Zeal For Truth

Editor’s Note: This article is written by zealfortruth.org contributor Chris Austere. 

On January 22, 2002 President George W. Bush gave his first State of the Union Address in the post-9/11 world. In his speech, he identified the nations of Iraq, Iran, and North Korea as an “axis of evil”. Bush’s comments did not come without criticism. Former U.S. Secretary of State under President Clinton, Madeline Albright called the president’s assessment of the three nations as “a big mistake.” Other critics said such a comment only heightened existing tensions between the nations.

There are some dangers in making political arguments revolving around the concept of good and evil. Such arguments have a tendency to oversimplify complex situations. They assume that one group is totally right and the other group is totally wrong. Rarely, if ever, is that the case.

The Bible’s Case
Politics aside, the Bible does address the question of evil influence in governments. For the purposes of this article we will restrict our discussion to what is presented in the scriptures. Let us first examine this experience recorded in the tenth chapter of the book of Daniel (KJV):

10And, behold, an hand touched me, which set me upon my knees and upon the palms of my hands.
11And he said unto me, O Daniel, a man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak unto thee, and stand upright: for unto thee am I now sent. And when he had spoken this word unto me, I stood trembling.
12Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words.
13But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia.

Notice in verse 13 the angelic messenger tells Daniel that he was withstood by the prince of the kingdom of Persia. Was he saying a mere human resisted him? Some contend that the prince of the Persian kingdom was of satanic origin who sought to hinder the effectiveness of Daniel’s prayer.

Another passage of scripture worth mentioning is found in the fourth chapter of Luke. This is an account of Jesus’ temptation by Satan.

5 And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.
6 And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it.
7If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine.

Some have argued that Satan really did not have control over the kingdoms that he showed Jesus, and therefore Satan could not give him what he did not have possession of. However, more understanding about Satan’s power is revealed in the epistles. In Paul’s second letter to the church at Corinth he calls Satan “the god of this age,” and says he has the ability to blind the minds of those who do not believe the gospel (2 Corinthians 4:4). In Ephesians 2:2 Paul refers to Satan as “the prince of the power of the air”. The admonition given by Paul to the church at Ephesus (Ephesians 6:11,12) provides further insight.

11Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
12For 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.

Paul seems to be saying that flesh and blood is just the agent whereby Satan puts his schemes into practice. The governmental principalities, powers, and rulers are often the tool of their spiritual counterparts.