The Gates of Hell Shall Not Prevail

Dr. Michael S. Heiser specializes in trying to understand the supernatural world-view of the ancient writers of the Bible. He has brought fascinating and sometimes frightening background to various difficult-to-understand portions of the Scriptures.

One that has puzzled many Protestants is found in Matt. 16:13-19, where Jesus appears to be telling Peter that Peter is the rock Jesus will be building his church upon. Of course, Roman Catholic theologians have no problem with this, as it seems to place them in a position of leadership because of “apostolic succession.”

The meaning of Peter’s name in Greek, petros, meaning “stone” or “small rock” is different from the meaning of the word Jesus used for “rock,” lithos, which refers to a large rock, boulder or huge rock formation such as a crag or rock outcropping. This has led most Protestants to assume that Jesus is the larger rock that the church is built on.

Dr. Heiser takes a different approach from a straightforward word study. He studied the ancient spiritual geography of the area according to various scriptural clues and the Book of Enoch, which both Peter and Jude seem to be familiar with.

Spiritual geography??

Yes, believe it or not, the ancients knew that certain regions in that area of the Middle East were known to be the abode of evil or demonic beings. Heiser discovered that Jesus was facing one of those regions when he spoke to Peter about the church attacking the gates of hell. (Yes, attacking. The gates are defending hell, not attacking the church. Gates are a defensive fortification, not a weapon of conquest. I was once a soldier, and we soldiers know the difference.)

One of the clues about the spiritual geography can be found of the area can be found in a prophecy about the primary region that the Messiah would minister in: Galilee, found in Is. 9:2. Galilee was one of the first areas settled by Israel, after defeating the two kingdoms that previously occupied that land. The tribes of Zebulon and Naphtali, and half of the tribe of Manasseh settled there after those battles. Note that the prophecy calls this a land of deep darkness.

We find out some things about these defeated kingdoms from Josh. 12:1-5. We learn that the southern half of Gilead, bordering on northern Ammon, is ruled by Sihon, king of the Amorites, including his capital city of Heshbon. The northern half, bordered by Mount Hermon in the north, is ruled by Og, king of Bashan, who is called one of the last of the Rephaites (or Rephaim). Most of these names and titles figure prominently in the spiritual geography of the region.

The Rephaites were a tribe descended from the Nephilim, ancestors of the giants of the land. Other giant tribes were collectively referred to as Anakites (Anakim). A few descriptions can be found in these verses. These giants were the reason the Israelites initially refused to enter the Promised land. They were scared to death of these ferocious warrior-giants. Og, king of Bashan was one of those giants. To give an idea of his size, his bed was 12 feet long and made of iron to carry his weight (Deut. 3:1-3, 8-11). King Sihon of the Amorites probably was a giant, too (Amos 2:9).

Where did these giants come from? Surprisingly, Genesis 6:1-4 has the answer. It seems that their ancestors, the Nephilim (which the Greek translators render as “giants”) were a hybrid of “sons of God” and human women. Much more detail about the connection between Noah’s flood and the Nephilim can be found in our previous post, Sons of God and Daughters of Men. These Sons of God were created angelic beings who decided to leave their heavenly abode and responsibilities for where the action was: earth. Their pre-flood progeny died in the flood, but more were apparently born after the flood, according to Genesis 6.

Ok, so there were giants in the land. What does that have to do with the forces of darkness that apparently overshadowed the area? A book that James and Peter, disciples of Jesus, were familiar with provides the answer.

The Book of Enoch describes a time shortly before the flood when some of the “Sons of God” – angelic or heavenly beings .- left their heavenly abode to live on earth and marry human women. A version is available online at https://reluctant-messenger.com/1enoch01-60.htm. That version list the relevant section as chapter 7. The following is an excerpt from an English translation of the Book of Enoch with the relevant information.

CHAP. 6.—And it came to pass, after the children of men had increased in those days, beautiful and comely daughters were born to them. 2. And the angels, the sons of the heavens, saw and lusted after them, and said one to another: “Behold, we will choose for ourselves wives from among the children of men, and will beget for ourselves children.”

3. And Semjâzâ, who was their leader, said to them: “I fear that perhaps ye will not be willing to do this deed, and I alone shall suffer for this great sin.” 4. Then all answered him and said: “We all will swear an oath, and bind ourselves mutually by a curse, that we will not give up this plan, but will make this plan a deed.” 5. Then they all swore together, and bound themselves mutually by a curse; and together they were two hundred.

6. And they descended on Ardîs, which is the summit of Mount Hermon; and they called it Mount Hermon, because they had sworn on it and bound themselves mutually by a curse. [Hermon: “dedicated to destruction”] 7. And these are the names of their leaders: Semjâzâ, who was their leader, Urâkibarâmêêl, Akibêêl, Tâmiêl, Râmuêl, Dânêl, Ezêqêêl, Sarâqujâl, Asâêl, Armers, Batraal, Anânî, Zaqêbê, Samsâvêêl, Sartaêl, Turêl, Jomjâêl, Arâzjâl. 8. These are the leaders of the two hundred angels, and the others all were with them.

Book of Enoch

Notice the location of their headquarters: Mount Hermon. Matt. 16:13-19 places Jesus and his disciples are near Caesarea Philippi, near a rock formation that is part of the small mountain range leading to Mount Hermon. In ancient times it was considered a gateway to the world of dark spiritual forces – with good reason. This area was literally the gateway to hell of the ancient world.

In fact, according to Ps. 68:14-22 Mount Hermon, as the highest peak in Bashan (therefore called Mount Bashan in the Psalm) is Jealous of Mount Zion, Jerusalem’s peak, which is the place God’s rule is said to be centered. So Mount Hermon is actually the headquarters of the dominion of darkness and the arch-rival to God’s rule.

So, what exactly is Jesus doing at that location with the pronouncement that his church will prevail over the gates of hell? Among other things, he is telling them that his church is being built with Galileans, in Galilee, at the very heart of the evil kingdom. He is knocking at the front door of the rival kingdom’s headquarters and proclaiming their doom through the ministry of his disciples.

He is also provoking the forces of darkness to attempt to thwart his mission, drawing them to move to have the Jewish and Roman authorities to crucify him.

In Eph. 6:12 Paul the Apostle refers to the dark angelic or demonic realm that is behind all the evil in the world. the “principalities and powers” in high places of spiritual darkness that we are at war against as Christians. Jesus’ statement to Peter at their “gates” was the formal declaration of that war.

The spiritual geography of Mount Hermon and Bashan also explains a strange reference in Ps. 22:10-15 about being surrounded by the “bulls of Bashan.” Psalm 22 is recognized by Christians as the messianic psalm of Jesus’ crucifixion. This is a poetic reference to the forces of evil, spiritually centered in Bashan, the land of darkness that had seen his great light.

These rulers of the demonic realm believe they have won by maneuvering to have Jesus killed. What they have not planned on is the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. In rising again, Jesus proves that only he can do the unthinkable: rescue people from death.

Instead, Jesus and his church are bringing people out of the once-secure stronghold of the grave.

And the invasion of hell continues.