There is no doubt whatever that was are surrounded by a vast world of spirits, some good, and some evil. The good are those who continue in their proper allegiance to the Creator; the evil are those who are in revolt against Him, following the leadership of Satan. But both good and evil are deeply interested in the affairs of men; the one delighting in their blessing, and the other seeking to compass their ruin.
There are three notices of the spirit-world in the epistle to the Ephesians which must detain us for a moment. In chapter 1:20-21 we have Christ's position in relation thereto. He is seated at God's “right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power, and might and dominion.” However mighty the spirit-forces in the universe may be, Christ is superior to them all, and all must yet acknowledge His Lordship. In chapter 3:10 we are told “that now unto the principalities and powers in the heavenlies is made known through the Church the manifold wisdom of God.” These are holy spirits, who observe with unselfish interest what God is doing for His redeemed, and they admire the wisdom of His ways therein. Peter says they desire to “look into” these things (1 Peter 1:12). Then in chapter 6:12 we learn that the Christian's present conflict is “against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against wicked spirits in heavenly places” (see margin).
These spirit-forces are highly organized (we read of “chief princes” amongst them, Dan. 10:13); and their power is enormous. They act upon individuals to their ruin and they influence also the course of public affairs; they are largely responsible for the disasters which come upon men from time to time. Kings and statesmen, however talented and well intentioned they may be, are helpless pawns in the hands of diabolical spirits, if they have not learned the need of absolute dependence upon God.
Let no one misunderstand the foregoing. We are not referring to the spirits of departed men and women. These are quite unable to influence earthly affairs, even if they know anything at all about them, which is very doubtful. Our reference is to angelic beings, some good, and some evil, as before stated. Men have always had a desire to pierce the veil which separates the visible from the invisible. Such inquisitiveness is dangerous in the extreme, and those who indulge in it expose themselves to the tyranny of beings greatly their superiors in power and subtlety, who delight to allure souls down to eternal ruin.
It has pleased God, in His gracious instruction of His own saints to give us glimpses of what is going on in the invisible world. He wishes His own, who are set in testimony for Him here, to have some understanding of the terrible influences which are persistently working for the destruction of the human race. We are thus ourselves preserved from Satanic deception, and are able to warn others also. Daniel 10:1; 12:4; 1 Kings 22:14-23; and Revelation 16:12-16 are scriptures which every Christian should carefully examine in this connection. In Daniel 10 we find the prophet in prayer for three weeks concerning the future of the people of Israel. At the end of that period an angel came to him saying that he was sent off at once with the answer, “but,” said he, “the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days” (vs. 13). Of whom is the angel speaking? Not of a man, certainly; for how could the Persian Sovereign hinder an angel coming from heaven with an answer to the prophet's prayer? And would he be likely to know that the prophet had prayed at all? It is a mighty spirit of whom the angel speaks, a spirit that interested itself for good or for evil in the politics of the Persian State. Then in verse 20 we read: “Now will I return to fight the prince of Persia: and when I am gone forth, lo, the prince of Grecia shall come.” It is impossible to introduce men into such a passage. The angel is speaking of movements and counter movements in the spirit-world, resulting in conflicts here upon earth. If the angel's message be read through to the end (ch. 12:4), we shall learn of many mischievous doings on the part of Kings and others, energized by Satan; we shall also learn that Israel forms the center of God's earthly ways, and that the archangel Michael has special charge of Israel's interests and that in due time he will act in power on their behalf (Daniel 12:1). In connection with this interesting angelic communication to Daniel, Zechariah 1:7-11; 3:1-5 and 6:1-8 may well be carefully considered.
Turning now to 1 Kings 22:14-23. Ahab—Israel's wicked and willful king—was disposed to go to war with Syria for the recovery of Ramoth-Gilead. His misguided ally, Jehoshophat King of Judah (pious, but weak) wished to know what Jehovah might have to say about the undertaking. In due course faithful Micaiah was brought out of prison, and in few words he described a scene in the heavenlies. Jehovah was seated on His throne surrounded by the host of heaven. His patience with Ahab being now exhausted, He called for a volunteer who would dispose the doomed man to go to war to his undoing. After much discussion, a spirit proposed to go down and put a lie in the mouths of all the King's prophets. “Go forth, and do so,” said the great God. No words can adequately set forth the solemnity of this. Israel's war with Syria was thus arranged in the spirit-world, as many a war since. Blinded by Satan, Ahab paid no heed to what he heard. God's faithful witness was sent back to prison, and the King rode forth to his death.
Revelation 16:12-16 deals briefly with the last gathering of the nations for battle. The dread word “Armageddon” is found here. Spirit-forces are responsible for the world's final conflict. It will suffice to quote the passage “I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. They are the spirits of demons, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the whole earth, to gather them to the battle of the great day of God Almighty.” The language is doubtless symbolic, but its meaning is too plain to be misunderstood. As the scriptures become more and more neglected and discredited (largely as the fruit of the so-called “Higher Criticism”) men will listen with increasing willingness to “seducing spirits, and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy” (1 Tim. 4:1-2). Terrible result of the poison of unbelief injected by the serpent into the minds of Eve and Adam at the beginning! (Gen. 3:1).
One of the oldest of the Books of the Bible enlightens us as to Satan's malicious activity against individuals.
When various disasters came upon Job, he had no idea that he had been the subject of conversation in the heavens. Jehovah had observed his ways with much pleasure; Satan also had observed him, but with malignant eyes. When Jehovah raised the question of Job with Satan, he was answered with the insinuation that Job only served Him for his own advantage. God therefore allowed the enemy to strip him bare of all that He had given him; yet Job did not renounce his God. At a second conversation in the heavens, Satan urged that the trouble had not gone far enough, and if God would touch the patriarch's person He would see what manner of man he really was. We will not pursue the familiar subject further; but when Job's friends, having heard of his troubles, came to visit him, and found him covered with boils, sitting in anguish upon an ash-heap, their words and also Job's show that none of them really understood the matter. But Job clave to his God, spite of His strange dealings with him, and in the end he was more richly blessed than ever.
The Scriptures that we have examined tell us a little of the hostility of Satan and his hosts to God and to men individually and collectively. A great day is coming, and it may be very near, when a mighty clash of spirit-forces will take place on high, resulting in the expulsion of Satan and his angels from the heavens, never to have a footing in those regions again. Then will be heard the shout of triumph from the glorified saints: “Now is come the salvation, and the strength, and the Kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ; for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night” (Rev. 12:7-12).
Having some knowledge of these terrible forces of evil, Salaam was willing to be their tool for the destruction of God's people Israel, but Jehovah, who loved the people, frustrated him at every point, and from his lips there flowed not curses but blessings!