Caesarea Philippi "The Gates of Hell"

If you are moderately well studied in the New Testament you will recognize the name Caesarea Philippi from Matthew Chapter 16 where Simon/Peter makes the profession that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah. Jesus goes on to say that this is the rock upon which He will build His Church. That "the gates of Hades" would not overpower it. For those of you who are good Berean Bible readers you've probably looked into the historical context here.

Caesarea Philippi was a major cultic center for pagan worship. The Greek god "Pan" held the centralized worship among thousands of other deities. There was even a massive cave entrance with a temple built in front of it. Already referred to in antiquity as "The Gates of Hades" this cave was believed to be the birthplace of the god Pan as well as a portal to the underworld. It served as a method of execution as well. People would be thrown into the violently rushing waters flowing down from the top of the mountain and dashing them against the rocks of the cave. Death was certain.

In the time of Jesus' ministry Caesarea Philippi was the center of the enemy stronghold. The deeds done by "worshippers" in this area are too disturbed and disgusting to go into detail about. (you can read plenty of that elsewhere).  But WHY here? What was so special about this cave? 

Far to the North of the Sea of Galilee and the North East of Lake Hula this cave and occult worship center city surrounding it lies at the base of Mount Hermon. This area is packed with Biblical history and significance, so what was going on here before Herod the Great's son Philip built up this Roman style occult worship hub?

1 Kings 12:28-29 So the king took counsel and made two calves of gold. And he said to the people, "You have gone up to Jerusalem long enough. Behold your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt." And he set one in Bethel, and the other he put in Dan.

In the 10th century BC king Jeroboam establishes Dan as a new religious center, right at the base of Mt. Hermon. Calling for the people to no longer "go up to Jerusalem" to make sacrifices to God, but worship one of 2 golden calf statues he had made out of gold. There's no need to draw the connection to the Exodus story and the idolatry of the Israelites at the base of Mt. Sinai. It is plain to see. You can still go and see the ruins of the ancient "bamah" or "high place" built by Jeroboam on your vacation to Israel today. Continuing in the book of 1 Kings;

1 Kings 12:30-31 Then this thing became a sin, for the people went as far as Dan to be before one. He also made temples on high places and appointed priests from among all the people, who were not of the Levites.

Even 900 years before Jesus walked to this site with His followers, it was a hotbed of idolatry. Is this the origin of this site's dark and ungodly connections?

Nope. It goes back even further. 

In the days of Abraham, he rescues Lot after catching up to his kidnappers at the city of Dan. Again, we see the same story Jesus is painting in His description. The forces of evil will not triumph over God's people. They will be rescued out of the hand of the defeated wicked. Just as the gates of hades against the Church.

Surely this is the earliest association between this place and the forces of evil in the world? Right?

Nope. 

The reason for the association of evil with this site at the base of Mt. Hermon goes back to a story concerning the mountain itself. In "Enoch 1 book of the watchers", a highly controversial text included in the Dead Sea Scrolls, Mt. Hermon is explicitly named as the location for the rebellion of the "Sons of God" described in Genesis 6. 

Genesis 6:1-2 When man began to multiply on the face of the land and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that the daughters of man were attractive. And they took as their wives any they chose.

From Enoch 1 Chapter 3

1 And it came to pass when the children of men had multiplied that in those days
were born unto them beautiful and comely daughters.
2 And the angels, the children of the heaven, saw and lusted after them, and said
to one another: "Come, let us choose us wives from among the children of men
and beget us children."

Familiar language. Regardless of your view of the book of Enoch 1, it shows the ancient belief that this location was the mountain where this sin of the sons of God took place. 

reading on in Enoch 1 Chapter 3

3 And Semjaza, who was their leader, said unto them: "I fear ye will not indeed
agree to do this deed, and I alone shall have to pay the penalty of a great sin."
4 And they all answered him and said: "Let us all swear an oath, and all bind
ourselves by mutual imprecations not to abandon this plan but to do this thing."
5 Then sware they all together and bound themselves by mutual imprecations
upon it. And they were in all two hundred; who descended in the days of Jared
on the summit of Mount Hermon, and they called it Mount Hermon, because
they had sworn and bound themselves by mutual imprecations upon it.

The Genesis story continues,

Genesis 6:4 The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of man and they bore children to them. These were the mighty men who were of old, the men of renown.

The Nephilim. The Giants. This has been another controversial topic within the Church going all the way back. Seemingly spoken of as partially responsible for God's judgment on the earth in the days of Noah, this short description in Genesis assumes a familiarity with this story on the reader's part. 

Whether you believe the narrative in the book of Enoch 1 as explanation, or you hold to another view, the ancient belief that this was the location of this damnable act, paints a dark shadow over this region even before the flood.  

The region of Mount Hermon has been a timeless magnet for the forces of darkness operating in this world. The contrast with the Temple Mount in Jerusalem is demonstrated beautifully by the abominations built by king Jeroboam in his day. The two high places in Dan and in Bethel showcase the attempt to paint all of Israel under this shadow of darkness. To infiltrate this world from the gates of hell itself and establish Israel as the kingdom of hell on earth. 

Just like with the rescue of Lot, Jesus walks right into the mouth of Hades (Caesarea Philippi) and delivers this powerful teaching to His disciples. Jesus teaches what He later fulfills on the cross when He goes into ACTUAL Hades and saves us all from certain death.

Jesus Christ holds the keys to the Gates of Hell. One day He will throw death, hell, and the grave into the Lake of Fire. Death has lost it's sting. The Gates of Heaven are open and only found in Jesus Christ. If you haven't truly put your faith in Him. I'm begging you, talk to Him right now and make it right. Don't ignore the Spirit speaking and drawing you.

His word is truth, friend. 

As always, thank you for reading. Love in Christ!