The East Gate
<Neh 3:29; 1 Chr. 26:14; 2 Chr. 31:14>
"After them Zadok the son of Immer made repairs in front of his own house. After him Shemaiah the son of Shechaniah, the keeper of the East Gate, made repairs."
Nehemiah 3:29 (NKJ)
The East Gate led directly to the temple and is probably what we know today as the Golden Gate. Tradition says that Jesus entered the temple on Palm Sunday through this gate. In the sixteenth century, the gate was sealed up with blocks of stone by the Turkish sultan, Sulayman the Magnificent. Jewish and Christian tradition both connect the Golden Gate with the coming of the Messiah to Jerusalem, and Muslims associate it with the future judgment.
'… 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.'
Ezekiel 44:1-3
The east gate opens and looks toward the Mount of Olives and we know that when Jesus returns He will return to this mount. (Zech 14:4). He will then enter Jerusalem by the east gate which will miraculously open up (maybe due to an earthquake).
The east gate then speaks of the return of Jesus Christ. For our Christian life is shows us of our need to live with this hope and to long for His return. A specific crown is even given to those who do this (2 Tim 4:8). Prophetically this gate is very close to the horse gate because the day of God's wrath ends with the coming of the Lord Jesus on a white horse with His armies on white horses as described in Revelation 19.
The Lord will return to the city the same way (Ezekiel 43:1-5). So, we have every reason to associate this gate with the coming of the Lord and to remind ourselves to "abide in Him; that, when He shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before Him at His coming" (1 John 2:28).
The Lord will be the light. From the temple will flow living waters and the Lord will be King over all the earth. Jerusalem will be secure and the whole world will worship the King. The radiance of the Lord will fill the land. What a wonderful transformation will be brought about on that day. On that day the waters of the Dead Sea will join the Mediterranean Sea and the waters will be healed. Fishermen will spread their nets on the shores of the Dead Sea. There will be a day of celebration and there will be One Lord and Jesus is His name.
If you know Christ as your saviour you will be a part of the church and will share in this glory.
The gates of Jerusalem are certainly Gateways to Glory.
But, before this glorious event will happen there are certain events that must take place first..
1. The Temple will be rebuilt.
Scripture shows us that before Jesus returns the Anti Christ will make a peace agreement with Israel for seven years, probably giving Israel the go ahead to rebuild the holy Temple of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem next to or in place of the Dome on the Rock (Daniel 9:27).
Half way through the peace treaty the Anti Christ will storm into this temple and set up an abomination of desolation (Matthew 24:15 - probably an accursed image).
2. The Gospel of the Kingdom will be made know in every people group.
According to Matthew 24:14;
"And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come."
Matthew 24:14(NKJ)
So, He will return after there is a witness to the Gospel in every nation ('ethnos' - ethnic group).
Prophetically, we see a westward sweep through history from Jerusalem as the gospel message moves from Asia Minor, through to Europe (where Paul took the Gospel - first to Macedonia, the eastern most tip of Europe, and his eyes were set on the western most point of Europe- Spain). The book of Acts reveals God's intention was for the Gospel to travel westwards and the Holy Spirit prevented Paul and his team turning to take the Gospel back eastwards through Bithynia (Acts 16:7). Instead Paul was given a vision a European man (from Macedonia). Thus the Gospel spread westwards through Europe.
As we know from history the Gospel still travelled westwards as the Pilgrim Fathers travelled west to New England - The Americas. But if we continue westwards from there we reach South East Asia where the Gospel has come in powerfully over the last Century and the Church is growing stronger and stronger. Indeed the main missions thrust in the world is now coming from this area.
But before Jesus will return with His feet on the Mount of Olives, to ride triumphantly through the East Gate, the Gospel must sweep through the remaining territory, west of South East Asia - The Middle East! When great revivals break out in the Middle East we know that the time is very soon that King Jesus will return.
Conclusion:
If we have successfully seen the previous Gates restored then we are ready to usher in the Second Coming of the Messiah - Jesus. He will come back through this East Gate.
When the Church has received power at the Fountain Gate after having been made ready, received its marching orders at the Water Gate and marched out into the nations through the Horse Gate, then the scene is set for King Jesus to return in power and glory through the East Gate to rule and reign for a thousand years with His saits on this earth, Jerusalem being His HQ.
When this happens there will be a time of reckoning - at the Miphkad Gate.