Making an Open Show of Victory over Spiritual Wickedness in High Places

Continuing from the previous post where we were discussing the bad advice of those who have led us, and the world, astray into decline and its now low point of total stagnation. We saw the recent events of the world’s experts, those responsible for the misleading, being openly shown to be those using intentional deception and covering the truth to keep it from being seen; all with the intention of restraining us from our inevitable rise.

Today let’s first look at this in the context of it being part of the apocalypse: uncovering truth that produces the victory over the deceivers; then a more in depth look at the pattern of those fighting against us and therein more clearly see their spiritual identity as the dead; and those ignorant of it, or unwilling to see, as the sleeping.

Colossians 2:15 tells of the LORD making an open show of His victory over the principalities and power who were assemble against us (the seeing remnant). In the verses prior we are told of our circumcision, that is performed without man’s hand. It is telling of cutting away the flesh mind so our spiritual mind is abled to see, as necessary for our perfecting. In verse 14 we read of this spoken of as blotting out the handwriting of those things that are against us, and this as if nailing them to the cross: meaning in Christ’s sacrifice our natural understanding is transformed into spiritual understanding by now seeing its meaning in/by resurrection.

The Greek word translated in Colossians 2:14 as “blotted out” is the five times used word exaleipho. Understanding the word as it is intended will change the way many things in God’s word have previously been seen, and in this demonstration will be exemplified the action it attests to. Exaleipho is from ex, meaning to take away, and aleipho, meaning to anoint. In this we see the word understood as – taken away by the anointing.

Colossians also tells us this anointing is as if handwriting nailed to the cross. This leads us by Divine curiosity to ask what handwriting was nailed to the cross; being in like manner the actions of those crucifying the LORD, unwittingly by their action and the (unintended) following result (resurrection), themselves openly showing His victory over them?

The word translated as “handwriting” is the Greek word cheirographon, only used this one time. The word usually used for writing is grapho, as it is when telling of the words written (grapho) on the cross over (epigrapho) the head of the LORD: “THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.” In this we see the natural and yet unseen truth that was to be latter revealed, as is next defined in Colossians 2:15, “And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.” The contrast alluded to is the writing of this natural hand unwittingly affirming what is latter attested to by the circumcision that would be without hand (allowing the deeper spiritual truth to be seen). The spiritually minded see it, but the flesh man sees nothing because he is only able to accept things he see with his natural mind and eyes.

The fullest meaning is seen when the writing (law) is taken away, the error (sin) is corrected, the veil is removed from covering the truth as we turn to the LORD and the spiritual meaning is seen. This King of the Jews is seen as the KING of Kings and the LORD of Lord, and is One King and LORD over all humanity.

Colossians 2
1 For I would that you knew what great conflict I have for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh;
2 That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;
3 In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
4 And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words.
5 For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ.
6 As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the LORD, so walk you in him:
7 Rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.
8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
9 For in him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.
10 And you are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:
11 In whom also you are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins [errors] of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:
12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also you are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who has raised him from the dead.
13 And you, being dead in your sins [errors] and the un-circumcision of your flesh, has he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;
14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the Sabbath days:
17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.
18 Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,
19 And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increases with the increase of God.
20 Wherefore if you be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are you subject to ordinances,
21 (Touch not; taste not; handle not;
22 Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?
23 Which things have indeed a show of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body: not in any honor to the satisfying of the flesh.

As we have seen in our recent studies the name Colossians is from the Greek word kollao, mean to join to, as in sticking together, as is the theme of the above chapter. It speaks of the Head that joins the body together, after casting away all the creations of men that bind us by/to only a natural superficial understanding.

The chapter opens by also mentioning the Laodiceans, whom we know as the final fallen away church written to in Revelation 3. We know them as having become materially wealthy; in doing become complacent, thinking themselves self-sufficient grown blind to spiritual truth, and therefore unable to see the true riches. In the past we have also looked at the word kollao appearing as the “eye-salve” the LORD advises they anoint their eyes with so they are abled see.

Revelation 3
13 He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says unto the churches.
14 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things says the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;
15 I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot: I would you wert cold or hot.
16 So then because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of my mouth.
17 Because you say, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and know not that you are wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
18 I counsel you to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that you may be rich; and white raiment, that you may be clothed, and that the shame of your nakedness do not appear; and anoint your eyes with eye-salve, that you may see.
19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
21 To him that overcomes will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.
22 He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says unto the churches.

Two of the other times the word exaleipho is used are in Revelation 7:17 and 21:4. As we saw in the previous post the way the LORD answer those chiding and murmuring against the one He has chosen to speak on His behalf asking (Exodus 17:7), “Is the Lord among us, or not,” is by His living water flowing from a Rock [and that Rock that followed them is Christ]. This is what we are told of in Revelation 7:17 where we read of the living water that feeds us, and of this being His taking away our tears by this anointing. “For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away [exaleipho] all tears from their eyes.”

The next use in Revelation 21:4 tells of this anointing, which replaces our tears with sight, also being what brings us to life in victory over death. “And God shall wipe away [exaleipho] all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.”

The quote containing this word is from Isaiah 25, where is also found the resurrection quote that appears in 1 Corinthians 15:54 telling of our victory over death.

1 Corinthians 15
45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.
46 Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.
47 The first man is of the earth, earthy; the second man is the LORD from heaven.
48 As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.
49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
51 Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
55 O death, where is your sting? O grave, where is your victory?
56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
57 But thanks be to God, which gives us the victory through our LORD Jesus Christ.
58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be you steadfast, immoveable, always abounding in the work of the LORD, forasmuch as you know that your labor is not in vain in the LORD.

It is time to see things in their transcendent and metaphysical context; this mortal must put on an immortal perspective. Transcendent meaning beyond human (natural) comprehensions, and metaphysical is the understanding of those things beyond natural comprehension.

Here are the full definitions of transcendent and metaphysical from the Merriam-Webster Dictionary.

Transcendent:
1a : exceeding usual limits : surpassing b : extending or lying beyond the limits of ordinary experience c in Kantian philosophy : being beyond the limits of all possible experience and knowledge
2 : being beyond comprehension
3 : transcending the universe or material existence — compare immanent 2
4 : universally applicable or significant <the antislavery movement…recognized the transcendent importance of liberty — L. H. Tribe>

Metaphysical
1 : of or relating to metaphysics
2a : of or relating to the transcendent or to a reality beyond what is perceptible to the senses b : supernatural
3 : highly abstract or abstruse; also : theoretical
4 often capitalized : of or relating to poetry especially of the early 17th century that is highly intellectual and philosophical and marked by unconventional imagery

Isaiah 25 (both quotes mentioned appear in verse 8)
1 O LORD, you are my God; I will exalt you, I will praise your name; for you have done wonderful things; your counsels of old are faithfulness and truth.
2 For you have made of a city an heap; of a defensed city a ruin: a palace of strangers to be no city; it shall never be built.
3 Therefore shall the strong people glorify you, the city of the terrible nations shall fear you.
4 For you have been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall.
5 You shall bring down the noise of strangers, as the heat in a dry place; even the heat with the shadow of a cloud: the branch of the terrible ones shall be brought low.
6 And in this mountain shall the LORD of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined.
7 And he will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people, and the veil that is spread over all nations [This verse tells of the apocalypse – apocalypse meaning to remove the covering].
8 He will swallow up death in victory; and the LORD God will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD has spoken it.
9 And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.
10 For in this mountain shall the hand of the LORD rest, and Moab shall be trodden down under him, even as straw is trodden down for the dunghill.
11 And he shall spread forth his hands in the midst of them, as he that swims spreads forth his hands to swim: and he shall bring down their pride together with the spoils of their hands.
12 And the fortress of the high fort of your walls shall he bring down, lay low, and bring to the ground, even to the dust [this is the open show in victory over the principalities and powers].