Various · Ephesians 6.

The conflicts of God's people are according to the nature of their calling. When Jehovah owned a people in the flesh, they fought in His name against fleshly adversaries. Israel was led to battle after quite a different manner from the Church. It is because our calling is a heavenly one, that the scene of our conflict is laid there. "Wicked spirits in heavenly places" are appreciable as antagonists to those only who by faith have present access into heaven. Our heritage is there; and there, consequently, the adversary as yet disputes our right. In the present enumeration of our enemies, we have to distinguish between the rulers of the darkness of this world, and the efforts of spiritual wickednesses in heavenly places. Satan has no rule there. He and his angels are not yet definitively banished from the heavens. They are permitted still to infest them, until the decisive moment comes for the open manifestation of the kingdom of God and the power of His Christ. But he, whose presence as the accuser of the brethren (Rev. 12:7-11) in heaven is endured yet a little while, is the ruling power in the world. As opposed to Christ, the true Light of the world, he is styled the ruler of its darkness. In the preceding verse the devil, in his unity, is shown to be an adversary; as was also the case in chap. 2:2, where we have had him described, in his working, as the prince of the power of the air. In the present passage, the doctrine of Satanic power is stated distributively, adverse agencies and energies being enumerated, all of which are to be referred to that one pre-eminent power of evil, of whose existence and working we have such abundant testimony in the word of God. Accordingly, separate mention is made of principalities, powers, and spiritualities of wickedness. They stand thus in evil contrast to those other principalities and powers whose abiding seat is in the heavens, and who learn with joyful admiration the manifold riches of the Divine wisdom, as witnesses of the present work of God in the salvation of His Church.