Bible Word of the Day
East Gate (Gate into the Temple of Jerusalem)
Meaning
God had given Israel specific instructions for the building of a Tabernacle and later the Temple. These instructions were given to Moses, when Israel first entered the wilderness and met with God at Mount Sinai. The Tabernacle was a movable tent structure for the worship of God. It was where God met with His people Israel as part of His covenant relationship with the people. The Tabernacle was later replaced by the Temple in Jerusalem. King David had collected all the needed material to build the Temple. However, God told him because of his role as a military commander that he could not build the Temple. But instead his son Solomon, would be the one to build the Temple of God to replace the Tabernacle.
The east gate was one of the gates of the outer-courts of the Temple. It was located at the main entrance on to the Temple grounds. The Temple grounds consisted the Temple in the middle, which was then surrounded on three sides by the courts. There was the outer court, which every one first entered into. Then there was the inner court which surrounded the Temple. Around the Temple structure itself, there was the court of the women, and closer to the Temple still was the court of the men. The East Gate was one of the three primary gates in the Temple’s outer court. The gate keepers for the East Gate entrance were responsible for collecting the free will offering. In addition, this particular gate played a role in Bible history and future Bible prophecy. The prophet Ezekiel in a vision from God saw the Glory of the Lord leaving Solomon’s temple through the East Gate.
“And they cast lots for each gate, the small as well as the great, according to their father’s house. The lot for the East Gate fell to Shelemiah. Then they cast lots for his son Zechariah, a wise counselor, and his lot came out for the North Gate; to Obed-Edom the South Gate, and to his sons the storehouse.” (Book of 1st Chronicles 26:13-15)
“In the eastern gateway were three gate chambers on one side and three on the other; the three were all the same size; also the gateposts were of the same size on this side and that side.” (Book of Ezekiel 40:10)
“Then the glory of the Lord departed from the threshold of the temple and stood over the cherubim. And the cherubim lifted their wings and mounted up from the earth in my sight. When they went out, the wheels were beside them; and they stood at the door of the east gate of the Lord’s house, and the glory of the God of Israel was above them.” (Book of Ezekiel 10:18-19)