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Tel Dan in the north of Israel provides a good example. An enemy army desiring to gain entrance to the city, must ride or go on foot along the bottom of the high outer walls exposed to view and weapons of the defenders on the ramparts. These weapons were arrows, spears, stones, and boilng oil. The enemy then must turn left to approach the outer gate. The holes may still be found sunk into stone within which were the posts of the outer gates which swung open and shut. Around this gate area is a stony but leveled ground upon which the defending force could be amassed. Then the intruder host must again turn left to force entry into what can only be called the "gateway"., a more accurate translation than "gate". The forcing of this turn by the lay of the land is a calculated defensive stratagem as it breaks a charge, causing horse and man to be slowed at a crucial point and to be exposed sideways from which their is little defense from the onslaught of defending weapons. Surviving intruders than find themself in an wide area, which in peaceful times is the location for the King and his elders and for the rendering of judgrment "at the gates". At Tel Dan, the King's huge judgement seat has been reconstructed over the widely spaced original holes in the stone, and to the side is the ledge serving as the "seat of the elders". But in war time, the area is full of warriors. Then the stone road leads out of this area and up narrowing, again allowing entrance to only two at a time or at the most three. (The Gateway road always leads up and thus posing more of a difficulty for the attacker. This is because fortress cities were throughout the centuries built one civilization on top of the other there being no other place to go as the original hill contained access to the precious water supply. The final city thus was situated much higher than the original city and the only way to capture it was up. This is what "tel" signifies - Tel Megiddo, Tel Lachish, Tel Hazor, Tel Dan, Tel Arad).  

Tel Dan in the north of Israel provides a good example. An enemy army desiring to gain entrance to the city, must ride or go on foot along the bottom of the high outer walls exposed to view and weapons of the defenders on the ramparts. These weapons were arrows, spears, stones, and boilng oil. The enemy then must turn left to approach the outer gate. The holes may still be found sunk into stone within which were the posts of the outer gates which swung open and shut. Around this gate area is a stony but leveled ground upon which the defending force could be amassed. Then the intruder host must again turn left to force entry into what can only be called the "gateway"., a more accurate translation than "gate". The forcing of this turn by the lay of the land is a calculated defensive stratagem as it breaks a charge, causing horse and man to be slowed at a crucial point and to be exposed sideways from which their is little defense from the onslaught of defending weapons. Surviving intruders than find themself in an wide area, which in peaceful times is the location for the King and his elders and for the rendering of judgrment "at the gates". At Tel Dan, the King's huge judgement seat has been reconstructed over the widely spaced original holes in the stone, and to the side is the ledge serving as the "seat of the elders". But in war time, the area is full of warriors. Then the stone road leads out of this area and up narrowing, again allowing entrance to only two at a time or at the most three. (The Gateway road always leads up and thus posing more of a difficulty for the attacker. This is because fortress cities were throughout the centuries built one civilization on top of the other there being no other place to go as the original hill contained access to the precious water supply. The final city thus was situated much higher than the original city and the only way to capture it was up. This is what "tel" signifies - Tel Megiddo, Tel Lachish, Tel Hazor, Tel Dan, Tel Arad).  

   

   

But almost immediately, the intruder is confronted with the "pilasters". These were protusions from the side of the walls lining the road into the city, usually in pairs or triplets on either side of the road , which make for rooms for soldiers or guards. In Caananite times they were shallow rooms, in Israelite times much deeper. Intruders would be attacked from either side of the road from these rooms, successively as they made their way up to the top of the city. They were also, and at the same time, attacked all along the way from up above them as the the road was below ground level and shadowed by embankments lined by defending infantry and stone launchers all along the way. The way now was slow being blocked by dead and dying man and horse. Then the road turned again, this time to the right, slowing and exhaustng and again exposing the attacker, and only then could the the intruder be said to be in the city - only to be met by more defenders on the top. This then was the the "gateway". This picture of the Gateway directly influenced the words of the Hebrew Scripture and these, in turn, are reflected he wording used by Jesus to say that Hell's gates shall be breached, "And the Gates of Hell shall not withstand it! [the onslaught of the Church]".  

But almost immediately, the intruder is confronted with the "pilasters". These were protusions from the side of the walls lining the road into the city, usually in pairs or triplets on either side of the road , which make for rooms for soldiers or guards. In Caananite times they were shallow rooms, in Israelite times much deeper. Intruders would be attacked from either side of the road from these rooms, successively as they made their way up to the top of the city. They were also, and at the same time, attacked all along the way from up above them as the road was below ground level and shadowed by embankments lined by defending infantry and stone launchers all along the way. The way now was slow being blocked by dead and dying man and horse. Then the road turned again, this time to the right, slowing and exhaustng and again exposing the attacker, and only then could the the intruder be said to be in the city - only to be met by more defenders on the top. This then was the the "gateway". This picture of the Gateway directly influenced the words of the Hebrew Scripture and these, in turn, are reflected he wording used by Jesus to say that Hell's gates shall be breached, "And the Gates of Hell shall not withstand it! [the onslaught of the Church]".  

'''Some relevant Scripures:'''

'''Some relevant Scripures:'''

"In the time of these kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed, and this kingdom will not pass into the hands of another race; it shall shatter and destroy all the previous kingdoms, and itself last for ever - just as you saw ["and I was looking and I saw a rock cut out of the mountain, a rock untouched by human hands and it struck..."] the stone untouched by hand break from the mountain and shatter iron, bronze, earthenware, silver and gold." Daniel 2: 44,45  

"In the time of these kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed, and this kingdom will not pass into the hands of another race; it shall shatter and destroy all the previous kingdoms, and itself last for ever - just as you saw ["and I was looking and I saw a rock cut out of the mountain, a rock untouched by human hands and it struck..."] the stone untouched by hand break from the mountain and shatter iron, bronze, earthenware, silver and gold." Daniel 2: 44,45  

May the Lord fling us as a rock to smash down down the idols of the false gods that rob the lives around us of the knowledge of who they are and what the can be. May He sprinkle us like fresh water on the quenched for true love and regard, washing away tears of bitter disappointment. May he scatter us as petals of hope for a better future. And may He gather us together to the true warmth of His love and comfort at His hearth in His Home here on earth, and then to His home in Heaven. May He bring back the smile.

May the Lord fling us as a rock to smash down down the idols of the false gods that rob the lives around us of the knowledge of who they are and what they can be. May He sprinkle us like fresh water on the quenched for true love and regard, washing away tears of bitter disappointment. May He scatter us as petals of hope for a better future. And may He gather us together to the true warmth of His love and comfort at His hearth in His Home here on earth, and then to His home in Heaven. May He bring back the smile.