spiritual blessings in the heavenly places in Christ" (Eph. 1: 3). The "spiritual blessings"

are echoed by the "spiritual wickedness" of Eph. 6: 12.

The next reference, however, supplies us with more definite information. It occurs in

the prayer of the apostle, where he desires that we should know "what is the exceeding

greatness of His power, which He wrought in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead,

and set Him at His own right hand in `heavenly places' far above all principality and

power. . . ." (Eph. 1: 19-21). Two important items immediately appear upon reading

this passage, first that Christ is not only in the heavenly places, but also at the very right

hand of God Himself, and secondly that His exaltation has placed Him "far above all."

This calls upon us to "prove the things that differ," and to note carefully all that is said

before arriving at a conclusion. F.H. lives at Birmingham; the writer lives in London.

Both could truthfully say that they live in England, but that would not justify the

conclusion, "therefore F.H. and the writer live together." The other fact which we

noticed shows us that in the heavenlies pinnacle of all is occupied by the risen Lord,

beneath Whose feet spiritual powers, both good and bad, are placed.

In order more fully to realize the exalted position of the Lord, and incidentally our

position "in Him," let us notice a few more passages:--

Col. 3: 1 tells us that Christ "sitteth on the right hand of God." Heb. 1: 3 tells us that

He "sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high." Heb. 4: 14 tells us that He

"passed through (dierchomai) the heavens." Heb. 7: 26 tells us that He is "made higher

than the heavens." I Pet. 3: 22 tells us that He "is gone into heaven, and is on the right

hand of God, angels, and authorities, and powers being made subject unto Him."

Eph. 4: 10 tells us that He "ascended up far above all heavens."

The cumulative evidence of these passages is of great importance, inasmuch as it

teaches us to differentiate between those heavenly places which are inhabited by spirit

beings, and that exalted position, the sphere of our blessings, far above all. When we

have read the prayer of Eph. 1: 19-23, and realized in some measure the "glory that

excelleth," the second chapter follows with its revelation of grace wherein we learn that

the death, resurrection, and high glory of our risen Head is the pledge, pattern, and

promise of the death, resurrection, and final glory of every member of His redeemed

body.

So Eph. 2: 5, 6 reads, "even when we were dead in sins, hath made us alive together

with Christ. . . . and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly

places, in Christ Jesus." This third reference to the heavenly places shows us that the

sphere of our blessings is beyond the intrusion of "angel, principality, or power," and

"wrestling" in any form whatever is an impossibility.

The fourth reference is Eph. 3: 10, where we read, "unto the principalities and powers

in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God." The

conflict of Eph. 6: 12 is confined to the lower section of the heavens, where fallen spirits,