What does a closed door mean?
A “closed door” in Scripture often refers to an opportunity being lost. A well-known passage that speaks of an “open” and “shut” door is Revelation 3:7-8, “These things saith He that is holy, He that is true, He that hath the key of David, He that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth…behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it.” In this passage, the Lord Jesus is telling the church in Philadelphia that He has opened a DOOR OF SERVICE for them and no man can close that door. Our blessed Lord is sovereign and He alone can open up opportunities for us to serve Him. The enemy will always seek to “close those doors” but all his attempts will be in vain. Consider the words of Paul in 1 Corinthians 16:9, “For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries.” The Lord opened a door for Paul to serve and Satan was right there to oppose him, but Jesus promises us, “no man can shut it.” But we saw that the Lord also “shuts doors.” In Acts 16:6 we read that Paul and others “were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia” and in verse 7 they desired to go to Bithynia “but the Spirit suffered them not.” So the Lord also “closes doors of opportunity” to serve according to His perfect will. When He does “close doors” to serve Him somewhere, we can take comfort in the thought that He will “open doors” elsewhere. If we were to read on in Acts 16:9-34 we would see that the Lord opened the door for Paul to preach the gospel at Philippi. God opened up hearts, souls were saved and the church at Philippi was born! Satan tried to hinder the work but he learned what we have already seen, that if the Lord opens a door “no man can shut it.”
In Genesis 7:16 we see Noah, his family and all the animals going into the ark and then we read that “the Lord shut him in.” Here the “closed door” is a DOOR OF SECURITY! Noah and his family were shut in and kept SAFE. Of course the “closed door” also prevented others from entering the ark of safety; their unbelief sealed their doom and the closed door told them it was too late to enter.
This reminds me of another “closed door” found in Matthew 25:10, “And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.” This parable illustrates that one must be ready when the Lord comes or the “door of opportunity” to be saved and enter heaven will be shut. In verses 11-12 it says, “Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But He answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.” How solemn! People that have rejected the Lord will ask the Lord to open the door and let them into heaven but His words, “I know you not” will ring in their ears and forever remind them that the DOOR OF SALVATION has been closed. I would plead with anyone that may not be saved to heed the gospel call before it’s forever too late. Jesus said in John 10:9, “I am the door: by Me if any man enter in, he shall be saved.” That door is still wide open and all you need to do to enter is to act on Acts 16:31, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved…” If you refuse to enter through that door and the Lord comes, THE DOOR WILL BE CLOSED! (163.10) (DO)