Ephesians 1:21

[Christ is] far above all rule and authority and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.

Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, humbled Himself and became a human being. He subjected himself to a fleshly body and lived amongst us as a normal person.

Then He willingly offered himself as a sacrifice to be crucified as atonement for every sin ever committed throughout human history.

He lowered himself, submitting to the authority of people- parents, priests, religious leaders, teachers, even to the corrupt and illegitimate civil leaders such as King Herod and Pontius Pilate.

He was beneath the rulers and dominions, authority and powers, both human and demonic. Those who condemned and crucified Christ were not acting on their own volition. Each was encouraged, motivated and directed by spiritual powers aiming to get rid of Christ before he could inaugurate His kingdom.

There is the irony of the crucifixion . it was God's plan from the beginning, but satan thought he was destroying the Messiahs mission.

On the cross, Christ had no power. He was utterly humiliated, “under” the rulers and authorities.

Then came the resurrection. Where satan had tried to kill Christ, the resurrection proved that sin and death were what was killed.

Now Christ is exalted, lifted high above the powers, the lords, the rulers, and dominions. He sits at the right hand of the Father and reigns over all creation.

His name is higher than every name that is named. Jesus Christ is Lord of Lords, and every mouth will confess him.

He is the highest name in all Creation, and it is no surprise that since satan can no longer destroy Christ, he takes out his venom on the name of Christ.

Blasphemy, the use of the name of the Lord as a curse, is increasing and is more acceptable in public life. You may demean the name of Christ without repercussion, but to demean the name of Mohamed will call down the wrath of the state and its cohorts such as media personalities etc.

Satan is also attacking those who carry the name of Christ. The exact form that persecution takes varies from place to place. In the West we have various formal and informal ways of ensuring that christians keep their faith out of the public square.

In some countries, the government is the cause of all kinds of suffering for christians. In Muslim countries, persecution comes at the hands of civil and religious leaders, and often from families.

In all of these ways, satan seeks to destroy the name of Christ wherever it is lifted up.

Paul says that Christ's name is higher than any name in this age and in the age to come.

We might fear that satan will continue to hold some kind of influence in the resurrection age. The scriptures make it clear that satan will have no influence in the age to come. He will be consigned to the Lake of Fire, with all his followers, never to be allowed to wreak havoc again.

Those who will rise in the coming age will be those who follow Jesus in this age. If the citizens of the new Kingdom are submitted to the King, then there is no name that can rival his name, in heaven or on earth.

For eternity Christ will reign over all things- although it does say later that Christ will hand all things over to the Father. No name will come near to the name of Christ. No created being, earthly or heavenly, will seek to seize power in the Kingdom in the way that satan once did full stop

Key points in this verse:

• Jesus humbled himself, being subject to all authority

• Now Christ is exalted over every ruler and authority

• No created thing will be able to place itself above Christ

• satan seeks to remove the highest name, the name of Christ, by turning it into a curse, and by destroying those who bear the name of Christ.