Dots N Space: The Golden Gate

Mark 11 (NIV)

Jesus Comes to Jerusalem as King

As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 3 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly.’”

4 They went and found a colt outside in the street, tied at a doorway. As they untied it, 5 some people standing there asked, “What are you doing, untying that colt?” 6 They answered as Jesus had told them to, and the people let them go. 7 When they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, he sat on it. 8 Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields. 9 Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted,

“Hosanna!”

“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”

10 “Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!”

“Hosanna in the highest heaven!”

John 12:12-15 (NIV) 12 The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. 13 They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting,

“Hosanna!”

“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”

“Blessed is the king of Israel!”

14 Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, as it is written:

15 “Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion;

see, your king is coming,
seated on a donkey’s colt.”

Zechariah 9:9

The Coming of Zion’s King

Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion!

    Shout, Daughter Jerusalem!
See, your king comes to you,
    righteous and victorious,
lowly and riding on a donkey,
    on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

Luke 19:35-38 (NIV)

35 They brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it. 36 As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road. 37 When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen:

38 “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

These were the verses that Jesus and his disciples chanted while entering into the Temple grounds through the Golden Gate.

Psalms 118 24-26:

24 The Lord has done it this very day;

let us rejoice today and be glad.

25 Lord, save us!

Lord, grant us success!

26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.

From the house of the Lord we bless you.

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Out of all the Gates found around the Walls on the Temple Mount, the most significant Gate to us Christians would be this Golden Gate. Through these gates, Jesus entered Jerusalem being welcomed as King by the people 2000 years ago.

That day, I stood there looking at the gates that are sealed by bricks on the outside and with iron gates from the inside, I had mixed emotions. In fact I was a bit confused. Why did God allow this very significant gate to be sealed by others? To add salt to the wound, there lies a muslim gravesite right next to the gate which actually blocks the entrance. Most of us pilgrims actually stood there shaking our heads as we looked at the "devastation" and "desecration" of this "once upon a time ..." beautiful, triumphant Gate which Jesus is supposed to walk through again the next time He comes.

While we all tried to encourage each other by saying, "Nothing is impossible with God" and asked "Do they really think that bricks and stones can prevent Jesus from coming through again?"

We found our answer and encouragement only when we arrived home and sat down to piece our trip together. Thanks to my fellow pilgrims' research, I was told that it had already been prophesied in the Old Testament that this gate would be sealed and only will be opened again when Jesus comes again the second time.

Ezekiel 44:1-3 (NIV)

Then the man brought me back to the outer gate of the sanctuary, the one facing east, and it was shut. 2 The Lord said to me, “This gate is to remain shut. It must not be opened; no one may enter through it. It is to remain shut because the Lord, the God of Israel, has entered through it. 3 The prince himself is the only one who may sit inside the gateway to eat in the presence of the Lord. He is to enter by way of the portico of the gateway and go out the same way.”

View of the Golden Gate from Gethsemane on Mount of Olives

This is a Chart showing the directions of the Gates situated around the Temple Mount.

From this Chart, I see that Malaysia and Singapore are situated in the direction of the Golden Gate. It is up to us as individuals to seek God and discover if there is a divine purpose as to why we are in the Golden Gate Zone.

After I came back from this trip, I was asked to listen to a series of messages that had connection with the Holy Land. I was both humbled and burdened by the message as the preacher said we in Malaysia has a calling and a mandate from God in the last days, before Jesus actually comes again to walk through the Golden Gate.

You may listen to the messages I am referring to by clicking on the links below :

Sat, 15 February 2014