The East Gate, Beautiful Gate, and Golden Gate
“After them repaired Zadok the son of Immer over against his house. After him repaired also Shemaiah the son of Shechaniah, the keeper of the east gate. 30 After him repaired Hananiah the son of Shelemiah, and Hanun the sixth son of Zalaph, another piece. After him repaired Meshullam the son of Berechiah over against his chamber.” (Nehemiah 3:29–30).
The East Gate was considered to be a splendid gate in Jerusalem. It led straight to the Temple. It was referred as the “beautiful gate.” “And they knew that it was he which sat for alms at the Beautiful gate of the temple: and they were filled with wonder and amazement at that which had happened unto him.” (Acts 3:10). It is believed that the East Gate, Beautiful Gate is also referred to as the Golden Gate. It is believed by Christians that the Golden Gate is the gate in which Jesus passed through on Palm Sunday. (Luke 19:35-38). “On the next day, much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet Him, and cried, Hosanna, blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord. And Jesus, when he had found a young ass, sat thereon; as it is written, Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, thy King cometh, sitting on an ass’s colt.”(John 12:12–15). “And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strewed them in the way. And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David; blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest. And when He was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this? And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee.” (Matthew 21:8–11). “And many spread their garments in the way; and others cut down branches off the trees, and strewed them in the way. And they that went before, and they that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna; blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord. Blessed be the kingdom of our father, David, that cometh in the name of our Lord. Hosanna in the highest.” (Mark 11:8–10). It is also the gate that Jesus will enter Jerusalem when He comes back to earth. (Ezekiel 43:1–5).
The prophet Ezekiel also prophesied that the gate would be closed. (Ezekiel 46:12). A Turkish sultan, closed the Golden Gate in the sixteenth century, 810. (Butler. 1998. P 88). The Golden Gate has remained closed now for nearly 12 centuries. The Messiah was to come from the East, “For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” (Matthew 24:27), it was concluded that his judgment would be at the Eastern Gate. Zechariah 14:4-5 clearly states that the Messiah of Israel will return to Jerusalem from the summit of the Mount of Olives and then surely proceed into Jerusalem from the East, in the direction of the Golden Gate.
“After them repaired Zadok the son of Immer over against his house. After him repaired also Shemaiah the son of Shechaniah, the keeper of the east gate. 30 After him repaired Hananiah the son of Shelemiah, and Hanun the sixth son of Zalaph, another piece. After him repaired Meshullam the son of Berechiah over against his chamber.” (Nehemiah 3:29–30).
“And go forth unto the valley of the son of Hinnom, which is by the entry of the east gate, and proclaim there the words that I shall tell thee, (Ezekiel 10:19). The cherubims lifted up their wings, and mounted up from the earth in my sight: when they went out, the wheels also were beside them, and every one stood at the door of the east gate of the LORD’S house; and the glory of the God of Israel was over them above. “(Jeremiah 19:2).
“Moreover the spirit lifted me up, and brought me unto the east gate of the LORD’S house, which looketh eastward: and behold at the door of the gate five and twenty men; among whom I saw Jaazaniah the son of Azur, and Pelatiah the son of Benaiah, princes of the people.” (Ezekiel 11:1).
Reference:
Butler, John G. (1998). vol. Number Sixteen, Nehemiah: The Wall Builder, Bible Biography Series. Clinton, IA: LBC Publications.
Cite Article Source
MLA Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne “The East Gate, Beautiful Gate, and Golden Gate.” Becker Bible Studies Library June 2015.<https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=2873,>.
APA Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne (2015, June) “The East Gate, Beautiful Gate, and Golden Gate.” Becker Bible Studies Library. Retrieved from https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=2873,.
Chicago Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne (2015) “The East Gate, Beautiful Gate, and Golden Gate.” Becker Bible Studies Library (June), https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=2873, (accessed).
