In Matthew 16, Jesus took His disciples to Caesarea Philippi. This region has a biblical history dating back to Genesis 6, where the Bible describes the Nephilim, a race of giants known as men of renown or mighty warriors. Throughout biblical history, this area has been associated with the Nephilim and, eventually, Molech, whom the Canaanites appeased with child sacrifices during their time. The area came to be understood as the gateway to the underworld, or the dead, in ancient times. It is in this region that something amazing happens.
As Jesus and his disciples stand in this region, literally at the mouth of what was considered the gates of hell by the time of the New Testament, notice what Jesus says: 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. (Matthew 16:18, ESV) In other words, Jesus declares that He will conquer the forces of darkness, and His church will overcome them! The Apostle Paul discusses this victory that Jesus achieved through His cross when he wrote: He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross. (Colossians 2:14–15, NLT)
Ultimately, what does this mean for us as believers? The church is victorious over the principalities and rulers of darkness. Hell’s gates cannot stop or prevent us or the kingdom of God. Have they not tried in the last two thousand years? Yet here we are! Because of what Jesus did on the cross, the power of sin, wickedness, and Satan has been broken, and now we live in glorious victory! Light pierces the darkness! Therefore, we confidently carry this victory through Hell’s broken gates to a world bound in darkness so that they might be freed as we have been.
Thank you for joining me as I read and journal chronologically through the Bible! This devotional reflection comes from Matthew 16; Mark 8; Luke 9:18-27.