During the Intertestamental period the term prince began to be used (sometimes) to denote spiritual powers. Apocryphal books cited many demon powers, whom the Jews blamed for their captivity under the various earthly rulers. They were wrong. The Jews went into captivity by the hand of God because of their sin, as the Old Testament plainly states (Is 50:1). This aspect of human nature, blaming the devil for human behaviour, is common.
The Pharisees said Jesus cast out demons by the power of a demon prince called Beelzebub (Matt 12:24). Jesus called Satan the prince of this world (John 12:31). Paul in his epistles refers to principalities, powers, rulers of the darkness and spiritual wickedness. These are metaphors for spiritual opposition, not descriptions of a spiritual hierarchy (Eph 3:10, 6:12).
These are metaphors because Satan does not have rule over man. It is man’s own sin and the law of sin and death that rules him. Satan can tempt man, but it is man’s own sin that holds him captive to his own desires.
Paul also said these princes were coming to nought (1 Cor 2:6-9). Some of these references are to human rulers and some to spiritual powers (Titus 3:1). The New Testament did not present these powers as rulers of nations, or as successfully hindering the salvation of souls. God allows them to deceive where men’s hearts are not right with Him (2 Thes 2:11).
The New Testament shows God as sovereign and the gospel as God’s power, which no demon can hinder (Rom 1:16). It shows the enemy as opposing the gospel and our faith. God allows this opposition so we might learn to be soldiers (Eph 6:10, 2 Tim 2:3). He calls us not to fight the enemy, but to have faith and obey the gospel.
Soldier is a metaphor for preparedness and steadfastness (1 Cor 15:58). We are therefore encouraged not to fight Satan, but to resist (James 4:7), be vigilant (1 Pet 5:8), to watch (Matt 26:41), to stand in faith and the power of God’s might (Eph 6:11) and to give him no place (Eph 4:27) and call upon the Lord (Eph 6:18), all the while being absolutely assured of our victory in Christ (1 Cor 15:57).
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