Spiritual warfare

There is, perhaps, even today, some part of events that happen which are an example to the spiritual powers. In 1 Corinthians 4:9, Paul writes, “Instead, I sometimes think God has put us apostles on display, like prisoners of war at the end of a victor’s parade, condemned to die. We have become a spectacle to the entire world—to people and angels alike.” (NLT) A much more clear illustration of this is found in Job, where God tells Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job?”

I often think of Satan as “the great dragon” who unleashed a war in heaven and was thrown down to earth with “a third of all the stars.” But at the same time, it’s interesting that in Job, Satan still had (has?) access to the court of God, and God is discussing matters with him. Job is a “spectacle” held up as a teaching moment to Satan.

I do not try to account for this, nor to make some wider theological lesson. But I do muse on this: the realities of the unseen world, and God’s interaction with beings in that unseen world, is far vaster than I can presently imagine. Perhaps, when God doesn’t see fit to solve my problems in my time frame, I should try to be the very best object lesson I can be, to illustrate the point he might be making elsewhere.