Nehemiah. However, it is described by Jeremiah as being part of the eternal city, the glorified community of God described in Revelation 20 and 21.
Rev. 21:12: “And the twelve gates had twelve angels, and the names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel.” The Angels are messengers. They proclaim the message of the Gospel Church to all who will dig into the deep for the Pearl. Ezek 43:10-11b: “Son of man show the house to the house of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their iniquities and let them measure the pattern, and if they be ashamed of all that they have done, show them the form of the house, and the fashion thereof, and the goings out thereof, and the comings in thereof.”
As I continued to fellowship with Guenther Friese and Rev. Dacbert, I was continually being strengthened. The “water” was rising in the restaurant. At the time, I did not tell all that I was seeing to Rev. Dacbert, but have copied these notes to her. I have been in extensive warfare since the conference. This is just “business as usual” when the Lord “calls” and “sends” us on Kingdom assignment. That is how we know we did damage to the enemies’ strongholds. However, I was feeling the effects of the warfare.
As the Holy Spirit was down-loading all of this to me, I knew the angel of the Sheep Gate was accompanying her. Through her pain, suffering, sacrifice and the power that raised her out of the wheel chair, she had accessed the angel of the Sheep Gate. Just as Nehemiah was strengthened for the work of rebuilding the walls, the Lord strengthened Rev. Dacbert.
The Sheep Gate was the first gate to be repaired and the last of the walls to be repaired going up to the corner of the sheep gate. The Sheep Gate is the Alpha and Omega of the twelve gates, the beginning and the end. Jesus says, “I am the Alpha and Omega”. The Sheep Gate is Jesus the Passover Lamb.
Neh. 2:18- 3:1: “”I told them of the hand of my God which was good upon me; as also the king’s words that he had spoken unto me. And they said, let us rise up and build, so they strengthened their hands for this good work. But when Sanballat the Horonite; and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite; and Geshem the Arabian; heard it, they laughed us to scorn, and despised us, and said, What is this thing that you do? Will you rebel against the King? Then I answered them, and said unto them, The God of heaven, he will prosper us, therefore, we his servants will arise and build; but you have no portion, nor right, nor memorial, in Jerusalem. Then Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brethren the priests, and they built the Sheep Gate; they sanctified it, and set up the doors of it; even unto the tower of Meah they sanctified it, unto the tower of Hananeel.”
Tower of Meah = (the hundred)
Tower of Hananeel = Grace of God
The location of the Sheep Gate is described by Jeremiah as being in New Jerusalem, the eternal city that will never be destroyed.
Jer. 31:38: “Behold, the days come, says the Lord, that the city shall be built to the Lord from the Tower of Hananeel unto the gate of the corner.”
The city described by Jeremiah in Chapter 31: 38-40, will be holy to God. It will never be plucked up again or destroyed and thrown down anymore forever.
The beloved city is marked out in Revelation 21:12 as the true Israel or people of God, the glorified community of the people of Christ, coming down out of heaven. The church is the city and bride. A loud voice from the throne (Rev. 21) proclaims the eternal consummation of the blessings of the gospel. The dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them.
Nehemiah 3:32- 4:2: “Between the going up of the corner unto the sheep gate repaired the goldsmiths and the merchants. But it came to pass, that when Sanballat heard that we built the wall, he was wroth and took great indignation, and mocked the Jews. He spoke before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, what do these feeble Jews? Will they fortify themselves? Will they sacrifice? Will they make and end in a day? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burned?”
The enemies ridicule and hindrance in the Book of Nehemiah manifests around the Sheep Gate.
Sanballat, Tobiah and Geshem were adversaries, opposition, and enemies to Nehemiah and his vision and task of restoration. This opposition took six forms (the number of man):
- 2:10 = Grief
- 2:19 = Scorn and mocking
- 4: 1-3 = Wrath and Indignation
- 4:7-8 = Fighting
- 6: 1-2 = Compromise
Sanballat represents Satan.
Tobiah represents the carnal mind.
Geshem represents the world system.
Today as Rev. Dacbert was sharing with me, she asked the Lord why He had sent her to Romania as a Revivalist when a revival is needed in her city. Her words rang through my Spirit. The Lord said he could not find a leader who will steward revival without trying to take the credit, possess the glory and usurp the recognition.
Nehemiah was a leader whom God trusted to lead the remnant. He is an example of Godly character and leadership. At the call of God, he renounced his life of luxury and high position in the palace of Shushan for a life of toil, danger, hardship, and opposition from false brethren within, and enemies without in the work of restoration. He was a man of faith, wisdom, courage, and perseverance; a man of prayer and energy, able to inspire others to work as well as work himself.
In the people joining together to rebuild the walls, we see 40 men, 8 vocations, 6 cities, 7 rulers, a man and his daughters, many different family relationships, professional groups, different age groups. This reveals the principle of the unity of the Body of Christ. The job could not have been completed with segments---it took all of them! Thus are revealed the principles of respect, honor, humility and mutual submission. We are members one of another. There were 42 groups of workers.
So what is the prophetic message today of my visitation of the angel of the Sheep Gate?
Between the place of sacrifice and sanctification (The Sheep Gate) and the place of Glory (the East Gate), is the Miphkad Gate, the principle of judgment and reward. This is the open reward of Matt. 6:4; running the race and the victor’s crown. This was the gate of registry, which would also be the place of the throne of judgment. It is also the principle of the cornerstone.
Eliashib, the high priest, rose up with the brethren the priests and they built the sheep gate, they sanctified it, and set up the doors of it. There were no locks or bars on this gate. The mercy of God is ever available to us. The sheep for the Temple sacrifice were brought in here. This gate was the Alpha and Omega of the Wall. This gate is the principle of repentance and faith. We enter the door and become part of his flock. This gate includes Divine healing (Ezek. 34:4). It was near Bethesda (“house of mercy”).
Rev. Dacbert through her fellowship of Christ’s suffering, sacrifice, prayers and ultimate divine healing, touched the house of mercy and rebuilt the glory of the Sheep Gate from within. Each gate is another progressive step of Heaven coming down and descending into the visible realm of “on earth as it is in Heaven”. Each gate = pearl = pain and great price = that which is costly = fellowship of His sufferings = not just one experience but many.
I was strengthened today and blessed to meet this great lady who has suffered much pain and paid a great price to bear the ministry of The Sheep Gate. She was accompanied by a great angel. In their presence, I was strengthened.
Carolyn Sissom, Pastor
Eastgate Ministries, Inc.
Scripture from K.J.V. – I entered into the labors of The Gates of Pearl by: Carolyn Sissom; The Twelve Gates of the City by K. H. Varner. Testimony and quotes from Rev. Sharon Dacbert, Lead Elder, The Sheep Gate Fellowship, San Antonio, TX.
“And they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them and be their God.” (Rev. 21:3)
THE EAST GATE
(Song given to Jesse L. Smith during a teaching by Pastor Sissom on the East Gate.
By: Jesse L. Smith, Jr., Psalmist
CHORUS
Inside the gates His power abounds
Where the gifts of the Spirit will always be found
So walk in His likeness, don’t even hesitate
For this glory awaits you inside the East Gate.
Inside the gates, the gates of praise
Lifting our voice to the ancient of days
Beyond this realm that holds us like weights
We are passing through the East Gate
Angelic praise draw us neigh to our King.
The Heavenly Host joins us as we sing,
Past the golden altar your awesome presence awaits,
We’re stepping forth inside the East Gate
(Repeat Chorus)