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It is to be observes that the cause of the opposition in Dan. 10: was that the heavenly
messenger was sent to show Daniel what was noted in "the Scripture of truth". These
principalities, powers and world-holders are summed up as "spiritual things (or forces) of
wickedness in the heavenlies".
Were it not that we can say with the apostle that we are persuaded "that neither death,
nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers . . . . . shall be able to separate us from
the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Rom. 8: 38, 39), we should
doubtless quail before these mighty opponents and sink lower than Daniel did, but Christ
is risen and we are "more than conquerors through Him that loved us", and strong in the
Lord and in the power of His might, we shall both stand and withstand, knowing that "the
God of peace shall bruise Satan under our feet shortly" (Rom. 16: 20).
#80.
The threefold conflict (Eph. 6: 12).
pp. 138 - 143
The questions that we are about to consider are of such importance that we deal with
them here rather than wait until we reach the typical teaching in the series entitled
"Fundamentals of Dispensational Truth". The questions are these:--
1.
How far are we warranted in speaking of "war" against principalities and powers in
the heavenlies, now?
2.
Are these several phases of this conflict?
3.
Can we learn anything from O.T. typical history?
A threefold conflict.
We believe the answer is that the conflict is threefold:--
1.
We look back to the cross, and there see that Christ triumphed over principalities
and powers, thereby rendering us "more than conquerors" in His victory (Col. 2:
15).
2.
Our present conflict is with the "world-holders of this darkness", it is described as a
wrestling.
3.
A conflict upon a more vast scale will take place in the heavenlies, when the church
prepares to enter its inheritance in resurrection.
These tree phases of conflict are found in the typical history of Israel.
The victory of the cross.
The first, which typifies the triumph over principalities and powers by the cross, and
which lies at the basis of all victory (Rom. 8: 37-39), is set forth by the victory over
Pharaoh, a victory in which Israel did nothing but "stand still, and see the salvation of the