Chapter 4

Kings in the Universe

 Where Next?

Starting with the existence of the unchallenged will of God, we have viewed the origin of the will of Satan and the will of man. We now need to look at each from the standpoint of rulership and ask, “What is the sphere of authority involved with each of these wills?

 Man’s Authority

In Genesis 1:28, man is told to “rule” over God’s creation. While this was the condition of things before the fall, Genesis 9:1-7 repeats this command to Noah and his sons after the fall. Psalm 8 reiterates the concept of the rule of man over creation. The psalmist marvels over the greatness of the universe and then marvels over the position God gave to man saying, “You made him rule over the works of your hands….”

The concept of man’s sphere of authority is reflected in the designated authority structures of the Bible. There is authority in the family where the parents are over the children and the husband over the wife. The Bible recognizes governmental authority, as expressed in Romans 13 and I Peter 2:13. There is authority in the local church. Hebrews 13 gives a triple repetition of the order to obey leaders.

 Limitations of Authority

All designated authority has parameters drawn by God. Human authority is never all authority. No authority is justified to require what is counter to the commands God has given. The husband does not have absolute authority over the wife nor do the parents over the child. Legitimate human authority is derived from God and thus limited by God.

These limitations, of course, are defined by the Word of God. Romans 13:1-7 teaches that governmental authority is to restrain evil; it is not to restrain good. A parent may not ask a child to steal, for the Bible forbids this course of action. To make such a request would overstep God-given authority and therefore cause one to lose it. When a designated authority steps out of the God-given parameters, obligation of those under that authority ceases.

Satan’s Rule

There are several words used of Satan that establish the fact of his rule. Among them, one of the clearest is the word prince. It is the Greek word archon, which means ruler. The Jews reveal their belief in a satanic hierarchy of rulership by accusing Christ of operating under the “rule of the demons” in Matthew 9:34, 12:24, and Mark 3:22.

Jesus applies this same designation directly to Satan in three important statements recorded in the Gospel of John. The first is John 12:31. The verse begins with the word now, which is obviously a time concept. The context shows that Jesus has the cross in mind. What He speaks of here is an event relative to His approaching death. Satan is then designated as “the ruler of this world.” Notice the idea of rulership and authority over a sphere called this world. The word world has several uses in the Bible. Here it is used to designate all life that has not been corrected by the Word of God. The world is totally antagonistic to God’s truth. The reason lies in who rules it. The verb speaks of Satan as one who “shall be cast out.” The tense of the verb points to a future event, and the cross assures us that this will happen.

A vital point should be made here. This statement of Jesus recognizes that Satan has a very real power, but it is also a doomed power. It is doomed because God is absolutely sovereign in His universe and cannot be dethroned. At the same time, it is obvious that God allows that sovereign authority to be challenged. Satan’s rulership is a challenge to that authority.

The second reference to Satan’s rulership is John 14:30 where we are told that “the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in me.” Here again, we have recognition of the reality of Satan’s rule. At the same time, we are told that it is diametrically opposed to Christ. This is the kind of world we live in.

The third reference is John 16:11 where the reality of Satan’s rule is realized, but the emphasis lies on the fact that it is judged. Satan’s rule is real but doomed.

The final passage that applies the word ruler to Satan is Ephesians 2:2. Here, Satan’s rule is linked to this world, and he is called an authority. This advances our thought to the concept that Satan’s rule is real but also is limited in its sphere of operation.

Satan’s authority is superior to that of humanity in power and in scope. This does not mean that Satan may possess whomever he chooses. A person may surrender to him, however, by incorrect use of their volition.

Another passage showing the rulership of Satan is II Corinthians 4:4 where he is called “the god of this world.” Here again is the recognized rule and realm of Satan.

The Rule of God

Two concepts about the rule of God are necessary for a proper understanding of His rule and how man may relate to it. First, God’s authority is absolute. There is not the remotest possibility that God will ever be dethroned. To reject the absolute sovereignty of God is to reject the God of the Bible. God knows no threats that ever place Him in any sort of jeopardy.

That God is the supreme person of the universe can be established by scriptural expressions. Hebrews 6:13 states that there is “no one greater.” This is absolute supremacy. In I Chronicles 29:11-12, He is called “head over all,” and in Psalm 82:6 He is called the “Most High.”

That God is the supreme person of the universe can also be established by logical extension of biblical passages. If one considers all of the attributes of God as revealed in the Bible, one must conclude that there is none superior to God. For this reason, some do not treat sovereignty as a separate attribute but as the logical conclusion drawn from all His other attributes.

When we say that God is the supreme person of the universe, the word person is very important. What are the marks of personality? The answer lies in the self-awareness of self-consciousness that is possessed by humans; whereas rocks, automobiles, and ice skates do not have self-awareness because they are not personalities. We as persons have the capacity to think (intellect), the capacity to feel (emotion), and the capacity to choose (volition). God possesses all of these.

God Is Personal

The God of Scripture is not austere and far removed; He is warm and personal and desires the volitional response of His creatures. He did not want a forced obedience from Adam; He wanted Adam to act in a volitional way toward His will.

The personal nature of God is established by passages such as Genesis 18 where Abraham asks God if He is going to destroy the righteous with the wicked and then proceeds to do some “sanctified bargaining” with God.

In Psalm 6:4-5, the author tells God that He needs to deliver him because if He does not, he will not be around to praise Him. Many passages picture God as laughing, grieving, and angry. God is personal—He is not abstract.

God May Be Challenged

Our first concept relative to the rule of God was that God’s authority is absolute. The second is that God allows His will to be challenged. There are two reasons for this.

First, God allows His will to be challenged so that there may be a complete display in human history proving that no good can come to the universe apart from the perfect will of God. God could have eliminated Satan the moment he sinned, but He did not. God could have eliminated Adam and Eve the moment they sinned, but He did not.

There is reason for all this. God continues to allow Satan to rule the cosmos, and man goes on in his sin. Is God impotent to bring this to a halt? Obviously, He is not. Just because He does not, does not mean that He cannot. He chooses to allow men to reject His will. Why? So that there will be a historical demonstration that only the will of God is the ultimate good and the only source of tranquility in the universe.

Second, God allows His will to be challenged because He wants the volitional response of His creatures. He wants you and me to respond to Him because we love Him, because we accept His will as the best will in the universe. He could easily crush us all into obedience, but God does not want that. This is why the doctrine of volition is so important.

Through obedience to the Word of God, we have the daily privilege of affirming to all of creation that God’s will is best. What will ultimately be displayed by God at the return of Christ can be displayed in the lives of His children now. The various facets of this will be the subjects of the rest of our study.