Bible Verses About Gateways of the Temple

The Bible scriptures do not tell us that hell is located under the ground. Likewise, the Bible does not instruct us that heaven is located in the sky. However, the Bible does imply that the Earth and the sky are gateways to both heaven and hell.

The Earth is the gateway to hell and the sky is the gateway to heaven.

The Ground or “dust of the earth” is a Gateway to Hell

Heaven and hell are not locations in a physical sense. They exist in the spiritual realm. But their respective gateways to entry do exist in our physical world. Specifically, the gateway to hell is the Earthly ground and the gateway to heaven is in the sky.

The sky represents the atmosphere and the ground represents things which are beneath us.

The Gateway to Heaven

Bible verses describe the sky opening up to provide a gateway to heaven or paradise:

¹⁰ And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him: ¹¹ And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

Mark 1:10-11 King James Version (KJV)

The Bible verse above implies that the sky “opened” to expose the heavens. We know that doves fly in the sky and a natural tendency is to look up when exiting a pool of water. This scripture is describing the sky as a gateway to the kingdom.

When Ezekiel was visited by the Lord, he also described an opening of the heavens:

Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the river of Chebar, that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.

Ezekiel 1:1 King James Version (KJV)

Ezekiel does not stop there. He goes on to describe in greater detail the specifics his vision in the north:

⁴ And I looked, and, behold, a whirlwind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire infolding itself, and a brightness was about it, and out of the midst thereof as the colour of amber, out of the midst of the fire. ⁵ Also out of the midst thereof came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance; they had the likeness of a man.

Ezekiel 1:4-5 King James Version (KJV)

In the book of Isaiah, he describes a similar vision of the heavens being “rend” or torn open from above:

Oh that thou wouldest rend the heavens, that thou wouldest come down, that the mountains might flow down at thy presence,

Isaiah 64:1 King James Version (KJV)

Finally, the book of Revelation details the opening of the sky as making a pathway for the return of Jesus Christ:

And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.

Revelation 19:11 King James Version (KJV)

The scripture text establishes that heaven is not literally in the sky. Rather, the sky opens to allow a view of heaven. Essentially, the sky is the gateway that opens to expose heaven.

The Gateway to Hell

Just as the gateway to heaven rests above, the gateway to hell exists in the opposite direction. The gateway to hell is in the ground:

¹⁵ And where is now my hope? as for my hope, who shall see it? ¹⁶ They shall go down to the bars of the pit, when our rest together is in the dust.

Job 17:15-16 King James Version (KJV)

The earth is often described as the gateway or mouth of hell, “Therefore hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure” (Isaiah 5.14 KJV), “They will say, ‘As one plows and breaks up the earth, so our bones have been scattered at the mouth of the grave.'” (Psalm 141:7 New International Version NIV).

In Revelation 9, Satan opened the gate to the bottomless pit, and released his locust army, “I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit. And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit…And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth” (Revelation 9:1-3 KJV).

Each of the verses above strongly implies that just as the sky acts as the spiritual gateway into heaven, the ground or earth acts as the spiritual gateway into hell.

Gateways to Heaven and Hell in the Bible

The high places, however, were not removed; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there. Jotham rebuilt the Upper Gate of the temple of the Lord.

2 Kings 15:35 New International Version (NIV)

At the king’s command, a chest was made and placed outside, at the gate of the temple of the Lord.

2 Chronicles 24:8 New International Version (NIV)

and Jesus was in the temple courts walking in Solomon’s Colonnade.

John 10:23 New International Version (NIV)

While the man held on to Peter and John, all the people were astonished and came running to them in the place called Solomon’s Colonnade.

Acts 3:11 New International Version (NIV)

The apostles performed many signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers used to meet together in Solomon’s Colonnade.

Acts 5:12 New International Version (NIV)

Then the Spirit lifted me up and brought me to the gate of the house of the Lord that faces east. There at the entrance of the gate were twenty-five men, and I saw among them Jaazaniah son of Azzur and Pelatiah son of Benaiah, leaders of the people.

Ezekiel 11:1 New International Version (NIV)

Then he brought me to the entrance of the north gate of the house of the Lord, and I saw women sitting there, mourning the god Tammuz.

Ezekiel 8:14 New International Version (NIV)

He stretched out what looked like a hand and took me by the hair of my head. The Spirit lifted me up between earth and heaven and in visions of God he took me to Jerusalem, to the entrance of the north gate of the inner court, where the idol that provokes to jealousy stood.

Ezekiel 8:3 New International Version (NIV)

Then he said to me, “Son of man, look toward the north.” So I looked, and in the entrance north of the gate of the altar I saw this idol of jealousy.

Ezekiel 8:5 New International Version (NIV)

Then the man brought me to the gate facing east,

Ezekiel 43:1 New International Version (NIV)

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Gateways in the Bible – KJV

And David prepared iron in abundance for the nails for the doors of the gates, and for the joinings; and brass in abundance without weight;

1 Chronicles 22:3 King James Version (KJV)

And Hezekiah appointed the courses of the priests and the Levites after their courses, every man according to his service, the priests and Levites for burnt offerings and for peace offerings, to minister, and to give thanks, and to praise in the gates of the tents of the Lord.

2 Chronicles 31:2 King James Version (KJV)

Lift ye up a banner upon the high mountain, exalt the voice unto them, shake the hand, that they may go into the gates of the nobles.

Isaiah 13:2 King James Version (KJV)

And the pavement by the side of the gates over against the length of the gates was the lower pavement.

Ezekiel 40:18 King James Version (KJV)

And there were windows in it and in the arches thereof round about, like those windows: the length was fifty cubits, and the breadth five and twenty cubits.

Ezekiel 40:25 King James Version (KJV)

And he brought me to the inner court by the south gate: and he measured the south gate according to these measures;

Ezekiel 40:28 King James Version (KJV)

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