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Chapter 26: Possessing the Spiritual Gates of our Enemies: As a Spiritual Offspring of Abraham, like Christ who Confronted Satan at the Gates of Hell (Matthew 16), we too are to Possess the Spiritual Gates of our Enemies – Genesis 22:17
An Overview of Standing in Gateways
Gates or gateways in Scripture have both a physical (earthly) and spiritual (heavenly) significance. Spiritual gateways are entryways or portals here on earth where spiritual battles take place. At times, God will reveal to a believer His will for them to physically stand in a spiritual gateway for the purpose of retaking this gateway for the Lord and standing righteously in it on His behalf.
Earthly Gates
There are two types of gates or gateways mentioned in Scripture: earthly gates and spiritual gates. Earthly gates were physical entryways or doors that people used to enter into buildings or homes. Earthly gates were also entrances to cities, which were walled for protection from enemies. For example, Jerusalem had a number of gates, such as the horse gate, sheep gate, fish gate, water gate, fountain gate, valley gate, east gate, prison gate and even a dung gate, to name a few. The New Jerusalem described in the Book of Revelation will have twelve gates all made of pearl.
In Biblical times, men in authority, leaders and elders, would assemble at the gates of the city for administrative and judicial purposes. For example, Lot was such a man sitting in the gateway of Sodom and greeted the angels who came to visit the city (Genesis 19:1). Proverbs 31 describes the “ideal” woman’s husband as a respected man who took his seat at the city gate among the elders (Proverbs 31:23). Boaz even acquired Ruth from the kinsman-redeemer at the city gate (Ruth 4:1-12). The blessings in verses 11-12 that were spoken in the gateway concerning the offspring of Boaz and Ruth were realized in David, a great grandson who became King of Israel, and ultimately in Jesus Christ, the King of kings (Ruth 4:18-22 and Matthew 1:5). Symbolically, gates represent places of authority.
Other portrayals of gates in Scripture include the narrow or strait gate and the broad way (Matthew 7:13-14, Luke 13:24), symbolizing the gate or way into heaven, which is very narrow and straight and the way into hell, which is very wide. Further, wisdom cries out at the gates: “Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding put forth her voice? She standeth in the top of high places, by the way in the places of the paths. She crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors.” (Proverbs 8:1-3) By extension, we have physical gates into our bodies: our eyes and ears are gateways or entrances to our mind, heart and spirit. What we let in through these two gates will affect us intellectually, emotionally and spiritually. In this context, we are to turn back the battle at the gates, “He [the Lord Almighty] will be a spirit of justice to him who sits in judgment, a source of strength to those who turn back the battle at the gate” (Isaiah 28:6). This means that in our fight against the enemy, we are not even to let him into our territory (on our land, in our home, or into our minds). Thus we can see that gates are also where battles take place.
Spiritual Gates
Spiritual gates or gateways are just as real as physical gates only they are discerned (seen and understood) spiritually. There are several spiritual gates mentioned in the Bible as described below.
1. Gate of Heaven. In Genesis 28, the LORD appears to Jacob in a dream. “And Jacob went out from Beer-sheba, and went toward Haran. And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he took of the stones of that place and put them for his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep. And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set upon the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it. And, behold the Lord stood above it, and said, I am the Lord God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed … And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the Lord is in this place; and I knew it not. And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! This is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.” KJV (Genesis 28:10-13, 16-17)
Notice that this spiritual gate was shown to Jacob in a dream. Spiritual gates are not discerned in the natural, but rather, they are revealed spiritually (e.g., dreams, visions, words of knowledge, etc.). This gateway was a portal or entryway between heaven and earth where God’s angels ascended to heaven and descended to earth and where the Lord himself stood.
2. Gates of Hell. In Matthew Chapter 16, Jesus traveled to Caesarea Philippi with His disciples and asked them, “But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” (Matthew 16:15-18, KJV) Jesus made two profound statements here to Peter. First, that it was God the Father who revealed to Peter that Jesus was the Christ and called Peter blessed because of this, and second, Jesus declared that he would build his church on this ability to hear from God.
It is interesting that Jesus would choose Caesarea Philippi to make these statements. Caesarea Philippi was a pagan area Christ had not been to before; a High Place where the Greek god Pan was worshipped. It was situated at the foot of Mount Hermon and according to history, Caesarea Philippi was originally called Paneas in honor of the god Pan whose shrine was located there.
With the understanding that Caesarea Philippi was a gateway to hell, we can now begin to grasp the fuller purpose of Christ’ journey. Jesus boldly walked right up to the Gateway of Hell and revealed a spiritual truth into the spiritual realm (Ephesians 3:10 “To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God”) and declared to Satan and to the kingdom of darkness that all of God’s children, not just the prophets, would have the ability to hear from God the Father and that it was upon our ability to hear that He would build His church!
3. Gate of the Enemy (geographic gates). In addition to the gates of Hell mentioned above, Scripture also mentions that our enemy, Satan and his minions, can occupy or have dominion over geographical parcels of land. Jeremiah notes this in one of his prophecies: “Concerning the Ammonites: this is what the LORD says: “Has Israel no sons? Has she no heirs? Why then has Molech taken possession of Gad? Why do his people live in its towns?” (Jeremiah 49:1) This verse speaks of the principality, Molech, the chief deity of the Ammonites, and his people: priests, officials and laity. Collectively, they had taken possession of a geographical area. Jeremiah also prophesied about Chemosh, the national god of Moab: “Chemosh will go into exile, together with his priests and officials.” (Jeremiah 48:7)
These geographic areas also had spiritual gates and spiritual significance. An example of a geographic gateway was Jericho. According to some, the name Jericho means “moon-city” and Jericho may have been a center for the worship of the moon-god. Jericho was the gateway or entrance to all of the Promised Land and the walls of Jericho (its gates) had to come down before the Promised Land could be taken. The first battle upon entering the Promised Land involved eliminating the physical and spiritual stronghold that had been set up at Jericho. War (with principalities) was also at the gates during Deborah’s tenure as Israel’s third judge when she wrote her song about the Israelites abandoning the true God for false gods: “They chose new gods; then was war at the gates” (Judges 5:8).
Following is a list of many of the different Gates in Scripture (see also Chapter 4):
· Genesis 4:7 The first gateway mentioned in the Bible is recorded in Genesis 4:7. God told Cain that SIN “lieth at the door” meaning a gateway. Genesis 4:7 is also a Scriptural basis that the Gateways of the Enemy (Genesis 22:17) are places of spiritual activity (more on this is explained later in this Chapter) · Genesis 19:1 Lot sitting in the gate of Sodom rose up to meet the two angels who had come to Sodom · Genesis 22:17 God told Abraham that his descendants would possess the gates of their enemies · Genesis 18:17 the Gate of Heaven · Deuteronomy 16:18 Judges and Officers were to rule from the city gates · Ruth 4:1 Boaz convened the elders to meet at the city gates to redeem the inheritance of Elimelech and take Ruth as his wife. Both Boaz and Ruth are forebears of Christ Jesus · 1 Kings17:10 the Prophet Elijah found the widown woman in the gate of Sidon · Joshua 20:4 Those who slay someone accidentally and flee to a city of refuge present their case to the elders in the city gate · Judges 5:8 Because the Israelites chose new gods – then there was war in the gates · Job 29:7 Job took his seat in the gate where justice was administered and public business conducted · Job 38:17 the gates of death · Psalm 9:13 the gates of death · Psalm 24 Lift up your heads, O you gates!.... that the King of Glory shall come in! · Proverbs 8:34 Wisdom Cries out at the Gates · Isaiah 38:10 the gates of sheol · Isaiah 27:2 gates of the people; Tyre desires to take over Jerusalem’s gateway to the rich trade routes · Isaiah 28:6 Turn back the battle at the gate (I have been in several gates) · Ezekiel 26:2 Jerusalem – the gateway of the peoples KJV Jerusalem – the gateway to the rich trade routes NLT · Ezekiel 27:3-5 Say to Tyre, situated at the gateway to the sea (NIV) · Micah 2:13 the gates of the enemy cities (I have stood in this gate) · Zechariah 11:1 Open your gates, Lebanon (I have stood in this gate) · Matt 7:13-14 You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the “Narrow Gate” · Matthew 16:18 Christ confronts Satan at the Gates of Hell (I have stood in this gate) · John 10:7-9 Jesus said “I AM the Gate” · Acts 14:13 Pagans offered sacrifices to their gods Zeus and Hermes in the city gates in Lystra; believing that the Apostle Paul and Barnabas were Zeus and Hermes in human form, the pagans wanted to offer sacrifices to both Paul and Barnabas just outside the city gates · Rev 21:12; 25 Angels portrayed as guarding the 12 Gates on whose names of the Tribes of Israel are inscribed. They were stationed there as guards to the New Jerusalem – that no evil would enter. The gates of the New Jerusalem will never be closed. And so on.
Four Truths about Standing in the Gates of our Enemies
One of the promises that God gave to Abraham was that his descendants would stand (live) in the gates or geographic locations of their enemies. “That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is upon the shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies.” (Genesis 22:17) This, of course, referred to the Promised Land that Abraham’s seed would inherit centuries later. As the spiritual offspring of Abraham, this promise of occupying the enemy’s territory applies to born-again Christians as well. However, Abraham’s descendants, the Israelites, did not occupy the Promised Land without a fight. God gave the Israelites the Promised Land, but they had to forcefully take it. The enemies’ intent is always to remain in a gateway because it is a place of (spiritual) authority.
Therefore, standing in a gateway implies warfare on two different levels: the natural world and the spiritual realm. When a Christian is directed by the Lord to stand in a gateway of the enemy, there will always be a conflict on these two levels, a literal “holy war.” In ancient times, warfare between nations was viewed as warfare between the gods. It was thought that the gods established both geographical and political boundaries. When geographical boundaries were questioned, it reasoned that the national deities were also challenged. Jephthah, a judge of Israel, made it clear (Judges 11:27) that it was the God of Israel that was the Judge over all creation and the gods of the nations, and that it was Yahweh that would decide who the land belonged to. In this context, it is instructive to understand how the Promised Land and its gateway, Jericho, were conquered.
The book of Joshua chronicles the conquest of the Promised Land. What we learn from Scripture is that:
Applying this to our present-day situation, we find four truths concerning gateways of the enemy, as described below.
1. God’s will. It is important to understand that it must be the Lord that calls you to stand in a gateway. First and foremost, a spiritual gateway is only discerned by divine revelation and God must spiritually show you the gateway. Second, He must spiritually show you His will for standing in this gateway. If it is by His divine will, then He will prepare you, show you the way, and help you fight the ensuing battle, for the enemy will fight ferociously to prevent you from displacing his existing authority. In other words, if we try to stand in a gateway on our own, make our own plans or follow our own (worldly) thinking, we will most assuredly fail.
2. Gathering information. Once God’s plan is revealed, the first task that befalls us is gathering information. Joshua secretly sent two men as spies to go look over the land, especially to view the stronghold of Jericho (Joshua 2:1). However, even though the two spies were sent in “secretly,” we find out that the King of Jericho was told, “Look! Some of the Israelites have come here tonight to spy out the land.” (Joshua 2:2) How did the King of Jericho know about these spies? Just as the LORD uses His people for His purposes, Satan will also work through his people to come against the Saints.
It was necessary for Joshua to send out two spies for the purpose to obtain every possible piece of information about the enemy they were up against. So we too must be knowledgeable about the strength and strategy of who is coming against us. We must not be naïve as to the difficulties we may encounter, who our enemy is, and to what degree he will try to ensnare us. The enemy knows who we are; likewise, we must know who the enemy is and his wiles (strategy and tactics).
In the natural, this could be anything from learning who your neighbors are, a history of ownership of the home or land, or a history of the surrounding environs. Spiritually, the understanding is of the principalities that are occupying the gateway. This may mean additional revelation or study of Scripture concerning a particular principality. Whatever the means, understanding the “lay of the land” will minimize later surprises and will give you a better understanding of ensuing events.
3. Preparation and Consecration. Before Joshua and the nation of Israel crossed the Jordon into the Promised Land, God told Joshua to have the Israelites consecrate themselves. In other words, before Israel could cross over the river, they had to purify themselves before God. God may similarly prepare us by exposing a sin or heart condition in our lives that needs to be confessed or corrected such that we are purified as well. For example, if the geographic principality is mammon (greed), there must be no heart condition of greed in your life – it must be dealt with prior to moving into a gateway.
The reason for this is simple: in order to successfully stand in a gateway, you must be opposite of the spirit or spirits currently occupying it. As Paul wrote to the Corinthians, “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds; Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exaleth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.” (2 Corinthians 10:3-6) In other words, we will have authority to stand against the enemy once our obedience is complete (i.e., sin or strongholds in our life are dealt with).
As Jesus said, “I will not talk with you much more, for the prince (evil genius, ruler) of the world is coming. And he has no claim on Me. [He has nothing in common with Me: there is nothing in Me that belongs to him, and he has no power over Me.]” (John 14:30 Amplified Bible) When Satan comes, can he find a place in you? Before we pull down the strongholds of the enemy we need to be willing to pull down the strongholds in our personal life. We will be required to go through the fire yielding to the Lord those things in our lives that are unacceptable to Him.
After crossing the Jordon, Joshua had all the Israelites circumcised who had been born in the desert and Joshua was told to build an altar of stones to the Lord as a remembrance for future generations. These were acts of obedience to the Lord in preparation to taking the Promised Land. Similarly, we may be asked to perform an outward act of obedience prior to taking full possession of our “promised land.” The outward act of obedience could be something as simple as a (physical) sign or house plate with scripture inscribed and placed on the home or land declaring to the spiritual realm that this is now the Lord’s gateway.
The Lord may also direct you to purify or consecrate your house or your land. This could be by anointing it with oil, reading scripture on the land or some other act of consecration or preparation. It could also mean cleansing our home of anything not pleasing to the Lord, such as symbols or images, as oftentimes such symbols or images are associated with a principality.
4. Victory or Defeat. Although the conquest of the great walled city of Jericho was a spectacular success, the subsequent defeat at Ai was an equally spectacular disaster. Ai looked to be an easy conquest. After Joshua received information from his spies about the vulnerability of Ai, he dispatched only 3,000 men to attack the city. His men were soundly defeated (Joshua 7). What went wrong?
Joshua had two problems. First, he did not enquire of the Lord about His will concerning Ai, walking by sight, not by faith. Instead, Joshua assumed that it was the Lord’s will to attack Ai and he acted in his flesh. Joshua saw an easy victory over a supposedly weak opponent, and went out to battle without giving it a second thought, acting simply by what he saw. His actions were contrary to how the Lord had previously led him. God spoke to Joshua giving directions before crossing the Jordon, after crossing the Jordon, and before attacking Jericho. Scripture does not record that He spoke to Joshua or that Joshua enquired of the Lord prior to attacking Ai. The lesson for us it to always enquire of God’s will, even when the task seems relatively simple.
Second, and more importantly, there was sin in the camp. Achan had coveted accursed things that he saw in Jericho, a robe, silver and gold, and took them, hiding them under his tent in direct defiance of the word of the Lord. If Joshua had enquired of the Lord, God would have expressed His burning anger to him and exposed this sin in the camp. However, until the sin was dealt with, Joshua could not stand against the Amorites in Ai. Once Achan and his family were destroyed, God directed Joshua in how to attack Ai and gave him victory over this city as well. The lessons for anyone standing in a gateway is to not assume anything, but to constantly enquire of the Lord on all things, especially if there is any sin in your camp that would prevent you from successfully standing against the enemy.
God’s Purpose for Standing in Gateways
Overall, the purpose for standing in the gateway of an enemy is not only to fulfill the promise God made to Abraham, but also to take the gateway from the enemy and stand righteously in it on behalf of the Lord. In doing so, we must be careful in discerning God’s will for us, spiritually discerning the gateway, gathering all necessary information on the enemy and his wiles, carefully prepare and consecrate ourselves, and constantly enquire of the Lord. And when we have done all we can, “Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” (Ephesians 6:13)
And, even though those of us who possess the gates of God’s enemies are hated, we will still stand in the gates of our spiritual enemies.
Amos 5:10-12 10 They hate the one who reprimands [the unrighteous] in the [court held at the city] gate [regarding him as unreasonable and rejecting his reprimand], And they detest him who speaks [the truth] with integrity and honesty.
11 Therefore, because you impose heavy rent on the poor And demand a tribute (food-tax) of grain from them, Though you have built [luxurious] houses of square stone, You will not live in them; You have planted beautiful vineyards, but you will not drink their wine.
12 For I know your transgressions are many and your sins are great (shocking, innumerable),You who distress the righteous and take bribes, And turn away from the poor in the [court of the city] gate [depriving them of justice]. Amplified Bible, Classic Edition
Possessing the Spiritual Gates of our Enemies is as Relevant today in the 21st Century as it was when God told Abraham that his offspring would Possess the Gates of their Enemies.
Genesis 22:15-19 15 And the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time, 16And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: 17 That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; 18 And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice. 19 So Abraham returned unto his young men, and they rose up and went together to Beersheba; and Abraham dwelt at Beersheba. KJV
Genesis 24:60 60 And they blessed Rebekah, and said unto her, Thou art our sister, be thou the mother of thousands of millions, and let thy seed possess the gate of those which hate them. KJV
Isaiah 28:6 6 And for a spirit of judgment to him that sitteth in judgment, and for strength to them that turn the battle to the gate. KJV
In Genesis 22:17 the Lord told Abraham that his offspring would possess the gates of their enemies. And, when Jesus, as an Offspring of Abraham, walked up to the “Gates of Hell” (Matthew 16) by the “Way of the Sea” (Isaiah 9:1-2; Matthew 4:12-18) in the Galilee of the Gentiles and declared into the Spiritual Realm that the Gates of Hell would not prevail against His Church that had its beginnings in the Galilee, He possessed the gates of His enemies just as the Lord told Abraham.
Satan’s Stark Realization and a Rude Awakening: When Christ took possession of the “Gates of Hell,” Satan realized that any power he had as god of this age was coming to an end (the death and resurrection of Christ would cause the downfall of His spiritual enemy and bring down the Kingdom of Darkness). (Matthew 16; 2 Corinthians 4:4)
And like Christ, every time we stand in the Gateway of our Spiritual Enemy we are spiritually turning the battle to the gate for God’s Kingdom purposes – then to turn back the battle at the gate – to turn the enemy back to his own borders – which is what happened in October 2024 when the Israeli Defense Forces drove Hezbollah north of Lebanon’s Litani River.
Isaiah 28:6 6 and a spirit of justice to him who sits in judgment, and strength to those who turn back the battle at the gate. ESV
As a Spiritual Offspring of Abraham, I have stood in multiple Spiritual Gates of the Enemy, including the below three gates. These three Spiritual Gateways are described in detail in the individual chapters referenced with each specific Gate, including pictures, documentation, and explanations of the various facets of these Gates.
Note: In addition to these chapters, my Spiritual Warfare on October 7, 2023 in Metulla is referenced throughout this book as it is one of the central themes of my Tale to Tell.
It is important to understand that it must be the Lord that calls us to stand in a gateway. First and foremost, a spiritual gateway is only discerned by divine revelation (Genesis 28:10-13), and God must spiritually show you the gateway. Second, God must spiritually show you His will as to why you are to stand in this gateway. If it is by His divine will, then He will prepare you, show you the way, and help you fight the ensuing battle (Ephesians 6), for the enemy will fight ferociously to prevent us from displacing his existing authority. In other words, if we try to stand in a gateway on our own, make our own plans, or follow our own (worldly) thinking, we will most assuredly fail.
Overall, the purpose for standing in the gateway of an enemy is not only to fulfill the promise God made to Abraham, but also to take the gateway from the enemy and stand righteously in it on behalf of the Lord. In doing so, we must be careful in discerning God’s will for us, spiritually discerning the gateway, gathering all necessary information on the enemy and his wiles, carefully prepare and consecrate ourselves, and constantly inquire of the Lord. And when we have done all we can, “Wherefore take unto you the whole Armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” (Ephesians 6:13)
Ephesians 6:10-13 10 In conclusion, be strong in the Lord [draw your strength from Him and be empowered through your union with Him] and in the power of His [boundless] might. 11 Put on the full armor of God [for His precepts are like the splendid armor of a heavily-armed soldier], so that you may be able to [successfully] stand up against all the schemes and the strategies and the deceits of the devil. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this [present] darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) places. 13 Therefore, put on the complete armor of God, so that you will be able to [successfully] resist and stand your ground in the evil day [of danger], and having done everything [that the crisis demands], to stand firm [in your place, fully prepared, immovable, victorious]. Amplified Bible
God called me to Stand in Gateways I did not choose Gateways – Gateways chose me
It is because God called me to stand in spiritual gateways that I was standing in the “Fatima Gate” in Metulla on the border Israel shares with Lebanon on October 7, 2023, the day Hamas attacked Israel and a convoy of Hezbollah Terrorists on motorcycles attempted to cross over the border to Metulla where I was staying. It is because I was led by the Holy Spirit to leave America and travel to the Gateway of the Enemy: the “Fatima Gate.” The Holy Spirit quickened me to be there on the border during the Feast of Tabernacles, which was when Hamas attacked Israel on the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot).
Acts 20:22-23 22 “And now I am bound by the Spirit to go
to Jerusalem. I don’t know what awaits me,
I am led by the Holy Spirit and am bound to follow the Holy Spirit wherever He leads me. Like the Apostle Paul, there are times I come under the power of the Holy Spirit to the point that I know I have no choice but to go where and when He tells me go and I have stood in many, many spiritual gateways.
Being Born in a Gateway was a Foreshadowing of my Apostolic Calling
I was Born in a Gateway: The Apostle Paul tells us that God had called him from birth to be an Apostle and so it is with me or anyone who is Apostolic. I was born in Madison, West Virginia, the “Gateway of the Coal Fields,” which would prove to be prophetic – a foreshadowing of standing in the gateways of Israel’s spiritual enemies as well as the spiritual enemies of the Church. Following is a copy of my birth certificate that confirms I was born in Madison, West Virginia and a picture of me standing in front of the sign that reads, “Welcome to Madison Gateway to the Coal Fields.” |
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Again, the Apostle Paul tells us that God had called him from birth to be an Apostle – Galatians 1:15-16. Born in Madison, West Virginia, the “Gateway of the Coal Fields,” would prove to be a foreshadowing of my Apostolic calling and standing in the gateways of Israel’s spiritual enemies as well as the spiritual enemies of the Church. It is also proof that like the Apostle Paul, I was called before birth as my parents were both living in Boone County, WV. My father was a coal miner and from my Youth, my Life as a Coal Miner’s Daughter has been a Journey of Faith and a Blessed Memory. From my Youth, God has Led me to Trust and have Hope in Him – Psalm 22:9-10.
My Life as a Coal Miner’s Daughter has been a Journey of Faith and throughout that Journey, with all its challenges and trials, I have kept the Faith, Overcome the Obstacles, and I am determined to have the patience and endurance to continue to Run the Race ahead of me on the Highway of Holiness that God set out for me by keeping my eyes on Jesus who leads us on our Spiritual Journey and makes our Faith Complete. Hebrews 12:1-2; 2 Timothy 4:7
From the Gateway of the Coal Fields of West Virginia where I was born and where my Journey of Faith began – my Journey of Faith has taken me to the Gates of Jerusalem’s Old City, to the Temple Mount, to Judea and Samaria (West Bank), to the Gates of Hell in Caesarea Philippi, Israel, where Christ confronted Satan, to Pergamos, Turkey where one of the Seven Churches in the Book of Revelation is located and where Satan’s Throne Room is located, to Mount Nebo, Jordan, the Gateway into the Promised Land, to Petra, to Bozrah/ Busaireh, the sheep gate where God will gather His remnant in the end days, to the front line of the Fatima Gate at one time the official Border Crossing between Israel and Lebanon and many other Biblical places. And, the Lord has been with me, leading and guiding me throughout my Journey of Faith.
Spiritual Gates and Sin are First Mentioned and Explained in the Book of Genesis:
The Book of Genesis is foundational to our understanding of Spiritual Gates and the Gateway of our Enemies as Genesis sets the stage for the rest of the God’s Word to unfold concerning spiritual gateways. One cannot fully understand spiritual gateways nor any book of the Bible and its deep meanings without understanding the foundational truths of the Genesis narrative on any given subject.
To understand the concept of Spiritual Gateways and the Gateways of the Enemy, we must go to the Book of Genesis where the doctrine of spiritual gateways began. And, it is here in the Book of Genesis (the Book of Beginnings) that we find the first place in Scripture that the word “Sin” is used and that Sin was connected to both a gateway and a spiritual being. And, we find the connection between Sin, spiritual gateways, spiritual beings and murder echoed all throughout Scripture.
Genesis 4:6-11 6 And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? 7 If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him. 8 And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him. 9 And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper? 10 And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground. 11 And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand; KJV
For the purposes of this chapter I need only refer to the Scriptures concerning gateways, beginning with Genesis 4:7 that gives the first account of a spiritual being likened to a crouching figure lying in Cain’s door that desired to rule over Cain who murdered his brother because he did not rule over this crouching figure.
In Genesis 4:7 Sin was identified as “He” and “Him” a male being – albeit a spiritual being: Today the word sin is not a reflection of how the word was used in Genesis 4:7. Over time the word Sin eventually evolved to where it identified transgression in someone’s life. The first time a word or concept is mentioned in the Bible is significant because that is the foundation of that particular word or concept that will develop and evolve throughout Scripture.
For example, Genesis provides us with the fundamental meaning of Sin and that Sin is connected to Gates. Then in Genesis 22:17 we find that God told Abraham that his seed would possess the gates of his enemies Then we find that Jesus confronted Satan at the “Gates of Hell” (Matthew 16) and so on. Then finally, as would be expected, we find a connection between gates and angels in Revelation 21 regarding the gates of the New Heaven and a New Earth. From Genesis to Revelation we find that the word Sin evolved.
Sin is a key word in Genesis 4:7 as this is the first time that we find the word Sin in the Bible and the context the word Sin is used sets the tone of the rest of Scripture. Note that Sin is identified as “He” and “Him” – not “It” which means that He and Him are key words to understanding the foundational meaning of the word “Sin.”
Even though the original text and King James translation identifies “Sin” as the name of a spiritual being – commentators will refer to “sin” as “it.” However, that is not what the Scriptures say. The Scriptures tells us that “Sin” entered into the world through Adam – the Scriptures say that Adam “transgressed.” Scripture never says that Adam sinned – however, it was through Adam’s “transgression” that “Sin” was able to enter into the world.
More to the point, Sin, in the context of Genesis 4:7, is a living being, a life form of some sort – in the context of Genesis 4:7 it would be referring to some sort of creature, which is interesting because many principalities are described as creatures:
In other words, oftentimes Scripture identifies fallen angels (Principalities) as looking like animals, creatures.
And, we know that Christ is described as the Lamb of God. And, we know from Isaiah 6:1-4 that the “Seraphim” who praise the Lord are described as having six wings and so on.
Other translations read, “Sin is Crouching at the door” instead of “sin lieth at the door” as the Hebrew word for lieth means to crouch. And, we know from 1 Peter 5:8 that the devil is portrayed as a roaring lion that prowls around looking for someone to devour. And, we know that lions crouch when looking for their prey to devour. They crouch low to the ground to avoid alerting the prey to the imminent danger they are in. Is that what Satan did when he was crouching at Cain’s door – attempting to remain hidden from Cain until he could attack him?
The first time the word Sin and a door (gateway) were mentioned in Scripture was in Genesis 4:7. And, just as the author of Genesis 4:6-7 made the connection between the first gateway and a spiritual being (as Sin was identified as He and Him in Genesis 4:7) – in Revelation 21-22 the Apostle John made the connection between Gates and spiritual beings. God’s Angels would stand guard in the twelve gates of the New Jerusalem and these twelve angels would only allow those who obeyed Christ to go through the twelve gates and enter into the New Jerusalem. And, the twelve angels standing guard in the gates would not allow anyone who did not obey Christ’s Commandments to go through the twelve gates and enter the New Jerusalem.
Revelation 21:1 (NKJV)
Revelation 21:12 (NKJV)
Revelation 21:25 (NKJV)
Revelation 22:14-15 (NKJV)
Needless to say, Angels have a spiritual authority in the gates they stand in. The spiritual being “SIN” in Genesis 4:6-7 would have been among those angels that fell when Satan fell – Revelation 12.
Like Satan, Sin is identified as “He” and Him”! All throughout Scripture Satan (the devil) is consistently referred to as “He” indicating a male figure or persona. We know from Scripture that Satan fell from heaven and is a spiritual being with intellect who is crafty. And, we know from Revelation 12 that there were many other angels that fell when Satan fell.
What! SIN is one of the angels who fell when Satan fell!
And like Satan, a murderer from the beginning who walks about as a roaring lion seeking who he may devour (1 Peter 5:8), Sin was crouching as a lion does at Cain’s door ready to pounce and rule over that individual or even a nation. Needless to say, it was not just happenstance that like the devil, who was the first spiritual murderer, Cain was the first murderer in the earthly realm. When we read the various Scriptures there can be no doubt that SIN identified one of the angels who fell with Satan. Sin, the spiritual being crouching at Cain’s door (gate) embodies all that SIN is. Genesis 4:7; John 8:44-45
In Scripture Satan is consistently referred to as “He,” indicating a male figure or persona. He is a spiritual being – a fallen angel – a celestial adversary with intellect and will opposed to the Kingdom of God. And, this Biblical principle holds true for all those angels that fell with Satan – Revelation 12
Revelation 12:3-9 3 Then I witnessed in heaven another significant event. I saw a large red dragon with seven heads and ten horns, with seven crowns on his heads. 4 His tail swept away one-third of the stars in the sky, and he threw them to the earth. He stood in front of the woman as she was about to give birth, ready to devour her baby as soon as it was born. 5 She gave birth to a son who was to rule all nations with an iron rod. And her child was snatched away from the dragon and was caught up to God and to his throne. 6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where God had prepared a place to care for her for 1,260 days. 7 Then there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon and his angels. 8 And the dragon lost the battle, and he and his angels were forced out of heaven. 9 This great dragon—the ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, the one deceiving the whole world—was thrown down to the earth with all his angels. NLT
Over time the word Sin evolved to refer to someone’s behavior; however, in the beginning Sin was connected to a spiritual being crouching at someone’s door (gate). If someone transgressed against God and allowed Sin crouching at their door (gate) to rule over them instead of them ruling over Sin – then their transgression became a sin.
The Meaning of Sin Changed over Time and became an Eponym
Over time the word or name Sin became an action – it became an Eponym: When someone's name, like the Biblical Jacob or Judas, becomes an action it's called an eponym. It’s when the person's name is used as a verb to describe an action that is closely associated with that particular person. In other words, it was a behavior or characteristic, an action that both Jacob and Judas were particularly well-known for doing.
For example, the name Judas has become synonymous with traitor, as the apostle Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus Christ under the guise of friendship. Today, it is not uncommon for someone to refer to someone who they thought was a friend as a Judas after they find out that friend has betrayed them. The name is synonymous with betrayal and treachery.
Scripture reveals that often times an individual's name was more than just a name – a name was chosen that told others something about that person’s very essence. For example, Jesus’ name was given to Him before He was even born – a name that identified Jesus as the long awaited Savior and throughout His life Christ’s character was that of the Messiah – the Savior of the World – the Son of God.
Consider Peter: When Jesus asked Peter who he thought He was, Peter boldly declared that Jesus was the Son of God – and it was then that Jesus changed Simon’s name to “Peter,” meaning “rock.” and that it would be on that “rock”, that Jesus was the Son of God that Christ would build His church. Matthew 16:18
Biblically speaking, the name Jacob became synonymous with a deceiver; one who cheats someone out of their blessing. We know that originally Jacob was so named because he held onto his twin brother Esau’s heel at birth (Genesis 25:24; Hosea 12:3) and was a foreshadowing of the time that would come when Jacob literally deceived Esau concerning his blessing. Esau told his father: Is he not rightly named Jacob? For he has cheated me these two times. He took away my birthright, and behold, now he has taken away my blessing (Genesis 27:36)
Over time Jacob’s name Evolved into an Action: It is important to note that Jacob is initially given his name because he held Esau’s heel at birth (Genesis 25:24; Hosea 12:3).
Genesis 25:25-26 25 And the first came out red, all over like an hairy garment; and they called his name Esau. 26 And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold on Esau's heel; and his name was called Jacob: and Isaac was threescore years old when she bare them. KJV
In Hebrew, the word Jacob means to “catch by the heel”; a supplanter. Read what Esau said to his father Isaac:
Genesis 27:32-36 32 And Isaac his father said unto him, Who art thou? And he said, I am thy son, thy firstborn Esau. 33 And Isaac trembled very exceedingly, and said, Who? where is he that hath taken venison, and brought it me, and I have eaten of all before thou camest, and have blessed him? yea, and he shall be blessed. 34 And when Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with a great and exceeding bitter cry, and said unto his father, Bless me, even me also, O my father. 35 And he said, Thy brother came with subtilty, and hath taken away thy blessing. 36 And he said, Is not he rightly named Jacob? for he hath supplanted me these two times: he took away my birthright; and, behold, now he hath taken away my blessing. And he said, Hast thou not reserved a blessing for me? KJV
However, the God of Abraham and Isaac recognized that Esau despised the Spiritual – Esau sold his blessing for a bowl of stew. On the other hand, Jacob, who deceived Esau, embraced the Spiritual – Jacob wanted the blessing.
Genesis 35:6-15 6 So Jacob came to Luz, which is in the land of Canaan, that is, Bethel, he and all the people that were with him. 7 And he built there an altar, and called the place Elbethel: because there God appeared unto him, when he fled from the face of his brother. 8 But Deborah Rebekah's nurse died, and she was buried beneath Bethel under an oak: and the name of it was called llonbachuth. 9 And God appeared unto Jacob again, when he came out of Padanaram, and blessed him. 10 And God said unto him, Thy name is Jacob: thy name shall not be called any more Jacob, but Israel shall be thy name: and he called his name Israel. 11 And God said unto him, I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee, and kings shall come out of thy loins; 12 And the land which I gave Abraham and Isaac, to thee I will give it, and to thy seed after thee will I give the land. 13 And God went up from him in the place where he talked with him. 14 And Jacob set up a pillar in the place where he talked with him, even a pillar of stone: and he poured a drink offering thereon, and he poured oil thereon. 15 And Jacob called the name of the place where God spake with him, Bethel. KJV
Later, God changed Jacob’s name to Israel after he wrestled with God – Genesis 28: When Jacob fled from Esau and was on his way to Haran to take a wife, Jacob had a dream where God confirmed His covenant that He promised to Abraham and Isaac, and He now promised to Jacob – Genesis 28:16-22. Then angels met Jacob on his way to meet Esau (Genesis 32:1). Jacob was still fearful of Esau and prayed to God (Genesis 32:9-12). That night God wrestled with Jacob and renamed him “Israel,” which means “he fights with God” or “God fights.” God said to Jacob: Genesis 32:27-28 27 And He said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob. 28 And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed. KJV
God changed Jacob’s name to Israel, (Genesis 32:28) and his name became the name of the greatest nation on earth: the nation of Israel. Thus, we can say that Jacob’s name Israel was the eponym of Israel – the twelve sons of Jacob, the Israelites, were the eponymous ancestors of Israel’s twelve tribes and all Israelis today. Genesis 49:16, 28; Exodus1:12–22).
The Israelis are called Israelis because of their forebear Jacob whose name God changed to Israel: Jacob’s name was thus the eponym of Israel – a nation that is always forced to defend itself on the battleground. Jacob’s entire life was a fight – and so it is with his offspring. It seems that Israel is always defending itself. Israel (Jacob) fought with Esau, Isaac, Laban, and even God Himself. But Jacob always prevailed. And he prevailed because the God of Abraham and Isaac was always with Jacob. Jacob’s new name, “Israel,” was because of God’s “covenant blessing” of Jacob (Genesis 32:26). Jacob fought with God and prevailed – God recognized Jacob for what he was—a fighter – and this attribute would be passed on to the twelve tribes of Jacob now called Israel. Jacob would now be called by the name that would be used for all of God’s people – Israel, the greatest nation on earth. The nation of the Israelis.
George Otis and the Voice of Hope at the Fatima Gate: Wisdom Cries Out at the Gate
Proverbs 1:20-23 Reveals that Wisdom Cries out at the City Gates: And, so it was with the “Voice of Hope” Gospel Radio Station – the Wisdom of the Gospel of Jesus Christ Cried out at the Fatima Gate known by the Israelis and the South Lebanese Army as the Good Fence because of the Good Will the Israelis extended to the South Lebanese Army and their families, who came to the aid of the IDF in their conflict with the PLO and Hezbollah. The Fatima Gate was the Gateway between Israel and Lebanon for the South Lebanese Army, a Christian Militia, and their families who came to the aid of the IDF to cross through from Lebanon to Israel to seek Medical Attention and find jobs in Israel that the PLO and Hezbollah denied to them because they were Christians.
God will always have those who will stand at the entrance of the City Gates who will raise their voice and cry out to the simpleminded to turn back to God that He may pour out His spirit on them and make His words known to them; hence, the “Voice of Hope” that was broadcast throughout Lebanon and Jerusalem as well as many other countries around the world!
Proverbs 1:20-23 20 Wisdom calls aloud outside; She raises her voice in the open squares. 21 She cries out in the chief concourses, At the openings of the gates in the city She speaks her words: 22 "How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity? For scorners delight in their scorning, And fools hate knowledge. 23 Turn at my rebuke; Surely I will pour out My spirit on you; I will make My words known to you. KJV
The Voice of Hope was heard throughout the Galilee, from Beirut to Jerusalem, from Damascus to all the ships sailing the Mediterranean. George Otis even received letters from those in Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and even Iran who were able to pick up his signal.
More to the point, “Wisdom” cried out from the Fatima Gate – the Good Fence in Metulla in the “Galilee of the Gentiles” by the “Way of the Sea” – Crying out to those who didn’t know the Gospel of Jesus Christ, God’s Word and “The Ways” of the Lord.
Jesus Christ IS the “Voice of Hope”
1 Peter 1:3 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, NKJV Colossians 1:2727 To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. NKJV Every time Major Haddad or George Otis and his staff crossed through the “Fatima Gate” at the “Good Fence” Border crossing where George Otis hung his banner, “The Voice of Hope,” they were taking possession of the Gate of their spiritual enemies. Isaiah 29:17-19 says it all! |
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The Good Fence displays the Banner of Radio Station, Voice of Hope. Credit: GPO |
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Isaiah 29:17-19 17 Is it not yet a very little while until Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field and the fruitful field esteemed as a forest? 18 And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and out of obscurity and gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind shall see. 19 The meek also shall increase their joy in the Lord, and the poor among men shall rejoice and exult in the Holy One of Israel.
Isaiah 29:17-19 speaks volumes regarding the radio broadcast “The Voice of Hope.” Through the radio broadcast “The Voice of Hope,” even the Lebanese in Beirut where Hezbollah had their headquarters “Heard the Words of the Book” – they heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Isaiah 29 brings to mind Isaiah’s Prophecy in Isaiah 9:1-2 that those living in the gloom and darkness of the “Galilee of the Gentiles” would see a Great Light, that of the Messiah.
The Banner that George Otis hung in the Fatima Gate (the gate of our spiritual enemy) known as the Good Fence to the Israelis speaks of bringing the walls of hostility down between the Jews and the Gentiles. And, that truly was one of the goals of both George Otis and Major Haddad.
(See Chapters 1, 4, 5, 12 and 30 for a detailed account of George Otis, Major Haddad, and the Voice of Hope at the Fatima Gate) |