Gates

I was glad when they said to me,
“Let us go to the house of the Lord.”
Our feet have been standing
Within your gates, O Jerusalem!
– Psalm 122:2

I have been to some places that create within me a special feeling while there. One of those places is the old city of Jerusalem. While Jerusalem is now a much larger city than it was in biblical times, the old city is still a distinct part of it. It is completely surrounded by stone wall, which means it is necessary to enter by means of the old city gates. These are not like a fence gate into your back yard; they are large stone structures built to control access and help protect the city. Passing through them is a noticeable moment of transition, which is then followed by that special feeling of, “Wow, here I am!”

The people who lived in Israel and Judah thousands of years ago must have had the same feeling, especially those who did not live especially near Jerusalem. The city held a special meaning, reminding them of who they were as a nation, and of the God who had named them and called them. Because it is a walled city, the gates provide a distinct sense of transition. You don’t have to wonder whether or not you are in the city; you know when you pass through the gate. Once you have, you can say with confidence, “I’m in!” Being inside the gates of Jerusalem meant being in the premier location for worship. The city itself was a visual picture of being claimed and protected by God. Few things could have felt better than to say, “I am standing inside your gates, O Jerusalem.”

Not far inside the Dung Gate, in the Jewish Quarter of the old city, there is a place called the Western Wall. It is a foundation wall upon which the Jewish Temple was built. The Temple no longer stands, but the foundation wall remains, and is one of the most holy places for Jews. On my visits to the Holy Land I have joined the thousands of people who go to the wall each day to pray. Among other things, my prayers have echoed Psalm 122:6, praying for the peace of Jerusalem. Doing so only seemed right in a place like that. It didn’t feel to me like choosing sides in a modern struggle of politics, religion and ethnicity. Modern day Jerusalem is itself a place in conflict; it is a divided city. Praying for the peace of Jerusalem is an act of confident anticipation, longing for the day when God brings our conflicts to an end.

There will be a day when all the redeemed people of God will stand within the gates of Jerusalem. It will be a new Jerusalem with twelve gates, through which those who are washed by the blood of Christ can enter the city and access the Tree of Life (Rev. 21:12; 22:14). We will not need to pray for its peace, for the city will be the haven of eternal peace. Songs of praise will flow with passion and majesty from the lips of God’s people. Our feet will be standing inside the gates of that most special place.

Thro’ the gates of the city; O the bliss untold,
When with songs of rejoicing will the gates unfold
And the saved of all ages will be gathered home,
Singing songs of redemption round the great white throne.
– Irvin H. Mack