Job 38:17 Have the gates of death been opened to you? or have you seen the doors of the shadow of death? This world, and that which is to come, are thus scripturally connected on the border land. David came very near them once, yet broke out "Thou liftest me up from the gates of death." Good Hezekiah into thanksgiving, said, "I shall go to the gates of the grave, using a more material form for the same idea. These "gates of death" spoken of in Job 38:17, Psalm 107:18, and Psalm 9:13, are synonymous with the "gates of hell," spoken of by our Lord in Matthew 16:18, meaning the gates of Hades, or the vast regions of the unseen state. They are all at the terminus of life's pilgrimage, and the believer who has passed through the "gates of righteousness," spoken of in Psalm 118:19, when he approaches these amazing portals, may use the triumphant language of David, "Lift up your heads, O ye gates, and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors." These gates, as John says, have names written thereon. Over the first is written — 1. Mystery. One pillar seems to rest on time, and the other on eternity, opening into the unknown, where from this side the deepest shadows lie; and some say, "There is nothing beyond"; others, "With what body do they come?" others, "What are their employments, company, and conditions?" and yet others, "Do they know us there, and can they visit us there?" 2. Change is written over another. To the most it opens as a surprise. On this side men say, "A man is dead," and on the other, "A man is born." As they go through, the old become young, the poor rich, the despised honourable, and the little great; so that all are not on the other side what they were on this. 3. Immortality is written upon the next, clearly read by the Christian, yet to the mass of mankind in the past, traceable only in shadowy hieroglyphics. 4. Infinity is another. Here all is rudimental — our works, successes, attainments, yet suggestive of immense possibilities, awakening curiosity, and animating to activity. Our field of action is here limited by the very conditions of our existence; yet with the barriers of sense removed, we shall have unlimited ideas of space, power, employment, knowledge, and progress. 5. Reward is the title of another, which will receive us into the presence of the King, saying, "My reward is with Me, and I will give unto every man as his work shall be"; rewards according to our works, and not for them, yet all the better because through the riches of His grace; every man in his own order, yet each compensated according to his capacity. There are those who shall be great in the kingdom of heaven, and others who shall be least. (J. Waugh.) Parallel Verses KJV: Have the gates of death been opened unto thee? or hast thou seen the doors of the shadow of death?WEB: Have the gates of death been revealed to you? Or have you seen the gates of the shadow of death? |
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