ANGELS
The Messengers of God
The
Bible is not primarily a book about angels or demons. It does mention them, to be sure, but even
when it does, it is usually to make a bigger point. This means that a study of angels and demons
will be a study of that which is on the periphery of a Biblical focus. There is nothing wrong with such a study, but
it should be recognized that a study of such a side issue is exactly that.
Angels
are seen from Genesis to Revelation.
They are mention over a hundred times in the Old Testament and some 165
times in the New Testament.
THE
ORIGIN OF THE ANGELS
1 Praise
the LORD!
Praise the LORD from the heavens;
Praise Him in the heights!
2 Praise
Him, all His angels;
Praise Him, all His hosts!
3 Praise
Him, sun and moon;
Praise Him, all stars of light!
4 Praise
Him, highest heavens,
And the waters that are above the heavens!
5 Let them
praise the name of the LORD,
For He commanded and they were
created. (Psalm 148:1-5).
From
the infinite solitude of eternity, God spoke and the universe sprang into
existence. In a single moment of time,
the heavens were woven together in a glorious tapestry as newborn stars blazed
forth their light, moving out to form spinning galaxies. No man was present at that moment. No human eye was there to gaze upon the
wonders of creation. No mortal was
present to appreciate the handiwork of the Creator.
There
were others who were there. There were
supernatural beings who witnessed the hand of the Architect of the universe at
work. These special servants of God
gazed upon the grand design of the cosmos and they sang forth the praises of
the God of creation.
4 Where
were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?
Tell Me, if you have
understanding,
5 Who set
its measurements, since you know?
Or who stretched the line on it?
6 On what
were its bases sunk?
Or who laid its cornerstone,
7 When the
morning stars sang together,
And all the sons of God shouted for joy? (Job 38:4-7).
These
special servants of the Lord who sang His praises at the creation are described
by Job as “the sons of God.” We know
them as angels. They are God’s created
beings, glorious and mysterious and supernatural creatures.
How
do we know that angels were created by God and that they did not come about in
some other manner? Because
the Scriptures are specific to tell us about creation.
For
by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and
invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities‑‑
all things have been created by Him and for Him. (Colossians 1:16).
Notice
that it is not merely things or the earth of things that are visible that have
been created by the Lord. This is a
universal statement of creation that deliberately takes in those invisible,
heavenly beings we know as angels.
THE
MINISTRY OF THE ANGELS
What
is an angel? Both the Hebrew as well as
the Greek word for angel have the same meaning. In both languages, the term refers to a
messenger. As such, it can refer to an
earthly messenger or it can refer to a heavenly messenger. It is the context that helps us to determine
which is in view.
(1) Our English word “angel” is a transliteration from the Greek
word aggeloV, the word for a messenger.
(2) The Hebrew word for “angel” is malach
and also means “messenger.”
We
see a number of instances throughout the Bible where supernatural creatures
bear God’s message to mortal men.
• Two
angels accompanied the Lord when He came and spoke to Abraham.
• Two
angels met Lot in the city of
• An
angel wrestled with Jacob in the night and blessed him and changed his name to
• An
angel spoke to Joshua and gave him instructions on how to take the city of
• An
angel spoke to Gideon and commissioned him to drive the enemies of
• An
angel shut the mouths of the lions when Daniel was cast into the den of lions.
• A
certain angel came to Mary and told her that she would give birth to the
Messiah.
• Angels
appeared to the shepherds and announced the birth of Christ.
One
of the most significant ministries of angels in the Old Testament was the
transmission of the Mosaic Law. This is
attested a number of times in the Scriptures.
This
is the one who was in the congregation in the wilderness together with the
angel who was speaking to him on Mount Sinai, and who was with our fathers; and
he received living oracles to pass on to you. (Acts 7:38).
...you
who received the law as ordained by angels, and yet did not keep it. (Acts 7:53).
Why
the Law then? It was added because of transgressions, having been ordained
through angels by the agency of a mediator... (Galatians 3:19a).
Angels
were somehow involved in the transmission of the law to Moses at
JEWISH
VIEWS ON ANGELS
The
Jews had a very high regard for angels.
They considered that if a message was given by an angel, it carried a
much greater weight than if it had been spoken by a mere man.
The
Jewish writings taught that angels served as mediators between God and
men. This was correct as far as it went,
but they also taught that angels were involved in God’s decision making
processes. They thought that God always
consulted His angels before making up His mind on what course of action He was
going to take. They pointed to Genesis
1:26 as a proof text for this belief.
Then God said, "Let US make
man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let
them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the
cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the
earth." (Genesis 1:26).
This
verse was interpreted by the Jewish rabbis to picture God talking to His
angels, asking their advice concerning the creation of man. The Jews also believe that the angels were
responsible for keeping the stars in place, for holding back the sea, for the
control of the weather and for the keeping of time. They also believed there to be angels who
served as prison wardens in hell and who tortured the people who were sent
there.
By
the New Testament times, there is evidence in the apocryphal writings that the
Jews had entertained all sorts of extra-biblical ideas regarding angels. Books such as Enoch and Tobit
and 4th Esdras speaks of specific angels such as Uriel, Raphael, Peniel, Metatron. The book of Enoch suggests that Enoch was
elevated to the status of an angel when he walked with God. It is possibly the result of such influences
that leads to Paul’s cryptic warning in Colossians 2:18 against the worship of
the angels.
JESUS
AND ANGELS
The
epistle to the Hebrews spends an entire chapter dealing with people who had
been raised to believe many of the rabbinical concepts of angels. As a result, they assumed that there could be
nothing that was greater than the angels.
There were some who had even gone to the extreme of worshiping angels
(Colossians 2:18). Eventually, a
teaching known as Gnosticism would arise that would teach Jesus was an angel.
The
message of the book of Hebrews is that Jesus is better. The covenant He brought is better than the
first covenant that was brought by angels.
His covenant is a better covenant because He is better than the angels.
1. Sons of God: Having
become as much better than the angels, as He has inherited a more excellent
name than they. 5 For to which of the angels
did He ever say, "Thou art My Son, Today I have begotten Thee"? And
again, "I will be a Father to Him And He shall be
a Son to Me"? (Hebrews 1:4-5).
Even though the term “sons of God” is used in the Old
Testament in a context that seems to refer to angels (Job 1:6; 2:1; 38:7), that
does not mean that angels are the sons of God in the same way that Jesus is the
Son of God. They are sons of God in the
sense that they have been created by God Jesus is THE Son of God in a totally
unique sense.
2. Angels
and Worship: And when He again brings
the first‑born into the world, He says, "And let all the angels of God
worship Him." (Hebrews 1:6).
The next reason Jesus is better than the angels is
because He is to be worshiped by the angels.
This passage is another quotation from the Old Testament. It is a prophecy found in the book of Psalms.
Let all those be ashamed who serve graven images,
Who boast themselves of idols; Worship Him, all you
gods. (Psalm 97:7).
This raises a question. The psalm that is cited by the author to the
Hebrews does not specifically mention angels.
It is only in the Greek Septuagint that the word translated “gods” (Elohim) is translated with the Greek aggeloi (angels). The
writer to the Hebrews is evidently citing the Septuagint and indicates this
verse as containing a prophecy of Jesus that was fulfilled when the angels
worshiped Him.
Do you recall the story of the angelic announcement at
the birth of Jesus? The scene was the
rolling hills outside the
And
an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord
shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. (Luke 2:9).
The reaction to this angelic visitor was the reaction
of which we normally read in the Bible when it describes people being
confronted with angels. It is the
reaction of fear. The shepherds were not
merely frightened. They were terribly
frightened. They were frightened with
great fright.
As a result, the angel says to the shepherd the same
thing that angels always say to people when they appear. They tell them not to be afraid.
And
the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good
news of a great joy which shall be for all the people; 11 for
today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ
the Lord. 12 "And this will be a sign for you: you will find
a baby wrapped in cloths, and lying in a manger." (Luke 2:10-12).
The angelic messenger had come with a very specific
message. It was to tell these shepherds
of the birth of Jesus. It was to given
them the sign so they would be able to identify Him.
As great a sight as this angel was to the shepherds,
his presence was to serve a still greater purpose. He had come to bear witness of One that was greater than himself. He was sent to announce the one who is Christ
the Lord. The fact that the lesser is
bearing witness to the greater is seen in what takes place in the next two
verses.
And
suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host
praising God, and saying, 14 "Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace
among men with whom He is pleased." (Luke 2:13-14).
The single angel gave way to a host of angels -- an
entire army of angels. These same angels
who sang for joy at the creation of the cosmos are now pictured praising the
Lord at the announcement of the birth of the One who created the cosmos.
3. The Role of Angels: And
of the angels He says, "Who makes His angels winds, And His ministers a
flame of fire." (Hebrews 1:7).
The angels are seen in contrast to Jesus as regards
their separate roles. The angels are
described as spirits and ministers. The
quotation is taken from the Psalms.
Psalm 104 is a song of praise. It
describes God as the One who controls all of creation.
He makes the winds His messengers,
Flaming fire His ministers. (Psalm 104:4).
This is a picture of the sovereign God. He controls the universe. The wind and the rain and the lightning all
do His bidding.
Notice that the Hebrews passage substitutes the word
“angel” for “messenger.” This is because
they are the same word in both the Greek and the Hebrew. In the context of the Psalms, the writer is
speaking of the physical world and of God’s control of the winds. But here in the epistle to the Hebrews, a
higher truth is in view. Here we see
that God is in control of the spiritual world as well as the physical world.
This brings us to another question. Why are angels identified as “winds?” The Greek word translated “winds” is pneumata, the plural of pneuma. It can be translated “wind.” The same Greek word can also be translated
“spirit.” It is the latter meaning that
is used by the writer to the Hebrews.
Angels are spirit beings. They are spirit oriented. They can see spiritual events in the same way
that we can see physical events. The spiritual
world is just as real and as experiential to them as the physical world is real
and experiential to us.
I believe in the spiritual world, but I cannot see the
spiritual world. I cannot see my prayers
ascending to heaven. I cannot see my
sins being forgiven. I cannot see the
spiritual conflict going on around me.
These things are intangible to me.
But I am not so certain that they are intangible to the angels. This is because angels are made differently
than we are. The
possess a different set of senses.
They have a different kind of body.
4. Ministering Spirits: But
to which of the angels has He ever said, "Sit at My right hand, Until I make Thine enemies A footstool for Thy feet "? 14 Are
they not all ministering spirits, sent out to render service for the sake of
those who will inherit salvation? (Hebrews 1:13-14).
The next point of contrast between Jesus Christ and
the angels is that God has made Jesus the sovereign ruler over all things: Sit at My right hand, until I make Thine
enemies a footstool for Thy feet (1:13).
This was never said to angels.
They were never invited to sit in the seat of honor at the right hand of
God. On the contrary, angels have the
role of servanthood.
They are ministering spirits.
They have a ministry. Their
ministry is one of rendering service.
They have been assigned the task of rendering service to those who will
inherit salvation.
Now let me ask you a question. Who are the heirs of salvation? We are!
When a person believes in Jesus Christ and trusts in Him as Savior and
Lord, he becomes an heir of God’s salvation.
Here is a fantastic truth. These supernatural beings have been assigned
the task of ministering to you. You are
not aware of all the dangers that face you through the day. But God is aware. And He has assigned His holy angels to
protect you. They keep harm from coming your way. They allow nothing to touch you that has not been approved by the Lord. And, when the day finally comes that you are
called home, they will act as your royal escort to heaven (Luke 16:22).
THE
ELECT ANGELS
There
are two basic categories of angels described in the Bible, just as there are
two basic kinds of people. There are
those who love the Lord and who seek to follow Him and there are those who do
not.
1. Designations of Angels.
There are several different designations that are used
to describe those angels who are aligned with the Lord and in His service.
|
Holy Angels |
Jesus described
the Son of Man coming in His glory with the HOLY ANGELS (Mark 8:38; Luke
9:26) |
|
Angels of God |
Jacob’s vision
of a ladder stretching to heaven was populated with the angels of God
(Genesis 28:12; John 1:51). |
|
Angels of heaven |
Jesus speaks in
Matthew 24:36 of how not even the angels of heaven know the timetable of His
coming. |
|
|
Paul speaks of
the witness of the chosen angels in 1 Timothy
5:21). This suggests that the destiny
of the angels rest ultimately in the hands of the one who chose them. |
2. Characteristics of Angels.
|
They
cannot die |
...those who are
considered worthy to attain to that age and the resurrection from the dead,
neither marry, nor are given in marriage; 36 for
neither can they die anymore, for they are like angels (Luke 20:35-36). |
|
They
are mighty |
...the Lord Jesus shall
be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire (2
Thessalonians 1:7). |
|
They
are subordinate to Christ |
...Jesus Christ, 22 who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven,
after angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him. (1 Peter
3:22). |
|
They
cannot tell what we are thinking |
This is suggested in the
prayer of Solomon as he speaks to the Lord, saying: Thou alone dost know the hearts of all
the sons of men (1 Kings 8:39). |
Perhaps it is only happenstance that angels are always
described in the masculine gender. They
occasionally appear in the form of men, but we never read of them appearing in
feminine form. This is not to suggest
that such a thing is impossible.
3. The Role of the Angels.
• They shall gather the elect at the second coming of
Christ (Matthew 24:31).
• They carry the saved to heaven (Luke 16:22).
• They served as messengers to bring the law (Acts
7:53; Galatians 3:19).
• They are ministers to the elect (Hebrews 1:14).
TYPES
OF ANGELS
1. The Angel of the Lord.
The reference to that angel of the Lord is often used
in a way that suggests it to be a manifestation of God Himself. For example, in Genesis 31:11-13, the angel
of the Lord appears to Jacob in a dream and identifies Himself as “the god of
2. Cherubim.
This is the plural
form of the singular “cherub.” Modern
English has rendered this term to conjure up an image of a winged baby with fat
little cheeks, but the Hebrew carries no such idea. The Hebrew cherub seems to be related to the Akkadian
verb, “to bless.”
3. Seraphim.
The seraphim are mentioned only in Isaiah 6. The Hebrew term saraph
means “to burn.” These are therefore the
“burning ones.” This is in keeping with
the description of Hebrews 1:7 where the Lord is seen as the one who makes
His angels winds, and His ministers a flame of fire.
SPECIFIC
ANGELS
There
are only two angels in the Bible that are specifically named and
designated. They are Michael and
Gabriel.
1. Michael the
Michael is mentioned by name as “one of the chief
princes” in the angelic community in Daniel 10:13 where he comes to the aid of
another angelic messenger. He is
mentioned again in Daniel 12:1 as the great prince who stands guard over the
sons of your people. This
guardianship is alluded to in Jude 1:9 when we read of Michael disputing with
Satan over the body of Moses.
In Revelation 12:7-9, we are treated to a vision in
which Michael leads the holy angels into a war against Satan and his
forces. The end comes when Michael and
his hosts cast out Satan and his followers.
2. Gabriel.
The angel Gabriel is known for his announcements to
Daniel (Daniel 8:16; 9:21), to Zacharias (Luke 1:11-20) and to Mary (Luke
1:26-37). He describes himself as the
one who stands in the presence of God (Luke 1:19).
THE
PERSON AND CAREER OF SATAN
1. Names and Designations.
Our English name “Satan” is a transliteration of the
Hebrew, which means “enemy.” The verbal
form means “to oppose.” It is
interesting to note that the first Biblical use of this word describes the
angel of the Lord:
But
God was angry because he was going, and the angel of the LORD took his stand in
the way as an adversary against him. Now he was riding on his donkey and
his two servants were with him. (Numbers 22:22).
Another example of where satan
refers to someone other than Satan is in the account of those who rose up in
opposition to the reign of Solomon.
Then
the LORD raised up an adversary to Solomon, Hadad the
Edomite; he was of the royal line in
There are several other designations and titles for
Satan. He is called most often in the
New Testament o` dia,boloj (ho diabolos), “the
slanderer” or “the schemer.” This term
was often used in the Septuagint to translate satan, not
only when it referred to the supernatural enemy of God, but even when it spoke
of a normal adversary. Other titles for
Satan include:
• The
tempter (Matthew 4:3).
• Beelzebul (Matthew 12:24).
• The
evil one (Matthew 13:19).
• The
father of lies (John 8:44).
• The
ruler of this world (John 12:31).
• Belial
(2 Corinthians 6:15).
• The
prince of the power of the air (Ephesians 2:2).
• The
adversary (1 Peter 5:8).
• Abaddon and Apollyon, both of
which mean “destroyer” (Revelation 9:11).
• Deceiver
of the whole world (Revelation 12:9).
• The
Great Dragon (Revelation 12:9).
• Accuser
of the brethren (Revelation 12:10).
2. The Fall of Satan.
The prophet Ezekiel gives a series of lamentations
over the ancient city of
12 Son of
man, take up a lamentation over the king of
'You had the seal of perfection,
Full of wisdom and perfect in
beauty.
13 You
were in
Every precious stone was your covering:
The ruby, the topaz, and the diamond;
The beryl, the onyx, and the jasper;
The lapis lazuli, the turquoise, and the emerald;
And the gold, the workmanship of your settings and
sockets,
Was in you.
On the day that you were created
They were prepared.
14 You
were the anointed cherub who covers,
And I placed you there.
You were on the holy
You walked in the midst of the stones of fire.
15 You
were blameless in your ways
From the day you were created,
Until unrighteousness was found
in you.
16 By the
abundance of your trade
You were internally filled with violence,
And you sinned;
Therefore I have cast you as profane
From the
And I have destroyed you, O covering cherub,
From the midst of the stones of
fire.
17 Your
heart was lifted up because of your beauty;
You corrupted your wisdom by reason of your splendor.
I cast you to the ground; I put you before kings,
That they may see you.
18 By the multitude of your iniquities,
In the unrighteousness of your trade,
You profaned your sanctuaries.
Therefore I have brought fire from the midst of you;
It has consumed you,
And I have turned you to ashes on the earth In the eyes of all who see you.
19 All who
know you among the peoples
Are appalled at you;
You have become terrified,
And you will be no more."'" (Ezekiel 28:12‑19).
This is part of a larger oracle against the city of
• He
was in
• He
was created (28:13).
• He
was the anointed cherub (28:14).
• He
was on the holy
This description seems to go beyond the realm of
mortal man. Though some scholars would see this description as mere Semitic
poetry describing an exalted monarch, it seems to me that there is meant to be
a greater understanding and that the one in view is Satan himself.
3. Satan in
Satan is not mentioned by name in the Pentateuch. However, we can see him behind the scenes in
the early chapters of Genesis. We read
of the temptation by the serpent in Genesis 3 and we can note that one of the
titles given to Satan is
that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan
(Revelation 12:9).
Rabbinic legend has it that the serpent originally
walked erect and that it was not until God’s curse on this animal in Genesis
3:14 that it was reduced to moving upon its belly as it does today.
The unusual aspect about the serpent was that it
manifested the ability to speak to the woman.
This brings us to a dilemma.
Snakes cannot talk. The most
likely resolve to this issue is to view Satan himself as the speaking power
behind the serpent. Such a phenomenon is
not unknown to the Scriptures. Satan is
regularly seen working through intermediate agencies. He uses his demons and he uses human agents,
either through possession or through indirect manipulation. The use of animals is seen in Matthew 8:28-32
where Jesus casts demons out of two men and permits them to enter into a herd
of pigs.
4. The Satanic Conflict.
Genesis 3 introduces a cosmic conflict between the
followers of Satan and One who is described as the Seed of the woman.
14 And the
LORD God said to the serpent,
"Because you have done this,
Cursed are you more than all cattle,
And more than every beast of the field;
On your belly shall you go,
And dust shall you eat
All the days of your life;
15 And I
will put enmity
Between you and the woman,
And between your seed and her seed;
He shall bruise you on the head,
And you shall bruise him on the heel." (Genesis
3:14-15).
This conflict is ordained between the seed of the
serpent and the Seed of the woman. Just
as the woman had been involved in the transgression, so also now she would be
involved in the redemption. As through
her came sin, so also through her would come the Savior.
But
when the fulness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman,
born under the Law (Galatians 4:4).
The “seed of the woman” anticipates the coming of One who would be born, not of the seed of a man, but
exclusively through a woman. This
promise finds its eventual fulfillment in the One who was born of a virgin and
apart from the seed of a man.
At the same time, Jesus was a man of flesh and blood
so that He could live and die as a man and pay in His own body the penalty for
the sins of men.
Since
then the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of
the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of
death, that is, the devil (Hebrews 2:14).
The defeat of Satan is accomplished in two parts. First, Christ defeated Satan when He died for
sins upon the cross and then rose in victory from the grave.
...having
canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us and which
was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the
cross. 15 When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He
made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.
(Colossians 2:14-15).
The rulers and authorities that Jesus disarmed through
His death were not the Roman or Jewish officials. This is speaking of spiritual rulers and
authorities.
Satan’s defeat came through the death of Christ. What appeared to be a defeat for the Seed of
the woman was instead the way to victory over the serpent and his seed.
|
Seed of the Serpent |
Seed of the Woman |
|
Satan |
Jesus Christ |
|
Fatally bruised for all
eternity |
Temporarily bruised upon
the cross |
|
Pictured by a bruise to the
head |
Pictured by a bruise to the
heel |
The picture is of a man who stomps upon the head of a
snake, being bitten on his foot in the process.
He wins the conflict over the serpent, but only at the cost of great
pain.
The ultimate and final defeat of Satan is still in the
future. Paul tells us that the God of
peace will soon crush Satan under your feet (Romans 16:20). Just as the snake is
destroyed by striking him on the head, that most vulnerable part of his body,
so Jesus Christ will neutralize Satan.
5. The Continuing Conflict:
Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil,
prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. (1 Peter 5:8).
Though Satan was defeated upon the cross, there is an
element of the conflict that still continues today. Like a lion that has been mortally wounded,
he is still able to cause great damage.
The good news is that he can be resisted.
But
resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering
are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world. (1 Peter 5:9).
Submit
therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. (James 4:7).
The devil is pictured as a hungry, roaring lion in
search of a meal. The good news is that
we worship the God who is able to close the mouths of hungry, roaring lions.
One of the lessons we learn from the book of Job is
that Satan can do nothing unless he receives permission from the throne of
heaven. God is sovereign over all
creation and even Satan cannot ultimately resist His will.
You
are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He
who is in you than he who is in the world. (1 John 4:4).
Our victory is found in the person of Christ. Because He has won the victory in His
victorious resurrection, so we enjoy the status of victors in the Satanic conflict. At
the same time, there continues a spiritual struggle.
For
our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against
the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual
forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 6:12).
Our battle in this ongoing conflict is of a spiritual
nature. When it degenerates into flesh
and blood, it is because we have lost sight of the true nature of the
conflict. The real battle is found in a
spiritual realm for spiritual goals -- the very souls of men.
Just as the conflict is of a spiritual nature, so also
the weapons of our warfare are of a spiritual nature.
• Your
loins girded with truth (6:14).
• The
breastplate of righteousness (6:14).
• Your
feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace (6:15).
• The
shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming
missiles of the evil one (6:16).
• The
helmet of salvation (7:17).
• The
sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God (7:17).
Of course, we also need to be aware of the Satanic strategy.
Satan does not show up with a pitchfork and a red union suit. He tries to pass himself off as a counterfeit
of the truth.
For such men are false apostles, deceitful
workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. 14 And no
wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. 15
Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as
servants of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their deeds. (2
Corinthians 11:13-15).
Much of what passes under the guise of human religion
today has the prince of darkness at its center.
EVIL
ANGELS
The
evil angels are given several designations in the Bible. They are known under a variety of labels.
1. Demons.
Our English word “demon” comes from the Greek daimonion. Both in
secular Greek as well as in the Septuagint, it referred to a spiritual
influence, either good or bad. Such a
secular usage is seen in Acts 17:18 where some of the Greeks viewed Paul as a
proclaimer of strange deities, literally, a “proclaimer of strange demons.” Most other references to demons in the New Testament
refer to the demonic fallen angels who follow after Satan.
2. The Devil’s Angels.
Jesus spoke of the eternal fire which has been
prepared for the devil and his angels (Matthew 25:41).
3. Fallen Angels.
Jude speaks of the angels who did not keep their
own domain, but abandoned their proper abode (Jude 1:6). They are said to be kept under bonds as they
await their judgment. These seem to be a
reference to angels who were cast into hell and committed to pits of
darkness, reserved for judgment (2 Peter 2:4).
4. Spirits.
These are seen alternately as unclean spirits (Matthew
10:1; Mark 1:27; 3:11; 5:13; 6:7), evil spirits (Acts 19:12-13), seducing
spirits (1 Timothy 4:1) and spirits of devils (Revelation 16:13-14).
Based
upon some of these passages, we can conclude that there are two types of fallen
angels.
|
Those who are Free |
Those who are Bound |
|
When Jesus
confronted the man with the legion of demons who were
possessing him, they begged not to be thrown into the abyss. Jesus allowed them instead to enter a herd
of swine (Luke 8:26-33). |
God did not
spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to
pits of darkness, reserved for judgment (2 Peter 2:4). Angels who
did not keep their own domain, but abandoned their proper abode, He has kept
in eternal bonds under darkness for the judgment of the great day. (Jude 1:6). |
|
If the demons
at Gardassa did not want to be bound, then the
implication is that there are some demons who have
been bound. |
|
• Demons
believe in God: You believe that God
is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder (James 2:19).
• Demons
were able to recognize Jesus: And
there was a man in the synagogue possessed by the spirit of an unclean demon,
and he cried out with a loud voice, 34 "Ha! What do we have to do with You, Jesus of
• Demons
have their own teachings: But the
Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith,
paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons (1 Timothy 4:1).
• The
disciples were given power and authority over the demons: And He called the twelve together, and
gave them power and authority over all the demons, and to heal diseases. (Luke
9:1).
• Even
unbelievers have on occasion been able to cast out demons: Many will say to Me
on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name
cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?' 23 And
then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me,
you who practice lawlessness.' (Matthew 7:22-23).
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