THE EASTERN GATE AND THE TEMPLE
Acts 3:2
Morning Meditation 9/27/16
Verse 2 says, “And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple.”
The Easter Gate, or the gate that is called Beautiful, can be seen from the Mount of Olives. It is in plain view from the Garden of Gethsemane. Josephus says, “These eight side gates, as we may call them, were all two-leaved, wide, high, with superstructures and chambers supported by two pillars, and covered with gold and silver plating. But far more magnificent than any of them was the ninth or eastern gate, which formed the principal entrance into the Temple. The ascent to it was from the terrace by twelve easy steps. The gate itself was made of dazzling Corinthian brass, most richly ornamented; and so massive were its double doors that it needed the united strength of twenty men to open and close them. This was the Beautiful Gate; and on its steps had they been wont these many years to lay the lame man, just as privileged beggars now lie at the entrance to Continental cathedrals.”
Our guide told us that the Eastern gate lined up with the doors of the Temple. When the offering of the two goats were made, according to tradition, the goat that was turned loose was led by the priest through this gate. When they arrived at the gate the priest looked back and could see through the gate of the Temple and see the veil that opened into the Holy of Holies. He told us that the veil moved of its own accord without the priest’s help and when the priest with the goat saw the veil move back the scape goat was led to the Mount of Olives and given to a fit man and this man took the goat and turned it loose in the wilderness. Some of this is not confirmed by Scripture.
There is an important point. The Jews want to rebuild the temple. This is their desire. If they have to tear down the Mosque of Omar to do it, they have major problems. There are 400 million arabs surrounding them. Archaeologists have in recent years discovered that the Beautiful Gate that existed in Jesus’ day is located directly below the one that you see now that is bricked up. It is several feet below the one that is there now. If the door to the Holy of Holies lined up exactly with the Eastern Gate, it would put the temple near, but, far enough from the Mosque of Omar to begin building the Temple without disturbing anything. If they could get this matter settled, the rebuilding of the Temple could begin. There will be a tribulation temple built and sacrifices will be reestablished. Read Dan. 9:27; 11:31; 12:11 for confirmation that during Daniel’s 70th week that the Temple will be in existence. There can be no sacrifice without the Temple and the altar. Antichrist will set himself up in the Temple of God and claim to be God during the tribulation (2 Thess. 2:4) and will be destroyed by the brightness of our Lord’s return (2 Thess. 2:8). So there will be a Temple. The temple is also mentioned in Revelation chapter 11. John says, “And there was given me a reed likeunto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein. But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months . . . And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven” (Rev. 11:1-2, 13). There has to be a tribulation temple for this prophecy to be fulfilled.
It is possible that we will see this happen before we are raptured. Remember that the building of the Temple is not necessarily the beginning of the tribulation period. The beginning of the tribulation is marked by antichrist signing a covenant with the Israel for seven years (Dan. 9:27).
Israel is in store for much suffering before they accept the Son of David, even Jesus, as their Messiah. The Gentiles will share the temple mount until the Lord returns and establishes His kingdom and rules from David’s throne in Jerusalem.
Another thing, I have said nothing about the eastern gate being sealed up. The Turks did this when they occupied the land. The first time I was in the land back in the seventies our guide at that time told us that they did this to prevent the Messiah from coming. They understood that when the Messiah came he was to come through the eastern gate. So that just fixed it where He could not come! What they did not know is about the earthquake that will destroy the present eastern gate and open the ground so that the true eastern gate will be there for Him to enter.
Also Avi, our guide, told us that it had been discovered that there is a huge body of water under Jerusalem. It is there awaiting the day of the earthquake to fulfil the prophecy that we have already mentioned concerning the river that will come out from under the altar and will go down to the Dead Sea and heal the waters there.
The temple mount is honey combed with tunnels beneath the city. There is a cave under the temple mount that they have closed because of the pressure brought on by the arabs. Our guide said nothing that I heard about this. They don’t want to admit that they do yield to political pressures. They want us to believe that they are a nation blessed of God and that they are ready to take on the whole world. But it is too obvious that this is not true. They gave back a hugh hunk of land to the Egyptians, i.e., a whole desert. You say, “That’s nothing. What can you do with desert?” Until I saw it, I would have thought the same thing. Israel has turned the desert into one of the most productive farm lands on the face of the earth. They have pacified the Palestinians by allowing them to set up headquarters in Jericho.. This has all been done, not because Israel believes that the Palestinians have the right to the land, but because of political pressure. Carefully read this line: Israel will eventually sign a seven-year covenant with Antichrist to get his protection and keep the world’s armies out of the land. It won’t work. Most of you who read these lines know prophecy well enough to know what is going to take place. During that seven-year period is when armies described as 200 million strong will suffer the defeat of Armageddon at the return of the Messiah.
I personally believe there are at least two prophetic wars that Israel must face. First, there will be the battle of Gog and Magog described in Ezekiel 38 and 39. Here is where Russia’s armies will be destroyed. Armageddon will come at the close of the tribulation and the setting up of the Millennium. If you carefully check the two battles there are things that do not harmonize. I do not believe they can be the same battle. I believe it is possible that the battle of Gog and Magog will come immediately prior to the covenant that Antichrist makes with Israel. It may set the stage for and create a willingness on Israel’s part to sign this covenant. The battle of Armageddon is more of a campaign where the battle is in array and ready to begin when Jesus comes with the armies of heaven and TERMINATES them.
A lot of what I said in this meditation is my opinion. If you don’t agree, that’s fine. But if you put what you believe out there, there will be people who don’t agree with you either. Ha. You didn’t know that did you?!! The interpretation of the doctrine of last things is not an easy one and there is wide division among Christians who believe in the literal fulfillment of prophecy. What’s important is that we believe Jesus is coming again and He will exercise HIS OPINION completely! He won’t ask for my approval. I have an idea a lot of us are going to say, when He comes and we have a chance, “Lord, I thought ... Well, uhhh. Excuse me Lord, I think I better just drop this conversation before I really put my foot in my mouth!” I think Peter will be there and say, “Amen!”
May the Lord bless you.
In Christ
Bro. White
