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Particulars of Christianity:
311 Spiritual Warfare


Spiritual Warfare Part 3c
Biblical/Historic View of Angels & Demons

Spiritual Warfare Part 1a: A Study of Demonic Activity
Spiritual Warfare Part 1b: A Study of Demonic Activity
Spiritual Warfare Part 2a: The Spiritual Warfare of the Believer
Spiritual Warfare Part 2b: The Spiritual Warfare of the Believer
Spiritual Warfare Part 2c: The Spiritual Warfare of the Believer
Spiritual Warfare Part 2d: The Spiritual Warfare of the Believer
Spiritual Warfare P. 3a: Biblical/Historic View of Angels & Demons
Spiritual Warfare P. 3b: Biblical/Historic View of Angels & Demons
Spiritual Warfare P. 3c: Biblical/Historic View of Angels & Demons
Spiritual Warfare Study Conclusions
Spiritual Warfare Additional Quotes and Definitions



Synonymous Usage

The first observation that we must make is that the Greek words daimonion, daimon, and daimonizomai are related and used in the New Testament to refer to the same thing - demons. This can be demonstrated by Matthew 8:31, Mark 5:12, and Luke 8:27, which all record the same events using the these three Greek words throughout the passage to refer to the demons, which possessed the man and identified themselves as Legion. In these passages, Matthew refers to the demons using the Greek word daimon (1142) and daimonizomai (1139) to speak of the man being possessed by the demons. Likewise, Mark also uses daimon (1142) and daimonizomai (1139). And Luke uses daimon (1142), daimonion (1140), and daimonizomai (1139) to all refer to the same thing.

Of these three Greek words, daimonion, 1140, is the most commonly used New Testament word for demons. It occurs 60 times in the New Testament, 52 of which are in the gospels and refer to cases of demon possession. The word daimon, occurs only 5 times, 3 of which are in the gospels and refer to cases of demon possession. And daimonizomai occurs 13 times all of which are in the gospels and refer to demon possession. This distribution of these terms will become important again momentarily.

Second, these Greek words for demons are used interchangeably with the term unclean spirit or evil spirit (just as Enoch and the early church writers did). This overlapping usage occurs in Matthew 7:26-30, Matthew 8:16 (1139), Matthew 10:8, Luke 4:33-41, Luke 8:2, Luke 8:29 (1142), Luke 9:42, 1 Timothy 4:1, Revelation 8:29, Revelation 16:13-14, Revelation 18:2 (1142).

Third, the Greek words for satanas (for satan) and diabolos (for devil) are used interchangeably in the New Testament. This is evident from Jesus' temptation, recorded in Matthew 4:1-11, Mark 1:13, and Luke 4:2-13. Similarly the parable of the sower, recorded in Mark 4:15 and Luke 8:12 also uses satanas and diabolos to refer to the same thing. And also, Revelation 19:9, 20:2, 7, and 9 all refer to the dragon as both satanas (satan) and diabolos (the devil).

Fourth, we know that satan (the devil) is an angel. Job 1:6, 2:1, and Ezekiel 28:14 all confirm this along with Matthew 25:41, 2 Corinthians 11:14, and Revelation 12:9 in the New Testament.

Job 1:6 Now there was a day when the sons [01121] of God [0430] came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan [07854] came also among them.

Job 2:1 Again there was a day when the sons [01121] of God [0430] came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan [07854] came also among [08432] them to present himself before the LORD [03068].

Ezekiel 28:13 Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created. 14 Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. 15 Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee. 16 By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. 17 Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee. 18 Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffick; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee. 19 All they that know thee among the people shall be astonished at thee: thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt thou be any more.

Matthew 25:41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil (1228) and his angels (32):

2 Corinthians 11:14 And no marvel; for Satan (4567) himself is transformed (32) into an angel of light.

Revelation 12:9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil (1228), and Satan (4567), which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels (32) were cast out with him.

(For more on the Devil being an angel please read our articles entitle "Angels in the End Times," in our Eschatology: Prophetic Symbols section in our In Depth Studies.)

And fifth, we know from Matthew 12:24-27, Mark 3:22, and Luke 11:15-19 that demons are a part of the devil's kingdom and under his authority.


Distinction of Terms

The Bible distinguishes between holy and fallen angels. When it refers to fallen angels the Bible always uses the same Greek term as it does for good angels. When scripture refers to fallen angels it still uses the Greek word for angel, aggelos, but informs us through the context or with an adjective that the angel is evil. The following passages all indicate this trend:

Matthew 13:41, 16:27, 22:30, 24:36, 25:31, 25:41 (evil), Mark 8:38, 13:27, Luke 9:26, 12:8, 15:10, John 1:51, Acts 10:3, 2 Thessalonians 1:7, 1 Timothy 5:21*, 2 Peter 2:4 (evil), Jude 1:6 (evil), Revelation 3:5, Revelation 9:11, 14, 12:7, 9.

(NOTE: Where the passage is followed by a parentheses and the word evil, this denotes where the Bible refers to evil angels. Passages without this parenthetical reference are where the Bible speaks of holy angels.)

The Bible DOES NOT use the term angel (aggelos, 32) and demon (daimonion, 1140, daimon, 1142, or unclean spirit) interchangeably when referring to fallen angels. Likewise, even though demons are stated to be a part of the kingdom of the devil (Matthew 12:24-27, Mark 3:22, Luke 11:15-19) the terms devil (diabolos, 1228) or satan (satanas, 4567) are NOT used interchangeably with the Greek terms for demon. Therefore, we see from our survey that the Bible uses these Greek terms for angels and demons distinctly and DOES NOT use the Greek words for demon to refer to fallen angels. The Biblical usage of these terms is consistent with and confirms what we found in the historic, orthodox writings of the Book of Enoch and the early church writers.

From this we must draw two conclusions. First, the word demon IS NOT another term for a fallen angel. And second, demons ARE NOT angels, but as our non-canonical sources indicate in conjunction with Genesis 6:1-4, Jude 1:4-8, and 2 Peter 2:4, demons are the spirits of the Nephilim, who were the children of angels and women.

As we said at the beginning of this study the Grammatical Historical Method of Bible interpretation demands that we understand the scripture in a manner consistent with the understanding that the original audience had. After becoming acquainted with this historic, orthodox view of angels and demons we have now confirmed from the Bible itself that this understanding is scripturally valid. Therefore, the suggestion that demons are fallen angels is inconsistent with the historic, orthodox Christian view and must be discarded for this reason as well as the fact that the Bible provides no evidence to support the modern view of the matter.

At this point we have concluded our study on angels and demons. We have addressed our third and final question that we set out to answer.

3. What is the correct Biblical understanding of angels and demons? How do they relate? What distinguishes them from one another?

As we intended we have disproved the following modern church view on angels and demons.

5. Demons are another name or term to describe fallen, wicked, or evil angels.

And as we said we have demonstrated the following regarding angels and demons:

5. Demons are NOT another term for fallen angels, but are a distinct type of spiritual being, the spirits of the Nephilim - the offspring of angels who sinned by having children with women.

So, we have the following six conclusions that we have made about angels and demons:

1. Before the flood some angels came down from heaven and sinned by having children with women.
2. These children were called the Nephilim.
3. After the Nephilim died their spirits remained on earth and they were known as demons or evil or unclean spirits.
4. These demons ARE NOT angels, but were the children of angels and women.
5. The Bible as well as ancient Judeo-Christian orthodoxy viewed angels and demons as distinctly different types of spiritual beings.
6. The Bible does NOT use the term demon to refer to fallen angels, therefore it is incorrect to hold that demons ARE fallen angels.