Standing In The Gap

What does it mean to stand in the gap?

One Bible scholar defined standing in the gap as the call “to expose oneself for the protection of something.” This means you take the position on the battlefield in place of a wounded brother or sister in Christ.

In Ezekiel 22:30 the Lord says, “I looked for someone among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found no one.”

The word picture painted in this verse is that of a wall with a hole or a gap in it. A wall was the best means of protection in ancient times. A breach in the wall would let the enemy through. If there was a breach in the wall, defenders would have to swarm to that location and hold the breach. The gap would need to be repaired as soon as possible. If a breach was left unattended or unrepaired, the city would fall.