Topical Bible: Shutting

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Topical Encyclopedia

In biblical terms, "shutting" often refers to the act of closing or sealing something, whether it be physical doors, gates, or metaphorical barriers. This concept appears in various contexts throughout the Scriptures, symbolizing protection, judgment, or divine intervention.

1. Shutting of Doors and Gates

The physical act of shutting doors or gates is frequently mentioned in the Bible, often symbolizing security and protection. In ancient times, city gates were shut to protect inhabitants from invaders or danger. For example, in the book of Joshua, the city of Jericho was "tightly shut up because of the Israelites" (Joshua 6:1), indicating a defensive posture against the impending attack.

In the New Testament, Jesus uses the imagery of shutting doors to convey spiritual truths. In the parable of the ten virgins, the door is shut to those who are unprepared, symbolizing the finality of judgment and the importance of readiness (Matthew 25:10).

2. Shutting as Divine Action

The act of shutting is sometimes attributed to God, signifying His sovereign control over events. In the account of Noah, God Himself shuts the door of the ark, sealing Noah and his family inside and protecting them from the floodwaters (Genesis 7:16). This act underscores God's authority and the security found in His provision.

Similarly, in Revelation, the imagery of shutting and opening is used to describe Christ's authority over the church and His power to grant or deny access to the kingdom: "What He opens no one can shut, and what He shuts no one can open" (Revelation 3:7).

3. Shutting as Judgment

Shutting can also represent divine judgment. In the prophetic literature, the shutting of doors or gates often symbolizes the closing off of God's mercy or the onset of judgment. For instance, in Isaiah, the prophet speaks of the shutting of doors as a metaphor for the coming judgment upon the nations (Isaiah 24:10).

In the New Testament, Jesus warns of the consequences of rejecting His message, using the imagery of a shut door to illustrate the exclusion from the kingdom of heaven for those who do not believe (Luke 13:25).

4. Shutting in Personal and Spiritual Contexts

On a personal level, shutting can refer to the closing off of one's heart or mind to God's truth. The Bible warns against hardening one's heart, which can be seen as a form of spiritual shutting that prevents individuals from receiving God's word and grace (Hebrews 3:8).

Conversely, believers are encouraged to shut out distractions and focus on prayer and communion with God. Jesus instructs His followers to "go into your room, shut the door, and pray to your Father, who is unseen" (Matthew 6:6), emphasizing the importance of private devotion and intimacy with God.

In summary, the concept of shutting in the Bible encompasses a range of meanings, from physical security and divine protection to spiritual readiness and judgment. It serves as a powerful metaphor for God's sovereignty, human responsibility, and the eternal consequences of one's choices.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary

(p. pr. & vb. n.) of Shut.

Greek

3453. mueo -- to initiate into the mysteries, hence to instruct
... 3453 (akin to 3466 , "mystery") -- properly, shutting the eyes and mouth to ;
(figuratively) the wonderful "mystery revelation" of learning to in every scene ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3453.htm - 7k

2284. thambeo -- to astonish
... Cognate: 2284 -- to astonish, amaze (passive, dumbfounded) to the point of becoming
emotionally "stalled" ("shutting down") -- also implying a sense of wonder ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2284.htm - 7k

2807. kleis -- a key
... key. From kleio; a key (as shutting a lock), literally or figuratively -- key. see
GREEK kleio. (kleida) -- 1 Occurrence. (kleidas) -- 1 Occurrence. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2807.htm - 6k

Strong's Hebrew

2764. cherem -- devoted thing, devotion, ban
... Or (Zecheriah 14:11) cherem {kheh'-rem}; from charam; physical (as shutting in)
a net (either literally or figuratively); usually a doomed object; abstr. ...
/hebrew/2764.htm - 6k

Library

What the Keyes of the Kingdome of Heaven Be, and what their Power.
... of these keys, are said here to be binding and loosing, which are not the proper
acts of materiall keys; for their acts be opening and shutting, which argueth ...
/.../the keyes of the kingdom of heaven and power thereof/chap i what the keyes.htm

Outside the Eden Gate.
... Man gave both doors a slam shut that day in Eden. Yet they went shut gradually.
That was the God-side of their shutting. He quickly ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/gordon/quiet talks about jesus/outside the eden gate.htm

Theophilus. ...
... highest resistance to itself: for it cannot compress or thicken, but by drawing
or attracting; but drawing and attracting is quite contrary to shutting up, or ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/law/the way to divine knowledge/way-3-19 theophilus .htm

Climbing Towards the Climax.
... The case rests with the jury. The door had been shutting for a good while.
The inside door-keepers had been pulling it hard. But ...
/.../gordon/quiet talks on johns gospel/climbing towards the climax.htm

Jesus' Unrequited Friendships.
... In shutting love out of his heart, he shut himself out from love. ... Unrequited friendship!
Yes; and in shutting out that blessed friendship, Judas shut out hope. ...
/.../personal friendships of jesus/chapter ix jesus unrequited friendships.htm

The Follies of the Wise
... And so says our Lord"shutting out the consideration of ends, and looking only for
a moment at means,"the world can teach the Church a great many lessons ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture e/the follies of the wise.htm

Watkinson -- the Transfigured Sackcloth
... Instead of shutting out the signs of wo, Christ followed an infinitely deeper
philosophy; He arrayed Himself in the sackcloth, becoming sin for us who knew no ...
/.../the worlds great sermons volume 8/watkinson the transfigured sackcloth.htm

Baptism unto Repentance
... The multitudes confessed that they had been selfish and sensual, shutting up
their compassions, and refusing clothing and food to the needy. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/meyer/john the baptist/vi baptism unto repentance.htm

The Irish Articles of Religion. AD 1615.
... And thus the justice and mercy of God do embrace each other: the grace of God not
shutting out the justice of God in the matter of our justification, but only ...
/.../the irish articles of religion.htm

First Greek Form.
... And they were all attending to Him, and wondering that He, being a child, was shutting
the mouths of the elders and teachers of the people, explaining the main ...
//christianbookshelf.org/unknown/the gospel of thomas/first greek form .htm

Thesaurus

Shutting (43 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Shut. Multi-Version Concordance
Shutting (43 Occurrences). Matthew 6:6 But when you ...
/s/shutting.htm - 19k

Wink (2 Occurrences)
... only. 5. (vi) To avoid taking notice, as if by shutting the eyes; to connive
at anything; to be tolerant; -- generally with at. 6 ...
/w/wink.htm - 9k

Chaldaeans (65 Occurrences)
... the instruments of war in your hands, with which you are fighting against the king
of Babylon and the Chaldaeans, who are outside the walls and shutting you in ...
/c/chaldaeans.htm - 28k

Forces (123 Occurrences)
... 2 Kings 6:24 Now after this, Ben-hadad, king of Aram, got together all his army
and went up to make an attack on Samaria, shutting the town in on all sides ...
/f/forces.htm - 39k

Shutteth (17 Occurrences)

/s/shutteth.htm - 11k

Aram (130 Occurrences)
... king of Aram, got all his army together, and thirty-two kings with him, and horses
and carriages of war; he went up and made war on Samaria, shutting it in. ...
/a/aram.htm - 40k

Spring (122 Occurrences)
... Joab and his servants and all Israel with him; and they made waste the land of the
children of Ammon, and took up their position before Rabbah, shutting it in. ...
/s/spring.htm - 40k

Yoking (1 Occurrence)
... 1 Samuel 6:10 And the men did so; they took two cows, yoking them to the cart
and shutting up their young ones in their living-place: (BBE). ...
/y/yoking.htm - 6k

Key (8 Occurrences)
... It is called in Hebrew maphteah, ie, the opener (Judges 3:25); and in the Greek
New Testament kleis, from its use in shutting (Matthew 16:19; Luke 11:52 ...
/k/key.htm - 14k

Kicking (4 Occurrences)
... uprightly, Kicking against gain of oppressions, Shaking his hands from taking hold
on a bribe, Stopping his ear from hearing of blood, And shutting his eyes ...
/k/kicking.htm - 7k

Resources

Are church closings an appropriate response to a pandemic? | GotQuestions.org

What does the Bible mean by binding and loosing? | GotQuestions.org

What is the significance of lions in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

Shutting: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus

Concordance

Shutting (43 Occurrences)

Matthew 6:6
But when you make your prayer, go into your private room, and, shutting the door, say a prayer to your Father in secret, and your Father, who sees in secret, will give you your reward.
(BBE)

Matthew 23:13
But a curse is on you, scribes and Pharisees, false ones! because you are shutting the kingdom of heaven against men: for you do not go in yourselves, and those who are going in, you keep back.
(BBE)

Luke 4:20
And shutting the book he gave it back to the servant and took his seat: and the eyes of all in the Synagogue were fixed on him.
(BBE)

1 Corinthians 15:52
In a second, in the shutting of an eye, at the sound of the last horn: for at that sound the dead will come again, free for ever from the power of death, and we will be changed.
(BBE)

2 Timothy 4:4
And shutting their ears to what is true, will be turned away to belief in foolish stories.
(BBE)

Revelation 3:7
And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia say: These things says he who is holy, he who is true, he who has the key of David, opening the door so that it may be shut by no one, and shutting it so that it may be open to no one.
(BBE)

Genesis 19:6
And Lot went out to them in the doorway, shutting the door after him.
(BBE)

Genesis 19:10
But the men put out their hands and took Lot into the house to them, shutting the door again.
(BBE)

Joshua 2:5
It happened about the time of the shutting of the gate, when it was dark, that the men went out. Where the men went, I don't know. Pursue them quickly; for you will overtake them."
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE WBS)

Joshua 7:9
For when the news comes to the Canaanites and all the people of the land, they will come up, shutting us in and cutting off our name from the earth: and what will you do for the honour of your great name?
(BBE)

Judges 3:23
Then Ehud went out into the covered way, shutting the doors of the summer-house on him and locking them.
(BBE)

Judges 9:51
But in the middle of the town there was a strong tower, to which all the men and women of the town went in flight and, shutting themselves in, went up to the roof of the tower.
(BBE)

1 Samuel 6:10
And the men did so; they took two cows, yoking them to the cart and shutting up their young ones in their living-place:
(BBE)

2 Samuel 11:1
Now in the spring, at the time when kings go out to war, David sent Joab and his servants and all Israel with him; and they made waste the land of the children of Ammon, and took up their position before Rabbah, shutting it in. But David was still at Jerusalem.
(BBE)

2 Samuel 22:30
By your help I have made a way through the wall which was shutting me in: by the help of my God I have gone over a wall.
(BBE)

1 Kings 16:17
Then Omri went up from Gibbethon, with all the army of Israel, and they made an attack on Tirzah, shutting in the town on every side.
(BBE)

1 Kings 20:1
Now Ben-hadad, king of Aram, got all his army together, and thirty-two kings with him, and horses and carriages of war; he went up and made war on Samaria, shutting it in.
(BBE)

2 Kings 4:4
Then go in, and, shutting the door on yourself and your sons, put oil into all these vessels, putting on one side the full ones.
(BBE)

2 Kings 4:21
Then she went up and put him on the bed of the man of God, shutting the door on him, and went out.
(BBE)

2 Kings 4:33
So he went in, and shutting the door on the two of them, made prayer to the Lord.
(BBE)

2 Kings 6:24
Now after this, Ben-hadad, king of Aram, got together all his army and went up to make an attack on Samaria, shutting the town in on all sides with his forces.
(BBE)

2 Kings 16:5
Then Rezin, king of Aram, and Pekah, son of Remaliah, king of Israel, came up to Jerusalem to make war; and they made an attack on Ahaz, shutting him in, but were not able to overcome him.
(BBE)

2 Kings 17:5
Then the king of Assyria went through all the land and came up to Samaria, shutting it in with his forces for three years.
(BBE)

2 Kings 18:9
Now in the fourth year of King Hezekiah, which was the seventh year of Hoshea, son of Elah, king of Israel, Shalmaneser, king of Assyria, came up against Samaria, shutting it in with his armies.
(BBE)

2 Kings 24:11
And Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, came there, while his servants were shutting in the town;
(BBE)

1 Chronicles 20:1
Now in the spring, at the time when kings go out to war, Joab went out at the head of the armed forces and made waste all the land of the Ammonites and put his men in position before Rabbah, shutting it in. But David was still at Jerusalem. And Joab took Rabbah and made it waste.
(BBE)

2 Chronicles 28:24
And Ahaz got together the vessels of the house of God, cutting up all the vessels of the house of God, and shutting the doors of the Lord's house; and he made altars in every part of Jerusalem.
(BBE)

Job 11:10
If he goes on his way, shutting a man up and putting him to death, who may make him go back from his purpose?
(BBE)

Job 24:16
In the dark he makes holes in the walls of houses: in the daytime they are shutting themselves up, they have no knowledge of the light.
(BBE)

Psalms 18:29
By your help I have made a way through the wall which was shutting me in; by the help of my God I have gone over a wall.
(BBE)

Psalms 58:4
Their poison 'is' as poison of a serpent, As a deaf asp shutting its ear,
(YLT)

Proverbs 17:28
Even a fool keeping silence is reckoned wise, He who is shutting his lips intelligent!
(YLT)

Proverbs 21:13
Whoso is shutting his ear from the cry of the poor, He also doth cry, and is not answered.
(YLT)

Isaiah 22:22
And I have placed the key Of the house of David on his shoulder, And he hath opened, and none is shutting, And hath shut, and none is opening.
(YLT)

Isaiah 29:7
And all the nations making war on Ariel, and all those who are fighting against her and shutting her in with their towers, will be like a dream, like a vision of the night.
(BBE)

Jeremiah 21:4
The Lord God of Israel has said, See, I am turning back the instruments of war in your hands, with which you are fighting against the king of Babylon and the Chaldaeans, who are outside the walls and shutting you in; and I will get them together inside this town.
(BBE)

Jeremiah 21:9
He who keeps in this town will come to his death by the sword and through need of food and through disease; but he who goes out and gives himself up to the Chaldaeans who are shutting you in, will go on living, and will keep his life safe.
(BBE)

Jeremiah 32:2
Now at that time the king of Babylon's army was round Jerusalem, shutting it in: and Jeremiah the prophet was shut up in the place of the armed watchmen, in the house of the king of Judah.
(BBE)

Jeremiah 39:1
And it came about, that when Jerusalem was taken, (in the ninth year of Zedekiah, king of Judah, in the tenth month, Nebuchadrezzar, king of Babylon, with all his army, came against Jerusalem, shutting it in on every side;
(BBE)

Lamentations 3:5
He has put up a wall against me, shutting me in with bitter sorrow.
(BBE)

Ezekiel 4:2
And make an attack on it, shutting it in, building strong places against it, and making high an earthwork against it; and put up tents against it, placing engines all round it for smashing down its walls.
(BBE)

Daniel 1:1
In the third year of the rule of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem, shutting it in with his forces.
(BBE)

Amos 3:11
For this reason, says the Lord, an attacker will come, shutting in the land on every side; and your strength will come down and your great houses will be made waste.
(BBE)

Subtopics

Shutting

Related Terms

Weaving (4 Occurrences)

Shed (73 Occurrences)

Shoot (51 Occurrences)

Shutting (43 Occurrences)

Woof (9 Occurrences)

Warp (9 Occurrences)

Weavers (4 Occurrences)

Weaver's (5 Occurrences)

Fly (33 Occurrences)