The Fish Gate was rebuilt by the sons of Hassenaah. They laid its beams and put its doors and bolts and bars in place. Meremoth son of Uriah, the son of Hakkoz, repaired the next section. Next to him Meshullam son of Berekiah, the son of Meshezabel, made repairs, and next to him Zadok son of Baana also made repairs. The next section was repaired by the men of Tekoa, but their nobles would not put their shoulders to the work under their supervisors. (Nehemiah 3:3-5)
The fish gate was the entry point to the fish market. It was a trade route for fish mongers who came to transact business (Nehemiah 13:16). You may picture this in the context of our city market route where fish mongers operate. That gives you an idea of the stench of fish as it was prepared for sale.
The fish gate is associated with corruption (Zephaniah 1:10-11). Trade in itself is not evil but how it is carried out can corrupt. The transaction of buying and selling degenerated into idol worship and human sacrifice (Jeremiah 32:34)
Repair works begun with the sheep gate. The gate of redemption where Jesus is the ultimate sacrifice that bore our sins in His body. He was the lamb without blemish. The fish gate comes second because it also has to do with entry exit as a trade channel. Whereas the fish gate opened opportunity for corruption it also presented an opportunity for witness. Jesus called His disciples, ‘fishers of men’. The idol worshippers who came to sell their goods in Jerusalem would not only make money but would have an opportunity to make their ways straight with God.
We may call this gate the opportunity gate. This is the channel for marketplace impact. While our mates, friends, relatives e.t.c won’t come to us through the sheep gate (our faith), they possibly will reach us through our trade gate. The gate of our craft. Merchants don’t go where there is no demand neither to buyers go where there is no supply. Our excellence in the marketplace should draw nations to ourselves. When they do, it is an opportunity for us to influence them for eternity.
Notice, the nobles shirked from put their shoulders to the work. Whereas others were ploughing away putting the beams together, the nobles, the elite, the experts, the celebs pocketed and watched from the sidelines. They showed up for work but they didnt work. May be they were too concerned about their stature and what others would say.
Psalms 2:8 says, “Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.” God loves your boss. God loves your subordinate. God loves your suppliers. God loves your customers. The fact that we spend at least 8 hours of 5 days of the week out there in the marketplace shows how much we need to ‘preach the word in season’ (2 Timothy 4:2). God desires that we use this opportunity to ‘occupy till He comes’.
We therefore cannot resign ourselves to say we are in the marketplace as a ‘part-time vocation’ or that it is a ‘necessary evil’ to help us pay bills or that 'I am careful not to upset my customer'. If we keep silent, the world will influence us. Believe you me they are out to get you. God desires that we invade the marketplace, change the rules and completely transform it for Christ. Are you the pocketing noble issuing arm chair criticism or a handy man from Tekoa getting hands on those gates in order to catch more fish for Christ?
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