138th Post Jesus Said on Hell Con't. - Matthew 16: 18 - 20

Matthew 16: 18 - 20
And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades (Hell) will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Then He warned His disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Christ.
This passage was said about 1.1/2 years into Jesus earthly ministry, and was spoken at Caesarea Philippi (the head water of the Jordan River at the base of Mt. Hermon). The context of this passage starts at verse 13 of Chapter 16 of Matthew. Jesus had asked His disciples a question, and only Peter had answered correctly. Jesus did not give him credit for his answer, but said "Only My Father in Heaven could have given you that answer." It is interesting that Jesus used this place to bless Peter. Jesus tells Peter that on you (this rock) I will build My Church. There is a large rock at Caesarea Philippi that is 4 - 5 stories high and it disappears into the trees, if you look right, you can not see the end, and if you look left the same thing happens. It seems to go on forever, quite impressive. Then Jesus says "the gates of Hades (Hell) will not prevail against it".
Why do some believe that the Church will be raptured before the anti-christ comes, when Satan will be the strongest? That seems to be the test Jesus was elluding to. Then Jesus tells Peter he will be the keeper of the keys to the kingdom of heaven, and whatever he binds will be bound, and whatever he looses will be loosed in earth and in Heaven. Jesus is talking about binding and loosing people. Believer's will be bound to Jesus through the Church, non-believer's will be loosed by their unbelief. Then Jesus closes with the statement not for the disciples to disclose that Jesus is the Christ (Messiah). Why? At this time the disciples still did not know who Jesus was, so they were not in a position to tell other's about Jesus. I think the Church is making this mistake today. We are rushing the people through the information process, and puting them in missionary or teaching positions, without equiping them well enough to do the job effectively.