2328. 创世记 19:2. 说, 看哪, 我主啊, 请你们转到仆人家里, 住一夜, 洗洗脚, 清早起来再赶路. 他们说, 不, 我们要在街上过夜.

“说, 看哪, 我主啊” 表对主的神圣人性和神圣活动的一种内在承认和表白. “请你们转到仆人家里, 住一夜” 表邀请到他家里作客. “请你们转到仆人家里” 表居于仁之善. “洗洗脚” 表适应其属世层. “清早起来再赶路” 表以这种方式得以巩固在良善与真理中. “他们说, 不” 表质疑, 这在试探期间是很常见的. “我们要在街上过夜” 表祂可以说愿意通过真理审判.

Gates" in ancient times had a significance that does not hold in the modern world. Cities then were enclosed by walls for protection; gates in the walls let people in and out to do their business, but were also the weak points in the cities' defenses. In the Bible, cities on one level represent the minds of individual people. On a broader level, they represent beliefs shared by a community. The gates, then, represent openings where the Lord can feed us an understanding of truth and a desire for good. They also represent points where the hells can invade and sway us with false ideas and evil desires. We are kept in balance during our lifetimes, with influences from both the Lord and from hell. Ideally, we will over our lifetimes continue to invite the Lord farther and farther in and drive the hells back until ultimately the Lord can occupy our minds completely. And that point our belief in Him and His power and love will hold the gates and deny evil any entrance. As individuals, we at that point become angels. As communities, we at that point become part of the Lord's church. And at that point the gates become an entry point, introductory truths that allow people to enter churches and start bringing the Lord into their lives.