11 - Brotherhood ... Fatherhood

This passage also tells us that the prince of these powers of the air is the “spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience.” We often hear of the “brotherhood of man and the “fatherhood of God.” This is the only “brotherhood of man” of which the Scripture speaks, and they who compose that brotherhood are not the children of God, but “the children of disobedience.” And it is Satan who is working—literally “energizing”—in them. And what stupendous energy they display as we see them applying themselves on every hand to the execution of the great projects which are to render the age illustrious and to make the earth a comfortable habitation for man in his state of disobedience! (The word “disobedience” in this passage means obstinate rebellion.) We have here (and we get it nowhere but in the Bible) a satisfactory explanation of the tremendous exertions put forth in the direction of glorifying the age by achievements hitherto unheard of. The energy for these vast projects is supplied by that mighty being who has in the age his supreme opportunity to demonstrate what humanity can achieve under his leadership, for in the age that is soon coming he will not be a prince and god, with his headquarters in the heavenly places, but a fettered captive in the abyss.

Another expression in this passage challenges our attention. I wish there were time to dwell upon and bring out the truth embedded in it—“according to the course of this world.” This is literally “the age of the cosmos”—a very suggestive expression. Surely we are in the period or age of the exploitation by man of the physical world, of the forces and resources of nature. There has been nothing like it in any previous age. The forces which humanity has mastered and is able to utilize are being more and more concentrated upon material or physical development in fields of applied science, construction, manufacture, commerce, etc, multiplying and exchanging commodities. Other pursuits and interests of previous times, as literature, art, agriculture and the like, are falling into the background. It is the age of machinery. The Spirit of God is not working in these things. The energy employed in them is from the spirit that worketh in the children of disobedience. If we look for the work which the Spirit of God is now carrying on we shall find it in the last verse of this chapter (Eph 2:1-22). There we read of a temple that is being erected upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone. The enterprises of the spirit of the world are numerous. He is erecting many buildings. The Spirit of God is forming but one. The work of the spirit of the world is carried on with great demonstration and noise. That of the Spirit of God is accomplished unobtrusively and in silence. The achievements of the spirit of the world are for present display and admiration. The work of the Spirit of God is for future display. It is to be the wonder of the universe throughout the eternal ages; “that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus” (Eph 2:7).

    The child of God, who recognizes his place as a living stone in this temple which is being built for a habitation of God through the Spirit, will see that he has no part or concern in the activities of the children of disobedience.