The Holy & Unholy Spirits

2. The Unholy Spirits

I. The Dragon, Serpent, Devil, & Satan (Revelation 12:9)

     The concept of an evil spirit working against human welfare is a very old idea.  While Genesis 1:31 says that God looked at everything He had made and pronounced it all “very good,” by Genesis 2:18 God had identified the first thing in creation that was “not good” and by Genesis 3:1 we find a “serpent” described as “subtle/crafty” (arum - no boundaries, capable of anything)!  It would seem that rebellion had begun sometime after God pronounced the finished creation “very good” and Genesis 3:1.  The Garden paradise was about to become the site of what would be the opening skirmish in a long war that rages still to this day - spiritual conflict in the cosmos.

Who or what is the Serpent of Genesis 3:1?

     The “Tempter” first encountered in the Garden was called “the serpent” (nahas) and beyond his “craftiness” (arum - cunning, shrewd), the emphasis is on his seductive argumentation in tempting Eve.  The term used in Isaiah 14:12 “star” comes from the Hebrew term lleyhe (helel - “Shining One”), that was later rendered “Lucifer” in Latin.  Perhaps the first description of the origin of the spiritual rebellion comes in Ezekiel 28:11-19, where we find a lamentation for the King of Tyre, although things are said there that seem to go beyond the stated subject to one in the background who leads humanity, even kings, astray.  We are told of one who was “in Eden, the anointed "covering/guardian" cherub, on the Holy mountain but cast away, blameless until unrighteousness/pride was found in him.”  The Cherubim were a class of angels, some of which served God (Ezekiel 10:7) and they were represented in the artwork adorning the Ark of the covenant (Exodus 25:19) and in the Temple of Solomon (1Kings 6:25-27; 2Chronicles 3:11-12).  The “sons of God” in Job are probably angels and amongst them is one called “Satan” (adversary), who brings an accusation against Job (Job 1:6-12).  Likewise, when we find a climactic battled waged to remove Satan and his angelic followers from heaven, it is a battle fought between angelic armies.  At this point, John identified this character along with a number of his “aliases” - the dragon, serpent of old, the devil, and Satan (Revelation 12:9).  Thus, it appears that the “Serpent/Satan” is a high angel who rebelled against God, seduced the first humans into a similar rebellion, and has sought to ruin God’s “image creatures” ever since.  Rebellion is the risk one takes when bringing “free-will” creatures into existence (just ask any parent of teenagers).

Satan Rules over a Dominion

      Satan has his own “dominion” that operates in opposition to God’s kingdom - in Revelation (9:11) the abyss is ruled over by one whose name, in Greek and Hebrew, is “destruction/ destroyer.”  Paul was called to be engaged in bringing the Gentile world to defect from Satan’s dominion and join God’s dominion (Acts 26:18).  Evangelism is sometimes described as rescuing prisoners from Satan’s captivity - “snared/held captive” by the devil to do his will (2Timothy 2:26).  Paul said that unbelievers have been “mentally blinded” by the “god of this world” (2Corinthians 4:4).  To the Ephesians, Paul said that the “course of this world” is really being dictated by an “air prince” (breath/wind/spirit) that is working in disobedient human society and encouraging people to indulge their fleshly desires (Ephesians 2:2-3).  John said the whole world was under the influence of the evil one (1John 5:19) and Paul’s discussions of spiritual warfare indicate that it is fought, primarily, on the battlefield of the mind/ thoughts/ speculations/ worldviews/ philosophies (2Corinthians 10:3-5).  Our spiritual enemy is organized and working behind the scenes (Romans 8:38; Ephesians 6:12; Colossians 2:15; 2Peter 2:10; Jude 8).  Thus, we should expect the enemy to target the information-orientated institutions of human society - government, media, education - much as the Bolshevik movement took over Russia in 1917-1919 by quickly gaining control of the radio stations, newspapers, government, and universities - this way they controlled information by encouraging their agenda and stifling dissent/ criticism/ alternative viewpoints.

     A liar and Murderer - Jesus later said that the Devil has been a “liar and murderer” from the beginning (John 8:44), with the most important “murders” being those associated with his attempts to destroy the Messianic lineage before Jesus could appear (Exodus 1:16; 2Kings 11:1; Matthew 2:16).

     As the “father of lies,” Satan initiates false prophets and false teaching by which people are misled in their understanding and relationships - with God and with other humans.  Paul later said that Satan and his followers can appear to be “angels/messengers of light” (2Corinthians 11:12-15 - based on “shining one” in Isaiah 14:12?), human false teachers deceived by and spreading false ideas originating from Satan’s demonic helpers (1Timothy 4:1-3).  False prophets tend to be popular (Luke 6:26) because they tell people what they want to hear (2Timothy 4:3-4) and appeal to the “sensual” side of life (“health & wealth”? or discrediting Christianity as false”?) out of greed (2Peter 2:1-3).  Just as demonically influenced people were sometimes found in the Synagogue (Mark 1:21-26), so also Paul said that the “man of sin” (activated by Satan) would “take his seat” in the Holy Place where God should be (the Church?) and deceive (with pseudo-signs) those who do not love truth and cease following the Apostles instructions (2Thessalonians 2:3-12,15).  Satan’s activities are furthered by the work of his servants, the demons (we will study them separately).

     “Accuser of the Brethren” - In Genesis 3:1, Satan presented an accusation against God’s goodness to Eve.  However, the opposite is also a common tactic - bring accusations against people before God.  This is what he did with Job - before God he accused Job of “self-interest” spirituality (Job 1:6-12; 2:2-6).  He did the same thing with the Israelite High Priest Joshua (Zechariah 3:1).  Revelation 12:10 identifies the dragon/serpent/devil/Satan as “the accuser of our brethren.”  Satan is very much at work whenever unfounded accusations are being thrown out by somebody (especially against Christians) - this is what was behind the Salem witch-hunt (a couple of young girls, influenced by a Caribbean slave girl, were accusing adult women of witchcraft and some other fearful and superstitious adults were believing them without any sound evidence to support the accusations).  I saw this happen with a girl who latched onto a minister and his wife in Lincoln, NE - she created a disturbance at the Christian college I taught at and decimated the minister’s congregation in Lincoln as she brought accusations against all of the elders for various unfounded things until she drove them all off.  This is why Paul taught that unfounded/unconfirmed accusations against Christian leaders were not to be allowed, although those who are found to be guilty and continue to sin were to be rebuked (1Timothy 5:19-21).  It is probably in this role as “accuser” that Satan demanded permission to “sift” Peter (Luke 22:31-32), putting him “through the wringer” as he had done with Job.

Temptation

     Satan’s Activities - As we examine his activities, as described in the Bible, we are at once confronted with descriptions of how he assaults humanity.  The foremost concern for individuals is called “temptation,” for our adversary is called the “Tempter” (Matthew 4:3; 1Thessalonians 3:5).

     One of Satan’s must serious offenses is his work to seduce and delude God’s people to leave God’s kingdom and join his.  Just what is “temptation”?  The root Greek word for temptation implies a “test” of one’s loyalties and commitments - situations in which these are tested.  We are told in James 1:13-15 that God does not initiate these tests, but each human is “tempted” in the areas of their own particular desires and appetites.  That does not mean that temptation is a completely human phenomenon that occurs totally within human thinking processes, but that the area of our inclinations and desires is where “temptation” will arise.  The “Tempter” identifies and uses these desires in each one of us as “target” areas for the “fiery darts” he shoots at us (Ephesians 6:16) - probably planting thoughts/suggestions/memories of our interests/appetites/ desires within our mind from time to time.  Perhaps this is why we deal with sinful temptation (either refusing it or committing it and repenting) and then go along fine for a period of time not really thinking about and suddenly the old “hunger” appears on our radar again and we have to deal with it again (Luke 4:13).  Let’s examine some Biblical “case studies” in temptation. 

     Genesis 3:1-6/ we see the serpent approach the woman rather than the man - why?  Eve was not yet present when God gave Adam the instructions and 2^nd-hand information is always less convicting.  Working from James 1:14-15, we also have to suspicion that Eve had a lot more “curiosity” about the forbidden tree than Adam did.  He began with a question that portrays God as a fun-spoiler - God won’t let people do anything.  She disagreed, but it is obvious in her answer that the question did manage to reduce her perspective a bit - she cited God’s instruction, but left out “freely” (evidence of a reduced view of freedoms), then she forgot the issue with the forbidden tree (knowledge of good and evil) and forgot the allowed “Tree of life” altogether.  She added to God’s restrictions by asserting that “touching” the fruit was a divinely-forbidden sanction as well (thus, doubling God’s limitations) and punishment for rebellion became a “maybe.”  At this point, she was ready for the “knock-out” punch, so Satan contradicted God’s Word outright and declared that rebellion would not result in death, but in “opened eyes” and the achievement of Godhood/deity.  And claimed that God was devious in trying to keep this deity for himself.  At this point, external temptation was complete and the rest would take place in her own mind.  Now, with God removed from the discussion (His character demeaned and His boundaries nullified in her thinking) and her own opinion elevated to the highest place, Eve evaluated the forbidden by means of her own senses and rational mind alone.  What she had been curious about now appealed to her senses to the point that she just had to participate and experience it.  Having crossed the line, she then encouraged Adam (apparently standing there and taking this all in silently) to also cross God’s moral lines and, like a wimp, he followed.  Their “eyes were opened” as promised, but sinful experience did not reveal humanity becoming deity!  Instead, “eyes opened” by sin experienced causes people to see each other in a different way (with shame) and now they feel a need for a “cover-up.”  No longer seeing each other in the same way as before, sin and shame now cause them to not want to see or talk to God at all and they hide as He comes near, following which Adam started the “Blame game” (Genesis 3:7-13).

     Matthew 4:1-11 & Luke 4:1-13/ Satan hit Jesus with three “temptations” - things Jesus did have some desires and appetites for (bodily hunger, a kingdom, glory & popular acceptance).  However, Jesus was not here to miraculously please Himself, achieve dominance over humanity by Satanic means, or make a bold and risky move that forces God to rescue you from.  Jesus responded to every temptation with Scripture that maintained His larger perspective and did not get him to focus on fleshly desires.  Notice that the Tempter goes away when resisted, but will return later on at an “opportune” time (Luke 4:13) - and speak through close friends holding popular ideas (Matthew 16:21-23?).

II. The Demonic Realm

     In the Old Testament, we find reference to "goat demons" (Satir = Leviticus 17:7, a satyr, demon) and "demons" (shed, Deuteronomy 32:17; Psalm 106:37).  They are also referred to as "evil spirits" (Judges 9:23; 1Samuel 16:14-16,23; 18:10; 19:9) and "deceiving spirits" (1Kings 22:21-23; 2Chronicles 18:20-22).  In the New Testament, one word is regularly used for "demons" (daimonion, an evil spirit). 

     What are "demons" and where did they come from?  Scholarly opinion has long held the view that "demons" are fallen angels who rebelled with Satan (Revelation 12:3-4,7).  Some of the demons had supernatural knowledge of Jesus’ identity (Mark 1:23-24; 3:11), which might support the “fallen angel” view.  On the other hand, Victor Knowles has collected an impressive body of information from both ancient and fairly recent sources suggesting that "demons" are actually the spirits of the wicked dead.^[1]  This was the view of Plato, Josephus, and Alexander Campbell).  This may explain the demonic desire to be in a body (Matthew 8:29-32), which does not appear to be paralleled in the angels.  It might also explain why "demons" were on the loose in NT times, whereas the "angels who sinned" have been locked away since the flood (2Peter 2:4; Jude 6).  On the other hand, Luke 16 portrays the souls of the unrighteous as confined to their own area in the place of the dead, separated but visibly aware of the righteous on the other side of a gulf.

The Nature and Activity of Demons

     In the Old Testament, we read of sacrifices offered to demons (Deuteronomy 32:17) and even of Israel sacrificing their children to demons in Canaan (Psalm 106:36-37), which is probably the basis of Paul’s comment about the demonic background/basis of idolatry and other world religions (1Corinthians 10:20; 1Timothy 4:1-3; Revelation 9:20).  In the areas of religion/philosophy/ worldviews, Paul said this was the “battlefield” for the spiritual war that rages and, thus, we find that demons can initiate false teachings through corrupt men (1Timothy 4:1-3), as well as employ pseudo-signs/wonders to deceive (Revelation 16:14).

     We find much fuller treatment of demonic activity in the New Testament writings.  In the personal realm, demons can possess a person's body (Matthew 8:16,28; Mark 16:9; Luke 4:33-34; 8:30), throw their victims to the ground (Luke 4:35; 9:42), make people run into the wilderness (Luke 8:29), and give their victims physical "power" (Mark 5:3-4).  Demonic influence can also be manifested in human violence (Matthew 8:28), nudity (Luke 8:27), inability to live in regular human society (Luke 8:27,29), self-mutilation (Mark 5:5), and some physical ailments (Matthew 9:32; 12:22; 15:22).

     The demons advocate a form of "wisdom" that is marked by jealousy, selfish ambition, lies, and arrogance (James 3:14-16).  When it comes to their understanding of themselves and the realities of the universe, they recognize the authority of God/Jesus (Mark 1:34; 3:15; Luke 4:41; Acts 19:15; James 2:19) and they know their final fate is God's wrath and punishment (Matthew 8:29; 25:41).  “Possessing spirits” recognized Jesus and Paul as having authority and power (Mark 1:23-27; 3:11; Luke 4:41; Acts 16:16-17; 19:11-16).

     One thing that should not escape our notice is that demonic activity and demonically-influenced/possessed people were sometimes present inside synagogues (Mark 1:39; Luke 4:33-35), thus we probably should NOT assume that there is no demonic activity within church buildings and “Christian” religious institutions.  Jesus’ comments indicate that demonic activity was well-established within Judaism of His time (Matthew 12:43-45) - those opposing Him He referred to as children/offspring of Satan (Genesis 3:15; John 8:44-45) and Jewish communities opposing the Gospel and Jesus’ Church were “synagogues of Satan” ((Revelation 2:9; 3:9).

     I have had only two encounters with people that I believe were directly influenced by demons and one of them was a “church-infiltrator - closely-linked to a minister (who thought he was helping/counseling her) and his family.  However, over several years, this girl’s influence and accusations against all of the elders decimated that congregation, which at one time was thriving and growing.  They brought her to the Christian College campus (where I was teaching) for a day and she created turmoil in the dorm, with accusations of which students and faculty were “covered with angels/demons.”

     Manifestations of Demonic Activity - Some physical problems were demonically caused - they can restrict human speech (Matthew 9:32-33) and sight (Matthew 12:22); wildness (Mark 5:15); strength, fierce wildness, causing convulsions and self-destruction (rolling in fire) (Luke 4:35), strength and driving people into the desert (Luke 8:27-29); screams and convulsions (Luke 9:38-42).

     Servants/Agents - Several passages tell us that demons are “agents of Satan” (Matthew 12:24-26; Luke 10:17-18; 11:15-22).  Paul noted that his bodily ailments (Galatians 4:13-14) were the result of a “messenger from Satan” sent for his spiritual good (2Corinthians 12:7) that God refused to remove - ultimately sent by God?  We have examples in the Old Testament of “evil spirits” that were sent by God to torment Saul (1Samuel 16:14-15; 19:9) and to deceive King Ahab (1Kings 22:19-22).  Could this parallel Paul’s statement about the “man of sin” empowered by Satanic activity who is associated with God sending a “strong delusion” for those who refuse to believe the truth (2Thessalonians 2:7-12) - is the “man of sin” an agent of Satan who is, ultimately, acting as God’s agent to sort out those who love truth from those who do not????  (Not advocating this idea, just wondering)

     “Familiar spirits” - KJV refers to these (Leviticus 19:31; 20:6,27; Deuteronomy 18:11; 1Samuel 28:3,7-9; 2Kings 21:6; 23:24; 1Chronicles 10:13; 2Chronicles 33:6; Isaiah 8:19; 19:3; 29:4).  These were, apparently, spirits that worked with mediums and witches to aid them in communicating with the dead - the spirit is “familiar” to the medium/necromancer and thus the same known and named (?) spirit was associated with the occult mediums over a period of time (1990’s New Age “channeling” with several named spirits is probably a modern example of this).  From Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary,

Sorcerers or necormancers, who professed to call up the dead to answer questions, were said to have a "familiar spirit" (Deut. 18:11; 2 Kings 21:6; 2 Chr. 33:6; Lev. 19:31; 20:6; Isa. 8:19; 29:4). Such a person was called by the Hebrews an _'ob_, which properly means a leathern bottle; for sorcerers were regarded as vessels containing the inspiring demon. This Hebrew word was equivalent to the pytho of the Greeks, and was used to denote both the person and the spirit which possessed him (Lev. 20:27; 1 Sam. 28:8; comp. Acts 16:16). The word "familiar" is from the Latin familiaris, meaning a "household servant," and was intended to express the idea that sorcerers had spirits as their servants ready to obey their commands.

Resisting the Evil One and His agents

     We are told that the Holy Spirit within the Christian is greater than the evil spirit at work in the world (1John 4:4).  Those who are “born of God” (Christians) are kept by God so that the evil one does not “touch” them (1John 5:18).  Paul told the Corinthians that there were no “unique” temptations (I’m NOT the only one to ever struggle with this or that) and that God limits temptations to an “endurable” level with an escape route (1Corinthians 10:11-13).  Perhaps the issue is how committed we are to resisting temptation and sin - do we really apply our wills to “enduring” and taking the escape route provided?

     It is not as simple as “letting God do it all,” for we are told that we need to “resist him, firm in your faith” (1Peter 5:9) as we encounter problems that he throws in our way.  We must be able to identify and refuse to participate in “deeds of darkness” and not even speak about them (Ephesians 5:11-12).  We must understand God’s Word/Will and Satan’s schemes (2Corinthians 2:11; Ephesians 6:11).  Be prepared to identify and reject the elements present in the Biblical cases of temptation (Genesis 3:1-6; Luke 4:1-13) when they are presented to us: (1) leading questions that challenge God’s goodness and boundaries, (2) outright contradiction of God’s Word, (3) arguments that ascribe bad motives to God and portray rebellion against God as a good thing with benefits, (4) encouragement to focus on our own needs rather than our divinely-given mission, (5) offers of power and prestige on Satan’s terms, and (6) enticements to take risky action for God in the expectation that He will rescue us.  We should reject “wisdom” that is associated with (and results in?) jealousy, selfish ambition, arrogance, and falsehood, for such is “earthly, natural, demonic” (James 3:14-16).

     In Ephesians 6:10-19, Paul compared the Christian’s spiritual armor with the armor worn by a Roman soldier guarding him - our strength and armor is from God, but it must be “put on.”  We must know our enemy - spiritual powers scheming behind the visible scenery.  Our protection against “flaming missiles” launched at us is truth, righteousness, foundation and movement tied to the Gospel, faith that adapts and moves to meet what comes in, salvation, and a defensive/offensive sword of the Spirit, God’s Word.  Pray and be alert.

     Years ago, a Christian song for kids said “if the devil doesn’t like it he can sit on a tack.”  While we should abhor our spiritual enemy and cling to God, the New Testament teaches that we should not insult/revile wicked “angelic majesties” (2Peter 2:10-11; Jude 8-9).  It is God’s job to “deal with Satan” and our job to separate ourselves from his dominion, sin and wickedness in mind and deed, and focus on maintaining our relationship with God as we encourage others to enter God’s kingdom.

Charles E. McCoy

1/22/2007

For the Severn Christian Church “Peak of the Week” program