The Rulers of the Darkness of This Age

The Rulers of the Darkness of This Age

Sorrows multiply when the ungodly are in power. Wherever Satan gains a firm foothold in the flesh, and thus rules over men, conditions will sooner or later become intolerable.

A single political party in a vast nation can be so possessed by Satan, and can govern the nation in such a horrific way, that God has to send armies against it to stop the injustice. However, the people of that nation should have been the ones to take up the battle.

The rulers of the darkness of this age are reigning. Throughout time, the people of God have had to battle against such reigns of terror, arrogance and self-exaltation. It is incredible how much wickedness such rulers can propagate when they are in control. All the patients of all the insane asylums ever built have not been able to wreak as much havoc as the rulers of this world have done in the course of three to four years. When the people’s ungodliness was fully developed, God sent His armies against Jerusalem. He does the same thing today. If the king and the government are ungodly, they drag the entire nation in the same spiritual direction. Thus God has to chasten the entire nation until they are forced to renounce the ruling tyrants.

Satan’s nature is revealed in a nation when he possesses the rulers of that nation. The rulers themselves promote violence, murder and lies. Law and order are trodden mercilessly underfoot because they hinder the rulers’ secret plans. These rulers are only interested in maintaining justice when it serves their own purposes.

God uses human means to chasten individuals and nations. He uses armies to force princes and rulers into obedience. He punishes pride and makes Christ’s enemies into a footstool for Him. We must not focus only on the gruesome side of war, but also see it in the context of eternity. Then we will understand more easily why God does what He does, He who governs according to eternal standards. Imagine if pride were to triumph; imagine if Satan in the flesh got power. How would that end up? We can thank God that He sends His armies against the rulers of the world, against those who seek to crush the lowly and exalt themselves. After all, we are now living in the world and not in a heavenly kingdom—even though we have been raised up according to the Spirit. Consequently, we can’t expect anything other than what this world has to offer.

Recently I heard a preacher in Bergen arrogantly state: “Norway will soon be at war, and then all Norwegians will have to fight. Then we will be glad that we are not Norwegians, but rather citizens of heaven.”

I am afraid that if people do not do their duty as Norwegian citizens, neither will they do it as heavenly citizens. Because if we are not faithful in what is another man’s, who will then give us what is our own? And if we are not faithful with the unrighteous mammon, who will entrust us with the true riches? People can get by for a while with cunning fables, but in the long run those who yearn for what is genuine will find such fables repugnant. True wisdom endures, but clever tales rarely last more than a week.

May God save His people from folly and drive out laborers who are able to preach the Word of God to people uprightly and seriously. All God-fearing people down through the ages—those who have left a legacy—have exhorted each and every one to faithfulness within his area and calling. They have understood the seriousness of life, that life is short. They have used their time here to exercise godliness and exhort others to do likewise. At the same time, there have always been deceitful workers who have crept in. Some of them were spots in the love feasts, carousing in the congregation of the saints. Jude 12. Such people are full of religious jesting and mockery. Verses 18. Give them the word of the cross, and they will mock you to your face, seeking approval from their listeners. We need to wake up to the fact that such things have nothing to do with true Christianity.

The law goes forth out from Zion. This verse tells us that even though the truth offends people initially, in time it will be received and preached with joy.

Many Christians in Norway have been living for years in a so-called liberty that has gradually developed into disrespect. But thank God, He has begun to bring such madness to its knees and make a public spectacle of it. Many are now asking for the tried and true word of the cross, which is a power that brings a blessing to us who believe.

We are now in Vardø, and here false liberty has not been proclaimed so widely, probably because this town is too far north—too cold and too unpleasant for the flesh!

God be praised. Here, too, some friends are beginning to see light in God’s light. They are already beginning to love one another in the Spirit, and they are gathering around the doctrine, prayer and the breaking of bread.

If the world is to have peace, then those who rule must humble themselves, for God gives grace to the humble. If they are not willing to humble themselves, God knows how to humble them in His own way. Yet how many lives could be saved if people would clothe themselves in sackcloth and ashes.