"Ruler" is a symbol of the spiritually-imaginative "Israel," the sin-fighting people, the people who do God's Will and His Commandments and so rule over unrighteousness, conquering unrighteousness by proclaiming the Truth of God's Word.  
Negative Meaning. 
"Ruler" is an image of the insidious insidious political, cruel economic, and deceitful religious ruling systems of the world.