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wisely put them aside. Smooth stones taken from the brook he had proved, and with the
help of God they were more than sufficient. David's example should urge us to realize
that if we are going to "withstand in the evil day" we must "stand" now. How shall we
quit ourselves in the day of battle if we are strangers to the sword of the Spirit? How can
we hope to quench the fiery darts of that fight if we have never proved the efficacy of the
shield of faith? Our Lord, when tempted by the Devil in the wilderness, proved for us the
power of that sword and the reliability of that shield. We can only be more than
conquerors "through Him that loved us".
The present contest, though not the final battle, is not by any means a mere spectacle.
The word "wrestle" comes from pallo, "to shake", and the word wrestle itself means
"dust of meal", "ashes", "fine powder", etc. It is a wearing, grinding endurance, rather
than the brilliant charge. Patience and unquestioned sincerity are demanded and that
continually.
Not flesh and blood, but . . . . . . . spiritual wickedness.
Where our feet touch earth we are shod with peace, and while flesh and blood will
often be bitterly opposed to us, we do not take up the armour of God against such. The
only use of the armour against the flesh is found in Rom. 13: 12-14:--
"Put on the armour of light . . . . . put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no
provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof."
The foes against whom we wrestle are spiritual. The A.V. introduces the word
"world" where the best texts omit it, this being the A.V. translation of aion, really "age",
and it omits to translate the word "world" which does occur in composition.
Rotherham's version seems to set the passage in its true light, giving each word its
place:--
"Against the principalities,\
Against the authorities,
}
of this darkness,
Against the world-holders,/
Against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenlies" (Eph. 6: 12).
The title "world-holder" is significant. Kosmokrator should be considered with the
title of the Lord, pantokrator, "omnipotent" and "almighty". We may obtain a glimpse at
the extent of the power and authority of these "world-holders of this darkness" by reading
Dan. 10: There we read of a messenger sent from heaven (5, 6), whose appearance was so
glorious that at the sight Daniel's comeliness turned to corruption (8), yet this mighty
messenger was successfully withstood for twenty-one days by "the prince of Persia",
whose opposition was only overcome by the advent of Michael the archangel (13).
Reference is made in verse 20 to another prince, "the prince of Grecia", and yet again
in 21 to "Michael your prince". Now Dan. 12: 1 tells us that Michael is "the great
prince which standeth for the children of thy people (Israel)". It appears therefore that
with the exception of Israel, the nations of the earth were under the authority of one of
the "world-holders of this darkness", and these facts cast light upon the present conflict.