The gate of a city was more than the entryway.
The gate of the city was the place where the city council met and determined plans and programs. It was where decisions were made and judgments were declared concerning the many issues that were brought before the leaders for settlement. It was the place where plans for defense from, as well as aggression toward, its enemies were drawn up. It was the place where the respected leaders of the city gathered to govern. Lot was one of those leaders who sat at the gate of the city of Sodom. (He is not the subject of this note however.)
Consider the following excerpt of Jesus’ conversation with his disciples. Then consider with confidence his reply to revelation.
He (Jesus) saith unto them, “But whom say ye that I am?”
And Simon Peter answered and said, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
And Jesus answered and said unto him, “Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Matthew 16:15-19
It is no doubt that hell has plans for every church. Hell has plans for every home, every family and every person. The enemy plots, schemes, connives, orchestrates, and facilitates a plan to spoil every effort that is birthed in a righteous heart. The gates of hell are busy places. Hell has a plan for every life and an intent to spoil every Godly vision.
But Heaven also has a plan for every life, every home, every church, every preacher – known and unknown. Heaven has a plan for every young person, every small child, every unborn infant whose members are already written in a book. Heaven has heard -- and stored -- every prayer prayed, and weighed every grief endured. God knows, and God also has plans.
Jesus proclaimed to Peter and to the disciples in that close cluster of wonderers, that the plans that hell has made, the counsel that hell has gathered, and the conclusion it has come to, will not prevail against. . . will not, cannot, succeed against the church that is built on the revelation of the deity and the authority of Jesus Christ.
Whatever “new” plan hell conspires against the church cannot succeed. Those plans, however fearsome and traumatic they may appear, cannot succeed. (Hell has no new ideas. Every idea hell has is simply a regurgitated and re-packaged leftover of a former effort. Satan has no new tricks.) They will not prevail against a church that is founded on the revelation of who Jesus is and who we are. The authority that comes with the revelation of the Mighty God in Christ will prevail against any flood-tide of agnosticism, atheism, humanism, and the list goes on. (Many names, shades and nuances, but the same source.)
I like the word “shall”. Jesus did not say “might not”... “Perhaps not”... “Probably won’t” prevail against the church. He said “SHALL NOT prevail against the church.” We can stand with confidence in a shaky world.
The darkest council chambers are not hidden from the eyes of God. He knew what wicked kings said to themselves in their bedrooms. He who controls the winds can change the words of wickedness. He turned Balaam’s curse into blessing.
(Jeremiah 29:11) For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
