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Demonology

(From Gods Answers To Mans Questions by Dr. Alban Douglas, downloadable for free)


Angels And Satan

Lesson 41 — Demonology


INTRODUCTION


Notes taken from, "Essentials of Demonology" by Langton; "Biblical Demonology" by Unger; and "Angels and Demons" by Needham.


Belief in the existence of evil spirits has prevailed among all the known peoples of the world from the earliest times of which we have knowledge.


Among primitive and savage people these spirits are thought to be the departed ghosts which have come back to annoy the living.


Those professing to see demons have seen them in human forms, as well as animal and hybrid forms of various sorts; ordinarily demons are invisible spirits.


Jesus accepted without demur belief in the existence of demons and the Gospel of Mark tells many stories of Jesus casting out demons.


Some question whether demons and spirits exist today; I strongly believe they exist.


I.THE ORIGIN OF DEMONS


The Bible is rather hazy in answering this question, and several answers are presented for our consideration; the first of the following theories is generally accepted now.


1. When Satan sinned against God in Isa 14:12-20; Ezek 28:11-19; some say that he did not sin alone but was the leader of a group of angels. When Satan fell he and his angels were cast out, and these fallen angels have become demons.


In Matt 12:26, Satan is presented as a king over a kingdom of lesser devils.


2. Some see in Gen 6:1-6, angels coming to earth and co-habiting with women. The offspring were giants and some say that these became demons after death.


Others explain this passage as the intermarriage of the godly line of Seth and the ungodly line of Cain. If this were so, what would cause the children to be giants, superhuman beings? Gen. 6:4.


The same expression, "sons of God" occurs in Job 1:6 where the "sons of God" came to present themselves before the Lord. The sons of Seth certainly did not have access to the heavenlies, inferring thereby that these were angelic beings.


3. A third explanation is that demons are the spirits of a pre-Adamite race that perished between the first two verses of Genesis 1; and is described in Jer :23-26 where it says, ". . . there was no man. . .", inferring that there had been men there at one time.


II. THE EXISTENCE OF DEMONS TODAY


Scriptural testimony is clear that there were an abundance of demons at the time the Saviour was here on earth.


Man today in a boasted age of science and enlightenment dismisses the Biblical claim as a mere remnant of medieval superstition or an amusing joke.


New Testament writers firmly believed in demons and John in Rev 9:20 speaks of a time yet future (the time of the Great Tribulation) when men will continue to worship devils; many pagan peoples today are ardent spirit worshippers.


As a modern witness as to the existence of devils several of us living in Manila can testify to the unenviable privilege of seeing demon possessed people and hearing the demons speak through the lips of these people.


III. THE NATURE OF DEMONS


Demons are spirit beings; in Matt 8:16 Jesus cast out the spirits.


In Mark 1:23, the demon is called an "unclean spirit"; demons and evil spirits are one and the same thing.


Paul says that we wrestle not against "flesh and blood", Eph 6:12, but against the nonmaterial, the incorporeal, the unseen powers of the air.


Demons, though spirits have personalities and are represented as intelligent beings. Mark 5:10; Luke 4:34; Gen 3:1; II Cor. 11:14.


Because of their supernatural knowledge men have attempted to get advance information from them about coming events; people consult evil spirits in fortune telling.


They are represented as being morally unclean: Matt 10:1; Mark 1:27; Rom 6:13; Luke 8:27.


They seem to have superhuman strength requiring several people to hold the demonized person.


They cause dumbness, blindness, insanity, suicidal mania, etc.


IV. THE ACTIVITY OF DEMONS


1. They oppose God and seek to defeat His will. Satan is the accuser of the brethren. Satan is limited to one place at a time, his servants the demons are the active force that gathers the information for Satan. Rev 12:10; Rev. 2:13.


2. They oppress man and seek to hinder his welfare: Job 1:12; Luke 13:16, the woman was oppressed by Satan for 18 years (that is Satan or his servant the demon).


Satan is not omnipresent, omnipotent nor omniscient, so the greater part of his colossal activity must be relegated to demons.


Demons distress mankind by deranging both body and mind, Mark 1:23-27; Mark 5:1-20.


3. Demons nevertheless accomplish God's purposes.


God used a lying spirit to punish wicked King Ahab, I Kings 22:23. Rev 16:13-16, demons will lure the God-resisting armies to Armageddon.


V. THE ORGANIZATION OF DEMONS


Satan is ubiquitous for he seems to be present everywhere at the same time, but actually he is limited to one geographical location at a time.


Satan's seat was Pergamos in Rev. 2:13, but he has likely moved it several times since that day is probably either in Hollywood or Moscow.


Satan operates a well organized multitude of demons: Dan 7:19-20, Rev 12:4, 7.


Satan's kingdom is not merely an uncoordinated mob, Matt 12:26, but it is revealed as a highly systematized empire of evil, elaborately organized.


Satan rules over fallen man with his government of pride, ambition, selfishness, force, greed, and pleasure. John 14:30; John 18:36; Eph 2:2; Eph. 6:12; I John 2:15-17.


Satan similarly holds sway over the fallen spirits as an organized kingdom of evil.


Some of the fallen angels are even now reserved in chains under darkness, Jude 6.


VI. THE DOOM OF DEMONS


The doom of all demons, like that of Satan, was sealed by Christ on Cal- vary.


The abyss is the intermediate place of punishment of demons, Rev 9:11.


The demons know that their doom is coming. Matt 8:29, "What have we to do with Thee, Jesus, Thou Son of God? art Thou come hither to torment us before the time?"


The eternal doom of demons will be with Satan in eternal fire. Matt. 25:41, ". . . everlasting fire, prepared far the devil and his angels."


VII. FORMS OF DEMON PRACTICE


1. Divination--the ability with the aid of familiar spirits to foresee or to foretell the future. Lev 20:27, the one with a familiar spirit was to be put to death.


2. Necramancy--this is contacting a dead body as Saul did in contacting Samuel, I Sam 28:8.

This is a heinous sin in God's sight: II Chr. 33:6; Lev. 20:6.


3. Prognosticatian-this is illustrated in Ezek 21:21, and includes divination, idols and the inspection of the entrails of fowls and animals.


4. Magic-this was a great science in Egypt, Gen 41:8, entailing a mixture of science (astronomy, astrology) and familiar spirits. This is practiced today in hypnotism, mind cures and fortune telling; do not seek healing in a mysterious way.


5. Sorcery-this involved strange formulas involving astronomy, chemistry and familiar spirits, Isa 47:9-13; it is referred to in Acts 19:18-19, where all were burnt.


6. Witchcraft is a conscious complicity with evil spirits. This is condemned in Gal. 5 :20. It is

essentially devil worship and counted as rebellion, I Sam 15:23.


For more details on this subject consult the book, "Between Christ and Satan", by Kurt Koch, who is a specialist an these matters.


CONCLUSION


Four tests will assist in the recognition of deman possession or demon influence.


1. Those connected with evil spirits always work in darkness.


2. The spirits deny the personality of Satan as an evil being.


3. They hate the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and the expression, "The Blood of Christ."


4. They deny that Jesus Christ has came in the flesh, I John 4:3.


Some suggestions to help in casting out demons:


1. Resist Satan in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ; it is best to use the Saviaur's full title.


2. Pray in faith believing and get as many others as possible to pray with you; never work alone except under an extreme emergency.


3. Fast if the demon is stubborn. Mark 9:29, ". . . come forth. . . by prayer and fasting."


4. Speak and sing much about the Blood of Christ. Rev 12:11, ?. . . overcame. . . by the Blood of the Lamb."


5. Quote or read Scripture showing that Christ triumphed over all powers of evil.


REVIEW QUESTIONS


401. What is the common thought of pagan people regarding spirits ?

402. Give 3 possible explanations as to the origin of demons.

403. Has education and science eradicated spirits and demons? Why?

404. Tell 6 things about demons and evil spirits.

405. Describe the activity of demons.

406. Elaborate on Satan's organization through demonic powers.

407. What is the final destiny of evil spirits?

408. List 6 forms of demonic practices.

409. Give 4 tests to assist in recognizing demon possession or influence.

410. Give five suggestions about casting out demons.

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