The Doorway of Hell

Our guided journey through northern Israel brought us to the ruins of Dan, the majestic Mt. Hermon and an ancient city in the foothills of the mountain called Caesarea Philippi. It was also called Banias or Panias in honor of a Greek god Pan. It was here that people were thrown to their death into a deep hole in the side of the mountain. They were thus sacrificed to Pan. One of the sons of Herod the Great, Phillip, built the city and called it Caesarea Philippi in honor of Caeser and himself. This city became a vacation resort for the citizenry with all the amenities that satisfied the sinful nature of the citizenry.

It is here or near this spot that honored paganism and egotistical men that Jesus clarified things with the simple question to His disciples "...who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?..." (Matt. 16:14). Differing opinions were given as to who men said Jesus was. And Jesus said to them "...but who do you say that I am?..." (Matt. 16:15). Peter answered "...You are the Christ, the Son of the living God..." (Matt. 16:16). The inhabitants of the area where Jesus was might have given a different answer, for indeed they were in every real sense flesh and blood. Their forefathers might have called him an imposter. For indeed they worshipped Pan, Baal, a golden calf, horned looking goats, and Caesar looking men. Even today in that area of the country there are thousands who pay homage to diluded dreamers and physical gods.

Jesus told Peter of his confession "...flesh and blood has not revealed this to you but my Father who is in heaven...".

There have been imposters before and there have been imposters since and no one will ever take the place of this anointed one.

As I stood and looked into the deep hole in the ground at the foot of Mt Hermon in Caesarea Philippi near the borders of the countries of Syria, Lebanon and Israel I realized that what Jesus said here should be so significant to all three of these countries. I literally shook as I heard our guide say that the name of this hole is the gates of hell. And the realization that Jesus might have been using this hole in the ground to represent Hades became so shockingly vivid. For Jesus said of Himself and His Church, "...the gates of hell shall not prevail against it..."(Matt. 16:18).

We worship a risen Saviour, Hades or Hell could not hold Him. The golden calves are gone, the city of Caesarea is in ruins, the contrivances of men to their personal honor have and will crumble and fail, but the risen Saviour, Jesus Christ, is eternal.

Paul said of Him, that He was "...declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness by the resurrection from the dead..." a(Rom. 1:4)

Would you find life in Him? Listen to Him. He prayed to His Father "...and this is eternal life that they may know You, the only true God and Jesus Christ whom You have sent..."(John 17:3) Thanks be to God He said "...I am the resurrection and the life, he who believes in Me though he may die, he shall live..."(John 11:25).

Would you believe in Him and live eternally?