I am excited about this week and what we can learn about the Kingdom. I will break this up in three weeks for us. The reason being that one blog will not justify what we want to talk about the Kingdom.
Every Kingdom has its foundation established on three things. There have to be covenants, altars, and gates. This week we will look at the first of these three: Gates.
It is hard for us to understand this concept in our day as we live in a different world. Cities are not gated anymore. Back in history, people would work in the field all day and come inside the city gates at night for safety. Think about the movie ‘Troy” and how high walls and city gates surrounded the city. The same thing is what Joshua was up against when they conquered the city of Jericho.
Gates have meaning. It was also the place where the elders met to judge and decree sentences and make laws. People would gather to hear the wisdom of the elders in the gates of the cities. Young men will come to the city gates to be taught by the elders of the cities.
Gates was also entryways into cities. Gates was guarded by soldiers to prevent any unwanted people or enemies from entering the city.
There are also gates or portals into the spiritual realm. We all have seen the cartoons with Peter standing at the gate of heaven, seeing who can be allowed to enter in. There are also gates or portals that open to hell. Jesus defines that for us.
Matt 16:18 You are Peter, and upon this rock, I will build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
So what are these “gates” to the spirit world?
Let’s forget what you saw in cartoons. Let’s allow the scripture to define it for us.
We know that Jesus said that it gives the Father great pleasure to give us the Kingdom – Luke 12:32. We also know that the Kingdom is not from this natural world but the Spiritual world – John 18:36.
The Kingdom God is giving us, is Spiritual and from the dimension of God. That Kingdom has gates that allow you to enter in but also for the Kingdom to invade the earth.
In Genisis 28, we read the story of Jacob fleeing from his brother. He stole the blessing, and Esau and Esau wanted to kill him. He stays over one night and has a dream. In this dream, there is a ladder from heaven to earth, and Angels are ascending and descending on it. God appears above the ladder and speaks to him in the dream. When he wakes up, he realizes that God met with him.
Gen 28:16-17 Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the LORD is in this place, and I did not know it.” And he was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.”
What we see here is an example of a Gate of Heaven. When God connects with a man, a gate opens up from the unseen world into the visible world. Why would God give us the Kingdom and ask us to pray: Thy Kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven? We become the gate that connects the visible with the invisible.
Psa. 24:7-10 Lift up your heads, O gates! And be lifted up O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The LORD, strong and mighty, the LORD, mighty in battle! Lift up your heads, O gates! And lift them up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory! Selah
Gates don’t have heads! We have heads. When we become the gate to the invisible realm, we allow the King of Glory to come in. Look at what happened at the baptism of Jesus.
Matt 3:16 And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him.
The heavens opened up. Jesus lived under an open heaven; He lived as an open gate to bring heaven to earth. When God and man unite, a gate is open into the supernatural realm.
Just as we are gates of heaven, so are unsaved people gates to hell. They open up what hell has to offer. When Jesus said to Peter: The gates of hell will not prevail against it, He said that what unregenerated people have to offer can not stand against what we have to offer from heaven.
Kingdoms have gates. We are the gate to the Kingdom of God. How did you hear about God’s love for you? Someone opened the way when they shared the Gospel with you.
We have a responsibility. We must protect our gates. What do you bring into your living space? Guard your heart and your ears. Make sure you stay open as a portal or a gateway to heaven.
