#5 The Gates Of Spiritual Progression - Part 3 Series

From the Horse Gate the wall continued until we reach the East Gate.

Nehemiah 3:29, "After them repaired Zadok the son of Immer over against his house. After him repaired also Shemaiah the son of Shechaniah, the keeper of the east gate."

The East Gate has been set-aside especially by God and was known by Jews for one particular event. Do you know what that event is? It is the coming of the Messiah to deliver Israel in the last days! From the time of Ezekiel the prophet, the East Gate has been permanently closed. This gate was left intact when Nebuchadnezzar’s army conquered Jerusalem. There was no damage to repair.

God’s design in this undamaged gate is to let us know that his Word is true and that his prophecies are true and no man can interfere in God’s plan for redemption. When the gate was closed and sealed up, it was to remain sealed until Jesus comes to enter in through that gate.

Ezekiel 44:1-3, "Then he brought me back the way of the gate of the outward sanctuary which looketh toward the east; and it was shut. Then said the LORD unto me; This gate shall be shut, it shall not be opened, and no man shall enter in by it; because the LORD, the God of Israel, hath entered in by it, therefore it shall be shut. It is for the prince; the prince, he shall sit in it to eat bread before the LORD; he shall enter by the way of the porch of that gate, and shall go out by the way of the same."

The east gate, when it is open, provides access to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives. If you know anything about the second coming of Christ, you will know that when Jesus returns He will return to this mountain, where his feet will first touch the earth, causing a great earthquake and the Mount of Olives will split in two. Jesus will then enter Jerusalem through the East Gate.

Some of you may recall the old hymn that is titled, “I Will Meet You In The Morning”. I can still remember when I was a teenager and I heard Vestal Goodman sing that song. You could just picture the Lord coming at that very moment, as she would sing, “Keep your lamps all trimmed and burning, for the Bridegroom watch and wait. Oh be ready faithful children, lest for you it be too late.” One part of that song contains these words, “I will meet you in the morning; I will meet you in the morning; just inside the Eastern Gate, over there.”

What is that referring to? It points to the gathering of God’s people just inside the Eastern Gate when we come back with him riding on white horses and Jesus enters the City of Jerusalem as its recognized Messiah.

The East Gate then speaks of the return of Jesus Christ. Prophetically the East Gate is very close to the Horse Gate because the day of God’s wrath ends with the coming of the Lord Jesus as described in Revelation 19.

Revelation 19:11-16, "And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS."