The Apostle Paul wrote to the Ephesians (chapter 6 verse 12):
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. (KJV)
A more modern translation has: Our fight is not against human beings. It is against the rulers, the authorities and the powers of this dark world. It is against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly world. (NIRV)
Who are these rulers? Where does this fight take place? Does this really apply today?
I believe the answer is that it does and the current situation with the sub-post-masters and sub-post-mistresses who found themselves accused of theft and fraud is a good example. They were tried and found guilty of a crime which the vast majority of them did not commit. How could this happen?
Is this an example of Paul’s fight against powers and principalities?
In any society, organization, or family there is a structure which will be either vertical or horizontal. For many years our society and just about all organizations and families were vertically structured – they were hierarchical. The person at the top had the most power and the people at the bottom had the least power. The problem arises with how that power is used and what role, if any, responsibility plays.
When a shortfall was found in post-office accounts it was assumed that sub-postmasters and sub-postmistresses were fiddling the books. The soft-ware programme used by sub-post-offices was run by a computer – so it must be right. Even when it was learnt that seven hundred sub-post-offices were involved nobody challenged the system. Most of us would think that seven hundred was a big enough number for a red flag to pop up. But such was the trust placed in the computer system that nobody dared challenge it. Nobody took responsibility either – it was run by a computer so it must be right! The hierarchical management system ensured that to question one’s boss was not a good idea! Powers and principalities ensured no-one was responsible.
In an effort to clear their good name those affected sold their homes to fight legal cases, some took out costly loans to pay-off the discrepancy themselves, many resigned and many were sacked. And some took their own lives. We can but pray that now, at last, some light is being shone into their darkness.