The gatekeepers had been assigned to their positions of trust by David and Samuel the seer.
They and their descendants were in charge of guarding the gates of the house of the Lord - the house called the Tent.
The gatekeepers were on the four sides: east, west north and south.
Their brothers in their villages had to come from time to time and share their duties for seven-day periods.
But the four principal gatekeepers, who were Levites, were entrusted with the responsibility for the rooms and treasuries in the house of God.
They would spend the night stationed around the house of God, because they had to guard it; and they had charge of the key for opening it each morning.''
Dear people of God, in these Holy Scriptures, we can see the dedication and commitment the gatekeepers showed in guarding the house of God, called the Tent.
They were so diligent and hardworking, and they worked round the clock in order to guard the Tent ( house of God ).
The gatekeepers were on all the four sides, the east, west, north and south.
Their brothers come from time to time and shared the duties for seven-day periods, which means, all the days of the week the house of God was carefully guarded.
The security was not only on the inside but also around the house, '' they also would spend the night, stationed around the house of God.''
They had taken all kinds of precautions in order to guard the house of God.
Not one of the aspects seem to be neglected, but starting from outside of the Tent, to the inner rooms and treasuries of the House of God, everything was guarded so very carefully.
Dear people, as we are meditating on these Scriptures, let us learn to have similar security measures to our bodies, which are the Temples of God.
When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Saviour, God begins to live in us.
And we must exhibit similar, round the clock, seriousness in guarding the salvation God has given us, like the gatekeepers we have seen above.
We need to be on guard all seven days of the week, 24 hours of the day, and be alert in order to preserve our salvation, and protect ourselves from the intruders of the evil world.
We cannot do it by ourselves, we need the help of the Chief Priest, Jesus Christ, who has suffered for us and who overcame the world. And has provided redemption for us.
''Hebrews 2:14 - 18 Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death - that is, the devil - and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham's descendants. For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of his people. Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.''
'' Hebrews 5:8 - 10 Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek.''
Jesus is the source of our eternal salvation.
Jesus is the source of our eternal salvation.
We must keep looking up to Jesus all the time, and be utmost careful in our daily walk with God, preserving our salvation, by taking all the measures to keep ourselves holy.
'' Hebrews 3:1- 6 Therefore , holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess. He was faithful to the one who appointed him, just as Moses was faithful in all God's house. Jesus had been found worthy of greater honor than Moses, just as the builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself.
For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything. Moses was faithful as a servant in all God's house, testifying to what would be said in the future.
But Christ is faithful as a son over God's house. And we are his house, if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast.''
So, we are the house of God, if we hold on to our courage and the hope in Christ.
Evil one might try to intrude into our lives any moment, through circumstances, people, desires,or attractions.
We should therefore be careful that we don't fall away in unbelief, or fall away for any sin, but stay in the hope, patiently waiting on God and seeking His counsel.
We need to be courageous round the clock, practising holiness in all aspects of our lives, and growing more and more into His likeness and keep ourselves from being polluted by the attractions of the world.
'' James 1: 27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this : to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.''
'' Hebrews 3:12 See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the Living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness. We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had first.''
As long as it is called Today, we should stay awake by keeping ourselves in the Word of God.
Confidence and Courage must be held fast to.
We must not become timid when God allows trials.
'' 2 Timothy 1:7 For God did not give us a spirit of timidity , but a spirit of power, of love and of self discipline.''
'' James 1:21 Therefore get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.''
It is the word, that alone can save us.
We can guard ourselves against the marauding forces of the evil world by only accepting the word that is planted in us and by living by the Word.
Just like the gatekeepers guarded the house of God with a certain pattern of tight security measures, the instructions given by our Lord in his Word, alone is the light that can keep us awake and keeps us safe from the evil one.
'' Hebrews 5 : 12, 13 For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of the him to whom we must give account. ''
'' James 1:22 - 25 Do not merely listen to the word , and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it - he will be blessed in what he does.''
'' Matthew 24:42-44 Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.''
Therefore dear people of God, let us be like those diligent gatekeepers who day and night followed strict and tight security measures to protect it.
In Christ, we are the houses of God, and God dwells in us.
Let us therefore be awake, by keeping ourselves in the word, and diligently put the word into practice. And be ready to receive our Chief Priest, who might come any hour that we knoweth not, to take us to our Father's home.
May God grant us grace to be faithful gatekeepers of His house.
God Bless You.
