The view of Jerusalem and the Kidron valley from the Mount of Olives is phenomenal. If you have never been in the Holy Land, when you see it, you will know that you were born to see this and to be there all your life. We looked at the Old City Walls of Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives. Within those walls are the Zion Gate, the Jaffa Gate, the New Gate, the Damascus Gate, Herod’s Gate, the Lion Gate, the Dung Gate, and the Golden Gate. Each one has a different meaning and different purpose. We looked down from the Mount of Olives and saw thousands of graves surrounding the Golden Gate. We crossed the Kidron Valley and came to the cemetery near the Golden Gate. As we walked on a path outside of the Old City, passing the Muslim graves on each side, we came right up to the outer walls, which were about 40 feet high. There it was, right in front of us: the Golden Gate. We could see the former splendor of the gate, which today is closed and sealed. All gates leading into the Old City of Jerusalem are open except this one. They closed up the Golden Gate and surrounded it with graves!

My heart went out to the thousands of Christians worldwide who cannot see this site. Every site in Israel costs to get in. Even the ruins of the town of Caesarea Philippi costs; just to the see the old ruins of the temple of the god Pan costs. However, it cost nothing to walk up to the Golden Gate.

When I came close to the Golden Gate, my heart was palpitating fast. I sensed energy coming from my body. Everything around it is dead, but the power of God is alive in those walls. The real gate through which Jesus will pass when he returns is probably 30 feet below ground level, but the Holy Spirit is at the surface. God began to speak to me. When I reached the foot of the wall, I saw trash all around, as if that place was of no value to anyone. I saw more trash at the foot of the Golden Gate than anywhere else in that cemetery. Tears came into my eyes, because a place of holy value to me as a Christian who believes that Jesus Christ will come through that gate one day had been desecrated.

Two young man, one Jewish and the other Druze, called us to attention, saying that we should not be walking among the graves. “Sorry,” I said. “I came to see the Golden Gate.”

Rick Bonfim

Edited by Betty McKinney