Gatekeepers

What is a gatekeeper?

Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible (Gatekeeper > Trades and Occupations)

Gatekeeper. Gates of the cities and doors of palaces, temples, and other large buildings were guarded by gatekeepers or doorkeepers who admitted or rejected visitors (2 Kgs 7:10, 11; 11:4–9). In the Bible these men are variously named as gatekeeper, porter, doorkeeper, and guard. The temple gatekeepers, “priests who guarded the threshold” (2 Kgs 12:9) or “keepers of the threshold” (2 Kgs 22:4; Jer 35:4), formed a significant group. Postexilic writers saw these men as a special class (1 Chr 9:17–27; 23:5; Ezr 2:42; 7:24; Neh 7:45) who guarded the temple entrance (1 Chr 9:23–27; 2 Chr 23:19), cared for the ark (1 Chr 15:23), supervised the offerings (2 Chr 31:14), helped with purification services (Neh 12:45), and guarded the storehouses (Neh 12:25). In David’s time there were 4000 of them (1 Chr 23:5), but only 172 in Nehemiah’s day (Neh 11:19). In NT times the only references are to gatekeepers of private houses (Mt 13:34) or of a sheepfold (Jn 10:3). The girl who recognized Peter at the time of Jesus’ trial was the “maid who kept the door” of the high priest’s house (Jn 18:16, 17).

Nehemiah 7:1–6 (NIV)

1 After the wall had been rebuilt and I had set the doors in place, the gatekeepers, the musicians and the Levites were appointed. 2 I put in charge of Jerusalem my brother Hanani, along with Hananiah the commander of the citadel, because he was a man of integrity and feared God more than most people do. 3 I said to them, “The gates of Jerusalem are not to be opened until the sun is hot. While the gatekeepers are still on duty, have them shut the doors and bar them. Also appoint residents of Jerusalem as guards, some at their posts and some near their own houses.” 4 Now the city was large and spacious, but there were few people in it, and the houses had not yet been rebuilt. 5 So my God put it into my heart to assemble the nobles, the officials and the common people for registration by families. I found the genealogical record of those who had been the first to return. This is what I found written there: 6 These are the people of the province who came up from the captivity of the exiles whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had taken captive (they returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his own town,

Nehemiah 7:73 (NIV)

73 The priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the musicians and the temple servants, along with certain of the people and the rest of the Israelites, settled in their own towns. When the seventh month came and the Israelites had settled in their towns.

We are all called to be gatekeepers - at one level or another. A gatekeeper is to keep guard to stand - to admit those who enter

porter - a person stationed at a door or gate to admit or assist those entering

gatekeeper - an attendant at a gate who is employed to control who goes through it.

a person or thing that controls access to something: We need gatekeepers in our lives - in the reference that we see here is the city of Jerusalem needed gatekeepers - but I think that in our personal lives we also need gatekeepers.

I believe that as parents we need to be gatekeepers for our children - to keep them safe from harm. - Harm physically, mentally and spiritually

I believe as we get older then we learn how to be gatekeepers of our own lives - we are to be carefully of what we watch, what we listen to and what we let into our lives.

Has this always happened - no because of sin.

Just like the walls of Jerusalem had been destroyed and Ezra and Nehemiah set out with a plan to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem and in fact Nehemiah and all the people that helped - rebuilt the wall within 52 days. He knew the importance of getting the walls rebuilt before building the house back, etc.

We need to make sure that we guard our hearts for it is a well spring of life - Proverbs 4:23 “23 Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”

Nehemiah 7:3 “3 I said to them, “The gates of Jerusalem are not to be opened until the sun is hot. While the gatekeepers are still on duty, have them shut the doors and bar them. Also appoint residents of Jerusalem as guards, some at their posts and some near their own houses.””

Nehemiah 7:3 (NKJV)

3 And I said to them, “Do not let the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun is hot; and while they stand guard, let them shut and bar the doors; and appoint guards from among the inhabitants of Jerusalem, one at his watch station and another in front of his own house.”

Nehemiah 7:3 (NLT)

3 I said to them, “Do not leave the gates open during the hottest part of the day. And even while the gatekeepers are on duty, have them shut and bar the doors. Appoint the residents of Jerusalem to act as guards, everyone on a regular watch. Some will serve at sentry posts and some in front of their own homes.”

Residents of Jerusalem as guards (each one)

Some at their posts - sentry posts - A guard or a watch; a member of military guard posted to oversee the passage of persons to and from that point.

Some are to be put in place right in front of their own home.

In Nehemiah - the walls of Jerusalem were being rebuilt and people were needing to be put into place again so that they would be secure.

The Israelites had been in captivity in Babylonian- and they were released to go home - back to Jerusalem - but when they got there they found that their city had been destroyed. And so they were all appointed to work on the wall together - and they were assigned to the position in front of their home - several reasons - they would put greater interest in protecting and working right were they were. Also, that way they would be required to go far from their homes.

Once the wall was rebuilt then they could concentrate on rebuilding their homes, etc.

We also see that they were in charge of guarding the temple gates and the treasury -

1 Chronicles 9:17–27 (NKJV)

17 And the gatekeepers were Shallum, Akkub, Talmon, Ahiman, and their brethren. Shallum was the chief. 18 Until then they had been gatekeepers for the camps of the children of Levi at the King’s Gate on the east. 19 Shallum the son of Kore, the son of Ebiasaph, the son of Korah, and his brethren, from his father’s house, the Korahites, were in charge of the work of the service, gatekeepers of the tabernacle. Their fathers had been keepers of the entrance to the camp of the Lord. 20 And Phinehas the son of Eleazar had been the officer over them in time past; the Lord was with him. 21 Zechariah the son of Meshelemiah was keeper of the door of the tabernacle of meeting. 22 All those chosen as gatekeepers were two hundred and twelve. They were recorded by their genealogy, in their villages. David and Samuel the seer had appointed them to their trusted office. 23 So they and their children were in charge of the gates of the house of the Lord, the house of the tabernacle, by assignment. 24 The gatekeepers were assigned to the four directions: the east, west, north, and south. 25 And their brethren in their villages had to come with them from time to time for seven days. 26 For in this trusted office were four chief gatekeepers; they were Levites. And they had charge over the chambers and treasuries of the house of God. 27 And they lodged all around the house of God because they had the responsibility, and they were in charge of opening it every morning.

New Testament reference - Gatekeeper at the Sheep's pen.

John 10:3 (NIV)

3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.