The Levitical Gatekeepers
Open Your Bible
1 Chronicles 26:1-32, 1 Chronicles 27:1-34, John 10:7-10
BY Bailey T. Hurley
Earlier this year, someone broke into one of the basement windows of our church and vandalized it. The person grabbed a fire extinguisher and sprayed white foam all over the sanctuary sometime between Saturday night and early Sunday morning. (Who knew those extinguishers held so much white foam in those tiny containers?)
The staff and volunteers arrived to prepare for service and found everything covered in “snow.” they quickly cleaned it all up before the first service began. At the time, the church even lightheartedly joked about it all. “Great trick, mysterious masked person. You really got us.”
But there was also a feeling of unease. Who is protecting our space? Who makes sure the place of worship stays clean, not just from ridiculous messes, but from influences which could destroy the sanctity of our worship?
In today’s reading, we encounter the Levitical gatekeepers—the security guards of the temple. “These divisions of the gatekeepers, under their leading men, had duties for ministering in the LORD’s temple, just as their relatives did” (1Chronicles 26:12). They “were capable men with strength for the work” (v.8). Their primary responsibility was to secure the perimeter of the sanctuary from trespassers.
The Levitical gatekeepers weren’t just keeping out thieves. They were also responsible for keeping the sanctuary safe, clean, and holy. They watched out for idolatrous practices and would remove people who were disrespecting the sanctity of the space.
We can hire security guards and put-up cameras, but we need something more to guard us against evil.
Jesus is the perfect gatekeeper who welcomes people into salvation, a community of believers, and eternal life in His pasture. Jesus said, “I am the gate. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will come in and go out and find pasture” (John 10:9). I imagine Jesus as a gatekeeper without a lock. Anyone who is curious is welcomed to hear and receive the truth. He directs His sheep through the gate with a generous hand, and He protects them fiercely by slamming the gate shut in the face of the enemy.
62 thoughts on "The Levitical Gatekeepers"
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Thankful for our Great Shepherd! Thankful for open entry into the gate and protection behind it! ❤️
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We are the friend of our King! Hallelujah!
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Thank you, Jessica, for pointing that out about the king’s friend. When you are king, it must be hard to know who your true friends are. A true friend is one of life’s greatest gifts.
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I love this so much! Thank you for sharing!
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Lord God, You are my Protector. Your Son Christ Jesus is my Shepherd, Brother and Savior. Your Holy Spirit is my Guide and Shield from evil. THANK YOU for being around when the times are hard and when they are good. Be with me as I go through this day, week, month and year. HELP ME to follow Your Word in EVERY minute of my day. AMEN.
Be blessed and call on God in good and bad times, PRAISE HIS NAME!!!!! -
I want to start off with the fact that I so love this ministry and I SO love the content that is endlessly insightful, truthful, and life-giving.. I’m so grateful to those who have followed God’s lead in their lives to start and continue the work of She Reads Truth (and He’s and Kids!!)!
This last line though – Jesus slamming the gate shut in the face of the enemy… I think we need to be so careful how and when we apply this truth. YES- at the cross Jesus slammed the gate on the enemy having foothold – in the future. In OUR future as believers – when we get to experience our Savior’s return and creation of a new Heaven and new Earth where evil will have no ground. But today – it’s just not truth. Any human who is alive right now and reading this knows for a fact evil has had its way into your life at some point or another, and very often without any doing on your part. It’s the nature of the world we live in. We need to be so careful how we say these things because it can so easily cause unintended condemnation on people who then think “well if Jesus shut that gate on the enemy, then what did I DO to cause —— in my life?” You may have done absolutely nothing. But, Evil certainly did, thousands of years ago.
There will be a day when 100% evil will be done and gone. And we hope in that day. But for today – we are blessed to have a God who is working all things together – even the work of the enemy in our lives- for His glory and the good of His people. Our work right now is to continue finding joy in the midst of the trials and bring light and encouragement into the lives of those who have no hope so that, one day, we may ALL stand rejoicing in the fact that evil simply cannot touch us! Illness, loss, death, pain, loneliness, abandonment, etc – all of it that creeps into areas of our lives, unwanted, in this current day, will be finally stopped behind that gate, never to be felt again.
If you are hurting, if you have been made victim to the pain of our enemy – please know your God is with you. We are promised there will be pain and suffering in THIS life – and we are promised a God who is close to the brokenhearted and near to those in pain. Let us use our healed hurts to help bring His great healing to others who have no hope – :) :) -
Mari V I will be praying for you
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@ MARI V – Praying!!
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