The January 6 mob attack on our nation’s capitol was satanic. That’s not to say that everyone participating was demonically inspired. It was a mixed multitude with many motives. I’ll leave it to the press and pundits to ferret out all the aspects of what happened politically. I’m concerned about a spiritual perspective. Second Thessalonians 2:7 speaks of the “mystery of lawlessness” as being indicative of the antichrist. If ever our nation witnessed such a moment, a precursor to the Great Tribulation of Revelation, this was it!
One of the most powerful images of the melee is a much-circulated photo of 33-year-old man, Jacob Angeli Chansley. He was dressed in Native American medicine-man regalia, including a helmet of buffalo horns. He declared himself a “shaman” (a biblical term meaning “witchdoctor”) as he egged on the violent demonstrators. Perhaps it was all political theater to Chansley, or maybe not. Only he knows. But to call one’s self a “shaman” is, by definition, declaring to be someone who seeks to influence demons and practice divination. If Chansley didn’t mean that, the symbolism is still unsettling.
The violence has been properly condemned. But what about the spiritual consequences? Chansley invaded the House of Representatives and defiantly stood on the dais, where the Vice President and Speaker preside. Second Peter chapter two commands obedience to the “ordinance of man,” civil law established to maintain social order. Such lawfully derived powers are for the “punishment of evildoers” (1 Peter 2:14). Romans 13: 3 adds, “For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same.” The capital hill mob didn’t do that. And that’s why the riot was satanic.
