Topical Bible: Jerusalem: Gate of Joshua

◄ Jerusalem: Gate of Joshua ►

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The "Gate of Joshua" is a term that does not appear explicitly in the canonical texts of the Bible, but it is often associated with the historical and spiritual significance of the city of Jerusalem, particularly in relation to the figure of Joshua, the successor of Moses and a pivotal leader in the history of Israel. The concept of gates in biblical times is rich with meaning, often symbolizing authority, entrance, and the place where important decisions and transactions occurred.

Historical Context

Jerusalem, a city of profound historical and religious significance, is frequently mentioned in the Bible. It served as the political and spiritual center of Israel, especially during the reigns of King David and Solomon. The gates of Jerusalem were not only physical entry points but also places of judgment, commerce, and public discourse. While the Bible does not specifically mention a "Gate of Joshua," the association of Joshua with Jerusalem is rooted in his role as a leader who brought the Israelites into the Promised Land, a land that would later include Jerusalem as its heart.

Joshua's Leadership

Joshua, the son of Nun, is a central figure in the Old Testament. He is best known for leading the Israelites into Canaan after the death of Moses. The Book of Joshua details his military conquests and the allocation of the land among the tribes of Israel. Joshua's leadership is marked by faithfulness to God's commands and a commitment to the covenant established at Sinai. His connection to Jerusalem is more symbolic, representing the fulfillment of God's promises to the patriarchs.

Symbolism of Gates

In biblical literature, gates often symbolize access and authority. They are places where leaders would sit to render judgments and where prophets would proclaim messages. For instance, Proverbs 31:23 states, "Her husband is respected at the city gate, where he sits among the elders of the land." The gates of Jerusalem, therefore, hold a significant place in the social and religious life of the city.

Spiritual Significance

The spiritual significance of a "Gate of Joshua" can be understood in the context of Joshua's role as a type of Christ, a deliverer who leads God's people into the promises of God. Just as Joshua led the Israelites into the physical Promised Land, Jesus, whose name in Hebrew is Yeshua (the same as Joshua), leads believers into the spiritual Promised Land of salvation and eternal life. This typology enriches the understanding of gates as points of transition from one state of being to another, from bondage to freedom, and from promise to fulfillment.

Biblical References

While the Berean Standard Bible does not mention a "Gate of Joshua," the themes associated with Joshua and gates can be found throughout Scripture. Joshua 1:6 encourages, "Be strong and courageous, for you shall give these people the inheritance of the land that I swore to their fathers I would give them." This verse underscores Joshua's role in leading the people into their inheritance, a journey that would eventually include the establishment of Jerusalem as a central city.

Conclusion

The "Gate of Joshua," though not a literal gate in Jerusalem, serves as a metaphorical entry point into understanding the leadership and legacy of Joshua in the biblical narrative. It invites reflection on the themes of leadership, faithfulness, and the fulfillment of God's promises, all of which are central to the account of Israel and the broader biblical message.

Nave's Topical Index

2 Kings 23:8
And he brought all the priests out of the cities of Judah, and defiled the high places where the priests had burned incense, from Geba to Beersheba, and broke down the high places of the gates that were in the entering in of the gate of Joshua the governor of the city, which were on a man's left hand at the gate of the city.
Nave's Topical Index

Library

The Country of Jericho, and the Situation of the City.
... in Gilgal, in the east coast of Jericho, Joshua 4:19 ... feign very many things to be
heard from Jerusalem as far as Jericho,"to wit, the sound of the gate of the ...
/.../lightfoot/from the talmud and hebraica/chapter 46 the country of.htm

From the Talmud and Hebraica
... Chapter 21 Jerusalem. Chapter 22 The parts of the City. ... Chapter 30 The Gate of Nicanor,
or the East Gate of the Court of Israel. ... Joshua 19:29; Judges 1:31. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/lightfoot/from the talmud and hebraica/

The Jewish War and the Destruction of Jerusalem. AD 70
... a peasant by the name of Joshua, or Jesus ... the shapeless ruins, over against the eastern
gate, offered their ... Jerusalem was razed to the ground; only three towers ...
/.../schaff/history of the christian church volume i/section 38 the jewish war.htm

In Jerusalem when Herod Reigned
... three, that sat in the entering of the gate or by ... But in Jerusalem one may suppose
the sellers to have been ... who had changed his Jewish name of Joshua into Jason ...
/.../the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter i in jerusalem when.htm

The Holy City; Or, the New Jerusalem:
... at the day of his rebuilding the New Jerusalem, so visibly ... them], they have passed
through the gate, and are ... as it doth among the implacable enemies (Joshua 2:8 ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/the holy city or the.htm

By the Sea of Galilee - the Final Call of the First Disciples, and ...
... Tradition had it, that since the days of Joshua, and by one ... of this traffic, that
one of the gates of Jerusalem was called the fish-gate.' [2259] Indeed ...
/.../edersheim/the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter xiii by the sea.htm

The Jerusalem Sinner Saved;
... before one sets his foot over the threshold of hell gate. ... when the truth is, they
were the Jerusalem sinners, when ... on the other side of the flood (Joshua 24:2 ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/the jerusalem sinner saved.htm

Beginning at Jerusalem. --Luke xxiv. 47.
... as a pattern and mother of churches; when the truth is, they were the Jerusalem
sinners, when ... idols with his kindred on the other side of the flood; Joshua 24:2 ...
/.../bunyan/jerusalem sinner saved/beginning at jerusalem luke xxiv 47.htm

'As Sodom'
... This account of the fall of Jerusalem is all but ... officers who 'sat in the middle
gate' of the ... of the irresistible desert-hardened host under Joshua, the last ...
//christianbookshelf.org/maclaren/expositions of holy scripture h/as sodom.htm

Was Moses "A Literary Fiction"?
... in these definite terms: "Then stood up Joshua, the son ... for the service of God, which
is at Jerusalem; as it ... the street that is before the water gate, and they ...
/.../iii was moses a literary.htm