What does it mean “the gates of hell shall not prevail against it”?

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Feb 7, 2017
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#1
What does it mean “the gates of hell shall not prevail against it”?

First of all, what is the role of a gate? To preclude people from coming in or out of some place. Therefore, the promise given here for us is that none of the servants of Ha-Satan (people or demons) will be able to hamper us of going out of some trap of Ha-Satan, nor hinder us of going in to the place where the Creator desire to bless us.

It comes the question: the gates of hell shall not prevail against what?

To answer this question, we need to read all the excerpt:

• Mat 16:13-18 -> “Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”.

The gates of hell shall not prevail against “the Rock”, that is to say, the assertion of Peter “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God”.

What does it mean to us?

Well, many people think that Jesus is “the rock”. Nonetheless, pay attention to the following excerpt:

• Mat 7:24-27 -> “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”

Note that to build the house on the rock implies in hearing Jesus’ words and put them into practice. That is to say, it doesn’t suffice believe in Christ – it is necessary to be intimate to Him.

Let’s analyze what Peter said about Jesus:

1 – “You are the Christ” -> Jesus is the One Who the Creator anointed to fulfill all His Word and save us.
2 – “You are the *Son* of the living God” -> Although He is 100% God, He is 100% man. Although generated in the womb of a woman, His father is God (and not a man).
3 – “You are the Son of the *living* God” -> The Creator, His Father, isn’t a distant or dead god, but the God that love us and wish to have intimacy with us.

So, have a good day hearing Jesus’ voice, allowing Him to convey His feelings and thoughts to you and abiding by His word. Doing thus, the people of hell never will be able to keep you at bay of Jesus’ blessing, nor captive in bad thoughts, feelings and plans.
 

Webers.Home

Well-known member
May 28, 2018
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#2
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Matt 16:18 . . I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail
against it.


The Greek word translated "hell" is haides (a.k.a. hades) which is a
mythological afterlife facility for detaining all the dead regardless of age,
race, gender, and/or religious preference.


The Greek word translated "gates" always, and without exception in the New
Testament, refers to the mechanical structure by which folks entered and
exited a walled city. After gates were shut for the eight, and guards posted,
people typically had to wait till sunup to resume their goings in and their
goings out.


Death has always been humanity's No.1 pain in the neck. It throws a
monkey wrench into everything. But I think what Jesus said to Peter is that
death won't succeed in throwing a monkey wrench into plans for his church.
For them, death is merely a temporary inconvenience-- it settles nothing
permanently.


John 11:25 . . I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me,
though he were dead, yet shall he live.


1Cor 15:51-53 . . Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but
we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last
trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised
imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable must put on the
imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality.


1Cor 15:55 . . O death, where is your victory?
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