The Gates of the Temple

People in Israel used to meet at the gates of the city for a few different reasons. In Jerusalem the gates were also used for different things. There are lessons we can learn at each of the gates.

Sheep Gate

Sheep were brought into the city to be used for sacrifices in the Temple worship.

Rabbinic Judaism today - prayer, repentance and good deeds provide for forgiveness of sins.

Biblical Judaism - sacrifice was required to cleanse us from the consequences of our sins.

God sacrificed an animal because Adam & Eve sinned. Then God had His people offer sacrifices at altars, the Tabernacle, and then at the Temple. Finally, God told us that the Messiah would be the final sacrifice for the sins of all people.

(Acts 8:32 NIV) The eunuch was reading this passage of Scripture: "He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before the shearer is silent, so he did not open his mouth.

Yeshua is the sheep who was sacrificed for our sins.

Fish Gate

We are to be fishers of men - most people fish more early in the journey with God. The reasons for this is that when their faith is brand new, they are very excited, and still in contact with their friends who are non-believers.

We can fish in different ways. We can use a fishing rod, and catch one fish at a time. We can also use nets, and catch many fish at once. There is no one correct way to fish. God has us for fish for people many different ways.

Old/Yeshanah Gate

Not Old & New Testaments; or two testaments. The "Old Testament" is a collection of testaments that God made with the children of Israel.

(Matt 13:52 NIV) He said to them, "Therefore every teacher of the law who has been instructed about the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old."

Remember - this word is found 166 times in 161 verses

We don’t have to wonder will Yeshua follow through and take care of us and keep His promises. He has faithfully cared for all of His children throughout history. Therefore, God tells us to remember what He has done in the past. This will encourage us to rest in Him today and tomorrow.

Passover and the Lord’s Table are two examples.

Valley Gate

Valleys are the low spots. Unfortunately life is filled with valleys.

Rain runs down the mountain into the valleys. The ground gets lots of water so it’s a good place for things to grow. This is also the place where we grow. When we go through the low points, we get to a place where we finally look to God. We depend upon God. We’re not up, or happy, so we don’t try to take care of things ourselves. Finally, we reach the bottom, and look up to God.

(Isaiah 40:4 NIV) Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain.

Humble yourself in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up. Yochanan (Yeshua’s cousin John) said He must decrease, and Yeshua must increase. No one enjoys going through valleys are low points, but as we do, God will lift us up, and we will grow.

Dung Gate

The Bible says the Spirit will convict us of sin, righteousness and judgement. His job is to get us to take out the garbage in our lives.

(Rev 3:18 NIV) I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; ...

When things got hot, our true colors come out. We see what we are really made of. When things are really tough, we find out what’s really inside of us. When this happens, things gets exposed. We can no longer deny it, so God can finally get us to deal with it.

Fountain Gate

(Joel 3:18 NIV) ‘In that day the mountains will drip new wine, and the hills will flow with milk; all the ravines of Judah will run with water. A fountain will flow out of the Lord's house and will water the valley of acacias.

This takes place when Messiah returns to rule, but notice the words in this verse: drip new wine, flow with milk, run with water, flow out of the Lord’s house, and water the valley. These are descriptions which describe an outpouring of God’s Spirit.

(Isaiah 44:3 NIV) For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants.

We need God’s Spirit to be poured out like a fountain so we can be blessed.

Water Gate

(Ephesians 5:26 NIV) to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word,

Gods Word is eternal. Men always change what they believe. God never changes. What He said was true in the past, is true today, and always will be true in the future.

(Acts 22:16 NIV) And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on His name.’

Lit., "Having arisen, be baptized; and wash away your sins, having called on the name of the Lord." Baptism does not wash away sins.

We need to go to the Water Gate and be washed by God’s Word so that we can be clean. God’s Word shows us how to be washed, and in John chapter 1 the Bible says that the Word was God, took on flesh (or a body) and lived among us. This is Yeshua, who shed His blood to wash away our sins.

Horse Gate

Warriors road into battle on a horse.

(Rev 19:11-26 NIV) I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. "He will rule them with an iron scepter." He treads the wine press of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

Yeshua is the King of Kings who will ride into battle when He returns. He will defeat the enemies of God, and then begin to rule as our King.

East Gate

This is where Yeshua enters the city when He returns. This is our great hope which gives us the strength to continue.

Inspection Gate (Miphkad or assignment)

(Rom 14:10-12 NIV) You, then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before God's judgment seat. It is written: "‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bow before me; every tongue will confess to God.’" So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.

(Rev 20:12 NIV) And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books.

This is not good:

(Isaiah 64:6 NIV) All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.

(Romans 3:23 NIV) for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

(Romans 6:23 NIV) For the wages of sin is death,

... but the gift of God is eternal life in Messiah Jesus our Lord.

(Rev 20:15 NIV) If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

(1 Cor 3:11-15 NIV) For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Messiah Jesus. If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.

We will all face an inspection in the future. If our names are not written in the Lamb’s book of life, we will be judged according to our deeds. No one wants this to happen. We all fall short of God’s glory and will fail this inspection.

People whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of life will pass this inspection because they allowed Yeshua’s blood to wash away their sins. They will enter God’s presence, but God will then inspect their work for His Kingdom. He will then reward them for how they built His Kingdom.

Ephraim Gate

(Gen 48:19-20) ... his (Ephraim’s) descendants will become a group of nations (m’low ha-goyim). He blessed them that day and said, "In your name will Israel pronounce this blessing: ‘May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh.’" So he put Ephraim ahead of Manasseh.

(Romans 11:25) I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles (m’low ha-goyim) has come in.

ohIDv tOn (m’low ha-goyim) - same Hebrew words in Genesis 48 and Romans 11:25

Paul quoted from Israel’s blessing of Ephraim in Romans 11. Ephraim was adopted into Israel, and so are Gentile believers. Gentile believers are a fulfillment of Israel’s blessing over Ephraim. Israel (Jacob) declared that like Ephraim, gentiles, or people from the nations, would become part of Israel.