The classical Greek meaning of the term “demons” denoting “the good spirit of thedeparted men of the golden age” as in Hesiod, philosophy is at variance withthe constant cum uniform New Testament of the word. In the words of MerillFunger, “The word “demon” like other distinctive biblical words in Greek, wasdivinely molded through the pre-Christian centuries for its unique NewTestament usage. To use its originally pagan concepts as the basis of a theoryis totally unwarranted”.
Thegreat Jewish historian Josephus was of the view that demons “are the spirit ofthe wicked that enter into men that are alive”. Demons are not the spirits ofthe deceased men this theory is apparently a reflection of the Greek philosophyand not in profound tandem with biblical theology.
Onthe other hand, demons are not the unnatural offspring of angels andante-diluvian women. The reasons are obvious base on two premises. Premise oneis that “the sons of God” of Genesis 6:2 are fallen angels who had intercoursewith mortal women, producing a mongrel race, partly human and partly angelic,called Nephilim in Hebrew (fallen one) rendered “giants”.
Theabove refers “not so much on human size and strength, but to the Greek gegeness(earth born) and is used for the mythical titans, who were partly of celestialand partly of terrestrial origin. That these “sons of God” were angels and not“godly Sethites”, as some scholars maintain, is supported by the uniform use ofthe term in the Old Testament, where it appears restricted to angelic beings(Job 1:6, 2:1, 38:7)”.
Thefirst premise of the above theory seems established; the second is meresupposition in the face of the silence of the revelation. It is merespeculation to imagine that the monstrous offspring of fallen angels andcorrupt pre-flood women became disembodied spirits or demons after their bodieswere destroyed in the deluge. “That the fallen angels who thus sinned wereconsigned to Tartarus is revealed in the new Testament (2peter 2:4-9, Jude1:6,7), but the fate of their mongrel offspring is not told in scripture.
Tosay demon possession is merely a superstitious explanation of certain diseasesis to say the least an abomination in the entire spectrum of my spiritualvoyage. Such illusory concept does not and cannot be true. There are demons andthey are unconfined fallen angels. In view of the Bible’s silence regarding theorigin of demons, the best supported deduction from biblical hints, is thatdemons are fallen angels.
WhenLucifer rebelled and introduced sin into a previously sinless universe, he drewwith him a great number of lower celestial beings (Matt 25:41, Rev. 12 :4).These demons according to the word of God are free to roam the heavens undertheir leader prince, who became Satan, also called Beelzebub prince ofdemons”(matt 12:24) “Satan and his angels” (matt 25:41) and “the dragon……….andhis angels”(Rev 12:7).
Forthose philosophers and skeptics who are of the view that the doctrines andbelieve in demons is merely the creation of superstition and imagination andthat the whole idea of demonism belongs to the world of fairy tale andfolklore, and not to the sphere of Christian theology, I wish to remind youonce again that you are already carried into “Babylon” the abode ofdestruction. I have always emphasized that the idea that Satan does not existis a serious form of demonic manipulation designed to awaken the coarse cumcarnal consciousness of the finite mortal which the resultant effect isdamnation.
VerilyI say to anyone with this kind of demented mentality of Satanism that you havestrayed into bondage. The basis of this exposition is to reawaken the divineconsciousness of Christ in you. This is an age of phenomenal progress in man’sconquest of the universe. Awestruck observers are flocking to the alterserected by science to revere human development and achievements in the realm ofscience.
Meanwhile,the divine alters (of God) are forsaken as naturalism in theology threatens toeliminate the supernatural from everyday thought and life. The situation isapparently ironical to Christians who see God permitting man to achieve featsbordering on the miraculous. Why should any become skeptical apathetic towardreligious supernaturalism at a time when science is demonstrating how “close”the natural and the supernatural can be?
The word of God is very clear andattests to the reality of evil supernaturalism through the carrier of bothSatan and his myriads of helpers called demons or evil spirits as is evident inLuke 10:17, 20. Satan is presented as Lucifer, the first and the most creatureof God, who subsequently sinned (Isa. 14:12, Exodus 28:11). In his rebellion,Lucifer drew a multitude of angels with him and became “Satan” a Hebrew wordmeaning “oppose” or adversary”.
The arch deceiver Satan reigns overan organized kingdom of darkness, yes, organized in deep opposition to thekingdom of God. This opposition crystallizes in connection with man and God’spurpose for him upon the earth. The angels who followed Satan’s minions becomeworkers of iniquity. The scripture not only presents a full orbed picture ofSatan’s past, present and future, it further reveals the role of demons as Satanpowerful helpers in his opposition to God and man.
On the other hand, the position ofthe Bible is very clear on the position of Lucifer and his empire offorces-demons. Lucifer the first of angel was created to have dominion over theearth (Job 38:1-7, Ezekiel 28:11-19). Satan was exalted and sinless before herebelled and brought judgment and chaos upon the earth. The Old Testament iscompletely replete with demonological phenomena because since the fall of manin the great Garden of Eden God’s saints have been the object of Satanicattack.
Inthe New Testament, there is an overwhelming evidence of the existence ofdemons. The ministry of Christ Jesus exposed them in a higher way that heexpelled them with divine authority. I will continue to infer that the conceptthat demons do not exist is a product of demonism infused by the arch-deceiver,Satan, in order to hoodwink the earthman. As one of his chief and primepurposes is to make evil appear as good in order to enable him advance hisignoble cum nefarious manipulations on people of God, nevertheless, man must besaved.
The crimes, atrocities andimmoralities of ancient and modern society points to the fact that there areevil spirits that take possession of men’s minds and bodies and thus drive themto wickedness or depravity (Romans 1:24-32).
Some men believe in Satan and demonssimply by experience; yes, because of constant attacks of the enemy, my closefriend who studied philosophy with me who at the same time never shared in thebelieve of Satanic forces woke up to the Christian believe and spiritualresponsibility of Satanic belief consequent upon spiritual attack he received.Don’t allow yourself to learn from such bitter experience.