Enter by the Gate

The "Old Jerusalem" is a walled city. To enter, you must pass through one of her seven gates. One gate you will not use is the oldest gate in the present walls, and the most impressive, The Golden Gate.

This gate has been sealed. I understand that it was built over the remains of an ancient gate in the 6th century AD, then walled up by Arabs in the year 810. It has stood as a double symbol now for 12 centuries! As you can see, there are two arches. The southern arch, to the left was known as the Gate of Mercy, and the northern arch, the Gate of Repentance. It's original purpose was to allow pilgrims access to the temple from the Mount of Olives. They could enter through the northern gate seeking Repentance, and later leave through the southern gate, having received Mercy. Tradition holds that the gates will not be opened until the day of Judgement when the Messiah descends from the Mount of Olives to enter Jerusalem.

Ezekiel 44 2: "This gate shall be shut, it shall not be opened, and no man shall enter in by it; because the LORD, the God of Israel, hath entered in by it, therefore it shall be shut".