God has called out many disciples from the various churches to serve Him as a holy remnant. They will be "cities of refuge" for God's elect throughout the second half of the prophetic week, the period of the great tribulation.

The Lord Jesus rules in righteousness. As soon as He has washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, they too will reign in righteousness.

There will be spiritual wind and storms because the ancient rulers of the heavens are going to come down to stand against the Lord Jesus and His saints.

The ancient rulers against whom we wrestle are spiritual beings of exalted personality. At one time they had governed the universes of God's creatures.

Dissension arose among them just as it does among the Lord's people on earth. The Father noted the spirit of rebellion.

At the height of the discontent God spoke. He chose Jesus, the eternal Word. He exalted Jesus above all other beings. He established the throne of Jesus above all other thrones.

Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre. Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. (Psalms 45:6,7)

The princes of the heavenlies resent Jesus. They are jealous of His exalted position as Lord of all of God's creation. Yet they were created originally by the Lord Jesus.

Even though they were created by Him, the Word of God, they are seeking to usurp His place as supreme Head of the Kingdom of God.

The lords of the air are not convinced that the Father is willing or able to cast them into the lake of fire for eternity.

At the present time they are content to watch the demons play with the flesh of the earth. But as soon as God's holy remnant is brought to a place of spiritual strength and authority the princes will be hurled to the earth, outraged over the change in their status.

When they come to the earth, tribulation of an intensity and scope beyond man's ability to imagine will torment the nations. Blood will flow like water and the birds (demons) will be satiated with the flesh of humans.

Man is no match for the fallen rulers. Religious man is not equal in wisdom or strength to the lords of wickedness. Converted, tongues-speaking Christians are not able to prevail against the huge, sophisticated beings who are about to attack the earth in their fury.

Only God the Father, and Jesus, whom God has made Lord and Christ, are able to prevail against the lords of darkness.

Therefore God is prepared, in the spiritual fulfillment of the Old Testament feast of Tabernacles, to come down and take up His eternal abode in the hearts of those who keep the commandments of Christ Jesus.

The dwelling of the Father and Christ in the holy remnant will be the place where the devout of the earth can hide from the face of the wicked.

The King and His princes—each of them—will be a hiding place from the winds of Satan, a shelter from the storm, as rivers of water in a dry land, as the shade of a great rock in a weary land.

If you will be patient with the Lord He will make you a city of refuge for the weary and oppressed. Would you like that? (from A Study Guide for the Book of First Corinthians)