“Foreigners will rebuild your walls,
    and their kings will serve you.
Though in anger I struck you,
    in favour I will show you compassion.
11 Your gates will always stand open,
    they will never be shut, day or night,
so that people may bring you the wealth of the nations—
    their kings led in triumphal procession.

No ancient city would keep its gates open all the time. It would then be vulnerable to attack. But the doors of the church are open to all who genuinely want to come in, and be under God’s rule. Here there is a wide and warm welcome extended to everyone: to gentiles as well as Jews. In ultimate terms, the church has nothing to fear in its openness. As we will see next time, it is a victorious church.

The book of Revelation 21: 2, 24,25 describes the ultimate fulfillment of this prophecy in the new heavenly Jerusalem.

Just recently, my wife and I had reason to visit the city of Manchester. We managed to get into the art gallery for about half an hour before it closed. We were surprised, and delighted, to see a few paintings by Holman Hunt. His famous, ‘the Light of the world’ was there. This picture depicts Jesus standing outside the heart’s door, wanting, waiting to be let in. That is one side of the gospel coin. It comes with the challenge, ‘Will you open your door to Him? The other side of the coin (in terms of Isaiah’s picture) is, ‘Will you go through the door God has opened for you?’

Jesus said,

”I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.” (John 10:9: King James Version)