In last week’s lesson on the gates of Jerusalem, we saw that the Horse Gate not only reminds us that we are all engaged daily in spiritual warfare, but it also reminds of the soon coming of Jesus Christ! We need to be prepared for both, and we can do so by putting on Jesus! Today’s lesson takes us to the next to last gate mentioned in the series: The East Gate.
“Next to them, Zadok son of Immer made repairs opposite his house. Next to him, Shemaiah son of Shecaniah, the guard at the East Gate, made repairs.” (Neh 3:29 NIV)
The second-to-last gate was known as the East Gate. Unlike the other gates, which were specifically mentioned along with those who had repaired them, the Biblical account of this gate isn’t precise. All we really know from the above passage is that there WAS an East Gate, and that it had a guard, known as Shemaiah, son of Shecaniah! This Shemaiah may have been regarded as a descendant of the Shemaiah of 1 Chron. 26:6, whose duty was to guard the temple. If this is the case, then the East Gate is undoubtedly the east gate of the temple. Others however, identify it with the Water Gate, towards the east. [1]
Even though we cannot be certain of the exact location of this gate from the Nehemiah account, we do know its purpose: “. . . The gate that looked toward the east, and it was shut. The Lord said to me, ‘This gate shall be shut; it shall not be opened, and no one shall enter by it, for the Lord God of Israel has entered by it.'” (Eze. 44:1-3) Friends, this East Gate was set aside specifically by God for one particular even: The Coming of the Messiah!
So just what does this East Gate signify for us today? The east gate still speaks of the Lord’s coming; of His return! It is a daily reminder that Jesus WILL return and set up His Kingdom here on Earth! It is an eternal sign that God is faithful about His promises!
The vital importance of the East Gate is summed up for us nicely by Peter: “Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to LIVE HOLY AND GODLY LIVES as you LOOK FORWARD TO THE DAY OF GOD and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with his promise WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO A NEW HEAVEN AND A NEW EARTH, the home of righteousness. So then, dear friends, since you are LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS, MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO BE FOUND SPOTLESS, BLAMELESS AND AT PEACE WITH HIM.” (2 Peter 3:11-15 NIV)
Let’s remember for a moment the significance of the previous gate, the Horse Gate. Besides reminding us that we are in a constant state of Spiritual warfare, it also reminds us of the second coming of Jesus. Why would there be two gates in a row with the same message? Because it’s when God repeats Himself that we know He is really serious! God is trying to help us realize that the singular focus of our lives needs to be the fact that He WILL return, and soon! Friends, the Horse Gate and the East Gate both teach us to live our lives with eternity in mind!
Enough to ponder, friends, but do ponder this: The East Gate is a constant reminder to us that the return of the Lord Jesus Christ is very near. We must live with this hope, we must live our lives for eternity!
Join us next week to take a look at the message of the last gate in the wall, the “Inspection Gate”!
God bless each of you abundantly.
Sue Ramsey & Lyn Chaffart Volunteers, Answers2Prayer Ministries, www.Answers2Prayer.org
[1] from Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament: New Updated Edition, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1996 by Hendrickson Publishers, Inc. on Neh 3:28-32
(To access the entire “Gates in the Bible” mini-series, please click here.)