Topical Encyclopedia
In biblical literature, the concept of "closed" can refer to various physical, spiritual, and metaphorical states. The term is used to describe situations where access is restricted, opportunities are limited, or divine actions are concealed from human understanding.
Closed Doors and GatesIn the Bible, closed doors and gates often symbolize protection, privacy, or divine intervention. In
Genesis 7:16, God closes the door of Noah's ark, signifying divine protection and the finality of judgment: "The animals going in were male and female of every living thing, as God had commanded Noah. Then the LORD shut him in." This act of closing the door underscores God's sovereignty and the separation between the saved and the judged.
Similarly, in the New Testament, closed doors can represent opportunities that are no longer available. In
Matthew 25:10, the parable of the ten virgins illustrates the importance of readiness for the Kingdom of Heaven: "But while they were on their way to buy it, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut." Here, the closed door signifies the finality of judgment and the urgency of spiritual preparedness.
Closed Minds and HeartsThe Bible also speaks of closed minds and hearts, often in the context of spiritual blindness or resistance to God's message. In
Isaiah 6:10, the prophet is instructed to deliver a message that will harden the hearts of the people: "Make the heart of this people calloused; deafen their ears and close their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed." This closing is a form of judgment, reflecting the people's persistent disobedience and rejection of God's word.
In the New Testament, Jesus encounters closed hearts among the Pharisees and religious leaders who refuse to accept His teachings. In
John 12:40, the apostle quotes Isaiah to explain their unbelief: "He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, so that they cannot see with their eyes, and understand with their hearts, and turn, and I would heal them." This passage highlights the spiritual consequences of rejecting divine truth.
Closed Books and ScrollsThe imagery of closed books or scrolls is used in apocalyptic literature to signify hidden or sealed knowledge. In
Daniel 12:4, the prophet is instructed to "close up and seal the words of the scroll until the time of the end. Many will go here and there to increase knowledge." The closed scroll represents divine mysteries that are not yet revealed, emphasizing God's control over the unfolding of history.
In the Book of Revelation, the opening of the sealed scroll by the Lamb (
Revelation 5:1-5) marks the revelation of God's ultimate plan for redemption and judgment. The initial closure of the scroll signifies the hidden nature of God's purposes, which are revealed in His perfect timing.
Closed WombsThe Bible also uses the concept of a closed womb to describe situations where God temporarily withholds the blessing of children. In
Genesis 20:18, God closes the wombs of Abimelech's household as a consequence of taking Sarah, Abraham's wife: "For the LORD had completely closed all the wombs in Abimelech’s household on account of Abraham’s wife Sarah." This act demonstrates God's direct involvement in human affairs and His ability to open or close wombs according to His will.
In
1 Samuel 1:5-6, Hannah's closed womb is a source of deep personal anguish, yet it ultimately leads to her fervent prayer and the birth of Samuel: "But to Hannah he would give a double portion, for he loved her even though the LORD had closed her womb. Because the LORD had closed Hannah’s womb, her rival would provoke her and taunt her viciously." This narrative illustrates how God can use closed circumstances to bring about His greater purposes.
In summary, the concept of "closed" in the Bible encompasses a range of meanings, from physical barriers to spiritual conditions, each reflecting aspects of God's sovereignty, judgment, and the unfolding of His divine plan.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
(
imp. & p. p.) of Close.
Greek
2808. kleio -- to shut... Word Origin of uncertain origin Definition to shut NASB Word Usage close (1),
closed (1), closes (1), locked (1), shut (11), shuts (1). shut.
...4440. pulon -- a porch, gateway
... Cognate: 4440 (a masculine noun) -- "properly, 'the passage which led from the street
through the front part of the house to the inner court,'closed by a...
4729. stenochoreo -- to be made narrow, to compress
... Cognate: 4729 (from 4728 , "narrow" and 5566, "an area, space") -- properly, to
restrict, keep in aclosed space; , severely cramp; (figuratively) for someone...
5420. phrasso -- to fence in, to stop
... hand"). Word Origin from a root phrag- Definition to fence in, to stop
NASB Word Usageclosed (1), shut (1), stopped (1). stop....
4428. ptusso -- to fold, ie roll up
... up (as a scroll). Word Origin a prim. verb Definition to fold, ie roll up NASB
Word Usageclosed (1). close. Probably akin to petannumi...
2576. kammuo -- to shut the eyes
... Word Origin contr. of the comp. of kata and muo (to shut the eyes) Definition
to shut the eyes NASB Word Usageclosed (2). close the eyes....
Strong's Hebrew
7062. qomets --closed hand, fist... 7061, 7062. qomets. 7063 .
closed hand, fist. Transliteration: qomets
Phonetic Spelling: (ko'mets) Short Definition: handful. Word
...5640. satham -- to stop up, shut up, keep close
... root Definition to stop up, shut up, keep close NASB Word Usageclosed (1), conceal
(1), concealed (1), cut off (1), hidden part (1), keep the secret (1...
5534a. sakar -- to shut up, stop up
... to shut up, stop up. Transliteration: sakar Short Definition:closed.... root Definition
to shut up, stop up NASB Word Usageclosed (1), deliver (1), stopped (1)....
3680. kasah -- to cover
... root Definition to cover NASB Word Usageclosed (2), clothed (1), conceal (1), conceals
(8), cover (50), covered (51), covering (4), covers (20), engulfed (3...
6113. atsar -- to restrain, retain
... root Definition to restrain, retain NASB Word Usage able* (2), bond (5), checked
(3),closed fast (1), confined (3), could (1), detain (2), detained (1), held...
6189. arel -- having foreskin (uncircumcised)
... Word Origin from the same as orlah Definition having foreskin (uncircumcised) NASB
Word Usageclosed (1), forbidden (1), uncircumcised (31), unskilled (2)....
1480. guphah -- a body, corpse
... Word Origin from guph Definition a body, corpse NASB Word Usage bodies (1), body
(1). body. From guwph; a corpse (asclosed to sense) -- body. see HEBREW guwph....
3027. yad -- hand
... A primitive word; a hand (the open one (indicating power, means, direction, etc.),
in distinction from kaph, theclosed one); used (as noun, adverb, etc.) In a...
5362b. naqaph -- to go around
... root Definition to go around NASB Word Usage circling (2),closed around (1), completed
cycle (1), encircling (1), encompassed (3), go around (1), gone around...
5462. sagar -- to shut, close
... root Definition to shut, close NASB Word Usage battle-axe (1), close (2),closed
(9), confined (1), deliver (5), delivered (6), gave over (2), given (1), given...
Library
Closed Gates
...CLOSED GATES. If any of you boys and girls, while riding through a great
city on an express train, ever chance to put your head out...
"All wasClosed, and I Saw no More. " "For the Folly of Feeling a...
... THE FIFTEENTH REVELATION CHAPTER LXVI "All wasclosed, and I saw no more." "For
the folly of feeling a little bodily pain I unwisely lost for the time the...
IClosed Her Eyes; and There Flowed Withal a Mighty Sorrow into My...
... Book IX Chapter XII Iclosed her eyes; and there flowed withal a mighty
sorrow into my heart? Iclosed her eyes; and there flowed...
Not a Few Things, Too, areClosed against us and Obscured by...
... Not a few things, too, areclosed against us and obscured by ignorance of?... Not a
few things, too, areclosed against us and obscured by ignorance of music....
That Thy Resurrection Might be Believed among the Gainsayers, they...
... But they went away because they had shut Thy sepulchre and sealed it, and
closed up their own mouths. Yea theyclosed it, and when...
Concerning Our Lord, and Concerning Death and Satan
... Jonah emerged, after three days and came up; but Legion yea not after a long season,
for the depth of the seaclosed upon him at the command....
Summary of the Subject.
... During the sixth and following centuries, it cannot be said that the canon of the
Greek Church was definitelyclosed, notwithstanding the decrees of councils...
Communion Again Broken --Restoration
... And more than this, the door of her chamber was not onlyclosed, but barred; an
evidence that His return was neither eagerly desired nor expected....
The Body of Our Lord Placed in the Sepulchre.
... Joseph. Cassius and the soldiersclosed the procession.... The entrance of the
grotto wasclosed by a gate made of branches twined together....
The Feeding of the Four Thousand - to Dalmanutha - the Sign from...
... The Galilean Ministry hadclosed with the feeding of the five thousand, the guests
being mostly from Capernaum and the towns around, as far as Bethsaida (Julias...
Thesaurus
Closed (47 Occurrences)... (imp. & pp) of Close. Multi-Version Concordance
Closed (47 Occurrences).
... Luke 4:20
He
closed the book, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down.
...Open (586 Occurrences)
... 1. (a.) Free of access; not shut up; notclosed; affording unobstructed ingress
or egress; not impeding or preventing passage; not locked up or covered over...
Shut (237 Occurrences)
... book. 6. (vi) To close itself; to becomeclosed; as, the door shuts; it
shuts hard. 7. (a.)Closed or fastened; as, a shut door. 8...
Close (186 Occurrences)
... 6. (vi) To end, terminate, or come to a period; as, the debateclosed at six
o'clock.... 16. (vt) Shut fast;closed; tight; as, a close box. 17....
Proper (62 Occurrences)
... the loss of a pretonic vowel, as is indicated by the suspended letter in Jedidiah,
"beloved of Yahweh"; requires a short vowel in aclosed unaccented syllable...
Lampstand (38 Occurrences)
... The open bowl was graduallyclosed in, first at the spout, where the rim of one
side was lapped over the other, and finally the whole surface wasclosed with...
Grown (77 Occurrences)
... Matthew 13:15 for this people's heart has grown callous, their ears are dull of
hearing, they haveclosed their eyes; or else perhaps they might perceive with...
Gross (12 Occurrences)
... Matthew 13:15 For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of
hearing, and their eyes they haveclosed; lest at any time they should see...
Window (24 Occurrences)
... Properly only an opening in a house for the admission of light and air, covered
with lattice-work, which might be opened orclosed (2 Kings 1:2; Acts 20:9...
Waxed (57 Occurrences)
... Matthew 13:15 For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of
hearing, and their eyes they haveclosed; lest at any time they should see...
Resources
The closed canon'what are the implications? | GotQuestions.orgShould communion be open or closed? | GotQuestions.orgIs God giving people in closed countries dreams and visions to bring them to faith in Christ? | GotQuestions.orgClosed: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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