The East Gate of Siloam Springs

I visited Eastgate Free Will Baptist Church yesterday (what a great time) and it got me thinking about the name, east gate. When you break it out like that we believers almost can't help but think of the east gate of Jerusalem.

I tried yesterday to find some information in my bible about it but only a reference in Nehemiah. Not even a helpful map in my particular study bible. When I check my concordance I see 27 references. I had a vague sense that this is the gate "by which the Lord enters" but I wanted to see where I was getting that from, ever curious. Now I see there are several references in Ezekiel. I thought it was end-time prophecy related and checked Revelation. I forgot about his Old Testament cousin.

I also seemed to recall that this gate had been sealed off and a cemetery stood between it and the Mount of Olives. A quick search has turned up that this is accurate. I've heard that non-believers did that to prevent the Lord's return. It's even somehwhat convicting that there are those that understand this prophecy better than some believers.

I plan to do more study and report what I find. This promises to be a difficult post so I appreciate you bearing with me as I try to flesh this out. I just found it interesting that that was the name of the church and it is on the east side of town. I feel like the Lord is trying to speak to me about this and that's why I'm trying to seek it out.

I've continued to research and contemplate this and I keep encountering interesting discoveries. So we're working with the term "east gate". It is the gate that is mentioned in regards to the Lord's return. It also is a possibilty that it's the gate mentioned in Acts 3:2 where healing occurred. Or let's say this, the gate that's referenced in this passage was on the east side of town, near the temple, facing the Mount of Olives.

So the term "east gate" can be thought of in terms of the Lord's presence (or the entrance thereof) and healing. Why is all of this interesting? Well, because of the church I visited recently, Eastgate Free Will Baptist. Out of all the 52 churches that call Siloam Springs home, Eastgate is the easternmost. And guess what's on their sign? "Siloam - A Place of Healing - Eastgate Free Will Baptist Church".

I just find it very interesting how consistent it is with scripture even though those associations were necessarily considered when the sign was put up.

- Wade Baker