In the face of spiritual opposition, Jesus assures His followers that the powers of darkness will not prevail against the church. As He declares in Matthew 16:18, the gates of Hades will not overcome His people, and in Revelation 1:18, He Himself holds the keys of death and Hades. The parable of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16:19-26 highlights the eternal consequences of rejecting God, as seen also in Matthew 25:46. Ultimately, believers are engaged in a spiritual battle, as Ephesians 6:12 reminds us, but they can trust in Christ's power to overcome the forces of evil.
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And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.
Now there was a rich man dressed in purple and fine linen, who lived each day in joyous splendor. And a beggar named Lazarus lay at his gate, covered with sores and longing to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. One day the beggar died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. And the rich man also died and was buried. In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham from afar, with Lazarus by his side. So he cried out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue. For I am in agony in this fire.’ But Abraham answered, ‘Child, remember that during your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things. But now he is comforted here, while you are in agony. And besides all this, a great chasm has been fixed between us and you, so that even those who wish cannot cross from here to you, nor can anyone cross from there to us.’
the Living One. I was dead, and behold, now I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of Death and of Hades.
And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this world’s darkness, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
And the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur, into which the beast and the false prophet had already been thrown. There they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. Then I saw a great white throne and the One seated on it. Earth and heaven fled from His presence, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne. And there were open books, and one of them was the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their deeds, as recorded in the books. The sea gave up its dead, and Death and Hades gave up their dead, and each one was judged according to his deeds. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death—the lake of fire. And if anyone was found whose name was not written in the Book of Life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
“Worthy are You, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for You created all things; by Your will they exist and came to be.”
The ropes of death entangled me; the anguish of Sheol overcame me; I was confronted by trouble and sorrow.
For no such prophecy was ever brought forth by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
But if the LORD brings about something unprecedented, and the earth opens its mouth and swallows them and all that belongs to them so that they go down alive into Sheol, then you will know that these men have treated the LORD with contempt.”
Heaven must take Him in until the time comes for the restoration of all things, which God announced long ago through His holy prophets.
Let death seize them by surprise; let them go down to Sheol alive, for evil is with them in their homes.
Then He will say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,
So He said to the Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, you are truly My disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
For if God did not spare the angels when they sinned, but cast them deep into hell, placing them in chains of darkness to be held for judgment;
For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol, nor will You let Your Holy One see decay.