Still Studying

Sometimes we Christians who have been believers for many decades and have been schooled and churched from the scriptures, even our own bible study stumble across a passage or verse that we have skimmed over and not pondered before. Maybe because I was praying at the time my mind was quickened by the Spirit. This was the verse that hit me today as I read randomly during prayer.

Ephesians 3:10 His purpose was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms,

What?!!!! Rulers and authorities in the heavenly realm? Who are the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realm? And what can the church make known to them?

After a quick search I realized that the common interpretation of this is that the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realm are the “forces of the enemy” not allies. I wondered if this is correct.

What is the context?    Ephesians 3

Berean Study Bible

The Mystery of the Gospel

1 For this reason, I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles...

2 Surely you have heard about the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for you, 3 that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly. 4 In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5 which was not made known to men in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets. 6 This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are fellow heirs, fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus.

7 I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace, given me through the working of His power. 8 Though I am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9 and to illuminate for everyone the stewardship of this mystery, which for ages past was hidden in God, who created all things. 10 His purpose was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, 11 according to the eternal purpose that He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.

12 In Him and through faith in Him we may enter God’s presence with boldness and confidence. 13 So I ask you not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which are your glory.

Paul's Prayer for the Ephesians

14... for this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of the riches of His glory, He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have power, together with all the saints, to comprehend the length and width and height and depth of His love, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

20 Now to Him who is able to do infinitely more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, 21 to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Summary in context; the church (believers) have power through the Spirit to understand the gospel and to enter the throne room of God with their requests.  

We know from other passages (Ephesians 6:12) that spiritual warfare is a part of all this, so the powers of the enemy interpretation might be correct, or maybe it could mean something else since warfare is not directly mentioned here.

What else might rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms refer to? Not angels, they are servants.  Since I have been studying in Revelation where we read about the throne room and there we find the twenty-four elders, I wonder if this is a reference to the twenty-four elders?

Revelation 4

Berean Study Bible

The Throne in Heaven

1 After this I looked and saw a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had previously heard speak to me like a trumpet was saying, “Come up here, and I will show you what must happen after these things.” 2 At once I was in the Spirit, and I saw a throne standing in heaven, with someone seated on it. 3 The One seated there looked like jasper and carnelian, and a rainbow gleaming like an emerald encircled the throne. 4 Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and on these thrones sat twenty-four elders clothed in white garments, with golden crowns on their heads.

The pre-trib rapture camp says the twenty-four elders are the church, so that means we are already there when the seals are opened. I really hope that is true but the more I study the less it seems plausible.

So if the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms are the twenty-four elders how and why can the church make know the manifold wisdom of God to them? The same thing we would make know to the powers of the enemy. The gospel of Jesus Christ.

I did a very brief study of the Greek (internet tools make this easy). rulers and authorities:

arché: beginning, origin

exousia: power to act, authority

The Greek meanings do not necessarily prove the common interpretation but could allow for my new one. Hmmm.

I am not convinced of this new interpretation it requires more study.  Still studying.