The Gate-keepers

Thursday 4-23-15 (Gaiman IBP, Argentina)

Scripture reading:  1 Sam 27    Ps 141    1 Chron 9    Matt 10

S.  1 Chron 9:26-27  The four chief gatekeepers, all Levites, were in an office of great trust, for they were responsible for the rooms and treasuries at the house of God.  They would spend the night around the house of God, since it was their duty to guard it. It was also their job to open the gates every morning.  NLT

O.  The first book of Chronicles lists many genealogies and details that show us the intricate structure of the government of the Israelites in their earliest days as a nation.  It is interesting to me the importance displayed for the gate keepers.  It tells us that their task kept them in shifts 24/7.  Through the night hours they were to guard the treasuries at the house of God.  In the morning they would open the gates of their city.  Important cities were walled with gates to be closed at night to give a measure of protection from night attacks by enemy armies or gangs of thieves.  The gate keepers had to be on the look-out, continually alert to any suspicious movement… ready to sound the alarm.  With a good team of gate-keepers the people could sleep comfortably.

A.  Why should I be interested in the gate-keepers.  Some that have studied my last name “Hiatt” claim that its origin in ancient English was “high-gate” and thus my ancestors were probably gate-keepers… guards of the city gates.  Why would special precautions be taken at night to close the gates?  Because those that attack to plunder often take advantage of darkness to do their evil deeds.  Every Christian father or mother must assume the responsibility of gate-keepers.  Today the enemy penetrates our walls in movies, internet, alcohol, drugs and often uses the friends that we invite into our lives.  As parents we must guard the gates.

P.  Dear Jesus, the enemy is attacking our family structures, our marriages, our schools and even our churches.  Lord, please make us good gate-keepers to keep our precious families in safety.  We cannot, we must not withdraw from the world, but we must use Your divine wisdom to know when to open the gates and when to close them.  Our eye-gate and ear-gate seem to be the most vulnerable.  Wicked music lyrics and conversations filled with cursing and filthy language bombard our ears.  Pornographic scenes and movies that promote deception, lying and other evils are now within reach of most children.  “Action movies” filled with violence and destruction are designed and promoted for children.  Help us to prepare our children and youth so that they love You and Your ways and will want to protect their own gates and those of their little ones.  Amen.

Ralph