Who's battering down the gate?
Before hearing my pastor speak on this verse, I had always taken comfort in this verse, thinking that no matter how hard life got, no matter how many attacks I felt from the enemy, God would protect me from hell. My pastor, however, pointed out that the church in this verse is not cowering behind the gates in comfort and protection. Instead, the gates belong to hell, not to heaven. The church is not whimpering defensively behind the wall; the church is pounding down the gates of hell, and these gates will not prevail.
Yes, God is a great comfort in times of need, but this verse portrays the church in action against evil. Our battering ram is love, and the joy of the Lord is our strength. We are assured that even the gates of hell will not prevail against the church united in godly action under the leadership of Jesus Christ.
Yes, God is a great comfort in times of need, but this verse portrays the church in action against evil. Our battering ram is love, and the joy of the Lord is our strength. We are assured that even the gates of hell will not prevail against the church united in godly action under the leadership of Jesus Christ.
