LOCATION OF SATAN’S RULE – NEW TESTAMENT
The Book of Ephesians presents the same picture of Satan’s present kingdom as the Book of Daniel, though from a different perspective. Ephesians is a book dealing with the heavenlies, pointing to a place where the Christian’s future inheritance lies (Eph. 1:3-23). Christians have been saved with a view of realizing an inheritance as co-heirs with Christ in a heavenly kingdom at a future date. That is one of the two central messages of the Book of Ephesians.
The other central message has to do with the present inhabitance of that heavenly sphere – Satan and his angels (1:21; 3:9-11; 6:11ff). They are said to reside in “heavenly places” (3:10), and Ephesians chapter six presents and existing, ongoing warfare between Christians and these angels.
“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” (6:12).
(The words “in heavenly places” [3:10] and “in high places” [6:12] are both translations of the same Greek words, meaning, “in the heavens.” The reference, in both instances, is to angels holding positions of power and authority in a heavenly sphere within the present existing kingdom under Satan – the present existing kingdom of the heavens.)
Thus, there is a present warfare between the heavenly rulers and the Christians; and that warfare rages because Satan and his angels know the reason that the “one new man” in Christ has been called into existence. The new man will comprise the co-heirs ruling with Christ in that coming day, following the time Satan and his angels will have been put down. And Christ, with His co-heirs, ruling in the stead of Satan and his angels, will exercise power and authority from the same realm where Satan and his angels presently rule.
Thus, the warfare rages because Satan and his angels will do everything within their power to prevent this transfer of power and authority; and it will continue to rage until Christians have been removed from the earth, anticipating Satan and his angels being removed from their heavenly realm (“cast out into the earth” [Rev. 12:4, 7-10]) in view of Christ and His co-heirs taking the kingdom (Rev. 19: 11-20:6).
These things will occur at the end of this present dispensation (which has lasted almost 2000 years) and at the end of the present age (which has lasted almost 6000 years). Then, and only then, will redeemed man realize the purpose for his creation in the beginning – “to have dominion” (Gen. 1:26-28).
The Book of Ephesians presents the same picture of Satan’s present kingdom as the Book of Daniel, though from a different perspective. Ephesians is a book dealing with the heavenlies, pointing to a place where the Christian’s future inheritance lies (Eph. 1:3-23). Christians have been saved with a view of realizing an inheritance as co-heirs with Christ in a heavenly kingdom at a future date. That is one of the two central messages of the Book of Ephesians.
The other central message has to do with the present inhabitance of that heavenly sphere – Satan and his angels (1:21; 3:9-11; 6:11ff). They are said to reside in “heavenly places” (3:10), and Ephesians chapter six presents and existing, ongoing warfare between Christians and these angels.
“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” (6:12).
(The words “in heavenly places” [3:10] and “in high places” [6:12] are both translations of the same Greek words, meaning, “in the heavens.” The reference, in both instances, is to angels holding positions of power and authority in a heavenly sphere within the present existing kingdom under Satan – the present existing kingdom of the heavens.)
Thus, there is a present warfare between the heavenly rulers and the Christians; and that warfare rages because Satan and his angels know the reason that the “one new man” in Christ has been called into existence. The new man will comprise the co-heirs ruling with Christ in that coming day, following the time Satan and his angels will have been put down. And Christ, with His co-heirs, ruling in the stead of Satan and his angels, will exercise power and authority from the same realm where Satan and his angels presently rule.
Thus, the warfare rages because Satan and his angels will do everything within their power to prevent this transfer of power and authority; and it will continue to rage until Christians have been removed from the earth, anticipating Satan and his angels being removed from their heavenly realm (“cast out into the earth” [Rev. 12:4, 7-10]) in view of Christ and His co-heirs taking the kingdom (Rev. 19: 11-20:6).
These things will occur at the end of this present dispensation (which has lasted almost 2000 years) and at the end of the present age (which has lasted almost 6000 years). Then, and only then, will redeemed man realize the purpose for his creation in the beginning – “to have dominion” (Gen. 1:26-28).
Satan and his angels realize that the time is very short so they have intensified the war, but if you are a believer you can overcome. ".....Greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world" (1 John 4:4b).
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