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NOTE: THIS IS A STUDY THAT I TOOK FROM THE MOODY HANDBOOK OF THEOLOGY. ALL I DID WAS TO REORGANIZE IT TO MAKE IT MORE OF AN OUTLINE FORM.
I Origin of Demons
INTRO: There are a number of theories about the origin of
demons. For the Christian each one must be tested by the insights of the Bible.
A Spirits of deceased evil people.
1 This was the view of
Philo, Josephus, some early Christian writers, and ancient Greeks. This theory is proved false by Scripture because evil people are in Hades after death (Luke 16:23).
B Spirits of a pre-Adamic race.
1 This theory is
based on the “gap theory” of an original creation of Genesis 1:1, rebellion and a fall of that originally created race between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2, and the resultant chaos.
2 Genesis 1:3
describes the recreation. The original creation of humanity that fell is now the spirits of demons.
a. The problem with this
view is that it depends on a creation of humanity prior to Genesis 1 and 2, and there is no biblical warrant for such a view.22-16
b. Furthermore, Romans
5:12 makes it clear that it was through Adam, not some pre-Adamic creature, that the conditions of sin and death began in the cosmos.
C Offspring of angels and women.
1 This
theory is based on the suggestion that the “sons of God” in Genesis 6:2 were angels who came to earth, had intercourse with the “daughters of men,” and produced a resultant offspring, the Nephilim
(Gen. 6:4), who were demons.
2 This theory has several problems.
a. The suggestion that
sons of God refers to angels can be challenged; this was not an unnatural sexual union for the phrase “took wives for themselves” refers to a marriage relationship, never to an act of illicit sexual
relationship.22-17
b. In addition,
there is no indication that Nephilim were demons; rather, they were probably “heroes” or “fierce warriors.”22-18
D Fallen but unconfined angels.
1 This view,
which is preferable, is held by Hodge, Strong, Morgan, Gaebelein, Unger, and others.
2 It
teaches that when Lucifer rebelled against God he fell from his place of prominence and led with him a host of lower-ranking angels. Lucifer, now called Satan, is the “ruler of demons” (Matt. 12:24).
Matthew 25:41 also refers to “the devil and his angels,” which would refer to demons; similarly, Revelation 12:7 mentions “the dragon and his angels.”
3 Scripture
indicates there are two groups of fallen angels.
a. One group is the
demons who are free and active in the world. Other fallen angels are bound in confinement. Some are mentioned as being confined to tartarus, (translated “hell” in 2 Pet. 2:4); they are
confined because of some enormous sin (some relate this to Genesis 6 in suggesting the “sons of God” were angels). Jude 6 may refer to the same confinement.
b. Another group of fallen
angels are kept confined in the pit (Luke 8:31; Rev. 9:2). They were “apparently too depraved and harmful to be allowed to roam upon the earth.”22-19 Revelation 9 indicates these demons will be released from confinement during the Tribulation to afflict people who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads (Rev. 9:3-11).
II Characteristics of Demons
A Demons are spirit beings.
1 They are beings
called spirits, that is, ones without fleshly bodies (Matt. 8:16; Luke 10:17, 20).
B Demons are localized but not omnipresent.
1 They can be in only one place at one time. The demons indwelt the two men of the Gadarenes, and when they were expelled they indwelt the swine. In each case they
were localized (Matt. 8:28-34; cf. Acts 16:16).
C Demons are intelligent but not omniscient.
1 Demons
were aware of the identity of Jesus (Mark 1:24);
2 they were
also aware of their ultimate destiny (Matt. 8:29).
3 Paul
refers to “doctrines of demons” (1 Tim. 4:1), indicating that they propagate their false teaching through their emissaries. They are not, however, omniscient or they would be like God; only God is
omniscient.
D Demons are powerful but not omnipotent.
1 Because of
the indwelling demons the man of the Gerasenes could break shackles and chains; no one was able to bind him because of his unusual strength (Mark 5:3-4).
2 The demon
in the boy sought to have the boy commit suicide by throwing him into fire and water (Mark 9:22).
3 Demon
possession impaired a man’s speech (Matt. 9:32) and kept a girl in cruel slavery (Matt. 15:22),
4 yet demons
are limited in their power; they cannot do the work of God (John 10:21).
III Activity of Demons
A Demons inflict disease.
1 Luke 13:11
testifies a woman had a crippling sickness “caused by a spirit”; Luke 13:16 further declares that “Satan has bound for eighteen long years” this woman in her suffering.
2 Sometimes
there is a correlation between mental illness, sickness, and demonic activity; however, it is not always possible to identify the distinction and anyone attempting such a diagnosis should be cautious.
3 Affliction
by Satan or demons can come only as God permits (Job 1:12; 2:6; cf. 2 Cor. 12:7-10).
B Demons influence the mind.
1 Satan
initially deceived Eve into sinning by perverting the truth and changing Eve’s thinking about God (Gen. 3:1-5).
2 Satan and
his demons continue to influence the thinking of people through blinding their minds (2 Cor. 4:4). This passage indicates Satan inhibits the ability to think or reason.22-20
a. Even though this
passage refers to unbelievers, Satan can also influence the thinking of believers (2 Cor. 11:3);
b. he can lead
believers away from “the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.”
c. Satan can thus
lead the believer away from a singleminded devotion to Christ. James 3:15 indicates earthly wisdom is demonic and leads to jealousy and strife.
3 The
solution to demonic influence of the mind is to bring the thought process into subjection to Christ (2 Cor. 10:5). A similar exhortation is given in Philippians 4:6-8. The mind will be guarded when the
believer entrusts every matter to God in prayer and meditates on the things that are true, honorable, right, and pure.
C Demons deceive people.
1 Paul was fearful of the fledgling Thessalonian church, that Satan may have enticed them to sin amid their suffering and persecution (1 Thess. 3:5). Although
the Thessalonians had received the gospel with joy, their hope could be sidetracked through the onslaught of Satan.
2 Through
his emissaries Satan also works in unbelievers;
a. Paul refers to
the prince of the power of the air “working in the sons of disobedience” (Eph. 2:2). The context indicates Satan deceives the unbelievers into living according to the lusts of the flesh and desires
of the flesh and mind.
b. Matthew 13:19 further
indicates Satan’s deception in that he snatches the Word away when unbelievers hear it, thwarting their understanding.
D Demons deceive nations
.
1 Demons will eventually gather the nations of the world together in rebellion against Christ.
2 Demons
deceive the nations through performing signs in order to incite them in warfare against the returning Messiah (Rev. 16:14).
IV Demon Possession
A Definition.
1 Charles Ryrie defines demon possession as a demon residing in a person, exerting direct control and influence over that person, with certain derangement of mind
and/or body.
2 Demon
possession is to be distinguished from demon influence or demon activity in relation to a person.
a. The work of the demon
in the latter is from the outside;
b. in demon possession it
is from within. By this definition a Christian cannot be possessed by a demon since he is indwelt by the Holy Spirit.
c. However, a believer
can be the target of demonic activity to such an extent that he may give the appearance of demon possession.22-21
B Fact of demon possession.
1 There was
a great outbreak of demon activity and demon possession during Christ’s sojourn on earth, no doubt in opposition to His Messiahship.
2 The
gospels abound with accounts of demon possessed people (Matt. 4:24; 8:16, 28, 33; 12:22; 15:22; Mark 1:32; 5:15, 16, 18; Luke 8:36; John 10:21).
3 Leaders in
the early church such as Justin Martyr and Tertullian make reference to demon possession as does the ShepherdofHermas.
C Nature of demon possession.22-22
1 Demon possession evidences itself by a change in moral character and spiritual disposition. Frequently a different voice, a different educational level, or even a
foreign language will reflect a difference in the affected person’s personality.
2 The demons
speaking through the man immediately recognized who Christ was (Mark 1:23-24), which meant he had supernatural knowledge and intellectual power.
3 Another
symptom of demon possession was exhibited by the man in the country of the Gerasenes with his supernatural physical strength and ability to break shackles and chains (Mark 5:3-4).
V Judgment of Demons
A Through the cross the
power of demons has been conquered.
1 Christ
conquered Satan and his demons at the cross and made a public display of them—as a victor displaying the spoils of war (Col. 2:15).
B At the return of Christ
the demons will be cast into the lake of fire.
1 Demons
are associated with judgment against Satan (Matt. 25:41; Rev. 12:9), and therefore will be cast into the lake of fire with Satan (Rev. 19:19-21).
TAKEN FROM THE MOODY HANDBOOK OF THEOLOGY
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