under a special agreement with
presents "Light from the Old Testament"
under a special agreement with
Lesson 7 (Part 4)
There was but one way of entrance into the courtyard of the Tabernacle. In front of the Tabernacle, facing east, was the one "gate," composed of beautifully colored curtains. The east in the Scripture is always connected with the rising of the sun. Thus the beams of the rising sun would fall first on the beautiful curtains of blue, purple and scarlet.
What does this one gate represent? It represents the Lord Jesus Christ. Why was there but one gate? Because there is but one way by which the sinner can come to God. The Lord Jesus said, "I am the door; by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved...." (John 10:9)
How definite are the words of the Lord! There is but one door to heaven—the Lord Jesus Christ. The Bible says,
"Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." Acts 4:12
The gate was a wide gate—some 35 feet wide. It was wide enough so that any or all might enter freely. God is a Savior-God, and when He says, "Whosoever will, may come," He means it.
The gate was an attractive gate—a beautiful curtain of blue, purple and scarlet. The blue speaks of Jesus as the heavenly One. The purple speaks of Him as the royal, kingly One. The scarlet speaks of Him as the Savior, the One who shed His blood for our sins.
The gate was an accessible gate. We often see gates or doors which are locked or bolted. This gate was closed, but it was never locked. All one needed to do to enter was to reach out with the hand and push back the curtain and enter. It was so simple that a child could do it.
So it is with our great salvation. All we have to do is reach out the hand of faith to the Lord Jesus by believing on Him.
Dear friend, have you entered the one gate of salvation by trusting the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior? Conversion is not an accident; it is a real, personal experience with the Lord Jesus.
In Old Testament times the heathen Gentile nations worshipped many false gods. But God revealed Himself to Israel as the one true and living God. "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD." (Deuteronomy 6:4)
God likewise revealed to Israel that there was only one way sinful man could approach Him. There was only one gate leading into the courtyard. Why was there only one? Because God had provided for no more. God is sovereign; He has the right to do as He pleases. God has given Jesus Christ, His Son, to us to be our Savior. He is the way to God—the only way.
The gate was for all: the wealthy and the poor, the prince and the beggar alike. A grey-haired grandfather and a little child might enter it side by side.
The gate of the court was wide so that any or all might enter there.
"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16
God has made it abundantly clear that He loves sinful men and wants them to be saved. The Bible says that God is "not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:9) Why then do men not step through the one gate of salvation? Jesus said, "You will not come to Me, that you might have life." (John 5:40)
Some might say, "But I am too bad to come to Him." Oh, but that gate was not for "good" people; it was for sinners. The gospel is God's good news to guilty sinners. Jesus is the sinner's Friend, and He wants to be the sinner's Savior. He said, "I am the door; by Me if any man enter in, he shall be saved." (John 10:9) "Shall be saved" is the Lord's word. There is no doubt about it.
It was only one step. One moment the guilty sinner was outside the gate, the white linen curtain was against him, keeping him out. The next moment he was inside, and the curtain was for him, keeping him in.
Receiving Christ as Savior is not a long, tedious process. It is done in a moment. That moment is when the person comes as a sinner to Jesus and receives Him as his Savior.
What a transition takes place in that moment! The sinner has stepped from darkness to light, from death to life, from being an enemy of God to a child of God!
If by chance there is someone reading this who is yet unsaved, let me plead with you to come to God by Jesus Christ. He is the way, the only way, of approach to God. Unless you come God's way, you will spend eternity in separation from God. But this is not God's will. He has provided a great salvation for you. Come to Jesus today!
