Angels and Demons in Bible
In recent years there has been a widely-reported resurgence of occultism in the West. This has coincided with a strong movement, in other parts of the world, to return to traditional religious practices. Far more people are now aware of the reality of the spirit world than a generation or two ago. And when we look at the Bible, we find that God has created a universe of which non-material beings form a very real part.
Today people would acknowledge the influence of outside forces on human beings. We are not so autonomous as we once supposed. To an extent, we can be controlled, and sometimes we are. People’s experience, in many parts of the world today, goes along with Jesus‘ teaching to suggest that personal outside forces (angels, demons, spirits) can and do influence the behaviour of human beings.
The spirit world in the Bible
The Bible makes a clear distinction between God and the created universe. The creation of the heavens and the earth refers not only to the material side of the universe but to the spiritual side as well. The thrust of biblical teaching is that the spirit world (the unseen) belongs to the created order. Human beings, of course, are part of both the material and the spiritual creation. This means that, just as we have the capacity for relationship with God, the uncreated Spirit, so we are open to influence by other purely spiritual beings.
This is not to suggest that God created both good and evil spiritual beings. Demonic beings must have taken to evil after their creation. But a proper understanding of the spirit world in the Bible requires that angels and demons be classified as part of creation. Spirits are therefore part of the same realm of experience as human beings. This would explain why, for Jews, for the early Christians and for many peoples of the world today, the activities of spirits in everyday life seem normal and expected.
Angels
God accomplishes his purposes in this world by several means. One of them is through his special messengers, angels. They are spirits at the service of God. Angels proclaim God’s will and plan to human beings; they help those in difficulty. In spite of their special role, they are not to be worshipped or given any of the honour due to God alone. They are God’s servants for our good and our salvation.
Demons
The existence of demons is linked with that of Satan. Like Satan, demons were once numbered among the good angelic beings. But, as we learn in Jude 6, they ‘did not stay within the limits of their proper authority’. The presence of evil in God’s good creation will, of course, always be a scandal. Demons are Satan’s angels in the world; they accomplish his purpose of working against God’s purposes.
The belief in the activities of personal spiritual beings disturbs many in the world today. Some see the New Testament accounts of demon possession entirely as instances of mental illness. But many others (if not most) readily believe in the activities of spirits. Demon possession is quite understandable for them. The mistake this group sometimes makes is to ignore mental illness altogether.
To be ‘possessed’ by a spirit from ‘outside’ is quite different from nervous or mental disorder, and has different symptoms. It is important not to confuse them.
The New Testament presents us with various accounts of casting out demons in the ministry both of Jesus and of the apostles. They are not to be dismissed lightly. Demon possession is just as real as psychological disorder, and it troubles many today, as it did in New Testament times. As the apostle Paul wrote, ‘We are not fighting against human beings but against the wicked spiritual forces in the heavenly world, the rulers, authorities and cosmic powers of this dark age.’ These ‘cosmic powers’ do not only attack individual lives; they also infect the structures of nations and societies.
By his death and resurrection, Jesus conquered the power of death and Satan. By his name the apostles healed the sick and cast out demons, for there is no name above that of Jesus. Christians wage an important spiritual war, in which they are called to put into effect the victory Jesus Christ has already won. As they demonstrate his power over evil spirits, they will weaken Satan’s rule and strengthen God’s kingdom.
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