Deut 16:18
"Judges and guards shall you appoint in all your gates"
I read a sermon on this scripture. I've paraphrased the Jewish words used to help it be better understood. You can click on the link to read the whole of the sermon I found it in and/or read my paraphrase of just a portion of it as follows:
Why, if the judges and guards are charged with serving all the people, is the word "you" singular and not plural? The answer: each and every one of us has several "gates" that need to be guarded. The gates of vision: the eyes. The gates of sound: the ears. The gate of speech: the mouth. The gate of fragrance: the nose. The gates of touch: the hands and feet. A person must place judges and guards at each of these gates. He has to check and evaluate each sensation that wants to enter his body and soul. The dangerous forces must be kept out. He guards his eyes from seeing impurity. His ears need protection from hearing bad things spoken of others, heresy, destructive music, and mockery. His mouth cannot be allowed to speak derogatory words. His nose and hands should not smell or touch anything that will contaminate his pure thoughts. His feet should not take him to the wrong places, where the wrong kinds of people congregate. In short, a person must be his own judge and security guard on his own gates. The judge is charged with thoroughly checking everything that wants to enter, and the guard must shut the door on the bad influences. We don't mind the inconvenience. We know how serious the situation is.
Our senses are the gates to our souls. Guard them! You would not think of swallowing a piece of dirt or garbage. It would pollute your mouth, stomach, and your whole body. Spiritual dirt contaminates your soul. There are many destructive forces out there. The big screen, the little screen, the wrong reading material, and the bad company, to name a few. They can ruin you if you let them. Be a good judge and watchman. Guard the gates.
1 Peter 3:10
For “ He who would love life And see good days, Let him refrain his tongue from evil,And his lips from speaking deceit.
Rom 10:17
So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Eph 4:31
Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice.
Eph 5:18-20
And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Phil 4:8
Finally, brethren, whatever things true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.
"Judges and guards shall you appoint in all your gates"
I read a sermon on this scripture. I've paraphrased the Jewish words used to help it be better understood. You can click on the link to read the whole of the sermon I found it in and/or read my paraphrase of just a portion of it as follows:
Why, if the judges and guards are charged with serving all the people, is the word "you" singular and not plural? The answer: each and every one of us has several "gates" that need to be guarded. The gates of vision: the eyes. The gates of sound: the ears. The gate of speech: the mouth. The gate of fragrance: the nose. The gates of touch: the hands and feet. A person must place judges and guards at each of these gates. He has to check and evaluate each sensation that wants to enter his body and soul. The dangerous forces must be kept out. He guards his eyes from seeing impurity. His ears need protection from hearing bad things spoken of others, heresy, destructive music, and mockery. His mouth cannot be allowed to speak derogatory words. His nose and hands should not smell or touch anything that will contaminate his pure thoughts. His feet should not take him to the wrong places, where the wrong kinds of people congregate. In short, a person must be his own judge and security guard on his own gates. The judge is charged with thoroughly checking everything that wants to enter, and the guard must shut the door on the bad influences. We don't mind the inconvenience. We know how serious the situation is.
Our senses are the gates to our souls. Guard them! You would not think of swallowing a piece of dirt or garbage. It would pollute your mouth, stomach, and your whole body. Spiritual dirt contaminates your soul. There are many destructive forces out there. The big screen, the little screen, the wrong reading material, and the bad company, to name a few. They can ruin you if you let them. Be a good judge and watchman. Guard the gates.
1 Peter 3:10
For “ He who would love life And see good days, Let him refrain his tongue from evil,And his lips from speaking deceit.
Rom 10:17
So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Eph 4:31
Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice.
Eph 5:18-20
And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Phil 4:8
Finally, brethren, whatever things true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.