John tells us that they go out to “the kings of the whole world.” Their focus is not the common people, but is instead upstream in the chain of influence—the “kings.” In John’s day and civilization that was the Roman emperor and his advisors and governors. In our day and civilization, it is the president or prime minister or premier, together with their cabinets and officials. Again, by extension, their target includes cultural kings as media moguls and playwrights. Further, their activity is not limited to the kings of one civilization but extends to “the whole world” (i.e., anywhere, anytime). The term translated as “world” denotes those areas where people dwell, and so it highlights that their target is people (as opposed to animals). The reason for that, of course, is that God gave people dominion over his creation (Genesis 1:26–27).
14 For they are demonic spirits, performing signs, who go abroad to the kings of the whole world, to assemble them for battle on the great day of God the Almighty.