On page 128-129 of THE EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS (a verse by verse exposition) F.F. Bruce writes;
"The appearance of Christ on earth was the signal for an unprecedented outburst of activity on the part of the realm of darkness controlled by these world-rulers, as though they knew a mortal threat was being presented to their dominion."
Who then, are the world rulers of the darkness of this world? The RV renders the word high to be heavenly in this verse, which though both versions give the thought of these world rulers being high above us, the AV might, on its own, lead us to the conclusion that we are wrestling only against earthly governmental power. Satan is variously called the prince of this world, Jn. 12.31, the god of this world, 2 Cor. 4.4, the deceiver of the whole world, Rev. 12.9 (RV), and *the prince of the power of the air, Eph. 2.2, these titles reliably inform us that the whole world is under the sway of the evil one, 1 Jn. 5.19 (RV). But, the heavenly places (RV), where exactly does that realm extend to above us? It must be limited to the domain in which man has his existence, in the first heavens; the air in which we breath, up to, and beyond where the clouds exist. This must be the case, for Satan has been cast down to the earth, (down from the realm high above where the holy angels serve God, exist), see Rev. 12.8-9. Satan's minions were also cast down with him. Rev. 12.9 (RV) Also Jn. 12.31 tells us **Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out. The Lord said I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. Lk. 10.18. (some believe that the Lord was here describing Satan's original fall at the dawn of time). Paul said to the Romans, the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. Rom. 16.20. Did he mean back then? For obviously Satan had been defeated by the cross, yet, the night is far spent, and the day is at hand. Rom. 13.12. The Day of the Lord is coming upon us, when Satan will be under your feet, deep down in the bottomless pit. Rev. 20.3 for the duration of Christ's Day on earth! Many believe that Rev. 12. 8-9 is yet future, and the earthly scene pertaining to this event will yet be, but we should remember that the unseen spirit world is not regulated by time, that time is a parenthesis that will cease to exist. When the angels were created they instantly became immortal, outside of time, as it were, be they holy or fallen, likewise with man; though the body dies through Adam's fall, the soul nevertheless, is immortal: And will receive the resurrection of life, or in the case of the wicked, the resurrection of damnation, Jn. 5.29. Of the great defining Moment of all His-story it is said; which things the angels desire to look into 1 Pet. 1.12. Is it any wonder? The Creator descending down to the world to save SINNERS,1 Tim. 1.15! (my emphasis). Angels and mankind have an intimate, irresistible, and inextricable parallel relationship/existence that many fail to discern. In the resurrection we will be as the angels of God in heaven. Matt. 22.30, and the opposite is true for the non-elect of humanity and fallen angels alike, for their lot will be in the lake of fire, Rev. 20. 10-15. Christ's elect shall judge angels, 1 Cor. 6.3, quite a thought! Though the angels excel in strength, Ps. 103.20, and have attributes we can but wonder at (as taught through their manifestations throughout the Scriptures), it is only through redemption that we will be elevated to sit in judgment over them.
But, how do these events happen in eternity yet manifest themselves in time? It is said that one day is with the Lord, as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 2 Pet. 3.8, and I believe the same must apply to the unseen spirit world where the angels, demons and departed humankind currently reside. Using 2 Pet.3.8 & Ps. 90.4 as our yardstick, we may say that the Saviour hasn't yet gone 48 hours without drinking of the fruit of the vine. Matt. 26.29! Similarly, the souls of them that were slain for the word of God in Rev.6.9, those martyred saints at the time of the Reformation, have been awaiting recompense for 12 hours, the martyred OT prophets barely 48-100 hours and so on. Yet the impression we are given in Rev. 6.10 would seem to imply, that they were in for a long wait, for they said, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? This question would, I assume, have been asked upon entry into paradise, to which the answer was given; a little time (RV, my emphasis). Time has no meaning in eternity, so I believe, for the here and now will always be! But, at the present when we are shackled to time it is hard to put the 'square peg' of time into the 'round hole' of eternity. As a child, I used to watch Dr Who, who was also known as the 'Time Lord', this fictional character fascinated me, as he had control over time! Zapping to and fro, from past to future and back to past all at a whim in an instant! As fictional as this nonsense most assuredly is, nevertheless, it is strange how "truth is stranger than fiction" as the saying goes! (Mark Twain).
But, how do these events happen in eternity yet manifest themselves in time? It is said that one day is with the Lord, as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 2 Pet. 3.8, and I believe the same must apply to the unseen spirit world where the angels, demons and departed humankind currently reside. Using 2 Pet.3.8 & Ps. 90.4 as our yardstick, we may say that the Saviour hasn't yet gone 48 hours without drinking of the fruit of the vine. Matt. 26.29! Similarly, the souls of them that were slain for the word of God in Rev.6.9, those martyred saints at the time of the Reformation, have been awaiting recompense for 12 hours, the martyred OT prophets barely 48-100 hours and so on. Yet the impression we are given in Rev. 6.10 would seem to imply, that they were in for a long wait, for they said, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? This question would, I assume, have been asked upon entry into paradise, to which the answer was given; a little time (RV, my emphasis). Time has no meaning in eternity, so I believe, for the here and now will always be! But, at the present when we are shackled to time it is hard to put the 'square peg' of time into the 'round hole' of eternity. As a child, I used to watch Dr Who, who was also known as the 'Time Lord', this fictional character fascinated me, as he had control over time! Zapping to and fro, from past to future and back to past all at a whim in an instant! As fictional as this nonsense most assuredly is, nevertheless, it is strange how "truth is stranger than fiction" as the saying goes! (Mark Twain).
Regarding the world rulers of the darkness of this world, they are obviously earthly powers, authorities, governments, and principalities that have given themselves over to Satan, for in the Lord's absence, his citizens hated him, and sent him a message after him saying, we will not have this man to reign over us. Lk. 19.14. But, surely His citizens are flesh and blood? As individuals, no doubt they are, but collectively they take on a faceless persona as indeed all institutions inevitably do when they increase in size. Try and communicate with the Civil Service, HMRC, GCHQ, HM Police etc, and you will know! Even the 'local' bank is now centralized! Many High Street branches continue to be sold off. I remember when I started in business my Lloyds Bank manager (after being impressed with my first two years trading accounts) saying "if you need an overdraft, I'll give you up to £50k, and if you need to go beyond just give me a ring." It was personal, does this exist anymore? Without exception, all the institutions, including the state churches (and others!) will not have this man to reign over us. There was a time in this nation when many institutions had a Christian bias, but such is now the apostasy. Satan's spiritual wickedness, through his subtlety, wiliness, and charm has now practically claimed the ***seven mountains (Rev. 17.9) for his own, it is only a matter of time before his man of sin (2 Thess. 2.3) comes to rule over them. At this juncture, I would say; if as individuals we bend 'just a little' from what some would consider to be our rigidity to be followers of the Lord Jesus, who knows ^where we would end up? (read Dt. 5.32-33, Prov. 4.27, Is. 30.21, Jer. 31.33-34, 1 Cor. 5.6 etc). Few Christians with a level of discernment would deny that Satan is now in total control of our state education system where children from the age of five or less are now taught the new norms, perhaps the worst being; that you can select whatever gender you please for yourself, and the voices of protest, even among unbelievers ever seem to get drowned out. The satanic LGBT agenda is backed by HM Govt, and woe betide if you challenge it! many MP's even if they are not 'gay' accept the new norms, those that speak against it, have invariably backed down, such is the power (Satan) behind it all.
So when we are in battle as it were with the spiritual wickedness in heavenly places, we are not fighting actual demons per se, (as some think!) but the wickedness that has developed as a result of the powers that be, apostatizing from God, for the powers that be are ordained of God; Rom. 13.1.
Many Christians blame Satan and demons for their ills, forgetting that every man is drawn drawn away of his own lust. Jam. 1.14 (my emphasis). Satan's spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience (Eph. 2.2) is not some tangible ethereal thing that takes possession of a body as it were, it is just that if man chooses to walk contrary to God's word, then by definition he has that spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience.
*The air is the place that man can breathe in, too high above and the air apparently becomes very thin and he will die for lack of oxygen/air. The region below this imaginary line above (wherever it is) is Satan's kingdom.
**Those in opposition to Christ's pre-millennial Coming say that the now in this verse is the emphatic word, and indeed, I agree with them.
***The seven mountains are what the seven heads are to the Beast in Rev.13 - all the ruling systems of the world - the sources of authority. B.W. Newton (Facts of prophetic Scripture, Daniel & Revelation).
^Some get a little confused here. Many think that those who hold to biblical pre-destination/election aka Calvinism etc, are fatalists! That we wallow around in our security, that we are robots and such like, no! we believe in personal responsibility, we make choices, and that as we grow in grace, knowledge and truth we will be ever more sanctified, meet for heaven. Nevertheless we will never be perfect this side of the resurrection! not like those in the so-called Higher Life Movement/Keswick Pentecostal Perfectionists!
So when we are in battle as it were with the spiritual wickedness in heavenly places, we are not fighting actual demons per se, (as some think!) but the wickedness that has developed as a result of the powers that be, apostatizing from God, for the powers that be are ordained of God; Rom. 13.1.
Many Christians blame Satan and demons for their ills, forgetting that every man is drawn drawn away of his own lust. Jam. 1.14 (my emphasis). Satan's spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience (Eph. 2.2) is not some tangible ethereal thing that takes possession of a body as it were, it is just that if man chooses to walk contrary to God's word, then by definition he has that spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience.
*The air is the place that man can breathe in, too high above and the air apparently becomes very thin and he will die for lack of oxygen/air. The region below this imaginary line above (wherever it is) is Satan's kingdom.
**Those in opposition to Christ's pre-millennial Coming say that the now in this verse is the emphatic word, and indeed, I agree with them.
***The seven mountains are what the seven heads are to the Beast in Rev.13 - all the ruling systems of the world - the sources of authority. B.W. Newton (Facts of prophetic Scripture, Daniel & Revelation).
^Some get a little confused here. Many think that those who hold to biblical pre-destination/election aka Calvinism etc, are fatalists! That we wallow around in our security, that we are robots and such like, no! we believe in personal responsibility, we make choices, and that as we grow in grace, knowledge and truth we will be ever more sanctified, meet for heaven. Nevertheless we will never be perfect this side of the resurrection! not like those in the so-called Higher Life Movement/Keswick Pentecostal Perfectionists!
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