The Eastern/Golden Gate
Why would one 50-acre spot of land be the center of world controversy and the hottest piece of real estate anywhere on earth? You are looking at pictures of it at left (two views): The Eastern Gate adjoining the site of the Jewish Temple; the gate through which Jesus rode on a donkey on his triumphant entry into Jerusalem. If you could buy a gravesite on the down slope to the Kidron Valley or the up slope in front of the above stone gate, it would cost you at least $50,000.
Why would anyone want to be buried on those slopes in front of a stone wall? The Golden Gate (Eastern Gate) in the eastern wall of Jerusalem gave access to the courtyards of the Temple from the Kidron valley. I once waited outside the gate at Disney World in Orlando, Florida with a bus load of students with tickets to get in as soon as the park opened. In the picture above it looks like the dead are waiting for the gate to open. Moslems are buried on the up slope to the gate. Jews are buried on the down slope from Mount Olivet. A lesser number of Christians are included…somewhere.
The Jews and Christians wanted to meet the coming Messiah who is prophesied to enter the sealed eastern gate. The Moslems were told that Jesus would come here to participate in a Moslem judgment of the dead. I have included some of the most important things out of the great mass of material available. Google it: type in "Golden Gate Jerusalem."
It is interesting that this gate is the only one of the eight gates in Jerusalem that is sealed. The Arabs believe that since the Jews were expecting their Messiah to come through this gate (Sha'ar harachamim) they would try to prevent any possibility of His return. The East gate was walled up by its Muslim conquerors (the Ottoman Turks) with great stones in 1530 A.D. and a cemetery was planted in front of it thinking that the Jewish Messiah could not set foot in a cemetery and therefore would not be able to come through the gate as they believed the Jewish prophecy described. Entrance of the Jewish Messiah through this gate was foretold by known Old Testament prophecies. Ezekiel prophesied around 600 B.C. about the shutting of this gate. Much discussion is written on the specifics of Ezekiel 44:1-3. Some believe this to be about the Jewish Messiah and others that the gate pertains to David. However, Jesus is going to reign upon the throne of David in Jerusalem and at that point Jesus and David run together.
Then he brought me back to the outer gate of the sanctuary, which faces east; and it was shut. And he said to me, "This gate shall remain shut; it shall not be opened, and no one shall enter by it; for the LORD, the God of Israel, has entered by it; therefore it shall remain shut. Only the prince may sit in it to eat bread before the LORD; he shall enter by way of the vestibule of the gate, and shall go out by the same way. (Ezek. 44:1-3)
Jesus entered Jerusalem through the East gate around 30 A.D. as he came down from the Mount of Olives and entered the temple. The original gate through which he entered was destroyed with the city by the Romans in70 A.D. The remains of that gate have been found under the present gate. Jesus said: Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord (Mat.23:38-39). (See also: Jeremiah 12:7)
Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem. And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it (Zech.12:2-3)
And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south (Zech 14:4)
On December 12, 1917 Britain's General Edmund Allenby surrounded Jerusalem and demanded the Turks surrender. The Turks surrendered without a shot being fired. The Ottoman Turks gained possession of Jerusalem in what was then known as Palestine in 1516. They held possession over this land until the fateful day of Dec. 12, 1917. This was the very day history records that the Turks were preparing to have the Eastern Gate opened.
On June 7th, 1967 Jordan's King Hussein had made plans to open up the Eastern Gate in an apparent attempt to disprove Bible prophecy. It was also on this incredible day that the famed 6-Day War ended and Israel regained possession of the eastern portion of Jerusalem. This included the Eastern Gate.
The Eastern gate is presently considered by the Arabs to be their exclusive property. It is sealed up and blocked off. However one day, the Messiah will return to earth with all His saints. He will land on the Mount of Olives (which will split in half) and will walk down to and right through the Eastern Gate and into the Temple area.
We are approaching the annual celebration of Easter Sunday, commemorating the resurrection of Christ from the dead. One of my early favorite songs was: I Will Meet You in the Morning Just inside the Eastern Gate. It's one of those wonderful songs of powerful hope that doesn't get everything just right but its imagery lives on. I was glad to hear this old friend at funerals. It soothed aching hearts and opened the curtains toward Heaven. Ω
Gardens—Barbara Carr
This is one of the pictures Dan took of our garden last year. You can see the squash on the right, onions in the bed and okra upper left. The green beans and tomatoes are out of the picture on the right. I believe it was the prettiest and most productive garden we have ever had. We had been living in Southern Pines, NC the majority of the time for several years and our garden had not been tended. In order to have this garden we had to practically start from scratch. We had to dig and haul natural fertilizer. We then planted. We laid newspaper in the rows and covered it with pine straw. It was a labor of love for a while, then it became a labor of two tired people, but we persevered and were proud of our labor.
There was a beautiful garden long before Dan and I ever thought of a garden. The most beautiful that was ever created—The Garden of Eden. The Lord God had created a garden. The whole world probably looked like a beautiful garden then, because God had just created it. But, this was a special garden. He had created this garden for the man he created. "And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it." (Gen 2:15) (See:Genesis 2:8-15)
At this time of year we are thinking of another garden. The garden of Gethsemane on the Mount of Olives was a place where our Lord Jesus often went to pray. (Luke 22:39) Jesus and the disciples left the last supper after singing a hymn. They went to Gethsemane. There Jesus asked the disciples to wait while he went to pray. He took Peter, James and John with Him. But they were tired and went to sleep.
"Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder. 37) And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy.
38) Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me. 39) And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.
40) And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour? 41) Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
42) He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done. 43) And he came and found them asleep again: for their eyes were heavy.
44) And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words. 45) Then cometh he to his disciples, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46) Rise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that doth betray me." (Mat 26:36-46)
Jesus was the God-man. As He began to feel anxiety and dread He began to pray. Jesus was covered in human flesh, so he experienced the world as we do. But, Jesus won every life battle He faced. The answer to His victory is what He did in the garden of Gethsemane. He went to an out-of-the-way place and prayed until His will was fully surrendered to the Father. He won the battle on His knees.
Jesus left the garden victorious even though He was a prisoner. He knew the pain and agony He was soon to suffer, but He accepted God's will for His life. Jesus our Savior gave His life willingly that we might have eternal life. He put everything in the Father's hands. Now, Jesus was facing the cross and all the cruel punishment inflicted upon Him. He died with our sins on His shoulders.
Jesus did not remain in the grave. We believe in the resurrection—that He arose after three days. Many believe there was a man named Jesus and that He did die on the cross. It is essential for Christians to believe in the resurrection in order to have eternal life. If He had not possessed power over the grave, His death on the cross means nothing. Our Lord made salvation possible by conquering sin and death. He was victorious over the grave.
We often face troubles here on earth. God uses this to conform us; to help us be more like Jesus. What did Jesus do when facing trials? He prayed. On this occasion He went to the garden of Gethsemane to pray. We should learn from this that prayer and surrender to God is our answer. The hymn In the Garden is such a beautiful song.
"I come to the garden alone, while the dew is still on the roses, And the voice I hear, falling on my ear, The Son of God discloses.
He speaks and the sound of His voice is so sweet the birds hush their singing,And the melody that He gave to me, within my heart is ringing.
I'd stay in the garden with Him tho' the night around me be falling, But He bids me go; Thro' the voice of woe His His voice to me is calling.
And He walks with me, and He talks with me, and He tells me I am His own; And the joy we share as we tarry there, none other has ever known."
We are rejoicing over the resurrection and waiting His return. We should be a joyful people and keep looking up. May you all have a Blessed and Happy Easter. Ω
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●http://www.templemount.org/tunnel.html ●http://raptureready.com/featured/reagan/dr27.html ●http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Gate_%28Jerusalem%29 ●http://rapturewatch.cephasministry.com/365%20The%20Golden%20Gate.html ●http://www.bibleplaces.com/oldcitygates.htm ●http://www.webcamplaza.net/master_frame_fix.html?http://www.webcamplaza.net/rotating/kotel_big.html ●http://www.wordofmessiah.org/april_05_2.htm
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