The Gates Of Hades

“One of Turkmenistan’s most iconic landmarks, the infamous ‘Door to Hell’, a fiery natural gas crater which has been raging on for more than half a century has finally started to lose its steam, according to scientists monitoring the site. The Darvaza Gas Crater, also referred to as the Gates of Hell or the Shining of Karakum, is located in the heart of Turkmenistan’s Karakum Desert and has been consuming millions of cubic meters of natural gas each year…While the exact origins of the massive sinkhole remain a matter of speculation, it is widely believed to have been ignited in 1971, when a group of Soviet geologists accidentally drilled into an underground pocket of gas. They then set it on fire to prevent toxic gases from spreading into the air, aiming to avoid a potential environmental disaster that could have poisoned the nearby locals. They reportedly expected the fire to burn out within a couple of weeks. However, the flames continued to burn for more than 54 years, turning the gas crater into one of Turkmenistan’s most popular tourist attractions, drawing more than 10,000 visitors annually who come to witness the hundreds of flames burning inside its depths.”*

The closest thing the Bible comes to anything resembling a “door to hell” is a statement of Jesus in Matthew 16:18: “I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.” The Lord had taken His disciples to Caesarea Philippi, home to what was believed by locals to be one of the entrances to a literal underworld. It was a place dedicated to pagan worship of false gods. Jesus’ point here is not to affirm the pagan belief in a literal underground place. His point is that the spiritual forces of darkness will not withstand the advances of His spiritual kingdom. He is equipping His disciples for the daunting task of taking the gospel to difficult places.

God loves you!

Mike

*https://interestingengineering.com/culture/door-to-hell-to-finally-burn-out-after-54-years?utm_source=join1440&utm_medium=email&utm_placement=newsletter&user_id=6705360be2fc7ec1680f85f6