Our understanding of the gate of a city is not well known. Absalom, King David's son, would stand at the gate of the city and as people entered, he would inquire of their place of living and tell them he would make their claims good that the king would not listen to (II Sam. 15). Proverbs speaks that "wisdom is too high for a fool, he does not open his mouth in the gate." (Prov. 24:7)
The gate was a central part of any city. It was where people entered and were addressed many times. It was at the gate of the city that leaders would meet to hear and decide legal cases and settle any disputes between individuals. It was known for the most part, that those who sat at the city gate were men of wisdom and insight.
Today we do not have such at a gate entrance. We have God's household, His building not built with hands called the church. Within this spiritual house what does God expect from His men? We find in Titus 2 that the "older men are to be temperate, dignified, sensible, sound in faith, in love, in perseverance." In the church we have God's leaders called elders put in place. Titus 1 and I Timothy 3 calls for these men to be devout and sensible, respectable and all the while serious about God and His word (along with other qualities).
It seems too many of our men and leaders are not captivated by God's standards. Look around and see what you find where you live. Do we have "adult children" leading us, rallying around fun, entertainment and the like? With such men, how can the church have clear direction? What are we teaching our children? To be more childish? Shallow in their approach to God? Before long, the things we know as from God will be nothing but a theatre of entertainment and reference, not our lifestyle and guide for our feet! It makes us wonder where is the wise man?
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