Gatekeepers of Holy Worship

1 Chronicles 26:1-19

    1 Concerning the divisions of the gatekeepers: of the Korahites, Meshelemiah the son of Kore, of the sons of Asaph. 2 And the sons of Meshelemiah were Zechariah the firstborn, Jediael the second, Zebadiah the third, Jathniel the fourth, 3 Elam the fifth, Jehohanan the sixth, Eliehoenai the seventh.
    4 Moreover the sons of Obed-Edom were Shemaiah the firstborn, Jehozabad the second, Joah the third, Sacar the fourth, Nethanel the fifth, 5 Ammiel the sixth, Issachar the seventh, Peulthai the eighth; for God blessed him.  6 Also to Shemaiah his son were sons born who governed their fathers' houses, because they were men of great ability. 7 The sons of Shemaiah were Othni, Rephael, Obed, and Elzabad, whose brothers Elihu and Semachiah were able men.  8 All these were of the sons of Obed-Edom, they and their sons and their brethren, able men with strength for the work: sixty-two of Obed-Edom.  9 And Meshelemiah had sons and brethren, eighteen able men.
   10 Also Hosah, of the children of Merari, had sons: Shimri the first (for though he was not the firstborn, his father made him the first), 11 Hilkiah the second, Tebaliah the third, Zechariah the fourth; all the sons and brethren of Hosah were thirteen.
    12 Among these were the divisions of the gatekeepers, among the chief men, having duties just like their brethren, to serve in the house of the LORD. 13 And they cast lots for each gate, the small as well as the great, according to their father's house. 14 The lot for the East Gate fell to Shelemiah. Then they cast lots for his son Zechariah, a wise counselor, and his lot came out for the North Gate; 15 to Obed-Edom the South Gate, and to his sons the storehouse. 16 To Shuppim and Hosah the lot came out for the West Gate, with the Shallecheth Gate on the ascending highway—watchman opposite watchman. 17 On the east were six Levites, on the north four each day, on the south four each day, and for the storehouse two by two. 18 As for the Parbar on the west, there were four on the highway and two at the Parbar. 19 These were the divisions of the gatekeepers among the sons of Korah and among the sons of Merari.

The gatekeepers were the guards around the temple, chosen and blessed by God for their service.  Some had great abilities, were described as very able (valiant and of great strength), and they served in the house of the LORD.  Each post was chosen again by lot, putting the decision in God’s hands and not by chance as if they used their own reasoning alone.  The gates at all four points of the compass were covered to protect God’s place of worship, and ran in shifts to keep constant and alert coverage.  Even the parbar, the attached temple court, on the west side of the temple structure was guarded.  What we gather from this passage then is that God wanted His place of worship to be kept safe from defilement and attack.  Likewise, we now watch over our places of worship to keep out those wanting to bring in bad and deceptive teaching as if an opposing army was attempting to defile with unholy actions or corruption of we who are priests to our God in Christ.  This also applies to the temples of our bodies where He dwells as the Holy Spirit.  Let us be valiant then for the truth of His word, holy and alert to the enemy’s methods and means of attack.  We know his strategy, his wiles, so let us defend the LORD’s worship and people accordingly.  We are gatekeepers of holy and truth in worship.