Paul uses the phrase "in the heavenly [places]" five times in Ephesians. We tend to view that as Heaven, God's perfect dwelling place, perhaps even his throne room. That makes sense at first...
- 1:3 "...blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places..."
- 1:30 "...seated [Christ] at His right hand in the heavenly places..."
- 2:6 "...seated us with Him in the heavenly places..."
- 3:10 "...the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places..."
But then, in chapter 6, right as we're getting into the Armor of God passage, we get to verse 12, which describes our true opponents.
"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places."
If our enemy (or at least one of our enemies), "the spiritual forces of wickedness," are "in the heavenly places," then this is certainly not God's throne room. It is also not the glorious Heaven reserved for God's chosen people. Maybe it's just "in the unseen realm" or something like that. I can't say for sure what it is, but I do not think it means what we think it means.
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