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REGARDING THE CONCLUSION THAT EPHESIANS 1:21 REFERS TO ANGELS OF DIFFERING RANK
Clear lens said in post # 19 : “ From a historical context, I like your point that “God has arranged the angelic realm in differing ranks” though I am not sure how you arrived at this point using ephesians 1:21 which says“ Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come “
Mike555 replied in post # 24 : “ Ephesians 1:21 simply mentions that there are different ranks among the angels. That there are different ranks and duties among the angels is made clear in the Bible.
Ηι Mike555 :
Perhaps you could at least consider that Eph 1:21 was referring to Christ, rather than specifically referring to angels. Consider vs 20 as part of the context for verse 21. It seems to be speaking of Christ, rather than of angels :
Eph 1:20-21 : 20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, 21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come.
Neither English nor base Greek texts change the subject from Christ, to Angels between verse 20 and vs 21. My point is that even though you say your theory is “biblical” because the words and letters of your example "came from a bible", it does not mean automatically that your logic and reason underlying the concepts and theories you created from any errors of your own thoughts; logic; and reason are “biblical”.
Perhaps you could at least consider the possibility that vs 21 is a reference to Christ, rather than the angels…? IF, you can do this mental exercise with this verse, perhaps you can consider a similar exercise with other points you make in your post; in this theory; and on the forum generally?
In any case, I wish you the best of luck in your theorizing and in coming to accurate conclusions during your journey in this life.
Clear
τωφυειω
Regarding Ephesians 1:20-21.
Jesus was not seated far above Himself. Jesus was raised and seated at the right hand of the Father 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 age to come.
Jesus is contrasted with that which He has been raised and seated above.
Related verses concerning angels, principalities, powers, rulers, authorities, world forces, thrones, and dominions are Rom. 8:38, Eph. 3:10 and 6:12, Col. 1:16 and 2:15.
Satan rebelled against God's order. But as the ruler of this world he is attempting to impose his own order and make good his boast as expressed in his five 'I wills' in Isaiah 14:13-14. There are those who say that the passage does not refer to Satan, but Satan was the power behind the throne of the king of Babylon. Satan desires to be like God and to rule over all the angels and over the earth. At this present time he is the ruler of this world as the Bible states. Satan is trying hard to stay out of the lake of fire which God sentenced him to and which will be carried out after the end of the Millennium. His assumption can only be that if he can make good his boast then his sentence will be overturned.
It’s a travesty, when professing Christians or men in general, align themselves with adversity; creating division.
Mike... Satan does one thing extremely well and that is; removes love from the equation.... in English the closest word is "grace".
Even when God destroys those whom which He saved... is that not His love? How many entered the promised land, but He did save the Jews, but again, how many entered?
God's love is beyond our finite ability to understand... so what better conduit for Satan to exploit? When some speak in terms of punishment and hate... and become an accuser, right there he is exposed.
Ephesians 1:17–22 (the verse in question is in red)
17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, 20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, 21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: 22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,
REGARDING THE OP’S CLAIM THAT EPH 1:21 MEANS THAT ANGELS ARE ARRANGED IN DIFFERING RANKS
In the OP, Mike555 said “God has arranged the angelic realm in differing ranks referred to as ''rule, authority, power, and dominion''(Eph. 1:21)”
Post #19 asks HOW Eph 1:21 demonstrates the angels are arranged in differing ranks
Post # 24 Mike555 stated Ephesians 1:21 simply mentions that there are different ranks among the angels.
Post #29 suggests Ephesians 1:21 does not apply to angels and asks for more clarification on the original claim that Eph 1:21 demonstrates “God has arranged the angelic realm in differing ranks.”
Post #32 Mike explains that ““ Jesus was not seated far above Himself. Jesus was raised and seated at the right hand of the Father 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 age to come.”
Hi Mike555 :
Your new claim that “Jesus was not seated far above himself” is fine. So is your theory that “Jesus was raised and seated at the right hand of the Father”.
However, neither theory explains why you interpret ephesians 1:21 to mean that “God has arranged the angelic realm in differing ranks.” I’m not sure why you think your statement is connected to or explains your theory that Eph 1:21 tells us that God has arranged the angelic realm in differing ranks. I very much agree with this theory, but I cannot tell how you arrived at this theory, using Ephesians 1:21. It is your exegesis that seems strange and out of place, not the theory per se.
For example, the early Judeo-christian text of 2nd enoch described the early belief that “archangels […] are over the angels; and they harmonize all existence, heavenly and earthly. (2nd Enoch 19:3).
It is clear from the earliest texts that God the Father enlists the services of others such as angels and other servants to further his work. The Divine council of God being surrounded by other beings who surround him and who are enlisted in his service is becoming a very popular theory and explanatory worldview among scholars of the early texts. And it is clear that the servants all have levels of authority and rank along the same model as angels in early judeo-christian descriptions.
Just as early Jewish/Christian (syncretic) describes Michael as “one of the holy and revered angels–he is their chief...” (1st Enoch 24:6), there were other angels assigned to lesser tasks to see that God’s plan progressed smoothly.
For example, the early sacred texts describe the early tradition where Adam was assigned angels (euphemistically called “stars” in many early texts) to help him gain the knowledge he wanted describes certain angelic messengers that were assigned to do this work. For example, Adam tells his son Seth of a time when Adam “ was sleeping in the thought of my heart, and I saw before me three men whose appearance I could not recognize because they were not from the powers of the God who created me. They surpassed [those powers in their] glory. The men [spoke] , saying to me, ‘Rise up, Adam, from the sleep of death, and hear about the aeon and the seed of that man to whom life has come, the one who came forth from you and from Eve your wife. When I heard these words from those great men who stood before me, we sighted in our hearts, I and Eve. And the Lord, the God who created us, stood in our presence and said to us, ‘Adam, why were you sighing in your hearts? Do you not know that I am God who created you, and that I breathed into you a spirit of life for a living soul?”(The Apocalypse of Adam 2:1-6-7) In such early Judeo-Christian texts and traditiona, Angels of some rank, are assigned to teach Adam the knowledge he desired to gain as well as to provide for himself in a fallen condition.
For example, Jubilees (which is still in the eastern canon) describes these activities : “And during the first week of the first jubilee Adam and his wife had been in the Garden of Eden for seven years tilling and guarding it. And we gave him work and we were teaching him to do everything which was appropriate for tilling. And he was tilling. And he was guarding the garden from the birds and beasts and cattle and gathering its fruit and eating. And he used to set aside the rest for himself and his wife. And what was being guarded he set aside.” (Jubilees 3:15-16).
Thus, in the early judeo-christian worldview, certain angels were archangels, including Michael and also Lucifer, at least until Lucifer raised his famous controversy which was one of the cornerstone doctrines in early Judaism; Christianity: and Islam. It is a keystone doctrine since this history is one of few major doctrines which all three Abrahamic religions agree upon.
The Christian text, Testament of Adam describes “ The heavenly powers what they are like and how each of their orders is occupied in the service and the plan of this world. Listen, my beloved, as they are set in order one after another from the bottom, until we reach those who carry our Lord Jesus the Messiah and bear him up. The lowest order is the angels. And the plan has been revealed to it by God concerning every human being whom they watch over, because one angel from this lowest order accompanies every single human being in the world for his protection. And this is its service. 2 “The second order is the archangels. This is the service: directing everything in this creation according to the plan of God, whether powers or animals, birds, or creeping things, or fish, and to speak briefly and in short, whatever exists in this creation, besides human beings, they care for it and guide it.(Testament of Adam 4:1-6) The texts goes on to describe the Archons as a third order, the fourth order of “authorities”, a fifth order called the powers and a sixth order called the dominions in the early traditions. All of them are described according to their purposes and authorities. I think your seminarians did fine on this part.
My point is, I certainly agree that the early Christian traditions held that Angels and other beings were arranged in ranks and were given specific authority. My question has to do with your unusual exegesis of Ephesians 1:21. For example, I can give many clear examples of this doctrine from early judeo-christian texts, but I cannot use Eph 1:21 as a proof text and I am baffled as to why you are attempting to use Eph 1:21 to try to demonstrate that “God has arranged the angelic realm in differing ranks referred to as ''rule, authority, power, and dominion''
You have yet to explain how you come to this conclusion based on this verse. If you made a mistake and actually meant another verse, this is perfectly fine to admit a mistake since we all make them. Otherwise, If you think Eph 1:21 clearly shows the ranking of angels then I am interested in how you used this specific verse to come to you conclusion since Eph 1:21 meant something entirely different to the early christians in their usage and interpretation.
Clear
δρφυειω
Last edited by Clear lens; 10-15-2013 at 11:19 PM..
The realm of the supernatural is invisible to us. If God were to open our eyes so that we could see what is going on all around us in that realm, we would be shocked by what we saw. The Book of Daniel chapter 10 records the angel Gabriel's account to Daniel in which he was delayed for twenty-one days from coming to Daniel in response to his prayer by the prince of Persia who had detained him. The prince of Persia refers not to a human ruler, for no human could detain an angel, but to a fallen angel under Satan's command who intercepted Gabriel in order to prevent him from completing his mission. The arch angel Michael came to his aid so that he could come to Daniel with his message.
God has arranged the angelic realm in differing ranks referred to as ''rule, authority, power, and dominion'' (Eph. 1:21). Gabriel and Michael have been assigned authority over angels who administer God's affairs for the nation Israel (cf. Michael in Dan. 10:21; 12:1; Jude 9). In imitation Satan has also apparently assigned high-ranking demons to positions of authority over each kingdom. The prince of the Persian kingdom was a Satanic representative assigned to Persia. [The Bible Knowledge Commentary, Old Testament, An Exposition of the Scriptures by Dallas Seminary Faculty, p. 1366].
This is as good a place as any to begin my own preaching of my own "religion", if you will.
1) God talks to each of us ALL the time. Do we listen?
1a) Sometimes what God tells us is contrary to what is said in the Bible. Or rather, what we THINK is said in the Bible. God's intent is to educate us, as in lead us into understanding.
2) God sent Jesus to lead us into a new age. Jesus was crucified to liberate us from the bondage of sin, to free us from the past. Why exactly would God then cede the earth to Satan, the Prince of Evil?
2a) Man is quite capable of both good and evil, all by ourselves. We dont need a supreme being of evil to help!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike555
But so far as mankind is concerned, the battlefield of the spiritual warfare in which we are involved is fought in the soul. Satan's attacks on mankind involve influencing man's thinking. Satan seeks to blind man to God's revelation of the truth by means of the lies and deceptions which he has woven into his cosmic system which deceives the world. Lewis Sperry Chafer describes Satan's plan as follows.
Next to the lie itself, the greatest delusion Satan imposes---reaching to all unsaved and to a large proportion of Christians---is the supposition that only such things as society considers evil could originate with the devil---if indeed, there be any devil to originate anything. It is not the reason of man, but the revelation of God, which points out that governments, morals, education, art, commercialism, vast enterprises and organizations, and much of religious activity are included in the cosmos diabolicus. That is, the system which Satan has constructed includes all the good which he can incorporate into it and be consistent in the thing he aims to accomplish. A serious question arises whether the presence of gross evil in the world is due to Satan's intention to have it so, or whether it indicates Satan's inability to execute all he has designed. The probability is great that Satan's ambition has led him to undertake more than any creature could ever administer. Revelation declares that the whole cosmos-system must be annihilated---not its evil alone, but all that is in it, both good and bad. God will incorporate nothing of Satan's failure into that Kingdom which He will set up in the earth. The cosmos diabolicus must be ''broken in pieces'' and become like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors which the wind carries away, and all this before the Smiting Stone ---Christ in His return to earth---will set up a kingdom which shall fill the whole earth (Dan. 2:34-35, 44-45). [Systematic Theology, Lewis Sperry Chafer, vol. 2, p. 100-101]
So all that we have, all that we are, is the result of Satan's Plan? Give me a break! If you truly believed that, you would be living on a mountaintop, armed to the teeth, denying the value of science, of modern medicine, and yes, the internet!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike555
It is Satan's intention to prove to God that he can rule this world in an orderly manner. Since the fall of man, and until the return of Christ, Satan is the ruler of this world as stated in John 12:31; 14:30; and 6:11. He is called the prince of the power of the air in Ephesians 2:2. Satan deceives the nations as stated in Revelation 20:3,8. Satan influences rulers as in 1 Chronicles 21:1-5.
I thought God banished Satan to hell forever and ever after that great battle that occurs only in Enoch, a non-canonical book. Sounds to me like you believe that Satan is the whole purpose of our existence, not mankind.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike555
Satan is a creature and can therefore only be in one place at a time. But he has a vast number of fallen angels (demons) who follow him and carry out his plans in human history. All the world is under the deception of Satan's plan which is carried out by his demons. It is only by means of divine revelation as revealed in the Word of God that the believer in Jesus Christ can be protected from Satanic deception.
Ephesians 6:10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. 11] Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. 12] For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.13] Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. 14] Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15] and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16] in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17] And take up the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
Once again, our existence is ALL about Satan, isnt it... Never mind that modern Christian doctrine regarding Satan is in direct contradiction to the Jewish doctrine, which is that Satan, the Adversary, is an aspect of El. He is Adversary to the purpose of God, Adversary to the purpose of Messiah. Satan is NOT Adversary to the purpose of man.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike555
Only by availing himself of God's provisions can the believer avoid being taken in by the devil's schemes. The believer is never to go on the offensive against Satan, but is to take a defensive position by standing in the truth of God's Word.
James 4:7 Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
Amazing! Jesus gave us the right message. Be right with God. Be right with your fellow man. Do good works. Eternal life is yours. No Satan. None of this delusional stuff about Satan as the Authority of this domain in which we live.
God talks to all of us ALL the time. The only question is: do we listen. God has been inspiring us to abandon our human induced delusions about the nature of the universe, and is leading us to greater understanding of the universe which He created. God is eternal - no beginning, no end. He is not limited by our puny human suppositions. It does not matter if the earth is 6,000 years old, 10,000 years old, or 4.5 billion years old. But given that God IS eternal, why do humans attempt to limit the nature of His creation?
Sorry, but I do not buy all these pretzeled chains of logic, with a verse here and a phrase there, when God works tirelessly to guide us beyond the worship of a single holy book, and into a greater understand of Him and His plan for us.
Ephesians 1:17–22 (the verse in question is in red)
17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, 20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, 21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: 22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,
REGARDING THE OP’S CLAIM THAT EPH 1:21 MEANS THAT ANGELS ARE ARRANGED IN DIFFERING RANKS
In the OP, Mike555 said “God has arranged the angelic realm in differing ranks referred to as ''rule, authority, power, and dominion''(Eph. 1:21)”
Post #19 asks HOW Eph 1:21 demonstrates the angels are arranged in differing ranks
Post # 24 Mike555 stated Ephesians 1:21 simply mentions that there are different ranks among the angels.
Post #29 suggests Ephesians 1:21 does not apply to angels and asks for more clarification on the original claim that Eph 1:21 demonstrates “God has arranged the angelic realm in differing ranks.”
Post #32 Mike explains that ““ Jesus was not seated far above Himself. Jesus was raised and seated at the right hand of the Father 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 age to come.”
Hi Mike555 :
Your new claim that “Jesus was not seated far above himself” is fine. So is your theory that “Jesus was raised and seated at the right hand of the Father”.
However, neither theory explains why you interpret ephesians 1:21 to mean that “God has arranged the angelic realm in differing ranks.” I’m not sure why you think your statement is connected to or explains your theory that Eph 1:21 tells us that God has arranged the angelic realm in differing ranks. I very much agree with this theory, but I cannot tell how you arrived at this theory, using Ephesians 1:21. It is your exegesis that seems strange and out of place, not the theory per se.
For example, the early Judeo-christian text of 2nd enoch described the early belief that “archangels […] are over the angels; and they harmonize all existence, heavenly and earthly. (2nd Enoch 19:3).
It is clear from the earliest texts that God the Father enlists the services of others such as angels and other servants to further his work. The Divine council of God being surrounded by other beings who surround him and who are enlisted in his service is becoming a very popular theory and explanatory worldview among scholars of the early texts. And it is clear that the servants all have levels of authority and rank along the same model as angels in early judeo-christian descriptions.
Just as early Jewish/Christian (syncretic) describes Michael as “one of the holy and revered angels–he is their chief...” (1st Enoch 24:6), there were other angels assigned to lesser tasks to see that God’s plan progressed smoothly.
For example, the early sacred texts describe the early tradition where Adam was assigned angels (euphemistically called “stars” in many early texts) to help him gain the knowledge he wanted describes certain angelic messengers that were assigned to do this work. For example, Adam tells his son Seth of a time when Adam “ was sleeping in the thought of my heart, and I saw before me three men whose appearance I could not recognize because they were not from the powers of the God who created me. They surpassed [those powers in their] glory. The men [spoke] , saying to me, ‘Rise up, Adam, from the sleep of death, and hear about the aeon and the seed of that man to whom life has come, the one who came forth from you and from Eve your wife. When I heard these words from those great men who stood before me, we sighted in our hearts, I and Eve. And the Lord, the God who created us, stood in our presence and said to us, ‘Adam, why were you sighing in your hearts? Do you not know that I am God who created you, and that I breathed into you a spirit of life for a living soul?”(The Apocalypse of Adam 2:1-6-7) In such early Judeo-Christian texts and traditiona, Angels of some rank, are assigned to teach Adam the knowledge he desired to gain as well as to provide for himself in a fallen condition.
For example, Jubilees (which is still in the eastern canon) describes these activities : “And during the first week of the first jubilee Adam and his wife had been in the Garden of Eden for seven years tilling and guarding it. And we gave him work and we were teaching him to do everything which was appropriate for tilling. And he was tilling. And he was guarding the garden from the birds and beasts and cattle and gathering its fruit and eating. And he used to set aside the rest for himself and his wife. And what was being guarded he set aside.” (Jubilees 3:15-16).
Thus, in the early judeo-christian worldview, certain angels were archangels, including Michael and also Lucifer, at least until Lucifer raised his famous controversy which was one of the cornerstone doctrines in early Judaism; Christianity: and Islam. It is a keystone doctrine since this history is one of few major doctrines which all three Abrahamic religions agree upon.
The Christian text, Testament of Adam describes “ The heavenly powers what they are like and how each of their orders is occupied in the service and the plan of this world. Listen, my beloved, as they are set in order one after another from the bottom, until we reach those who carry our Lord Jesus the Messiah and bear him up. The lowest order is the angels. And the plan has been revealed to it by God concerning every human being whom they watch over, because one angel from this lowest order accompanies every single human being in the world for his protection. And this is its service. 2 “The second order is the archangels. This is the service: directing everything in this creation according to the plan of God, whether powers or animals, birds, or creeping things, or fish, and to speak briefly and in short, whatever exists in this creation, besides human beings, they care for it and guide it.(Testament of Adam 4:1-6) The texts goes on to describe the Archons as a third order, the fourth order of “authorities”, a fifth order called the powers and a sixth order called the dominions in the early traditions. All of them are described according to their purposes and authorities. I think your seminarians did fine on this part.
My point is, I certainly agree that the early Christian traditions held that Angels and other beings were arranged in ranks and were given specific authority. My question has to do with your unusual exegesis of Ephesians 1:21. For example, I can give many clear examples of this doctrine from early judeo-christian texts, but I cannot use Eph 1:21 as a proof text and I am baffled as to why you are attempting to use Eph 1:21 to try to demonstrate that “God has arranged the angelic realm in differing ranks referred to as ''rule, authority, power, and dominion''
You have yet to explain how you come to this conclusion based on this verse. If you made a mistake and actually meant another verse, this is perfectly fine to admit a mistake since we all make them. Otherwise, If you think Eph 1:21 clearly shows the ranking of angels then I am interested in how you used this specific verse to come to you conclusion since Eph 1:21 meant something entirely different to the early christians in their usage and interpretation.
Clear
δρφυειω
The following, which has you so baffled is from post #1.
'The realm of the supernatural is invisible to us. If God were to open our eyes so that we could see what is going on all around us in that realm, we would be shocked by what we saw. The Book of Daniel chapter 10 records the angel Gabriel's account to Daniel in which he was delayed for twenty-one days from coming to Daniel in response to his prayer by the prince of Persia who had detained him. The prince of Persia refers not to a human ruler, for no human could detain an angel, but to a fallen angel under Satan's command who intercepted Gabriel in order to prevent him from completing his mission. The arch angel Michael came to his aid so that he could come to Daniel with his message.
God has arranged the angelic realm in differing ranks referred to as ''rule, authority, power, and dominion'' (Eph. 1:21). Gabriel and Michael have been assigned authority over angels who administer God's affairs for the nation Israel (cf. Michael in Dan. 10:21; 12:1; Jude 9). In imitation Satan has also apparently assigned high-ranking demons to positions of authority over each kingdom. The prince of the Persian kingdom was a Satanic representative assigned to Persia. [The Bible Knowledge Commentary, Old Testament, An Exposition of the Scriptures by Dallas Seminary Faculty, p. 1366].'
The reference to Ephesians 1:21 is part of the quotation from the Bible knowledge Commentary, which refers to the prince of Persia and follows my statement which also concerns the prince of Persia being a fallen angel. The author that I quoted could just as easily have chosen to use Ephesians 3:10 which speaks of rulers and authorities in the heavenly places (in the heavenlies). The reference to both rulers and authorities, the fact that rulers are contrasted with authorities indicates differences in order. Differences in rank among beings in the heavenlies.
Ephesians 3:10 so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places.
Or he could have chosen to use Ephesians 6:12 which also differentiates rulers, powers, and world forces in the heavenlies. All of which denote differences in rank, authority.
Ephesians 6:12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.
But the author that I quoted opted to use Ephesians 1:21 instead of Ephesians 3:10 or Ephesians 6:12.
I had assumed that when I provided the reference to those other verses in post #32 that you would look at them and be able to figure it out.
Last edited by Michael Way; 10-16-2013 at 09:26 AM..
The following, which has you so baffled is from post #1.
'The realm of the supernatural is invisible to us. If God were to open our eyes so that we could see what is going on all around us in that realm, we would be shocked by what we saw. The Book of Daniel chapter 10 records the angel Gabriel's account to Daniel in which he was delayed for twenty-one days from coming to Daniel in response to his prayer by the prince of Persia who had detained him. The prince of Persia refers not to a human ruler, for no human could detain an angel, but to a fallen angel under Satan's command who intercepted Gabriel in order to prevent him from completing his mission. The arch angel Michael came to his aid so that he could come to Daniel with his message.
God has arranged the angelic realm in differing ranks referred to as ''rule, authority, power, and dominion'' (Eph. 1:21). Gabriel and Michael have been assigned authority over angels who administer God's affairs for the nation Israel (cf. Michael in Dan. 10:21; 12:1; Jude 9). In imitation Satan has also apparently assigned high-ranking demons to positions of authority over each kingdom. The prince of the Persian kingdom was a Satanic representative assigned to Persia. [The Bible Knowledge Commentary, Old Testament, An Exposition of the Scriptures by Dallas Seminary Faculty, p. 1366].'
The reference to Ephesians 1:21 is part of the quotation from the Bible knowledge Commentary, which refers to the prince of Persia and follows my statement which also concerns the prince of Persia being a fallen angel. The author that I quoted could just as easily have chosen to use Ephesians 3:10 which speaks of rulers and authorities in the heavenly places (in the heavenlies). The reference to both rulers and authorities, the fact that rulers is contrasted with authorities denotes differences in order. Differences in rank among beings in the heavenlies.
Ephesians 3:10 so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places.
Or he could have chosen to use Ephesians 6:12 which also differentiates rulers, powers, and world forces in the heavenlies. All of which denote differences in rank, authority.
Ephesians 6:12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.
But the author that I quoted opted to use Ephesians 1:21 instead of Ephesians 3:10 or Ephesians 6:12.
I had assumed that when I provided the reference to those other verses in post #32 that you would look at them and be able to figure it out.
Sometimes in our quest for knowledge we miss the forest for the trees.
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