Facing the Mount of Olives on the eastern side of the Old City of Jerusalem is the Golden, or Eastern Gate. The Bible indicates that Jesus passed through this gate many times while he was in Jerusalem. Jewish religious tradition teaches that the coming Messiah will enter Jerusalem through this gate. To prevent this, the Muslims sealed the gate during the rule of Suleiman. Visitors to the Mount of Olives stand on holy ground. Nearly 2,000 years ago, Jesus Christ stood on this hillside overlooking the Old City making prophesies that would change the world. According to Jewish tradition, the Messiah will come through the Golden Gate (or Gate of Mercy) of the Old City and bring about the resurrection of the dead in the cemetery on the Mount. Unlike the lush expanses of grass associated with many cemeteries, the Mount of Olives is a mountainside of stones. Ironically, Jesus ascended up into Heaven from the Mount of Olives, which overlooks the Eastern Gate to the west. Ironically from that stony mountain top, Jesus ascended as the chief cornerstone for the up-building of Mount Zion. It is to the Mount of Olives that Jesus will return in the last days.

(credit to Jack Hazut / www.israelimages.net )

      Ezekiel 44:1-3 Then he brought me back the way of the gate of the outward sanctuary which looketh toward the east; and it was shut. Then said the Lord unto me; This gate shall be shut, it shall not be opened, and no man shall enter in by it; because the Lord, the God of Israel, hath entered in by it, therefore it shall be shut. It is for the prince; the prince!

      The eastern gate remains shut and is awaiting the coming Prince of Peace!

      Zechariah 14:4 And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.

      Acts 1:10-12 And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet,

      Ironically the gates of Heaven are never shut. The shutting of the Eastern Gate of Jerusalem is symbolic of the fact that Israel shut the gate to God by the folly of their pursuit of other gods. Therefore they knew not the Messiah upon the occasion of his visitation unto them 2000 years ago. Thus their rejection of the Messiah stands as a historic monument symbolized in concrete by the shut gate to Old Jerusalem. Jesus prophesied to Israel about the desolation of their Temple, and that desolation continues to this very day. The shut gate also symbolizes the reality of the supernatural battle that is even now waging over the Temple Mount. But the Lord shall return and open the gate, and rebuild the Temple, and Israel shall know the Lord.

      Revelation 21:25 And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.

      The Gates shall be open and the glory and honor of the nations shall pass through to give praise unto the King of Kings!