Author and theologian John Piper recently explained that when the Bible describes the Devil as “the prince of the power of the air,” that doesn’t mean that Satan is omnipotent. according to The Christian StandtPiper answered questions from listeners. Ephesians 2The Bible identifies Satan as “the prince of the power of the air.” Piper said he and other scholars aren’t sure why the devil has that title, but noted the Bible gives “guidelines” to help us understand the term.
“It would be unwise to place too much emphasis on what I am about to say, because although it is important (it is in the Bible), I don’t think it is as important as other clear things that are in this verse and elsewhere in the New Testament,” Piper said.
“The fact that Satan has some authority in the air does not mean that he is omnipresent or omniscient,” he continued, adding, “He has many unclean spirits, demons, at his disposal, who are deployed in the air and throughout the world.”
Piper further states that the word “air” in the poem is “just a general description of the sphere of our lives” because “air was simply what Paul and others of his time called the space above the earth, and there was no scientific idea of how high the air was.”
As for the term “prince of powers,” Piper believes this means “master of authority” and states that “Satan’s dominion in the powers of the air, or of the lower atmosphere of heaven, is not supreme.”
“I think that ‘God of this world’ and ‘Lord of the heavens’ are practically the same thing. The world is the realm we live in, and the air is the realm we inhabit,” Piper continues. 2 Corinthians 4:4.
Overall, Piper believes that “Satan is not flesh and blood but an invisible spirit, like air.” “As long as we breathe air, there is nowhere Satan’s flaming arrows will not fly through the air,” and “wherever there is air, heaven, sky, or space, we need to put on the armor of God.”
“Christ is exalted as the supreme King of heaven, above all rule and authority. The prince of the authority of the air has no sovereignty. He is in chains,” he said.
Photo credit: ©Halton Archives / Stringer
