Gatekeepers - Part 2

I am continuing from 2 days ago - a study on being gatekeepers. All worship ministers need to walk in the ministry of a gatekeeper. We are intercessors on behalf of the people of God, and we are gatekeepers of God's presence.

There Are Three Gates In Scripture

These gates are not necessarily physical gates or a particular place of entry. They represent the spiritual entrance to our cities, churches and the presence of our King.

1. City Gates: Gen. 19:1; Ruth 4:1; Ps. 87:2; Ps. 122:2

2. Temple/Church Gates: 2 Chr. 31:2; Ps. 100:4; Jer. 7:2

3. King’s Gates: Esth. 2:19; Ps. 24:7; Dan. 2:49

Gatekeepers were also watchmen upon the walls. (They were intercessors)

1. The city gatekeepers were to be loyal and trustworthy. They were responsible for:

            • The safety of the city.

            • To admit or refuse entrance. (2 Ki. 7:10)

            When Jerusalem fell to Babylon, three gatekeepers were symbolically slain.

Jer. 29:7 And seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray to the LORD for it; for in its peace you will have peace.

Jer. 29:7 And seek (inquire for, require, and request) the peace and welfare of the city to which I have caused you to be carried away captive; and pray to the Lord for it, for in the welfare of [the city in which you live] you will have welfare.  (AMP)

Jer. 29:7  “Make yourselves at home there and work for the country’s welfare. “Pray for Babylon’s well-being. If things go well for Babylon, things will go well for you.”  (Message)

2. The Temple Gatekeepers:

            • Were to be from the Tribe of Levi. (1 Chron. 9:26; 15:23; 23:5)

            • Cared for the temple. (2 Ki. 23:4)

            • Watched temple entrances. (1 Chron. 9:23-27; 2 Chron 23:19)

2Chr. 23:19   And he set the porters at the gates of the house of the LORD, that none which was unclean in any thing should enter in. 

               Helped perform service of purification. (Neh. 12:25)

3. The King's Gatekeepers (Es. 2:21; 6:2)

            Prov. 8:34   Blessed is the man that hears me, watching daily at my

            gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.

"hears"  shâma  (Strongs # 8085)  To hear intelligently, give attention, attentively call or gather together, consider, be content, declare, diligently discern, give ear, make a noise, proclaim, publish, report, show forth, tell, understand.

"watching"  shâqad  (Strongs # 8245)  To be alert, fix attention to, sleepless, to be on the look out (whether for good or ill), hasten, remain awake, watch for, to guard the threshold.

"waiting"  shâmar  (Strongs # 8104)  To hedge about, to guard, protect, attend to, to take heed of, to keep, save, lay wait for, watch for.

Worshipers - We are gatekeepers over our cities, churches and before the courts of the King. Just as the Queen has soldiers who guard her presence - so we stand in the gate of our King and watch. We have the privilege of listening to the sounds of heaven ad declaring what He is saying in all the earth. We also get to watch intently as He prepares layers of glory for His people and we are guardians of His presence day and night. This doesn't mean that the Lord is unable to defend Himself - it just means that we are those who watch over His presence as sons, His Bride, His friends and His servants.       



Part One: HERE

The Lord is Good!

The Lord has hidden secrets of His love and greatness in all of creation. These sweet creatures have so much to teach us about His kindness:

Ps. 4:8 I will both lie down in peace, and sleep;

for You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety   

Prov. 12:18 ...the tongue of the wise promotes health.

Ps. 61:4 I will abide in Your tabernacle forever;

I will trust in the shelter of Your wings

Prov. 17:17 A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. 

Ps. 148:7 Praise the Lord form the earth,

You great sea creatures and all the depths.

Ps. 18:24 A man who has friends must himself be friendly,

But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

Prov. 27:17 As iron sharpens iron,

So a man sharpens the countenance of his friend

Prov. 16:28 A perverse man sows strife,

and a whisperer separates the best of friends

Ps. 146:9 The Lord watches over those who are in a strange land;

He gives help to the widow and to the child that has no father.

Ps. 121:8 The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go, 

Both now and forever

Ps. 68:19 Praise the Lord; praise God our savior!

For each day he carries us in His arms

Worshipers Guard The Gate Of God’s Presence Proverbs 8:34

Proverbs 8:34

Blessed is the man who listens to me, Watching daily at my gates, Waiting at the posts of my doors. (NKJV)

Happy is the man who gives ear to me, watching at my doors day by day, keeping his place by the pillars of my house. (Bible in Basic English)

We have a responsibility to do three things in the gates of the Lord:

1.   Listen – We are those who listen with a prophetic attention to the voice of the Lord and to all His commands. Take note that this is not an ordinary listening. The Hebrew word, here means we are to listen intently so that we are able to proclaim what we have heard and gather others to his voice.

2.   Watch – This word means, “to be sleepless.” The Lord calls His worshipers to remain “sleepless” in their spirits so that they might always be on the lookout concerning His presence. We are watching with an expectation of Him showing up.

     3.   Wait – The concept of waiting in this verse is not passive in any way. It is talking about us guarding God’s presence in the same way that The Queen’s guard watch over her day and night. We are guarding His presence from all who would interrupt Him, or stop the flow of the Holy Spirit.

Worshipers – listen, watch and wait for the presence of God. We need Him in our churches.