| Questions on Ephesians, Part 1: What are "The Heavenly Places"? |
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| Written by David Lawrence |
| Monday, October 16 2006 00:00 |
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We pause from our consideration of the Scheme of Redemption as set forth in Ephesians and Colossians to answer some questions submitted by one of our subscribers. These are questions that come from the study, so they are relevant at this point and sure to be of concern to all our readers. The first question reads: “Whenever you have the time, I would appreciate your sharing with us your explanation of the term ‘heavenly realms’ which is used several times in scripture as you well know. In Ephesians, we find this over and over...1:3, 20; 2:6; 3:10 and 6:12 and we are interested to know just what it means.” The term indeed is found in Ephesians (as well as other places in the New Testament) and may relate to the fact that Ephesians was written to people in an area where pagan mysticism permeated the spiritual landscape. People in the Lycos Valley area were used to speaking of a realm beyond the earthly where spiritual beings lived who influenced the lives of humans on earth. Paul uses the Greek word epouranios which carries the idea of what pertains to (epi) heaven (ouranos). As Paul uses the term it defines a realm: the realm of the spiritual. That realm exists in distinction from the earthly realm. It is the realm in which spiritual blessings are to be found – and to the extent that we share in them, we participate in this realm (Eph. 1:3). It is the realm where Christ is exalted at the right hand of the Father (Eph. 1:20), and it is the place to which we are also raised and seated with Christ – the highest position that could ever be enjoyed by a human being (Eph. 2:6). The church finds its purpose in manifesting the eternal wisdom of God to spiritual rulers and authorities that exist in this realm (Eph. 3:10), and it is the realm in which evil spiritual forces exist against whom we must struggle in an ongoing spiritual warfare (Eph. 6:12). The word illustrates the fact that what we see, feel, touch, hear, taste, and smell does not delineate the world of existence; rather, there are realties that transcend the material universe, and these are powerful and significant realities. The realm in which these realities exist and operate is described as “the heavenly realms.” What is most important is that we ourselves find our primary existence and area of life and operation within that realm. So, as Paul says in Colossians, our focus should be on things above where Christ sits at the right hand of God (Col. 3:1-2), because, really, that is where we are also! |
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