Why is it that government is so opposed to rule by Christ? Why is it that government wants to ban all religious activities in the public schools? It seems almost unquestionable that government is a Scriptural adversary, or principality of darkness.

Preachers in the days of our forefathers seemed to have a better grasp of the Scriptures than the preachers of this day and age. For example:

Samuel West, of Dartmouth, in the election sermon of 1776, took for his text the first verse of the third chapter of Titus,

"Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work."

"'Tyranny and arbitrary power are utterly inconsistent with and subversive of the very design of civil government, and all political law, consequently the authority of a tyrant, is null and void.' He declared that God never gave any man the right to trample on the liberty of his creatures, and 'no number of men can confer a right they do not possess, viz, to take away liberty.'

"Does not every one know that the King and Parliament have assumed to tax us without our consent?
"Reason and equity require that no one be obliged to pay the tax that he has never consented to.

"But if they have the right to take our property from us without our consent, we must be wholly at their mercy for food and raiment (clothing), and we know, by sad experience, that their tender mercies are cruel. But, because we are not willing to submit to such an unrighteous and cruel decree, though we modestly complained, and humbly petitioned for a redress of grievances, instead of hearing our complaints, and granting our requests, they have gone on to add iniquity to transgression, by making several cruel and unrighteous acts.

"It is an indispensable duty, my brethren, which we owe to God and our country, to rouse up and bestir ourselves; and being animated with a noble zeal for the sacred cause of liberty, to defend our lives and fortunes to the shedding of the last drop of blood. The love of our country, the tender affection that we have our wives and children, and the regard that we ought to have for unborn posterity -- yea, every thing that is dear and sacred -- do now loudly call on us to use our best endeavors to save our country. We must turn our plowshares into swords, and our pruning-hooks into spears, and learn the art of self-defense against our enemies.

To be careless and remiss, or to neglect the cause of our country through the base motives of avarice or self-interest, will expose us, not only to the resentments of our fellow-creatures, but to the displeasure of God Almighty. For to such base wretches, in such a time as this, we may apply, with the utmost propriety, the passage in Jer. 48:10: 'Cursed be he that doeth the work of the Lord deceitfully, and cursed be he that keepeth back his sword from blood.' To save our country from the hands of our oppressors ought to be dearer to us than our lives."

In Scripture, the word "lion" often refers to tremendous power and strength, like the power of a government. Paul referred to the governing powers as a lion when he wrote:

"Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion." II Timothy 4:17

Perhaps we should look at an Old Testament reference to show that in some cases dragons are also used to describe rulers of nations. Jeremiah records:

"Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon hath devoured me, he hath crushed me, he hath made me an empty vessel, he hath swallowed me up like a dragon, he hath filled his belly with my delicates, he hath cast me out."
Jeremiah 51:34

Thus we should be able to understand that the lion from which Paul was delivered was imprisonment or the power of civil authorities. Paul elaborates further on this principle in his Epistle to the Ephesians: "Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil (1228)." Ephesians 6:11

The word "devil" is another word having more than one meaning in Scripture. For example, Lamsa comments on the word devil as used in this verse as follows:

"The Aramaic term Akelkarsa (used here for devil) means 'an accuser,' 'an adversary,' 'the tempter,' Figuratively, it was the Akelkarsa, the adversary, who took Jesus into the wilderness to tempt him. An adversary can be anything which is adverse to the truth."

Therefore this "devil" Paul had in mind could well have been the government, as was the lion. When government uses its power, might, and influence to prosecute Christians, it is a "false accuser" or as translated here that old false accuser "the devil." This seems even more clear when we read Paul's next comment: "For we wrestle not [only] 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

Certainly we do on some occasions wrestle against flesh and blood, but the government is not "flesh and blood" -- it is a paper ficta. Governments only exist in the minds of men as governments do not have life. That is they do not have the breath of life. They cannot breath, walk, nor can they talk.

Clarke, in his commentary on the Bible, states of "The rulers of the darkness of this world: "...the rulers of the world; the emperors of the darkness of this state of things." Clarke's Commentary, NT, Vol 2, page 469

Emperors of darkness are governments and governments are "principalities." Webster's 1828 1st edition Dictionary defines the word "principality" as: "Sovereignty; supreme power, a prince, the territory of a prince," etc.

This principle is also explained by the prophet Jeremiah:

"Say unto the king and to the queen, Humble yourselves, sit down: for your principalities shall come down, even the crown of your glory." Jeremiah 13:18

In the plural, the word "principalities" would mean "sovereignties," "powers," and "territories." Thus, in Jeremiah 13:18, the king and the queen's sovereignties, powers, and territories, or their governments and the governments under their realm, "shall come down."

The power of government is exercised by kings, rulers, and those under them having power or authority. It is governments and those in authority who exercise authority and power over Christians, and who are the "rulers of the darkness (evil) of this world."

It is those people having power who are in high places or high ranking offices, and who are the rulers of this world. Power is exercised by wicked rulers in high places.

In Christ's Revelation He encouraged us to overcome and advised us to:

"Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil (1228) shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life."
Revelation 2:10

Christ was tried by the Jewish government and His opponents at law were the members of the Sanhedrin, and as such they could certainly be called devils. They were His false accusers and they were responsible for His trial and execution. At the time of Christ the flesh and blood enemies, the flesh and blood devils, or the flesh and blood false accusers of Christians were the Jewish and Roman authorities and they cast many into prison.

It seems almost unquestionable that government is a Scriptural adversary, or the principalities of darkness and power.