“The gatekeepers were Shallum, Akkub, Talmon, Ahiman, and their kinsmen,.. in charge of the work of the service, keepers of the thresholds of the tent,.. keepers of the entrance… So they and their sons were in charge of the gates of the house of the Lord, that is, the house of the tent, as guards. The gatekeepers were on the four sides, east, west, north, and south… The four chief gatekeepers, who were Levites, were entrusted to be over the chambers and the treasures of the house of God. And they lodged around the house of God, for on them lay the duty of watching, and they had charge of opening it every morning.
“Some of them had charge of the utensils of service,.. others were appointed over the furniture and all the holy utensils,.. the fine flour, the wine, the oil, the incense, and the spices… Also some of their kinsmen of the Kohathites had charge of the showbread, to prepare it every Sabbath.” 1 Chronicles 9:17,19,23-24,26-29,32
Varied were the assigned duties of Israel’s priests, mighty men for the work of service of the house of God. The gatekeepers were keepers of the thresholds in this office of impeccable trust, guardians of the entrances and chambers and sacred contents. They were entrusted with the duty of watching, the importance and vitality of their work evidenced in the careful recording of it. (1 Chronicles 9:13)
Every place of worship that proclaims the true God is a place to be kept. As members of churches, we each have responsibilities to guard our gates and treasures. East, west, north, south- from every direction will come temptation to sloth and spiritual malaise, insidious false teaching, temptation to gossip and divisiveness, disingenuous relationships and immorality. Every member is given the trust of guarding, maintaining, watching, protecting, reinforcing. (1 Corinthians 5:9-13; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-6; 2 Timothy 2:14-18; 4:3-4; 1 Peter 5:8-10; 2 Peter 2:1)
How committed are we to the unity, purity, and health of our churches? How well do we watch? Do we recognize the danger of specific intruders like divisiveness, complaining, complacency? How alert are we to their destructive presence, and how can we counteract them? Is there gossip to dispel, griping to quell, weakness to address, a need to fill? In what area(s) of service is the Lord employing us to protect sound teaching, steward resources, or promote growth?
In our own lives, how vigilant are we with the gates to the Spirit’s temple? A pure church is made up of members made righteous by Christ and constantly cleansed through careful soul inspection and confession that maintains individual communion. Are we participating in church as those washed clean, unencumbered by secret sin or festering resentment? Where have pride, greed, selfishness poisoned our attitudes toward fellow believers or the church as a whole, so we pollute the threshold? How will we deal with these deterrents to wholesome, fulsome worship and unity in fellowship? (Psalm 32:1-8; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20; 2 Corinthians 6:16)
The Lord calls His people to watch and serve, and enables those duties as able Helper. How will we keep this trust today?
Lord, help me vigorously, joyfully keep Your gates, to the building up of Your church and praise of Your resplendent glory.
As the rain and snow 