For many Christians today, the phrase “false gods” immediately brings to mind imaginary deities – empty carvings of wood and stone. These are seen as the inventions of primitive cultures and products of human superstition and ignorance.
As the previous two articles in this series have demonstrated, these false gods are not mere human inventions, but real spiritual beings. Scripture continually presents them as powerful entities who exert genuine influence over regions, nations, and rulers.
While the Bible affirms again and again that there is only one true God, the LORD, the Creator and Sovereign over all, it does not deny the existence of other spiritual beings – some of whom have been falsely worshipped as gods. These beings are real, but they are created beings, and far beneath the LORD in power and glory. You can read those two articles here:
The Regional “gods” in the Old Testament
The story of King Solomon provides a clear example of where the Bible refers to these “gods.” Scripture tells us that Solomon loved many foreign women – Moabite, Ammonite, Edomite, Sidonian, and Hittite women. His decision to marry many of these foreign women was a direct violation of the LORD’s command:
You shall not enter into marriage with them, neither shall they with you, for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods.
1 Kings 11:2
And sure enough, Solomon’s heart was turned:
When Solomon was old his wives turned away his heart after other gods, and his heart was not wholly true to the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father. For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites… Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, and for Molech the abomination of the Ammonites, on the mountain east of Jerusalem. And so he did for all his foreign wives, who made offerings and sacrificed to their gods.
1 Kings 11:5; 7-8
Observe a few important things here:
- Each of these gods is specifically named – Ashtoreth, Milcom, Chemosh, Molech.
- The text never mocks these gods as imaginary or fictional
- Each of the gods mentioned is associated with specific nations and regions
The picture presented by this biblical text – a picture of different spiritual beings attributed to different people groups – is not simply a reference to an ancient pagan worldview. It reflects a reality described in the Bible itself.
In the book of Deuteronomy, Moses describes how the LORD divided the nations of the world.
When the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance,
Deuteronomy 32:8-9
when he divided mankind,
he fixed the borders of the peoples
according to the number of the sons of God.
But the LORD’s portion is his people,
Jacob his allotted heritage.
This passage tells us that the Most High assigned the nations under the authority of various sons of God. Throughout the Old Testament, the phrase “sons of God” consistently refers to spiritual beings or angels (Job 1:6; Psalm 29:1). Thus, the text teaches that God allotted authority over specific nations to specific spiritual beings, while reserving Israel as His own possession.
But just like the nations themselves rebelled against the LORD, so also did these “sons of God.” That’s why Psalm 82 describes the LORD standing in judgment over these corrupt divine rulers.
God has taken his place in the divine council;
Psalm 82:1-2; 6-8
in the midst of the gods (elohim) he holds judgment:
“How long will you judge unjustly
and show partiality to the wicked…
You are gods,
sons of the Most High, all of you;
nevertheless, like men you shall die
and fall like any prince.”
Arise, O God, judge the earth;
for you shall inherit all nations.”
Spiritual Rulers in the Book of Daniel
The book of Daniel offers one of the clearest pictures of these heavenly rulers. When Daniel prays for understanding, an angelic messenger is delayed in delivering God’s answer:
The prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days, but Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me.
Daniel 10:13
Here the “prince of Persia” is clearly not a human ruler. It is a powerful spiritual being whose actions influence and are mirrored by the Persian empire. The angel Michael is described as “one of the chief princes,” – a heavenly counterpart fighting on behalf of Israel.
If we were to read the book of Daniel in the Septuagint – a Greek translation of the Old Testament used at the time of Christ and the apostles – we would see that both Michael and the Prince of Persia are described by the Greek word “archon,” meaning “ruler” or “authority.” This is significant, because this is the very word Paul later uses to describe the spiritual rulers and authorities that govern the present age of darkness.
- “It is not a wisdom of this age or of the archon of this age, who are doomed to pass away” – 1 Corinthians 2:6
- “The archon of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience” – Ephesians 2:2
- “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the archon, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness.” – Ephesians 6:12
Paul was carrying forward the same worldview described in Deuteronomy 32 and Daniel 10. These regional spiritual “arche” are real, and their influence is reflected in the rise and fall of earthly nations.
The “God of This World”
Jesus Himself used similar language when describing the devil. Three times in John’s account of the gospel, He calls Satan “the ruler (archon) of this world.”
- “Now the archon of this world will be cast out” – John 12:31
- “The archon of the world is coming” – John 14:30
- “The archon of this world is judged” – John 16:11
During His temptation in the wilderness, Satan showed Jesus all the kingdoms of the world and claimed:
To you I will give all this authority and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will.
Luke 4:6
It is noteworthy that Jesus never disputes Satan’s claim, but rather Luke presents this offer as a legitimate temptation. The implication is that Satan truly holds authority in this present world – authority that has been claimed by him through the rebellion of mankind.
The “god” of all Nations
This same idea appears all throughout the New Testament. Paul calls Satan “the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience.” (Ephesians 2:2).
He is also identified as “the god of this age” who blinds the minds of unbelievers:
In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ.
2 Corinthians 4:4
John likewise declares:
The whole world lies in the power of the evil one.
1 John 5:19
It would take some impressive hermeneutical gymnastics to avoid the clear conclusion: according to Scripture, Satan is the chief spiritual ruler of this present world system. Beneath him operate a host of rebellious spirits, sometimes referred to as his angels (Matthew 25:41; Revelation 12:7-9), and other times referred to as principalities and powers (Ephesians 1:20-21; 3:10; 6:12; Colossians 2:15). These are real, personal, heavenly beings who exercise real regional and cultural influence. Although these beings are destined for destruction (1 Corinthians 15:24), Scripture teaches that they do rule in this present age of darkness (1 Corinthians 2:6; Ephesians 2:2; 6:12).
If that is true, then it is not only ancient nations like Egypt, Moab, Canaan, Babylon, and Rome that were under such dominion. It means that every earthly nation today lies within his sphere of influence.
It means that:
- Satan is the god of Russia.
- Satan is the god of Japan.
- Satan is the god of Nigeria.
- Satan is the god of North Korea.
- Satan is the god of the United States.
This worldview is not flattering to any earthly nation, but it is biblical. It reminds us that no worldly power, no matter how noble it may appear, is neutral. Every kingdom of man ultimately belongs to this present fallen order.
The Christian Response
If the nations of this world lie under the dominion of false gods, then Christians must be careful not to confuse patriotism with faithfulness to Christ.
We are citizens of another Kingdom – one not ruled by the god of this age, but by the Sovereign Lord of all creation. Therefore, as Revelation 18:4 declares,
Come out of her, my people,
lest you take part in her sins,
lest you share in her plagues.
Behind every throne stands a spiritual power, but above them all stands the LORD Most High, and His anointed King, Jesus – who is the Lord of lords and King of kings. His Kingdom cannot be shaken. The gods of the nations are real, but they are fallen and doomed for destruction. The LORD alone is God, and His Kingdom alone will stand forever.
The Christian Exile 