The office of a porter in the temple, must certainly have been an office of high repute and importance, as appears by the characters given of such to whose lot it fell. They are said to be mighty men of valour, and for strength for the service. And evidently they are marked as being competent to the office, on account of their wisdom; for Zechariah, one of them, is said to have been a wise counsellor. And another, Simri, though not the first-born, was made chief by his father. I do not presume precisely to point out in what the principal parts of their office consisted; and more especially as the Holy Ghost hath not been particular about it. We are told that their station was at the gates. But from this feature of character we may safely infer, that the spiritual porters of Jesus' church have a very solemn trust to keep the doors, and by their wisdom, which they derive from their glorious Head, to counsel others, and by their strength which they have in Christ Jesus, to withhold others from every improper entrance into the sanctuary. Jesus is the way, and no other can be the entrance. And as to Him, so to all his, the Porter openeth. God the Holy Ghost opens to Christ, leads to Christ, helps to Christ, and takes of Christ to show the people. Lead me, Lord, in thy truth, and guide me, for thou art the God of my salvation. John 10:9; John 10:9; Psalms 25:5.
1 Chronicles 26:1-19
1 Concerning the divisions of the porters: Of the Korhites was Meshelemiaha the son of Kore, of the sons of Asaph.
2 And the sons of Meshelemiah were, Zechariah the firstborn, Jediael the second, Zebadiah the third, Jathniel the fourth,
3 Elam the fifth, Jehohanan the sixth, Elioenai the seventh.
4 Moreover the sons of Obededom were, Shemaiah the firstborn, Jehozabad the second, Joah the third, and Sacar the fourth, and Nethaneel the fifth,
5 Ammiel the sixth, Issachar the seventh, Peulthai the eighth: for God blessed him.b
6 Also unto Shemaiah his son were sons born, that ruled throughout the house of their father: for they were mighty men of valour.
7 The sons of Shemaiah; Othni, and Rephael, and Obed, Elzabad, whose brethren were strong men, Elihu, and Semachiah.
8 All these of the sons of Obededom: they and their sons and their brethren, able men for strength for the service, were threescore and two of Obededom.
9 And Meshelemiah had sons and brethren, strong men, eighteen.
10 Also Hosah, of the children of Merari, had sons; Simri the chief, (for though he was not the firstborn, yet his father made him the chief;)
11 Hilkiah the second, Tebaliah the third, Zechariah the fourth: all the sons and brethren of Hosah were thirteen.
12 Among these were the divisions of the porters, even among the chief men, having wards one against another, to minister in the house of the LORD.
13 And they cast lots, as well the small as the great, according to the house of their fathers, for every gate.
14 And the lot eastward fell to Shelemiah.c Then for Zechariah his son, a wise counsellor, they cast lots; and his lot came out northward.
15 To Obededom southward; and to his sons the house of Asuppim.d
16 To Shuppim and Hosah the lot came forth westward, with the gate Shallecheth, by the causeway of the going up, ward against ward.
17 Eastward were six Levites, northward four a day, southward four a day, and toward Asuppim two and two.
18 At Parbar westward, four at the causeway, and two at Parbar.
19 These are the divisions of the porters among the sons of Kore, and among the sons of Merari.