Jesus told Peter, ..".upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it" (Matthew 16:18). The disciples of Jesus understood that the gates were gateways in which the elders of the city would sit and judge. The decisions made at these gates had authoritative power over regions. Jesus was saying that the decisions made in hell would not prevail against the decisions made on earth by His people Cities, Gates and Elders examines the deeper meaning of the Scriptures in light of the culture in which they were written, calling us to fulfill the ancient blessing, "And thy seed shall possess the gates of his enemies" (Genesis 22:17).