David discovered a key we all need to rediscover in our day. He did more than return god’s presence to Jerusalem. He did more than display God’s glory in an open tent without walls or a veil of separation. Somehow he managed to entertain God’s presence in his humble tent and keep an open heaven over all Israel for almost 36 years! David’s generation benefitted from his worship.
When we open the window of heaven through our worship, we also need to post a guard, a doorkeeper inside the dimension of God (worship) to hold open the windows of heaven. In David’s day, the Levitical worshipers surrounded the ark of the covenant continuous worship and praise. They enjoyed the benefit of a continuously open heaven because somebody stood in the gate and held it open. If you a pastor or a church leader, your primary responsibility in your city is to be a gatekeeper. You have the opportunity to succeed or fail in your given responsibility.
A gatekeeper can be anyone who has the responsibility of opening the window of heaven to a city. They could be church leaders, intercessors, and every worshiper. An open heaven refers to free access of God’s presence to man and to the free flow of God’s glory and to man’s dimension. With a little demonic hindrance as possible. Lot was a gatekeeper in Sodom and Gomorrah. We know this because the Bible says lot “sat in the gate of Sodom” (see Gen. 19:11).
Despite his poor choice of cities, he clearly recognized righteousness when he encountered it in his angelic visitors. He specifically “opened the gates” to righteousness and welcomed his holy visitors into his home. Lot also recognized unrighteousness for what it was, but he failed to “close the gates” to sin that was consuming his city. Because lot didn’t take the proper stand and have an effect on the city, Sodom and Gomorrah had an effect on him. In the end, Sodom was destroyed by fire because God’s gatekeeper didn’t do his job.
David also was a gatekeeper, but he understood the importance of his office. When he penned psalm 84:10, I feel that he was saying, “I would rather be a doorkeeper at the right door, because that is the place of real influence.” Never underestimate the power of God’s presence. If you can be a doorkeeper and open the door of the manifest presence of God to your church and your community, understand that you have been placed in the most influential position in the entire world. Like the levites of old, we are called to be a gatekeeper people, the people of his presence. You can literally become a walking doorway to God’s presence. People can sense the glory light shining under the door.
The man named Obededom discovered the importance of being a doorkeeper in the right place. Most believe that he was a part of the levitical order, but we know this much for sure about him: He knew what it was like to have God dwell in his house instead of merely visit there.
Obededom knew what to do when divine visitation turned into divine habitation. And he discovered there were side benefits that came with the job. His crops grew better, his dog stopped biting people, his roof didn’t leak, his kids didn’t get sick, and everything in his life was incredibly blessed. You know something good is going on when your crops are so blessed that, in three months time, everybody knows about it. Finally the word reached all the way to King David of Jerusalem: “David, you won’t believe it: Obededom has turned into a millionaire in three months.”
David said “I knew I had it right. I’ve got to get that ark back to Jerusalem. (See 2 Samuel 6:12.) If Obededom can be that blessed locally, then if I can put the ark in its proper place, we will all be blessed nationally.
Just how much was Israel blessed when David maintained the tabernacle all those years? Even though we haven’t begun to worship and serve as we should, if the church and its worship were withdrawn from the world today, things would spiral down very quickly. On the other hand, if the people of God can ever put the glory of God back in the church in its proper place, the entire nation can be blessed.
really very nice post . thank you
Exact brother, without the church this world would be fatal. and if the church affirms itself as it should be, the cities would change positively and have the doors of heaven open.
Great post