Opening the Gates of Heaven Perry Stone

The gates at the temple were opened in the morning and closed in the evenings. The closing of the gates at night prevented stray and unclean animals from entering the compound, but it also kept out possible thieves, robbers, and spies who would be scoping out the temple late at night. The chambers on the side stored wood for the altar, grains, oil, and the monetary offerings of the people. Certain priests, called watchmen, were assigned the duty of carefully guarding the walls and the gates; this was especially important during the night watches (after the sun set and until the sun arose). If any priest was caught sleeping, he could be stripped of his clothes and expelled from the priesthood. This is what Christ meant when He told the seven churches in Revelation 16:15, “Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame.” In the time of Christ there were numerous gates that were positioned on the outer walls of the city of Jerusalem. Inside the inner walls of the temple compound, there were designed entrances that led a person to the top of the sacred platform. From the east entrance, the main entrance facing the holy place, there were three gates— the main eastern gate on the outer wall, the gate leading into the brass altar, and the doors of the temple itself. The Jewish Mishnah describes five gates that one could use to enter the Temple Mount: There were five gates to the Temple Mount: the