… but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world …
Summary: As we pick our way through the text of Paul’s letter, we discover treasures and insights. Today’s insight is confirmation that we are not alone in this world.
What is Paul talking about here? He just finished saying that our struggle is “not against flesh and blood.” What does he mean by saying our struggle is against “the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world?”
After looking at the original text, I think Paul is describing something that the Book of Job describes. In the prelude to Job’s story, the Bible takes us to God’s throne room.
“One day the angels came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came with them. The Lord said to Satan, ‘Where have you come from?’
Satan answered the Lord, ‘From roaming throughout the earth, going back and forth on it.’”
(Job 1:6-7)
This is an important passage, because it shows us that spiritual beings can move between the heavenly places and the earth. We see a similar story in Genesis known as “Jacob’s Ladder”:
“He [Jacob] had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.” (Genesis 28:12)
Here, we see a visual representation of spiritual beings moving between heaven and earth.
What are we to make of this?
In his first letter to the church at Corinth, Paul gives us a clue. He writes:
”For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.” (1 Corinthians 13:12)
The “dark world” Paul mentions in today’s passage is translated as “darkness of this world” in the KJV. The King James Version captures the flavor of Paul’s word. This is a “dark world,” but Paul appears to be referring to the mental and spiritual “darkness” of this world. It is another way of saying we are ignorant of spiritual things.
Think of it; there are rulers, authorities, and powers in this world that we cannot see. They are invisible to our eyes but are very real, nonetheless.
And they are evil.
And what does it mean to be evil? The simplest definition of “evil” is whatever is the opposite of “good.”
And what is “good?” The Bible tells us:
“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8)
Evil does just the opposite.
Application: Be aware that we are not alone.
Food for Thought: Why does Paul want us to be aware that there are hidden forces of darkness in this world?
I can think of three good reasons:
So we understand that we ourselves are outmatched, but God is not.
James 4:7 ESV Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
1 John 4:4ESVLittle children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
So that we understand that there are forces out there actively campaigning against us.
2 Corinthians 2:11 ESV So that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs.
So that we understand that there are forces actively campaigning against the very ones that we have been called to reach out to.
2 Corinthians 4:4 ESV In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
Chris,
All three points are well made. The third one is important because it helps explain why “our struggle is not against flesh and blood.“
Ignorance is not bliss. What we don’t know can hurt us. If we go into a war unprepared it will not end well. The only thing worse is to be at war and have a vicious enemy about to attack and you don’t even know about it. It would be like spiritually experiencing our own personal Pearl Harbor every day. 1 Peter 5: 8 – 9a.
Thank you, Rich!
Good words! One of the terrible truths about the devil is that when he captures someone through deception, they don’t even know they have been captured. That is why we need the Truth of God’s Word.
10-13-2023, Why does God want us to be aware that there are hidden forces of darkness in this world?
One day each of us entered this world as we were removed from our mothers womb, by the hands of a doctor. We were born spiritual beings confined within physical bodies, Created by God to be spiritual beings having a human experience. Most grow up in an illusion, with truth becoming what we are told, taught by the people around us. What you see is what you get, there is no God, and each of us is a physical being destined to die, so we should get all we can, while we can.
Our spirits are stomped down by the power of unseen spiritual forces of evil which rule this world.
God’s plan is to awaken, and give our spirits life as well as the strength to counter the forces of this world, to overcome all powers of this world which lead us away from Him. This is done as we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and the power to overcome our enemy, as we die to self and welcome Him into our hearts as the power to turn from sin and live in obedience to God.
Ephesians 6:12, 2 Corinthians 4:4, Galatians 2:20-21, Galatians 5:24-25
It is the power of God that allows us to see evil for what it is and avoid all influences of evil on our lives which are now dedicated to growing in the Spirit of God and allowing Him to minister to others through us.
Thanks, Ron!
You paint an accurate word picture of the battlefield and why we need Jesus.