Eternal Warfare
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“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12).
The Apostle Paul plainly identified the opposition of the New Testament church as the “rulers...the powers...the world forces of this darkness...the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places”. According to his description, the spiritual enemy of the ecclesia is Satan and the multitude of angels who chose to rebel against God before the foundation of the world (cf. Isaiah 14:12-15; Ezekiel 28:12-19; 2 Corinthians 2:11; Ephesians 2:2; 1 Thessalonians 2:18; Revelation 12:9; etc.). According to Paul, the devil and his angels are arrayed in a spiritual hierarchy of evil for the purpose of destroying the distinct church of the New Testament. Therefore, it is compelled to engage in “wrestling, struggle or hand-to-hand combat” with its spiritual enemy.[1] In the history of the church many different responses to the opposition of the devil and his angels have been presented, proposed, penned and promoted. Without biblical precedent, however, they are ineffective and even deceptive in origin. In contrast, the Bible reveals only one approach that is effective against spiritual opposition. It begins and ends with Jesus Christ. His ministry provides the New Testament church with the necessary position, power and protection for standing firm and resisting every scheme of the devil. |
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Origins
The eternal kingdom of God was originally populated by angelic beings (Job 38:7; Nehemiah 9:6; Psalm 148:1-6). They were created holy, immortal and spiritual in nature (Matthew 25:31; Mark 8:38; Luke 9:26; 20:36; Hebrews 1:14). Satan was one of the most remarkable of the angelic beings. He “had the seal of perfection” and was “full of wisdom and perfect in beauty” (Ezekiel 28:12). He is further described as having been beautiful and splendorous (Ezekiel 28:17). Possibly the most extraordinary of angelic beings, he served God in the role of high priest on the original, eternal earth. In spite of his lofty position in the kingdom, Satan coveted the glory of the King. Therefore, he devised a scheme by which he would challenge God for His throne. Satan’s scheme was founded on his presumption that the attributes of the nature of God could not be expressed concurrently in an unbiased manner. Specifically, he questioned whether or not God could demonstrate love and mercy together with justice. Believing the aforementioned attributes to be contradictory to one another, Satan resolved to test the sovereignty of God. He was convinced that his scheme would reveal God as vulnerable and weak and, thus, susceptible to deposition. Understanding the potential advantage of co-conspirators, Satan persuaded many of the angels to join him in his rebellion against God (Revelation 12:3-4). By the “abundance” of his unrighteous “trade”(trafficking or conspiring) he convinced about one-third of the angels that his plan would succeed (Ezekiel 28:16, 18; Matthew 25:41; 2 Peter 2:4; Jude 6; Revelation 12:3-4). As a result, they willingly abandoned their privileged citizenship in the kingdom of God and followed his lead (Matthew 25:41; 2 Peter 2:4; Jude 6; Revelation 12:3-4). God answered the rebellious challenge of the devil and his angels in the only manner possible; in perfect accord with the attributes of His nature. Therefore, they experienced His judgment and were sentenced to separation in “eternal fire” (Matthew 25:41). The judgment and sentencing of the devil and his angels was immediate (cf. John 16:11). However, the actual serving of their sentence was postponed by God (Isaiah 24:21-22; Matthew 8:29; Romans 16:20; Revelation 20:10). Separation in “eternal fire” for the devil and his angels was temporarily suspended to allow God the opportunity to vindicate His nature and silence any lasting presumption of vulnerability. While waiting to serve their eternal sentence, the devil and his angels were banished to a darkened existence outside of the kingdom of God. Estranged from the King, the fallen angels were separated from the immediate presence of divine life. Exiled to the “domain of darkness” the devil and his angels were no longer obligated to God under rule of life (zoe). Instead, they were necessarily subjected to the rule of law. It purposefully restricted their freedom. The angelic challenge of the divine nature not only caused death and degeneration, but significant destruction. It resulted in the irreparable deformation of their habitat; the original, eternal earth. The earth was not characterized by ruin, emptiness (“formless and void”) and darkness in the beginning (Genesis 1:1-2). Isaiah informs, “He is the God who formed the earth and made it, He established it and did not create it a waste place, but formed it to be inhabited” (Isaiah 45:18). The earthly characteristics of ruin, emptiness and darkness were the result of the angelic rebellion. In the Bible darkness is frequently symbolic of divine judgment. Relative to their rebellion and the consequent judgment of God, the devil and his angels presently exist in an unenviable position of separation from God and banishment from His kingdom. Their position apart from God is characterized by spiritual death, degeneration of life, darkness, relative destruction and, by necessity, rule of law. |
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Vindication: Renovation
According to eternal plan, God renovated the original, devastated, uninhabitable heavens and earth to be inhabited once again. Divine justice demanded that it be fulfilled within the protective guidelines of covenantal law. The Renovation Covenant provided a protective, legal framework by which God unveiled and secured His eternal purpose and plan for the renovated earth and its inhabitants (Genesis 1:2-31). Concordant with predetermined stipulation, its legal framework served to clarify His intention beforehand. God’s subsequent fulfillment of covenantal stipulation demonstrated His veracity and served to further protect Him from accusation of wrongdoing. Consequently, He could no longer be accused of malfeasance by His creatures. The renovated earth was perfect. It lacked nothing. As a result, God pronounced every aspect of His renovation “good” and His holy angels rejoiced (Genesis 1:4, 10, 12, 18, 21, 25, 31; Job 38:4-7). In harmony with His eternal plan, God allowed the devil and his angels access to the renovated heavens and earth. Within the divinely renovated environment, they were permitted the freedom to will and to work. However, their opportunities were moderated by God. Much to their dismay, the schemes of the devil and his angels were contributive to the fulfillment of eternal purpose (Job 1:6-12; 2:1-6; Romans 8:38; James 4:7; 1 John 5:18). The earth was not renovated to serve as a habitat for spiritual, angelic beings, but a new type of creature; mankind (Genesis 1:26-30). In contrast to the angelic beings, humanity was created with a physical or material body. By stipulation of the Renovation Covenant, the human race was originally designed as one collective entity. When God said, “Let us make man in our image” He was not referring to an individual human being, but the entire human race (Genesis 1:26). The Hebrew noun for “man” ('adam) was used in a collective sense. The first man, Adam, was appointed by God as the representative, covenantal head of humanity. All of his descendants, the entire human race; past, present and future, comprise his covenantal body (cf. Genesis 1:26-27). Congruent with the legal stipulations of the Renovation Covenant, mankind, represented by Adam, was given legal authority over the earth and its creatures. “Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth’. God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. God blessed them; and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth’” (Genesis 1:26-28). God planned to vindicate His nature in accordance with the newly renovated earth and its human population. He would demonstrate to the angelic host that humanity would willingly choose obedience of life (zoe) and, Therefore, intimacy of eternal fellowship. Thus, the rebellious accusation and challenge of the fallen angels would be proven wrong and the nature of God would be vindicated. |
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Fallen Angelic Response
While Satan wasn’t cognizant of the entire plan of God, he was clear about Adam’s purpose on earth. It did not go unnoticed by him that God had replaced him in the kingdom with an inferior being. Further, it was obvious to Satan that Adam had been awarded representative authority over the renovated earth. Within the legal guidelines of the Renovation Covenant, Satan schemed to deceive Adam into relinquishing his legal, God appointed authority over the earth. The success of his scheme would not only allow him to regain authority on earth, but demonstrate to God that all of His creatures were incapable of obedience. Thus, the judgment of the devil would appear unjust and he would be exonerated. Fall of Mankind God had warned Adam and Eve not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. It was the one condition of the Renovation Covenant and, therefore, the solitary means by which they could remain in covenant relationship with God. Aware of the conditional stipulation of the Renovation Covenant not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, Satan manipulated Eve into questioning its veracity. In the guise of a serpent he deceived her. Tragically, she chose to listen to Satan’s lie and ate from the forbidden tree. As forewarned, Eve suffered separation from God, immediate spiritual death and, consequently, began the long slow decline to physical death. Relative to Eve’s transformation, Adam was forced to make an extremely difficult choice. He could reject his beloved bride and allow her to experience her appointed destiny without him. It would be both lonely and heart wrenching. Conversely, Adam could choose to remain in union with Eve by eating of the prohibited tree and join her in rebellious separation from God. Ultimately, Adam was forced to choose between God and His beloved Eve. Rather than Adam, Satan had originally deceived Eve into eating from the forbidden tree (1 Timothy 2:14). However, by Satan’s deception of Eve he was able to manipulate Adam into disobeying God. Eve chose to rebel against covenantal stipulation because of deception. However, Adam willingly rejected God and chose the path of self-rule and lawlessness. As a result, he abdicated his God-given authority to rule the earth. As a result, the entire human race and its earthly habitat were subjected to a fallen state of degeneration and darkness. By the success of his scheme, Satan regained some of his previous status and authority. Therefore, he presently and temporarily holds the legal titles of “the ruler of this world” (John 12:31) and “the god of this world” (2 Corinthians 4:4). According to the Apostle John, “….the whole world lies in the power of the evil one” (1 John 5:19). However, the present status and authority of Satan related to the renovated, fallen earth is but a distant shadow of the former glory he once enjoyed. Rather than ruling the pristine, original earth, however, his moderated authority extends only over the heavens and earth in their degenerated form, collectively described as the “domain of darkness” (Colossians 1:13). Under the fallen, representative headship of Adam, the entire human race became legally unsuitable and organically incompatible with God: |
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As a consequence of legal unsuitability and organic incompatibility, mankind was relegated to a fallen realm of existence apart from God:
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The fallen realm of existence is characterized by a distinct familial standing, citizenship, security, and style of governance:
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Under the headship of Adam the human race was rendered both legally unsuitable and organically incompatible with God. Therefore, it was necessarily separated from King and kingdom.
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Vindication: Redemption
Separation from God resulted in an unenviable state of existence for mankind. According to covenantal stipulation, the entire human race, inclusive of covenantal head and body, was subjected to death, degeneration and darkness. For all intents and purposes, it seemed that Satan had won his legal challenge to the throne of God. The initial outcome made it appear that God was indeed without the capability to express love, mercy and justice in a manner that was unbiased and concurrent. Although Satan’s immediate presumption would be short-lived, the devil was convinced that he had discredited the authority of God and damaged His reputation among the heavenly host. By the apparent legal compromise of God, Satan was convinced that He would be forced to exonerate him of wrongdoing or at least lessen the severity of his sentence. The devil, however, was ignorant about the will of God. Thus, he was unaware that God had planned before the foundation of the world to remedy the fall of the human race in a manner that would clearly and decisively demonstrate the attributes of His nature. According to eternal plan, the divine remedy would vindicate the nature of God. He would redeem fallen mankind from his fallen state in a manner that would provide a demonstration of His love, mercy and justice in an unbiased and concurrent fashion. The Messiah or Christ (the Anointed) was foundational to the eternal plan of God to vindicate His nature. The sacrificial death and subsequent resurrection of the Christ would fulfill the stipulations of the Eternal Covenant (Isaiah 53:10; Acts 2:23-24; Hebrews 13:20; 1 Peter 1:20-21; etc.). “Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know — this Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death. But God raised Him up again” (Acts 2:22-24). Presenting a perfect demonstration of the attributes of the divine nature in a concurrent, unbiased manner, the divine fulfillment of the stipulations of the Eternal Covenant would provide the means to justify the fallen from sin or the transgression of law. By the covenantal, sacrificial death of Christ, mankind would have the opportunity to be forgiven from all transgression of law. His covenantal resurrection would allow for His righteousness to be imputed to the forgiven. Therefore, the forgiven could be declared righteous according to standard of law. To the bewilderment of the devil, the eternal plan of God to vindicate His nature through the redemption of fallen mankind would include His own sacrificial death and resurrection. The result would be an unbiased, concurrent demonstration of His selfless love, unfailing mercy and absolute justice that was indisputable. 
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Utter Defeat
Satan continues to have limited authority over the fallen world. Nevertheless, he does not have any authority over the New Testament church. Utterly defeated by the redemptive work of Christ, he was rendered powerless against the ecclesia of God. By the redemptive work of Christ, Satan was bound; his abode plundered (his abode is his realm of authority; the “domain of darkness”); and his works destroyed (Matthew 12:29; Mark 3:27; Colossians 1:13; 1 John 3:8). In addition, he is without armor; disarmed; and powerless (Luke 11:22; Colossians 2:15a; Hebrews 2:14). In evidence, the devil and his angels were made a public spectacle (they were exposed as shattered, empty and defeated to the heavenly host) (Colossians 2:15b). |
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In spite of his defeat, Satan deceptively “prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). He strives to keep the New Testament church from knowing his deepest, darkest fear; he was utterly defeated by the redemptive work of Christ.
Powerless, bound, unarmored and disarmed, Satan was left with only one means to oppose the object of his intense hatred and jealousy, the distinct church of the New Testament. His opposition is comprised only of false accusation. Therefore, Jesus said, “[Satan]…does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44). It was for that reason that Jesus had said beforehand, “If you continue in My word (evidence of justification), then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free” (John 8:31-32). He continued, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin (transgression of the rule of Adamic law) (effect) is the slave of sin (his indwelling sin nature) (source). The slave (transgressor or sinner) does not remain in the house forever; the son (evidence of justification) does remain forever. So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed (from sin and Satan)” (John 8:34-36). |
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Spiritual
Derived from a fallen spiritual being that exists in a fallen spiritual abode, the deceptive schemes of the devil and his angels are spiritual by nature. “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against…the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12). While spiritual lies derived from a spiritual source can influence life in the physical realm, they cannot be defended by physical armament. Deception that is spiritual in source and nature can only effectively be combated by means of spiritual weaponry. “…the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely (and spiritually) powerful” (2 Corinthians 10:4). Satan very much enjoys spending time with the believer that employs physical weapons in spiritual battle. He is not moved or intimidated by “weapons” derived from the flesh, inclusive of unbiblical strategies, formulas, religious prayers, etc. All temptation to fight a spiritual battle in the physical realm with fleshly weapons must be resisted. Instead, the New Testament church is to “…be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might”, “put on the full armor of God” and “…resist [the devil], firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world. After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you” (Ephesians 6:10-11; 1 Peter 5:9-10). |
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New Testament Church
The New Testament church is distinct. Before the foundation of the world, it was predestined to be “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession” (cf. Hebrews 4:3; 1 Peter 2:9). The New Testament church is the object of the infinite, selfless love of God. Thus, it is comprised of the “beloved” of God (Ephesians 5:1; Colossians 3:12; 1 Thessalonians 1:4; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; 1 John 4:10-11; etc.). The beloved church of the New Testament is the bride of Christ (cf. 2 Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 5:25-27; Revelation 19:6-9; 21:9-22:5, 17). Therefore, it is near and dear to His heart. The beloved New Testament church is distinctly privileged to share life with God. By unconditional benefit of the Eternal Covenant, it is characterized by indivisible, unparalleled intimacy with God. The beloved New Testament church has a distinct purpose (Romans 8:28; Ephesians 1:4; 2 Timothy 1:9; Hebrews 4:3; Revelation 13:8). It is its twofold purpose that provides the fallen angels with motive for warfare. First, the divine purpose of the distinct church of the New Testament is to demonstrate and, therefore, vindicate the attributes of the divine nature, including but not limited to selfless love, unfailing mercy and absolute justice. When the devil executes his schemes against the beloved New Testament church, God defends it with His very life (zoe). As a result, the attributes of His nature are clearly and consistently demonstrated in a concurrent, unbiased manner. The demonstration was designed to occur in a decisive manner throughout the Church Age. The nature of God is vindicated during the Church Age when the redeemed of the New Testament church respond to Him through the practice of shared life fellowship. The willingness of the redeemed to enjoy fellowship with God allows for a demonstration of the attributes of the nature of divine life (zoe) on earth. Therefore, when the New Testament church fulfills its purpose, it serves as a constant reminder to the devil and his angels of the foolishness of their choice to rebel against God. Revealing their ignorance to the entire angelic host, the New Testament church serves as a constant, painful reminder to them of the sovereignty of God, their tragic choice and consequent loss. Thus, it is a source of public humiliation that ultimately reveals them as foolish, weak and defeated. Thus, they view the New Testament church with intense hatred. The secondary purpose of the New Testament church is to repopulate the kingdom of God. It experienced a significant loss of population through angelic rebellion, divine judgment and the subsequent banishment of the rebellious. Through instrumentation of the New Testament church, the banished angels recognize that they are being replaced in the kingdom by undeserving, inferior, human beings. Their undeserving successor is not only freely awarded what was once their rank and authority in the kingdom, but more regrettably, their status as the primary objects of God’s love and affection. Consequently, they view the New Testament church not only with intense hatred, but with great jealousy. In accordance with His eternal purpose, however, God allows the enemy of the New Testament church to continue to prowl “around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). Therefore, Satan remains steadfast in his attempt to put an end to the ecclesia, the beloved bride of Christ and the object of his intense hatred and great jealousy. © 2018 James Hiatt |
