DAILY DEVOTION: EPHESIANS 1:21

By Stan Brown 

Ephesians 1:21  far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in the one to come.

Remember that the power or authority that Paul discusses here is His power unto us who believe.  In verse nineteen he used four words to describe that power as he says His power unto us who believe is in accordance with the power of His power of His power.  In this verse he uses four words to describe the power of those over whom the One who is seated at the right hand of God has power.  The fact that He is seated there emphasizes that his authority and power are exceedingly far beyond the power possessed by any created being whether human, angelic, demonic or satanic.  The power of our Savior is the One whose power is energizing the lives of us who believe. 
 
Paul says that Christ is seated at His right hand in the sphere of the heavenlies and rules over all that rule, exerts authority over all those who have authority, wields power over all those who have power and has dominion over all those who have dominion.  This includes every area of influence in the sphere of the heavenlies and the sphere in which we live.  It includes every possible time period and every type of authority.  God manifests His power through the enthronement of Christ and all must accede.  His power is at work in us.  (If I counted correctly, I used the word power sixteen times in these two paragraphs.  Paul uses seven words for power in verses nineteen and twenty-one.  He uses one of them twice.)
 
The theologians debate over whether the ones described as having power in this verse are human or angelic.  I might lean toward Satan and his demonic hordes since the emphasis is on the heavenlies but it really does not make a great deal of difference since the Son has power and authority over both.  I will now briefly examine the four words that describe those over whom the Son has authority.  The emphasis is that the Son has authority over each and every one of them.  The word translated rule speaks of primacy.  These are the top dogs in each and every sphere.  It speaks of spiritual or secular leaders as well as angelic or demonic leadership.  Their rule is nothing compared to the rule of the Son.  The word translated authority speaks of those who have the clout in both the physical world and in the sphere of the heavenlies.  Their authority is nothing compared to the authority of the Son.  The word translated power was also used in verse nineteen (surpassing greatness of His power).  It refers to the folks that think they can do whatever they like because they have the control.  Their power is nothing compared to the power of the Son.  The word translated dominion speaks of lordship and those who think they exercise control.  Their dominion is nothing compared to the dominion of the Son. 
 
The One who sits at His right hand is the One whose power and authority are at work within us.  Whoever wins the election (whether it be Biden or Jorgenson or Trump) is ultimately subject to the power and authority of the One who sits at His right hand.  We are energized with His rule and authority and power and dominion.  He is LORD of all!!!