Through the Gates

DEVOTION

THE REVELATION

THROUGH THE GATES

Rev 22:14-15

14 "Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. 15 Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood. 

NIV

Blessed, happy, content are those of us who have washed our robes. How do we wash our robes? First we should understand this Greek word translated robes carries the meaning of a robe of a stole, which is that actual Greek word. A stole, a long fitting gown which was in those days a sign or mark of dignity. Then we have to return to the earlier portion of this revelation to understand how we are to wash, or launder them.

Rev 7:13-14

13 Then one of the elders asked me, "These in white robes — who are they, and where did they come from?" 14 I answered, "Sir, you know." And he said, "These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

NIV

If we wash our robes, and in this context that would have to mean our hearts. We simply do not wear any robes today that are a mark of dignity. But what do we wear that would be a sign of dignity?

Gal 3:26-29

26 You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, 27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

NIV

There is our robe of dignity, it is Christ. When we have faith in Christ Jesus we have clothed ourselves with him. Yet how then would we have to wash him in his own blood? So this robe that is in need of washing is in fact our hearts. It is our very being that needs to be washed in his blood, but then at the same time when we do that we have washed it and clothed ourselves with him for he is our righteousness. But there is also something more here. For those of us who have been washed, we have the right, or are given the authority to eat from the tree of life and live. Again, just as Adam was kept from reaching out his hand to this tree and because of that he would not live forever, we will have that right and will live forever. We will enter the gates of this new city of Jerusalem and be with our Lord forever. Praise God! Yet there is one more truth here that bears a little thought. These outside the city, these dogs. Who are the dogs? Well there is a list of deeds which seem to describe the actions of the dogs, but it does not actually tell us who the dogs are. From some investigations of the historians who recorded life during those ancient times, but are not part of the inspired words of God, tell us an interesting idea. It was common among the Jews, who were circumcised, to call those who were uncircumcised, dogs. Now does that mean that only the circumcised will be in the city? Yes that is exactly what it means, but not circumcision of the flesh, but rather of the heart.

Rom 2:28-29

28 A man is not a Jew if he is only one outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. 29 No, a man is a Jew if he is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart , by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a man's praise is not from men, but from God.

NIV

The point here is that when we open the tenderest portion, when we expose the tenderest portion of our body, our heart, to Christ we have been circumcised of the heart and thus we are true Israel. We are the true children of God. We have the right to be called the sons of God, co-heirs with Christ.

Rom 11:25-26

Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. 26 And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written:

NIV

This is the meaning here when Paul tells us that all of Israel will be saved. Yes Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of Gentiles has come in. So we are engrafted in, but yet it is only those who are circumcised of the heart that are Israel, and those are the all of Israel that will be saved. Thus we must keep our heart tender toward Jesus, open, exposed to the work of the Spirit. We cannot close up our heart, keeping secrets for ourselves. We cannot have our heart divided nor portioned off so to allow his access to only a portion of our heart, keeping some of it for our own desires and passions. We cannot just fit him in to a corner of it, he must live in every portion of our heart, our being. We need to expose all of us to Jesus, every bit of our heart, our being to be washed in his blood. Then we will be cleansed, pure, white as snow, without spot or blemish.

Eph 5:25-27

25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, 27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish , but holy and blameless.

NIV

Washed in the blood and washed in the word who is Christ, the living word. Yes we are headed to the pearly gates of the new city of Jerusalem and having been saved by our faith in Jesus Christ and having our hearts circumcised by the word we are the true Israel who will be living for all eternity in the paradise of God. Hallelujah, Glory to God, Amen. If this doesn’t bring goosebumps nothing will. Our spirits sore as on eagle’s wings, we will run and not grow weary. Our redemption draws close.

We will keep our eyes upon Jesus, we will look full in his wonderful face. As we do the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace.