- An in-depth look at the truth -

While it is nice to have friends in high places, God's people have foes in high places!

“ For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. “(Eph. 6:12).

The Greek word for “high” here is epouranios, elsewhere translated “heavenly,” “celestial,” and “in heaven.” Only here is it translated “high places,” a phrase that is elsewhere always found in the Old Testament, where it was associated with the worship of the false god Baal (Num. 22:41; Jer. 19:5; 32:35) and idolatry (II Chron. 14:3).

That's why it angered God when Israel allowed these high places to exist in their midst (Psa. 78:58), and why He was pleased when they were removed (II Kings 18:1-4) and displeased when they were not (II Kings 12:3;14:4; 15:4,35).

As strange as it may sound, Jehovah was often worshipped in these high places in the worship of idols (II Kings 17:32; II Chron. 33:17)! If that sounds familiar, it is because fusing the worship of God with idolatry is a device Satan as used for centuries during the Dark Ages in the church of Rome during our own age of “the dispensation of the grace of God.” Even in today’s neo-evangelical churches we have such mixture foisted upon the believers from the pulpit, corrupting the pure word of God.

This pollution of worship was still going strong when our King James Authorized Version was translated, and it might be why the translators rendered the Greek ‘epouranios’ as “high places” in our text. They may have perceived that while the “spiritual wickedness” they wrestled was the host of fallen angels in heavenly places, the sphere of operation of these wicked spirits on earth was in the Roman church whose towering cathedrals reminded them of the “high places” where God was worshipped … with idols in Israel. Again;

“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” (Ephesians 6:12 (KJV)

In Daniel's day, a wicked spirit wrestled with the angel Gabriel sent from God, trying to keep a message from God from getting through to a man of God, Daniel (Dan. 10:10-14). Red the verse and see how that Gabriel was withstood for 21 day until Michal came to assist.

Similarly, during the Reformation, the Protestant Reformers wrestled with wicked spirits who tried to keep the recently unveiled message of God's Word from the people of God… by using the brute strength of the Roman church that burned then at the stake, thus confining His Word to the Latin language that few could read.

Ultimately the Reformers wrestled and overcame them by translating the Bible into the languages of the people.

Today those same wicked spirits strive to keep the message of God's Word intended to us from God's people, the message of Paul's distinctive apostleship that brings us the truth for today.

And how do these wicked spirits do that.

They affect men who preach and teach in pulpits. So, the answer is that, just as politics is corrupted, so is religion, manmade and man-governed religion. Just consider these facts and scriptures.

- Why are modern Bibles corrupted with missing words and verses, and otherwise altered the Holy text; E.g., AMP, NIV, NASB, ESV, NKJV.

- Why are Bible Schools teaching false doctrine, leaven mixed with the fine flour of the truth.

- Why are local assemblies (churches) organized in a way that the “hireling” pastors must answers to a board for what he preaches, and that usually made up of less than spiritual men and women? Many pastors are fired and otherwise aborted for straying from denominational guidelines to teach pure Bible truth. But most maintain ‘tradition’ even if it does contradict and undermine the pure Bible truth for today’s “dispensation of the grace of God.”

⁹ But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. Matthew 15:9 (KJV)

¹³ Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye. Mark 7:13 (KJV)

¹ This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. ² For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, ³ Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, ⁴ Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;

⁵ Having a form of godliness [outwardly], but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. ⁶ For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, ⁷ Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. ⁸ Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood [opposed] Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. 2 Timothy 3:1-8 (KJV)