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Obadias 1

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1 Visio Abdiæ. Hæc dicit Dominus Deus ad Edom : Auditum audivimus a Domino, et legatum ad gentes misit : surgite, et consurgamus adversus eum in prælium.

2 Ecce parvulum dedi te in gentibus : contemptibilis tu es valde.

3 Superbia cordis tui extulit te, habitantem in scissuris petrarum, exaltantem solium tuum ; qui dicis in corde tuo : Quis detrahet me in terram ?

4 Si exaltatus fueris ut aquila, et si inter sidera posueris nidum tuum, inde detraham te, dicit Dominus.

5 Si fures introissent ad te, si latrones per noctem, quomodo conticuisses ? nonne furati essent sufficientia sibi ? Si vindemiatores introissent ad te, numquid saltem racemum reliquissent tibi ?

6 Quomodo scrutati sunt Esau ; investigaverunt abscondita ejus ?

7 Usque ad terminum emiserunt te : omnes viri fœderis tui illuserunt tibi : invaluerunt adversum te viri pacis tuæ, qui comedunt tecum, ponent insidias subter te ; non est prudentia in eo.

8 Numquid non in die illa, dicit Dominus, perdam sapientes de Idumæa, et prudentiam de monte Esau ?

9 Et timebunt fortes tui a meridie, ut intereat vir de monte Esau.

10 Propter interfectionem, et propter iniquitatem in fratrem tuum Jacob, operiet te confusio, et peribis in æternum.

11 In die cum stares adversus eum, quando capiebant alieni exercitum ejus, et extranei ingrediebantur portas ejus, et super Jerusalem mittebant sortem, tu quoque eras quasi unus ex eis.

12 Et non despicies in die fratris tui, in die peregrinationis ejus : et non lætaberis super filios Juda in die perditionis eorum : et non magnificabis os tuum in die angustiæ.

13 Neque ingriederis portam populi mei in die ruinæ eorum ; neque despicies et tu in malis ejus in die vastitatis illius. Et non emitteris adversus exercitum ejus in die vastitatis illius,

14 neque stabis in exitibus ut interficias eos qui fugerint, et non concludes reliquos ejus in die tribulationis.

15 Quoniam juxta est dies Domini super omnes gentes : sicut fecisti, fiet tibi ; retributionem tuam convertet in caput tuum.

16 Quomodo enim bibistis super montem sanctum meum, bibent omnes gentes jugiter : et bibent, et absorbebunt, et erunt quasi non sint.

17 Et in monte Sion erit salvatio, et erit sanctus ; et possidebit domus Jacob eos qui se possederant.

18 Et erit domus Jacob ignis, et domus Joseph flamma, et domus Esau stipula : et succendentur in eis, et devorabunt eos, et non erunt reliquiæ domus Esau, quia Dominus locutus est.

19 Et hæreditabunt hi, qui ad austrum sunt, montem Esau, et qui in campestribus, Philisthiim : et possidebunt regionem Ephraim et regionem Samariæ, et Benjamin possidebit Galaad.

20 Et transmigratio exercitus hujus filiorum Israël, omnia loca Chananæorum usque ad Sareptam : et transmigratio Jerusalem, quæ in Bosphoro est, possidebit civitates austri.

21 Et ascendent salvatores in montem Sion judicare montem Esau, et erit Domino regnum.

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Gate

  
People around a village gate, by Adrianus Eversen

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.