John Lawrence: Demonology Part 2 of 5

Part 2
II. The Existence of Demons.
The fact that demons exist is easier to prove than either the fact of the existence of angels, or of Satan himself. The reason this is true over the former is that this world system is their domain (abode) together with their leader and they are therefore very active in it. Demons and their activities are seen everywhere and throughout much of the history of mankind. Angelic activity is restricted to particular times and with particular people.
The reason that the existence of demons is easier to prove than the existence of Satan is that it is easier to prove the many than the one who is behind the many. Logic demands that the organized system of evil has a leader, king, prince, god, chief, ruler, etc., but the manifestations of Satan are scarce, while that of his workers are bountiful and manifold.
A. The Natural Argument.
Everywhere in nature there is the good and the evil. In the plant kingdom-pest, insects, blight, etc. In the animal kingdom-every animal has its deadly enemies. In the human family of the physical-hostile germs and viruses. This is not for one moment to suggest that there is a causal connection between pests, germs and enemies in the animal kingdom and demons in the spirit world. But we are saying that the enemies that exist in the natural realm certainly illustrate the invisible enemies that we face in the invisible spiritual realm. Call it a parallel or analogy, but do not dismiss it casually.
All these enemies in nature and the groaning that nature experiences (Rom. 8:19-22) came into being because of the curse upon the perfect world God had created for man to rule over. This curse came because man was deceived by Satan and now needed to know that everything was not "good," but rather that there was "both good and evil" in every realm. God was teaching the unknown by the known. What man experienced every day in the natural world was only an object lesson of what was a fact in the spiritual world. There was good and there was evil. What God does in the natural realm is stated to clearly show it would otherwise be invisible (Rom. 1:20). Moreover, we know that God, by His very nature has a purpose and reason behind all that He does and allows which is both just and good. Why is it that God allows the curse to remain on nature? Because by it He is able to illustrate that in the spiritual realm there is an innumerable host of evil, malignant, invisible forces that actually exist to work against us.
This witness by the illustration of nature is so valid that there can be no philosophic argument advanced against the existence of a host of evil spirit beings that does not at the same tine argue against the existence of a host of destructive bacteria, etc., in the natural world. The difference is: we can "see" one, but not the other.
B. The Ethnological Argument
1. The Argument.
This is the proof of the existence of demons by the universality of humanity believing that demons exist from early human history down to the present. Davies states, "the belief in evil spirits is universal".
Townsend adds that such a conviction has been as "persistent and widespread as belief in God, in good angels, or in the soul's immortality". How is the practical universality of such a belief in demons from ancient times to the present to be accounted for?
2. Why it Cannot be Dismissed
The fact that this belief has been distorted by extravagant superstitions is beside the point. Creation, for instance, has been distorted by tradition as the Babylonians and others account it, but this does not in the least discount its validity. For sensible people to discard the doctrine of demons or Satan because it has been abused is scientific suicide.
How can this belief be accounted for?
3. Suggested answers:
a. It is a mere chance occurrence.
b. It is only an invention perpetuated by superstition
c. It is a phenomena built upon the facts of an original revelation of truth, preserved by human instinct, and nurtured by the facts of experience and observation.
d. It is a phenomena that came to be realized by mankind through experience and observation following the flood.
4. Let us carefully examine each proposed suggestion:
a. A chance occurrence.
This may be at once dismissed because no effect is without an adequate cause. Universal belief in demons is the effect and this must be explained by an adequate cause which will reach all mankind all over the earth.
b. An invention perpetuated by superstition.
This is what skeptics have frequently proposed as the solution for universal belief in demons and Satan. They say that belief in Satan and demons is nothing more than a superstition, perhaps originally born in
the brain of some insane man, seized upon by other men, and so passed on from generation to generation.
Even if we assume that this is true, it still leaves totally un- explained how a race of sane men has almost universally seized upon an "insane idea" if there was no observable evidence that it was fact.
In addition, this belief in evil spirits or demons originated after mankind had already been scattered, as the study of the Greek word indicated. This explanation leaves totally unexplained how this insane idea came to be believed in the Western World or the islands of the sea simultaneous with peoples in the rest of the world.
c. A phenomena built upon the facts of an original revelation of truth, preserved by human instinct and nurtured by the facts of experience and observation.
This is the generally accepted view as of Unger and many others. I cannot generally accept this, because it does not come up to the evidence that we have of the situation as it existed prior to the flood.
While Creation was unquestionably the product of divine revelation made to Adam and perpetuated by him to his progeny, and which became corrupt tradition by all peoples after the flood and their dispersion over all the earth; and while the Fall was the personal experience of Adam and Eve and told by them which was likewise corrupted by tradition by all peoples after the flood and their dispersion over all the earth; and while the flood was an actual experience later on in the human history and the evidence for such a flood could be visibly seen for years afterward, and this fact too was perpetuated, but yet corrupted by tradition by all peoples after their dispersion over all the earth, belief in demons is not in any way to be specifically classified with these.
There is no evidence of an original specific revelation of evil demons found anywhere, even in Scripture.
d. It is a phenomena that came to be realized by mankind through experience and observation following the flood. This alone accounts for all the facts. Belief in demons never occurred before the flood (no Scriptural evidence) and only gradually following the flood did the concept of their true nature become clear through observation and experience. The reason that this was the case is that demons are part of that system of deception, and they were deceiving mankind as to their true nature. It was only after years that their true nature came to be fully realized and the process was gradual.
This accounts for the change in the meaning of the term "demons" throughout the years. It agrees with the Scriptures; and it accounts for how people isolated from one another came to understand, to a greater or lesser degree, the true nature of demons.
The importance of this for our present consideration is that this nearly universal belief in demons by people isolated from one another is almost, if not positive proof of their existence as well as their nature.
C. The Experiential Argument.
The experience and observation that has caused a universal belief in demons does not exhaust the evidence in support of the existence of demons. Another very important area remains in the testimony and experience of humanity. The evidence may be classified into two divisions: indirect and direct; or, observational and personal.
1.Indirect Experience.
Man is a fallen creature and does the things after the nature of a fallen, depraved humanity. In many cases the career of
the drunkard,
the criminal,
the libertine,
the harlot,
the dope addict,
the gambler,
the demented,
the suicide,
the murderer,
the serial molesters,
shows evidence of a deeper cause than mental or physical disease or injury.
Unger writes: "The course of license and sin which some men and women are pursuing, and the eagerness with which they rush into vice and licentiousness, knowing full well the awful consequences to body, mind, and soul, are the strongest possible evidence, outside the Bible, that there are wicked unclean spiritual agencies that tempt, get control, and relentlessly drive their victims on over the brink of destruction."
Scripture emphatically states that man is energized by Satanic power.
Eph. 2:2.
Today many have testified that they were overwhelmed by an irresistible power to do some act or commit some crime. The lawyers defending such a one tried in court often try to plead temporary insanity, because the individual exhibits no signs of current insanity.
From the medical standpoint, when insanity is not due to some physical cause, but rather is entirely mental, medical science merely classifies it as "insanity." But this only states the fact of disorder; it is not attempting to name its cause. Since Scripture relates demons as operating on the mind and controlling it first of all, many cases, merely classified as "insanity" when there is no physical cause, are undoubtedly due to supernatural agencies acting directly upon and distorting the mind itself.
When Judas was about to commit the crime of all crimes, Scripture states that "Satan entered into Judas" (Luke 22:3). Through his entire betrayal, Judas was under the domination of Satan, but was, neverthe- less, completely responsible for this because he had allowed himself to be so possessed. In light of all that is taught in Scripture and all that is observed in humanity, the burden of proof that invisible personalities do not have a share in most crimes that men commit, rests upon the skeptics of this doctrine. This does not downplay the lust of the eyes or of the flesh.
Indirect experience may also be had which is even more valid from those who are mediums. The author (John Lawrence) had an experience (before he was saved) on the Pike on Long Beach, California, where such a medium was telling the crowd gathered around their name, address, and many personal things that no one could "naturally" know. In the beginning of our study we gave Homer's testimony that the Greek word "demon" was derived from a word meaning "know1edge". This is true because demons have a knowledge that is supernatural. Moreover, some articles have appeared about whole "colonies" of mediums that exist, such as in Florida. This is observational evidence that cannot be lightly dismissed. These people are not living together in order to perpetuate a hoax. They are driven and they want to. This is very real to them. Read: "My day in the Spirit World"
by Ruth Montgomery
The American Weekly, June 26, 1960.
2. Direct experience.
There have been mediums who have been won to the Lord Jesus Christ.
Dr. J. Elwood Evans tells of his talking to such an individual. While this is certainly the exception, nevertheless, there are such and their testimony should be valid if people were willing to scientifically
gain a knowledge of the facts that are available.
I would caution everyone, especially believers, to never have any personal contact with mediums (save on the basis of personal witnessing), and never with a séance, etc. This is something that the Word strictly forbids. We are curious individuals and have a desire, being intrigued by such things, to look into the unknown, but this is a realm of evil supernaturalism which is completely beyond our power to cope with as individuals. For this reason the Word strictly forbids it.
In conclusion, we emphatically state that there exists much evidence from the realm of personal experience that is adequate proof in itself of the existence of demons.
A picture of the Rev. Arthur Ford was here in the following news clipping.
"A top Washington reporter’s own story of an eerie "reunion" with the dead", by Ruth Montgomery
March 22, 1960, began as prosaically
as any other day for me. I had gone to
a Washington hotel suite to interview
the Reverend Arthur Ford, world
famous medium and ordained Christian
minister, about Spiritual Frontiers
Fellowship, an organization formed by
50 outstanding educators and clergymen
to study psychic phenomena.
I had a large portion of a reporter's
essential skepticism, particularly be-
cause I knew that the Reverend Mr.
Ford's psychic abilities had been under
public fire in the past and that his
purported delivery of Houdini's secret
message from the grave to the escape
artist's grieving widow had drawn fire
as a contrived feat.
I told the spiritualist-minister that
I had once written a series of articles
casting doubt on Spiritualism. There
was a silence, and then he asked me
if I'd like him to go into a trance to
see if "Fletcher"--his alleged "control"
in the other world had anything to say to me.
While I sat with notebook in hand,
the Reverend Mr. Ford stretched out
on a couch in the brightly lighted
room, tied a black scarf across
eyes, and seemed to fall asleep. Sud-
denly his body jerked, his chin rolled
and a voice introducing itself as
Fletcher began to speak.
My first "contact" was my father.
Identifying him by name, "Fletcher'
Declared. He had no idea he was
coming and he doesn't remember any
thing about dying. He was very sick,
and suddenly he was well. Your
father’s heart was bad, but he didn’t
know it, so he had no time to be
frightened. You weren't with him
when he came over, but you came
soon, and he appreciated it. He en-
joyed his funeral."
These intimate details surprised
me, since the Reverend Mr. Ford would
have had a difficult time checking
them in advance of our meeting. My
dad bad been an unusually healthy
man, until he contracted pneumonia a
few weeks before his death from that
ailment and a heart attack.
I was in Egypt on a newspaper as-
signment when he died, and flew for
two days and nights to reach the small
Midwestern town where he was buried.
I was musing about that sad period when
Fletcher asked: "Do you have a
brother named Bertie? Yuur father
keeps talking about Bertie."
I explained that this was our pet
name for my mother, Bertha, where
upon Fletcher said that Dad had some
personal messages for her. He also
supplied several startlingly accurate
details about my sister, Margaret, and
added that a man called Jinx wanted
to speak to me, a man who knew me
early in my newspaper career, and who
had taught me something.
The name meant nothing to me
until Fletcher said, "His name is Jinx
Tucker. He keeps talking about foot-
ball. Seems interested in sports."
Recollection dawning, I exclaimed,
"He should be! He was sports editor
of the Waco (Texas) News-Tribune
when I was a cub reporter there, but
I hadn't thought...of him in 20 years.
I didn't even know he was dead."
Fletcher, in gently reproving tones,
chided: "He says he isn't dead and
Jinx says to tell you that he used to
write his stories directly on a linotype
machine, instead of a typewriter. He
says Pat is here with him".
"Pat who?" I had to ask. "Pat Neff,"
he responded. "Pat wants you to know
he was very interested in something
that happened to you not long ago."
Even as my pencil raced along my
notepad, an involuntary shiver tingled
my spine. Pat Neff had been the
president of my alma mater, Baylor
University which, a few years after his
death, awarded me an honorary Doctor
of Laws degree.
Fletcher next introduced, "Walter
. . .Walter Morrison . . no, that’s
not quite right . . . it sounds like Morr-
son." Either way, the name rang no
bell in my memory.
"He was a doctor," Fletcher pa-
tiently continued. "He's here with Pat
and he wants you to know that you
are in very good health- a little tired,
that's all. You will need to have a
little corrective surgery before long,
but it's nothing urgent, and nothing to
worry about."
The next day I telephoned the
editor of my old Texas newspaper and
asked him, "Is Jinx Tucker dead?"
He confirmed that the sports editor
died in December, 1953, and that Jinx
had "typed" his stories directly on a
linotype machine - He's the only man
I've ever known in our business to do
that and he did so right up until his
heart attack."
The editor verified that Pat Neff died
in January, 1952, but the name "Walter
Morrison" sounded puzzling to him until
I said: "It really sounded like Morrson."
"Oh," 'he suddenly exclaimed, "Dr.
Walter Moursund was Dean of the
Baylor Medical School in Dallas until
his death."
Fletcher next introduced "Clyde
Wildman" as a "man connected with
schools who says you used to live in
a street or place called Lafayette."
I admitted having once lived in
Lafayette, Indiana, but could recall no
one named Wildman. Undaunted, Fletcher
continued, "He says someone who lived in
Lafayette when you did has mysteriously
disappeared, and he wants you to know he
drowned. He's over here now. An official
of some kind...seems to have been a judge.
He lived near you in Lafayette."
I began to feel like an idiot child. Neither
Wildman, nor a disappearing judge from
Lafayette, registered with me.
Later I telephoned the news editor of
the Lafayette Journal-Courier to see if he
could offer any clues. No sooner had I
begun to explain than Editor George Lamb
declared: "Judge Lynn Parkinson, of course.
He used to live in Lafayette, but was judge
of the U. S. Court of Appeals in Chicago
when he disappeared last fall."
The editor then told me that despite an
intensive FBI search through seven states,
the only trace ever found of Judge Parkin-
son was his hat and umbrella, lying on the
shore of Lake Michigan. For lack of proof
of his death, the lifetime judgeship remained
unfilled, and the federal government con-
tinued to pay his salary to his bank account.
The editor searched old city directories
and found that Judge Parkinson had lived
only a few blocks from us in Lafayette 25
years ago, although we had never known
him. (A few, weeks later the decomposed
body of Judge Parkinson was found floating
in Lake Michigan.)
My "father" returned with more mes-
sages, and some difficult advice for me. Re-
ferring to the lecturing that I occasionally
do, he urged; "Whenever you get a chance
to speak in some way slip in something
about the reality of spiritual life and sur-
vival. People are hungry for that knowledge.
Some of the things you talk about would
frighten them (I usually discuss world prob-
lems) if you don't help them to feel that
there's something more to life than appears
on the surface."
The voice faded away for a moment, and
then continued: "The most important story
you could write is this: I live, and
we are in a world of activity and growth.
We are not living in a vacuum,. I couldn’t
be happy if I were idle. I’m as vital
and active now as when I was a boy."
Three more "spirits" rounded out my
group of "callers," but none of these names
seemed familiar. One was "Spence Irwin"
(or Erwen), who wanted to talk about the
Near East. Another was "Henry McKay...
no, Mackay," and the last was "Van... van
...Vandersmith, no, Vanderschmidt, who
talks about magazines and knew you in a
press club."
By now I was becoming rather limp and
so, apparently, was Fletcher. When I failed
to recognize any of these gentlemen, despite
attempted reminders, the "control" sighed:
I must go now. God bless you."
The séance was ended, but my curiosity lingered
on. How to check these final names, with
so little information? Days before it
occurred to me to try an out-of-date
Who's Who. On doing so, I learned that
Henry Mackay had been a Vice President
and Director of Hearst Consolidated
Publications until his death.
That left Vanderschmidt and Irwin.
Eventually I asked the National Press Club
to check its file of deceased men and
discovered that a Fred Vanderschmidt died
November 8, 1956, while employed by the
magazine, U.S. News and World Report. His
obituary listed Newsweek magazine and
Associated Press as previous affiliations.
Then I vaguely remembered h im at the
Press Club.
The identity of "Spence Irwin" continues
to elude me. All I know about this "de-
parted spirit" is that he evinced interest in
the Near East, particularly in Israel. Per-
haps some reader can supply the missing
piece and complete the jig-saw puzzle. End.
D. The Scriptural Argument
For the believer, this is the really important evidence demons do exist: God's Word states that they exist.
1. Their existence is recognized in the 0T
While the New Testament is much more advanced in the explanation and
acknowledgement of demons than the 0.T., yet the shedhim of the 0.T. are real demons and were recognized as such by the Israelites.
Deut. 32:17, Ps. 106:37
The Hebrew regarded idols as demons who allowed themselves to be worshipped by men.
Bar. 4:7 ??
Ps. 95:5 LXX
1 Cor. 10:20.
It is also true that the seirim of the 0.T. were demonic activity.
Lev. 17:7
2 Chron. 11:15
Isa. 13:21
Isa. 34:14
2. Their existence is specifically recognized in the N.T.
The N.T. doctrine of demonology is very extensive. Demonology is, to a very large degree, a New Testament doctrine.
a. By the Lord Jesus Christ.
He spoke both of them and to them and they spoke to Him saying that they recognized Him. Matt. 8:31.
He commanded His disciples to cast out demons, Matt. 10:1.
He rebuked His disciples when they were unable to cast out
demons; Matt. 17:14-21; Mark 9:14-29.
He cast out demons, Matt. 15:22,28.
He rebuked them, Mark 5:8; etc.
He had absolute power over them, Matt. 12:29.
This was viewed as a conquest over Satan himself,
Matt. l2:22~29; Luke 10:17-18
There are two wrong interpretations given for the Lord’s acknowledgment of demons:
(1) That Jesus and his disciples lived in a primitive and unscientific age and represented the ignorance and superstition of that age in demons and demon possession, but they were wrong.
Certainly this is unacceptable to anyone who knows the Word and the Lord. Both are absolute truth and the Lord knew all things having perfect knowledge of the unseen world, even as He did of the seen world.
(2)That Jesus Himself did not Himself believe in demons or demon possession, for He was free from the ignorance and superstitions of his age, but the age in which He came did believe in demons and was superstitious. Since Christ had not come to teach science or to start curious discussions or controversies on unimportant subjects, He merely accommodated Himself to the superstitions and beliefs of His day and spoke of sickness and disease often as demon possession, etc.
This view has been adopted by a number of men who are regarded as orthodox Christians. But if this view is adopted the following things take place with the Word:
(a) It represents Christ as not instructing His disciples but as deceiving them,
(b) It causes us to question every other statement that Christ made on any and every other subject, for if He is not truthful in one area, how can we ever be sure that He is not accommodating Himself
in another area.
(c) It represents the Lord Jesus Christ as being completely
inconsistent with His Holy and Righteous character. It represents Him not only as speaking of diseases as possession by demons, but as personifying diseases, and actually addressing them as demons.
(d) This theory represents Christ as making use of an unfounded superstition to substantiate His claim of divine authority. When Christ sent out His disciples to preach "The Kingdom of heaven is at hand," the power to cast out demons was given them as a divine attestation to His mission. That which the disciples and those to whom they were sent regarded as one of the principal reasons for accepting their testimony, was the fact that "even the demons were subject unto
them through Christ's name," which, according to this theory, was not a fact but a delusion.
Both of these interpretations are completely at variance with the known facts of Scripture. This not only jeopardizes the character and truthfulness of the Son of God, but it challenges the authenticity and reliability of the whole Bible. If the teachings of Scripture on the subject of Satan and demons are judged mythical, any other doctrine of Scripture may likewise be declared mythical at the will of the critic, who sets himself up as knowing more than Scripture itself. By one stroke, the entire authority of the Word is destroyed. Certainly Satan Himself could like nothing better.
b. By other New Testament disciples and writers.
(1) The Seventy, Luke 10:17.
(2) Paul, 1 Cor. 10:20-21, 1 Tim. 4:1.
(3) Paul and Luke, Acts l6:l6~l8, 19:13-16
(4) James 2:19.
(5) John: Rev. 9:2-11, 20.

John Lawrence: Demonology Part 1 of 5

DEMONOLOGY Part I
OUTLINE:
I. Introduction 9 pgs
Importance
Definition.
Problems.
Origin.
Bible as Standard.
II. The Existence of Demons. 10 pgs - Part 2
I. Introduction.
A. The Importance of Demonology
It isn’t enough in warfare to know all about the commander-in-chief of the opposition. It is equally if not more important to know about the enemy troops that you personally will be facing on the front lines of battle. In the study of demonology, we are engaged in just such a study. These are the myriads of workers Satan uses in every land, from paganism to culturism, to blind men's eyes to the truth and
hold them in fear and superstition.
The importance of this subject is seen if one considers the amount of space devoted to it in both Testaments, and particularly the Gospels. These many accounts come to be clearly understood only as we completely see the total picture of demon activity. Much of Israel's contact with her surrounding nations can only be understood through an under- standing of the whole realm of evil supernaturalism. Cf. Deut. 18:9-14.
Demonlogical phenomena has been recorded from the very earliest of recorded antiquity down to the present, and it is impossible to interpret accurately the religious phenomena and practices of paganism, false religions, and Christian cults apart from a thorough grasp of this complete doctrine.
B. Definition of Demon
1. The Greek language
"Demon" = daimonion (daimonion), in the earlier Greek, ‘daimon’ (daimon). Plato derives it from daemon, an adjective formed from ‘dao’ and signifying "knowing" or "intelligent". We survey the historical development of the term’s meaning in order to see its preparation for NT usage. Four principle meanings of the term demon are used from the period of Homer to the time of the Septuagint (LXX).
a. In the early history of the Greek language, as in Homer,
daimon was synonymous with "god" (theos). Homer and the earlier poets used both terms for the same beings.
b. After Homer, the term was used of beings who were inter-mediaries between the gods and men.
In Hesiod these mediators are the spirits of the good men of the Golden Age. Plato states: "The deity has no intercourse with man; but all the intercourse and conversation between gods and men are carried on by the mediation of demons," Symposium, pp. 202-3.
The view was held at that time that everyone from his birth on had a special demon of his own (an opposite view from the fact that every believer has a guardian angel from the time of his new birth). This demon of the individual was regarded as separate from the man himself
and not the same as his soul or spirit.
c. A third stage came when the early Greeks began to view demons as morally imperfect beings. Some of these were good and some were evil. Posidonius, a Stoic philosopher of the first century before Christ, developed an elaborate theory of demons as good and evil with the purer inhabiting the higher regions, and the impure remaining nearer the earth.
The Koran, or Qu’ran, maintains this definition of demons, viewing
some demons as good and some as bad.
d. The final stages of history viewed all demons as evil in varying degrees and all active members of Satan's kingdom. This is the usage in the Septuagint and the New Testament. Early Christian writers abound with this same usage.
2. The Old Testament
Mention is made frequently by the term "familiar spirits,"
i.e., spirits who know something or are familiar with someone and imitate them. Much more will be stated about this below.
The work of demons in the 0T is seen in the magicians of Egypt and the sorcerers of Babylon, as well as others. The Septuagint uses the Greek word demon for five different Hebrew words.
a. "Lords"; Shedhim = always plural.
Deut. 32:17, Ps. 106:37.
The word comes from the root shudh = "to rule, to be lord." The underlying significance is idols or lords; the Hebrews realized idolatrous images were mere visible symbols of invisible demons.
Ps. 96:5 (LXX 95:5), 1 Cor. 10:20.
b. "He-goats", hairy ones = Seirim (also plural)
Lev. 17:1-7.
The Israelites were commanded to slay their sacrificial animals only at the entrance of the Tabernacle lest they might go into the desert to "sacrifice their sacrifices unto the he-goats" (seirim, LXX gives ‘daimonia’).
This very form of demon worship persisted outside Israel until the days of Jeroboam I (929-909 B.C.), who brought it into the very heart of the Northern Kingdom. Rejecting the Priests of Aaron, he "appointed him priests for the high places, and for the he-goats (seirim, LXX, daimonia), and for the calves which he had made". 2 Chron. 11:15.
Josiah (636-608) "broke down the high places of the gates" (shearim) which Kittel states is to be read seirim "the high places of the he-goats" (2 Kings 23:8).'
c. "Idols", 'elilim’.
Ps. 96:5 (LXX 95:5), "For all the gods of the people are idols ('elilim, LXX: diamonia), but Jehovah made the heavens".
The Hebrew 'elilim, is the plural of the adjective meaning, "of nought, empty, vain." Thus the name itself shows that the outward idols are "mere nothings", "non-realities". The demons behind them are the real entities.
d. "Fortune" = gad. See Isa. 65:11.
It has been suggested that the god of Fortune (Gad) was worshipped by the Babylonians. He is elsewhere called Bel, or Baal.
The Septuagint translators render him as "the demon."
e. "Destruction"; geter.
Ps. 91:6 (LXX 90:6), "For the pestilence that walketh
in darkness, nor for the destruction (geter) that wasteth at noonday."
This shows that the translators of the Septuagint considered that demons were responsible for much that occurred. This may not be the best translation, but it clearly shows the concept of the word and the thinking of that day.
3. The New Testament (daimon and daimonion).
From Homer to the New Testament period, the words decreased in position and increased in evil. Their positions definitely were always inferior beings and those who communicated as intermediates between the gods and men; and they obtained more and more the evil connotation until finally at least by the New Testament period, the term by itself meant "evil spirit" or "unclean spirit."
The King James version unfortunately translated two different Greek words by "devil": ‘diabolos’ = devil, also translated ‘diamonion’ or ‘diamon’(demon) as devil. There is only one devil, but many demons.
There are some 80 references to demons in the New Testament, and in every case they are recognized as "evil".
The Scriptural Concept: An evil spirit being who has a certain relationship to Satan.
Names used in Scripture include:
Demon, Evil spirit, Familiar spirit, Unclean spirit.
C. Problems in the Study of Demonology
1. The Problem of the silence of Scripture on certain phases
of the doctrine.
While Scripture is silent on certain phases of this doctrine, there is much that is revealed, and where Scripture is silent we can know that it is silent for a purpose and that this is beyond that legitimate realm for our knowledge at present. Where Scripture stops we need to stop also, and not be guilty of trying to supply the quest of our own curiosity. This assertion contradicts much of what is said about demons! In addition, do not let your curiosity lead you into demonic practice!
2. The Problem of the Accuracy of Interpretation
This is a genuine problem area for the child of God. Very few theologies treat this subject, and those who do are extremely sketchy. Many writers deal with this subject only as an evolution of religious beliefs and superstitions. Some writers have gone to the other extreme and have used their imagination and superstitions. This was the path that Jewish demonology developed.
3. The Problem of the Prevalence of Superstition.
Very few individuals today are completely free of concepts and ideas handed down to them. Many have "private" superstitions even if they are not voiced. There is no subject in all of the world where superstition has received more fantastic distortion. Consider this: in the ancient world
Jewish demonology became very superstitious in spite of clear OT revelation
The Middle Ages developed superstition piled on superstition in spite of clear NT revelation.
The practice of lighting sacred candles, as Rome does, harks back to ancient modes for keeping evil spirits in check by fire.
In Modern times: people have been guilty of burning witches
at the stake, and many are very superstitious today.
Mission fields of the world today and over the last century or so are simply filled with superstition, demon possession, etc.
4. The Problem of the Predominance of Doubt
This is the opposite problem of superstition. We are living today in the space age. It is the age of science and enlightenment. Such things as belief in demons belong to another age of darkness and superstition. We reject completely today, they say, the supernatural. Therefore, we reject belief in demons and Scripture that testifies of demons. Bible believers, beware!
However, to rule out the entire realm of supernaturalism; (good and evil) is not really scientific. We will see this clearly when we look at the existence of demons. There is much evidence as to their existence by many peoples over a long and extended period of time.
Knowledge of the supernatural, however, can only come through supernatural revelation, since it is above and beyond natural law. Further, revealed truth can only be accepted and understood through faith in the revelation and hence in the Revealer. Many have cut themselves off completely from even attempting to understand "scientifically" this doctrine.
Since we are dealing with "evil" supernaturalism, the problem is even more precarious. The powers to be dealt with are not only above the natural realm, and hence wiser and more powerful than man in the natural realm, but they are "evil". They are able to deceive and lead astray. They resent truth and stay in darkness. The natural man has a two-fold problem. He cannot know the things pertaining to the Spirit of God (1 Cor. 2:14), i.e. the supernatural. And he is actually subject to the deception and perversion of real truth because he is a prey to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons who deceive him without his knowledge! (1 Tim, 4:1).
Note: Whether one takes the route of superstition or rationalism, the same end result is achieved: The true facts are violated and the understanding of the subject is obscured.
D. The Origin of Demons (M. Unger)
How is the widespread and deeply ingrained belief in demons among all the ancients to be explained? This is a part of the larger problem concerning the origin of religion in general.
1. The Humanistic Theory,
This view connects the origin of the demons with the rise of "gods". It says that religion sprang from fear of ghosts. The gods are but the spirits of departed men, whom men worship mainly out of fear. At first the terms god and demon were interchangeable. Then when the gods became more exalted, demons became intermediate beings or messengers for the gods to men. Later they were looked upon not only as good but as evil. As time progressed the wicked demons were regarded as authors not only of physical, but of moral evil.
This explanation clashes with the Word of God and with the facts of secular history. Most tribes from the earliest times clearly distinguish between those deities who had once been men, and the gods proper, who had never been men, and consequently had never died.
2. The Animistic Theory.
This is an evolutionary theory stating that demonism can be traced from its original source in primitive animism, upward through polytheism, finally into monotheism. The theory states that in animism, primitive man looked upon nature about him as being alive, and imagined that natural phenomena was due to the operation of living wills. Looking for causes, he considered every object in nature to have a personality like his own. Thus man considered himself surrounded by a "society of superhuman agencies, some of which ministered to his well-being, others to his injury", up the evolutionary scale.
The objections to this theory:
(a) It is at variance with the truth of the Word which shows
religious faith and practice generally to be a degradation rather then an evolution. Rom. 1:21-23,
(b) It clashes with the witness of comparative religion, which also notes a downward rather than an upward tendency in ethnic faiths.
(c) The genetic connection between animism and polytheism is far from clear. Many have researched this field to show that animism and polytheism have coexisted without actual combination or assimilation for long periods of history.
3. The Astral Theory
This theory accounts for demons under the superstition that religion began with the worship of the heavenly bodies, to which the primitive religious mind attached personality. The most important bodies (sun, moon, planets) were assigned the status of full deities. The lesser bodies, as the innumerable fixed stars, were given the position of lesser deities or demons.
The objections to this theory:
(a) It is at variance with the Word of God
(b) It lacks historical corroboration as the evidence of
ancient inscriptions do not support it.
(c) It is destitute of scientific astronomical support.
Note: Each one of these theories are at variance with each other as well as with the Word of God. Moreover, each one of these human explanations makes an attempt to account for the belief but without believing in their existence.
4. The Biblical Account
Divine revelation alone is adequate to explain anything beyond history and beyond visible reality. Scripture speaks of Satan, and of his fall from heaven to earth (Isa. 14; Ezek. 28), of his being a king with a kingdom (Matt 12:26), and a portion of that consists of demons (Matt. 12:24).
As to the origin of demons, man is divided as to what Scripture teaches:
a. Some feel they are fallen angels.
b. Some feel that they represent inhabitants of the pre-Adamic
earth that was destroyed with the fall of Satan.
c. Some taught that they are the wicked souls of wicked men.
d. Others feel that they come from the progeny of the Sons of
God with the daughters of men in Genesis 6.
Whatever their origin (we will delve into this), Scripture shows that the basis and belief in demons is factual rather than fancy. Further-more, there is a basic similarity between primitive demonological traditions recorded in Genesis and those preserved in the archaeological records of the earliest nations of the earth. Even though the later has extravagance and error, the similarities point to a common source for both and supplies evidence that they are due to a common 1nheritance of traditions concerning the early history of the race, upon which both have drawn.
This same similarity is observed in other primitive traditions of the human race as (1) the creation of the earth, (2) the origin of man, (3) the story of the fall (original sin), and (4) the account of the flood. How are we able to account for this similarity?
The only feasible explanation that meets all the facts is that their likeness is due to common inheritance possessed by all the civilized nations of antiquity and drawing from the same original source of primitive tradition.
Biblical demonology is the source and basis of all demonology: ethnic, Jewish and Christian. In the book of Genesis, the author assumes the existence of demons just as plainly as he assumes the existence of God and the fall of Satan and his angels.
E. The Bible as a Standard for Demonology
In the study of any subject, one must obtain source material that will be used as a basis of actual fact. The person who studies the subject of Demonology has three sources to which he may go for information:
Ethnic demonology found in the polytheistic systems of thought throughout the world,
Rabbinic demonology found in Judaism,
Biblical demonology found in Scripture of both the Old and New Testament.
Let us briefly look at each.
1. The Character of Ethnic Demonology.
The whole realm of polytheism is morally corrupt. The character of heathen deities are always degraded and they degrade those who worship them. Behind the whole system of worship are demons who are evil spirits and strive to have individuals do that which is vile and immoral.
Ethnic demonology is full of extravagance and superstition. This is true whether considering religious thought either ancient or modern. Ancient Babylonians pictured every nook and corner as swarming with mischievous and evil-working spirits. The modern Arab sees demons everywhere: in the desert, in trees, springs, and rocks.
Many forms and actions are employed in ethnic demonology as protection against demons, which are nothing but enslaving rituals fostered by the demons themselves.
Charms.
Magical incantations.
Body mutilations.
Curious amulets.
Odd articles of dress.
Fire.
Devil dances.
Blood sacrifices.
Human sacrifice.
Orgiastic rites.
Self (body) punishments
The more one is involved in such practices the more he becomes enslaved by them. His fear of demons increases and his chances of deliverance from the clutches of such spirits decreases as he becomes hopelessly bound to the powers of evil. All of this and much more shows that ethnic demonology can be no true standard for a correct study of demonology.
2. The Character of Rabbinic Demonology.
While ethnic demonology is completely unacceptable as a standard for truth concerning demonology since it is but the deception of demons themselves, Rabbinic demonology having the Old Testament as a background might be expected to be quite different. Such, however, is not the case.
Rabbinic Demonology contains many distortions of Biblical truth: The fall of Satan and his angels is said to be after the creation of man and was occasioned by their jealousy and envy of him. Various ideas as to the origin of demons is entertained:
(l) They were created on the eve of the first Sabbath before their bodies could be finished, thus supposedly accounting for their being only spirits.
(2) They are the offspring of Eve with male spirits, or of Adam and female spirits, or with Lilith, queen of the female spirits.
(3) They are a transformation of vipers (serpents), or the offspring from the backbone of him who did not bow in worship.
Their nature and character is equally exaggerated. Fully sexed, they multiply rapidly, and are innumerable, a thousand at your right hand, ten thousand at your left. No one could survive the shock of seeing their actual number. In ancient Jewish literature, the right hand was often associated with righteousness, and the left with evil. Cf. Jonah 4:11.
They are arranged in four classes, according to the divisions of the day--morning, midday, evening, and night spirits. The night spirits are the most dangerous and wicked.
Rabbinic demonology is unmistakably mixed with heathen superstitions.
Their methods of managing demons included:
Torchlight by night.
Ablutions (i.e. a washing or cleansing specifically as a religious rite),
Phylacteries (Scriptures worn on arm or forehead).
Amulets (an ornament worn as a chain against evil spirits and often inscribed with a magic incantation)
Magic formulae.
Their modes of expelling demons:
They felt that demons could be reached through the avenues of the senses even as paganism:
Sense of taste was by "hell-broths" and vile mixtures,
Sense of hearing was by curses or withering abuse,
Sense of smell was by fumigations, pleasant or odious,
Sense of sight was by shocking or terrific exhibition,
Sense of touch was by the infliction of manifold tortures.
For these and many other reasons, Rabbinic demonology must be completely rejected as a standard for truth in the realm of demonology. There is little in Jewish thought concerning demons that is unaffected by error or excess.
3. The Character of Biblical Demonology.
Scripture in every realm presents a vivid and true picture of whatever it depicts without exaggeration or superstition. Everything is presented as it is in truth. This includes both good and evil, which are seen in their true color. Nowhere is this presentation of truth, without distortion or extravagance, so clearly seen as in the realm of evil supernaturalism.
Unger lists seven characteristics of Biblical demonology:
(1) Lofty in its tone.
(2) Free from exaggeration and superstition.
(3) Accurate and reliable in its sphere.
(4) Vast in its sweep.
(5) Practical in its purpose.
(6) Sound in its theology.
(7) Relieved by effectual deliverance.
Unger then draws this conclusion: "Perfection and inerrancy may rightly he expected from anything of divine origin, and from whatever is a product of infinite wisdom. The character of Biblical demonology not only proves that it is what it claims to be, a revelation from God, but also, as such, demonstrates that it is true and thoroughly reliable as a criterion of appraisal. It furnishes the model of truth to test error. It constitutes the pattern of reality to try all imagination and unreality. In its light we see light, as well as darkness, crookedness, and unreality. It alone can furnish an infallible norm to differentiate between truth and falsity, fact and fancy. Measured by its sure and trustworthy standards, demonology, whether ethnic or Rabbinic, is seen in its true light." Biblical Demonology, p. 29.

John Lawrence: Satanology Part 3 of 3

SATANOLOGY - "Know Your Enemy"
X. The Motive and Methods of Satan
A. The Motive of Satan.
Behind every act lies a motive, either hidden or revealed. This is true in all that Satan has done and will yet do. There is one governing principle for all Satan's methods and his works. The central passage is Isaiah 14:12-14. There are five "I will's" of Satan which reach a climax in the fifth one: "I will be like the Most High." This is the one master motive behind Satan's sin and all of its consequences in time. He wants to be like God, not unlike Him.
B. The Outworking of Satan’s Motive.
Satan's motive to be like the Host High, or "possessor of heaven and earth" (Gen. 14:19,22), shows that Satan's purpose is to gain independent authority over heaven and earth. In order to do this, he strives to be head of a kingdom of forces which will be subservient to him and will fight for him in opposition to God and those who stand with Him. As such Satan is the father of the lie (John 8:44), which is but one lie. God either sovereignly rules over His universe, or He does not. The lie says He does not, the truth declares that He does.
1. Satan's traffic among the angels. Ezek. 28:16.
Satan went about to merchandise, or slander God among the angels, and "they," the angels, filled Satan with violence. These angels were not innocent, but actively promoted the rebellion. According to Revelation 12:4, one third of the angelic hosts followed in Satan's rebellion. Satan's philosophy was "freedom" - being totally independent from the Creator. While he speaks of "freedom", the end result is bondage and slavery of the worst type, and ultimate death in the Lake of fire. Truly, he is well called the liar and the deceiver, the destroyer, and the adversary.
2. Satan's traffic in the Garden of Eden. Gen. 3:1-5.
Satan to Eve: "You (we) shall be as God" (Elohim). Satan's unholy ambition was transferred to man and resulted in the capturing of all mankind into his kingdom. Christ is the only remedy.
3. Satan's temptation of Christ. Matt. 4:1-11.
While this temptation consisted of three parts, the master stroke of Satan's temptation is expressed in the words: "Worship me." If Christ had performed this act, Satan's desire would have been realized completely.
4. Satan's man of sin. 2 Thess 2:3-12, Rev. 12:9, 12
This is the last manifestation of Satan's lie--that he is God and in control--and his last and final all-out attempt to deceive the world.
Not only is Satan’s motive to be like God, but the outworking of that motive expresses itself in ways religious. Today, the things of religion are the things of Satan.
C. The Methods of Operation used by Satan and the Stratagems of Satan.
Ephesians 6:10, "Finally, be strong in the lord, and in the
strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you nay be able to stand against the wiles of the devil."
"Wiles" - It is only used in Eph. 6:10 and 4:14, "by the sleight of
men, in craftiness, after the wiles of error." It comes from the verb: ‘methodeuo’, "to treat by rule," "to follow any one, to track him," as a wild animal tracks its prey.
Hence, the substantive means the cunning or craft used by those who wish to entrap or capture. The word originally meant "an ordered plan,"
"a deliberate planning or system". It may be used in a good way, but it soon developed a bad sense. In the bad sense: "scheme."
This is why it is very difficult to categorize the methods of operation of Satan. He doesn't want us to know His ways.
Satan's methods of operation:
1. He oppresses mankind
a. The unbeliever.
Acts 10:38, ", . . Jesus of Nazareth . . . who went about
doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the
devil.
Luke 13:16, ". . . a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath
bound . . .",
Heb. 2:14, ". . . destroy him that had the power of death,
that is the devil." Cf. Job 2 for examples.
2 Tim. 2:26, "and that they may recover themselves out of
the snare of the devil, taken captive by him at his will.
b. The believer,
1 Tim. 3:7, "Moreover he must have a good report of them
which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the
snare of the devil," i.e., reproach of men and snare
set by the devil.
Luke 22:31, "and the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold,
Satan bath desired to have you, that he may sift you
as wheat." Cf. Job 1, 2.
2 Cor. 12:7, "There was given to me a thorn in the flesh,
the messenger of Satan to buffet me _ . .
2 Cor. 11:28, Acts 18:5 with 18:9-10
This is illustrated by Pharaoh and the children of Israel in Egypt. Satan is not making it easy for us. He is doing everything he can working against us. Rev. 2:10. Sometimes it is hard to explain these pressures or why we feel like we do. Cf. Phil. 2:27.
Remedy: For the unbeliever: The redemption that is in the Lord Jesus Christ and His shed blood.
For the believer: A vision of the Lord through the Word and prayer with the Holy Spirit filling us continually, yes, continually.
2. He strikes fear into the hearts of mankind.
Fear is a tremendous weapon and one of Satan's most used instruments. Fear will enable the Lion to take the lamb at will. 1 Pet. 5:8.
If the fear of man brings a snare (Prov. 29:25), and it does, how much more the fear of Satan.
Fear: all fear is the opposite of faith. And the just shall live by faith. If through fear the child of God is paralyzed into doing nothing, Satan wins by default.
We, as children of God are told never to fear anything but the Lord. Fear in this sense is a correct reverence of Him with whom we have to do. In this respect there is a resultant fear we should have. This is the fear of acting against His will, and, therefore, sinning. Correct was the saint who said: "I fear nothing but sin itself." Cf. Gen. 3:8, Isa. 66:4.
We are not to fear the devil, even as a roaring lion. We are to resist him. 1 Pet. 5:9. Nor are we to fear anything that he may do. Satan has kept all mankind under bondage of the fear of death(Heb. 2:14-15). This is particularly seen in heathen lands where tribes worship demons and try to appease them because of fear of what they might do in way of sickness or death. It is a very real bondage to the unbeliever, and it is a real deliverance for every child of God.
Remedy: We must know the cause and source of all fear, and not fear anything or anyone.
2 Tim. 1:7. 1 John 4:4, 1 John 4:17-18, Ps. 27:3, Ps. 91:5
Ps. 118:6(Heb. 13:6), Prov. 3:24, Isa. 12:2.
Fear is always wrong, faith is always right.
Fear is the way of sight, it is not the way of trust.
The opposite of fear is peace. Cf. Ps 23.
3. He deceives mankind.
a. He deceives mankind because he counterfeits the things of God. Since Satan's ambition is to be like God, he imitates God at every turn. This is an imitation only, because his nature is the exact opposite of God.
(1) God had an only begotten Son on earth. So Satan will have "the son of perdition" (2 Thess. 2:3).
(2) As God did miracles and also the Lord Jesus Christ, so Satan does miracles and also the son of perdition (2 Thess. 2:9).
(3) As God is light, so is Satan transformed into an angel of light (2 Car. 11:14).
(4) As God is a Trinity of holy persons, so there is an evil trinity of wicked persons (Rev. 16:l8; 20:10).
(5) As God is the head of a kingdom, so Satan is the head of a kingdom (Matt. 12:26).
(6) As God has angels that He commands and they do His will,
so Satan has angels that he commands and they do his will (Matt. 25:41; Rev. 12:4,9).
(7) As God has those who are "children of God" so Satan has
those who are "children of the wicked one"(Matt. 13:38; Cf. John 8:44).
(8) As God is said to energize believers and work in them both to will and to do his good pleasure (Phil. 2:16), so Satan is said to energize unbelievers in order to work out his will and good pleasure (Eph. 2:2).
(9) As God has church, so Satan has his synagogue (Rev. 2:9, 3:9). We cannot say he has his ekklesia, because he has the world.
(10) As Christ appointed apostles, so Satan has appointed
apostles (2 Cor. 11:13).
(11) As God by His angel seals His servants in their foreheads (Rev. 7:3), so Satan by his agent sets a mark in the foreheads of his devotees (Rev. 13:8,16) at the appointed hour.
(12) As there are "the deep things of God" (1 Cor. 2:10), so Satan has his "deep things" (Rev. 2:24).
(13) As there is the "mystery of godliness" (1 Tim. 3:16), so there is the mystery of iniquity (2 Thess. 2:7).
(14) As in God is the system of doctrine known as "the truth" (2 Thess. 2:10, etc.), so in Satan is there the system of doctrine spoken of as "the lie" (2 Thess. 2:11-see the Greek).
Thus, everything about Satan is absolutely false!
False ‘Christ’, prophets, shepherds and teachers
False doctrine
False hopes and confidences
False trust
False witnesses
False worship
b. Satan is the Deceiver, his workers deceive, mankind is the
object of their attack, and they use and do anything to achieve their purpose.
(1) Satan is the Master deceiver.
2 Thess. 2:9-l0, "Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and
with all deceitfulness of unrighteousness". Rev. 12:9, Rev. 20:3, Rev. 20:8
The story of the Gibeonites in Joshua 9 is an example of Satan’s work and just how he operates to catch the believer "off guard" and trap him in his snare. We see there the hypocrisy, lies, deception of Satan.
(2) Satan's workers deceive.
(a) Deceivers.
2 Cor. 11:13, "For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ."
Eph. 4:14, "That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive."
2 Thess. 2:9~10 (see above), For both Satan and Man of Sin.
Rom. 16:18, "For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly: and by good works and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple."
2 John 7, "For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh (lit. "Jesus Christ coming in the flesh"). This is a ("the") deceiver and an ("the") antichrist."
Cf. Rev. 13:14, Rev. 19:20, Rev. 18:23, ".. for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived" Titus 1:l0. 2 Pet. 2:13.
(b) Seducers.
Acts 20:30, "Also of your own selves shall men arise,
speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them."
1 Tim. 4:1, "Now the Spirit speaks expressly, that in
the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of demons."
2 Tim. 3:13, "But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived."
1 John 2:26, "These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you."
(c) False Prophets.
In the 0.T. and the following N.T. passages:
Matt. 24:5, "For many shall come in my name, saying, I
am Christ; and shall deceive many."
Matt. 24:11, "And many false prophets shall rise, and
shall deceive many."
Matt. 24:24, "For there shall arise false Christs, and
false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect." (tribulation)
1 John 4:1, "Beloved; believe not every spirit, but try
the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world."
(d) False Teachers.
1 Tim. 1:7, "Desiring to be teachers of the law; under-
standing neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm.'
1 Tim. 4:1,2: "some shall depart from the faith speaking lies", 1 Tim. 6:3, 2 Tim. 4:3. Titus 1:11, 2 Pet. 2:1, "But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction."
(3) Man is being deceived (by Satan and/or his workers).
(a) Let no man deceive you.
Eph. 5:6, "Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things comes the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience."
2 Thess. 2:3, "Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition."
1 John 3:7, "Little children, let no man deceive you:
he that does righteousness is righteous, even as he (Christ) is righteous."
(b) We were deceived.
1 Tim. 2:14, "And Adam was not deceived, but the woman
being deceived was in the transgression."
Tit. 3:3, "For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another."
(c) Be not deceived.
1 Cor. 6:9, "Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived . ."
1 Cor. 15:33, "Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners."
Gal. 6:7, "Be not deceived: God is not mocked: for
Whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap."
(d) We are to guard against being self-deceived.
1 Cor. 3:18, "Let no man deceive himself."
1 Cor. 6:3, "For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself."
James 1:22, "But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves."
James 1:26, "If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridles not his tongue, but deceives his own heart,
this man's religion is vain."
1 John 1:8, "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive
ourselves, and the truth is not in us."
(e) The exhortation to prove all things.
Eph. 5:10, "Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord."
1 Thess. 5:21, "Prove all things."
1 John 4:1, "Beloved; believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God…"
(4) Things Satan or his workers may use
Deceitful heart of a person. Jer. 17:9, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?"
Lust. Eph. 4:22, "That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts."
Tongue. Rom. 3:13, "Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; Jer. 9:8, "Their tongue is as an arrow shot out; it speaks deceit."
Riches. Matt, 13:22, "He also that received seed among the thorns is he that hears the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful."
Religion. Jer. 23:26, "How long shall this be in the heart of the prophets that prophesy lies? yea, they are prophets of the deceit of their own heart; Matt. 24:5, "For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many." Matt. 24:11, "And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many." Rev. 18:20
Sin (the pleasure of). Heb. 3:13, "But exhort one another daily, while it is called Today; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin."
Philosophy (Intellectualism). Col. 2:8, "Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ."
Signs and Wonders. (Miracles). 2 Thess. 2:9-10, "Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceitfulness of unrighteous- ness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved." Rev. 13:13-14, "And he does great wonders, so that he makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, And deceives them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast . .
Rev. 19:20, "And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image."
Traditions. Matt. 15:1-6, Cf. Col. 2:8
Clothes. Joshua 9, Zech. 13:4, "And it shall come to pass in that day, that the prophets shall be ashamed every one of his vision, when he hath prophesied; neither shall they wear a rough garment to deceive."
The Word of God. Matt. 4, Ps. 91 quoted by Satan
2 Cor. 4:1-2, "Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not; But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully . .
Righteousness and good works. 2 Cor. 11:13-15, "For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the minister of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works."
Sex. Prov. Ch. 5-9, Prov. 9:17-18, "Stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant. But he knows not that the dead are there; and that her guests are in the depths of hell."
Peace and Prosperity. Dan. 8:25, "And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many."
1 Thess. 5:3, "For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction comes upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape."
Flattery. Joshua 9, Matt. 4:3, "And when the tempter came to Him, he said, If(Greek: Since) thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread."
Pride. 1 Tim. 3:6, "Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil."
Ambition. Gen. 3. "Be like God." Matt. 4. "All these will I give thee."
Gain. l Tim. 6:5, "Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself." 1Tim. 6:10, "For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows."
Knowledge. Gen. 3. "know good and evil." Rev. 2. "deep things of Satan."
Close relationships.
Neh. 6:17-19, "Moreover in those days the nobles of Judah sent many letters unto Tobiah, and the letters of Tobiah came unto them. For there were many in Judah sworn unto him, because he was the son-in-law of Shechaniah the son of Arah; and his son Jehohanan had taken the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah. Also they reported his good deeds before me, and uttered my words to him. And Tobiah sent letters to put me in fear." Matt. 16:21-23, From that time forth began Jesus to show unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day. Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee. But he turned, and said unto Peter, "Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savors not the things that be of God, but those that be of men."
Mark 3:21, 31-35, "And when his friends (Greek: "Those from him." Common in LXX for kinspeople or family) heard of it, they went out to lay hold on him: for they said, He is beside himself." "There came then his brethren and his mother, and, standing without, sent unto him, calling him. And the multitude sat about him, and they said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren without seek for thee. And he answered them, saying, who is my mother, or my brethren? And he looked round about on them which sat about him, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren. For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother."
Counsel. Neh. 6:1-7.
Oratory. Rom. 16:18, "For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple. 1 Cor. 1:17, For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect."
Col. 2:4, And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words"
Murder. John 16:2, "They shall put you out of the Synagogues: yea, the time comes, that whosoever kills you will think that he does God service." Think of the dark ages!
You name it and Satan will use it, if it can serve his purpose.
Cf. 1 Tim. 4:1-3 as an example:
Religious people.
Demons
Doctrines or teachings.
Lies.
Hypocrisy
Seared conscience (Cf. 1 Tim. 1:19).
Celibacy.
Asceticism.
c. He deceives mankind because he blinds men's eyes to the truth.
(1) For the unbeliever.
(a) Natural blindness upon all unbelievers.
All unregenerate mankind has a natural blindness which is the result of the fall. Since the unsaved have never known any other state, they are unconscious of their condition and disbelieve the Word that they cannot see perfectly clear.
Isa. 9:2, "The people that walked in darkness have seen a great Light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined."
Matt. 6:23, "But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness
Matt. 15:14, Let them alone: They be blind leaders of
the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch."
John 1:5, "And the light shines in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not."
Eph. 4:18, "Having the understanding darkened, being
alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart."
Eph. 5:11, "and have no fellowship with the unfruitful
works of darkness, but rather reprove them."
(b) Judicial blindness in part upon Israel during this age.
There is, in addition to natural unregenerate blindness, a judicial blindness that has fallen upon Israel. This is of a special nature and it is from the Lord himself pronounced as he wept over the city of Jerusalem (Matt. 23:37-39; Luke 19:41-44). It will be removed when the fullness of the Gentiles comes in (Rom. 11:25) which is the rapture of the church before the tribulation period (Eph. 1:10, 22-23). From Romans 11:25-26 we learn that this blindness is partial and is temporary.
This blindness is spoken of in 2 Corinthians 3 and gives us the key to understanding why it came upon the nation.
2 Cor. 3:14, 15, "But their minds were blinded: for
until this day remains the same veil untaken away in the reading of the Old Testament; which veil is done away in Christ. But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the veil is upon their heart."
Thus Satan was responsible first for blinding their minds and hearts and they allowed him to do so. Consequently as a judgment, Christ blinded their minds for this age.
Isa. 59:9b-l0, "We wait for light, but behold obscurity
for brightness, but we walk in darkness. We grope as if we had no eyes; we stumble at noon day as in the night; we are in desolate places as dead men."
Isa. 6:9, 10, "And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not. make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes: lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed~"
Cf. Matt.13:14,15, Mark 4:12, Luke 8:10, John 12:37-40. Acts 28:26, 27.
(c) Satanic blindness – with reference to the Gospel
Paul opens to us a very important area of truth in reference to the work of Satan upon the unsaved in 2 Corinthians 4:3-4. "But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost, in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them."
This blindness is placed upon the unregenerate mind and is specifically in reference to the gospel that would cause the unbeliever to be saved and thus taken out of Satan's kingdom (Cf. Col. 1:12-13).
It may be realized, therefore, that the unregenerate
Gentile has a double blindness upon him: natural and
Satanic; while the unbelieving Israelite has a triple
blindness in seeing the truth of the Gospel and being
saved: natural, judicial and Satanic. For this reason
souls can only be saved through prayer (Cf. Dr L.S.Chafer,
True Evangelism), and never by arguments and reasonings
Cf. Cor. 1:18-25). This blindness can only be overcome
by the work of the Holy Spirit and He does not work today
apart from men praying (Cf. Acts 13:1-2). John 16:8-l1.
The Holy Spirit is sent to convict the world of sin, of righteousness, and judgment. Two things are open to the one who is a sinner: reception of righteousness or expectation of judgment.
The Holy Spirit does not work apart from the Word of God for this is the means He uses to reveal the person of the Lord Jesus Christ (the Spirit always speaks of Christ) and the gospel of saving grace. The Word of God regenerates, but it only regenerates when the Holy Spirit operates through the Word (1 Thess, 1:5).
Thus a man is born again through the Word (1 Pet. 1:23),
and he is also born again through the Spirit (John 3:6,8).
If the Word of God is handled apart from the operation of
the Holy Spirit, there is no regeneration. This is what
happens when unbelievers use Scripture and the cults
quote the Word. The Holy Spirit can only operate in
accordance with the truth.
(2) For the believer.
Satan does not stop blinding men's eyes to the truth nor stop deceiving them in reference to the truth after they are saved. It is Satan's desire to deceive the believer and stop him at the earliest point along the believer’s pilgrim pathway, so that his service is stopped and his growth is hindered. If possible, Satan would like to even get the believer to go and live back in Egypt, or else live like they were back in Egypt. The believer is usually unaware at the time that Satan has blinded or deceived him and that what he is doing is not for the Lord, but against the Lord. The reason this is so is because he is blinded. If there is anything that we should fear, this is it.
Peter is an example to us all. Matt. 16:21-23. Peter wrote in 2 Peter 1:9, "But he that lacks these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins."
The warning of John. 1 John 4:1, "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world."
Prov. 14:15, "The simple believes every word: but the prudent man looks well to his going." When the simple becomes foolish, he is on his way to destruction. When the fool becomes scornful and wicked, it is too late.
This is what will happen in the Tribulation: Matt. 24:12, "And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold." Matt. 24:24, "For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect."
Paul's words to the elders at Ephesus: Acts 2O:30, "Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them." Cf. v. 29 concerning outsiders. V. 30 = insiders (blinded). Both are doing the work of Satan.
The entire book of Galatians was written because believers were blinded to the truth and had turned to error. Gal. 3:1, etc.
Notice Paul's warning to Timothy.
1 Tim. 1:19-20, "Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck: Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme." (Shows Paul's Apostolic authority, Cf.1 Cor. 5).
1 Tim. 4:1, "Now the Spirit speaks expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of demons.
Again these are believers. It seems in the final analysis that the only reason Satan can make an inroad into the mind of the believer is because the believer himself allows the false to enter in. They actually give heed to the demons and their doctrines even though Satan or his followers would have no power to force their way or their error upon the believer. It is the believer who willingly submits and is consequently held accountable and responsible for his defection, and is judged in this life with so great a judgment.
Therefore, we may conclude that Satan is blinding the believer, but the believer is permitting Satan to do this against the enlightening ministry of the indwelling Holy Spirit who is being quenched and
therefore grieved.
2 Tim. 2:16-18, "But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness. And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus; who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some."
They taught that the Tribulation was here and that the church was in it.
2 Tim. 4:10, "For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved
this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica."
2 Tim. 4:14, "Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works" (Cf. 1 Tim. 1:19).
A few other passages:
Heb 10:38-39, "NOW the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul."
2 Pet. 2:1-2, "But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privately shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways: by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of."
Rev. 2:4-5, "Nevertheless I have this against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent."
The steps that occur may be listed then as:
1. Deception by Satan, or his forces
2. Believer cooperates (for no believer has to sin, but every sin is deliberate), grieves the Spirit, and quenches His enlightening ministry to the believer of revealing the truth through the Word. This is carnal blindness.
3. If the believer continues in this state, judgment comes to him from the Lord so that he may be removed from off the earth (sin unto death). Cf. 1 John 5:16
The Remedy:
1. The enlightening ministry of the Holy Spirit (We must be rightly related to Him). Eph. 1:18, Col. 1:9, Etc.
2. The total Word of God. Matt. 4:4.
Check everything by all the Word (Cannot use certain Scripture and ignore others). Let the Word itself check us in any position. Be careful of divers and strange doctrines, Heb. 13:9.
3. Stand guard in prayer against this very thing. Eph. 6:18, "watching." All the armor of the Lord will do no good if we do not stand guard.
To be absolutely sure this will never happen to you, is to be already a vulnerable target. Need to take heed lest we fall.
Never underestimate the deceiving power of Satan.
Remember that another is not our Guide; but we had better stop and take heed if we find ourselves opposing that group of believers who are God-fearing, Spirit filled, and separated unto the Lord from the world. When a person has the feeling that he is the ONLY ONE serving God today, he has been blinded already by Satan.
4. Satan opposes the Word of God.
Think carefully about what is the moat important thing that we have
today. Your soul certainly is important. It is worth far more than
the whole world (Matt. 16:26).
But there is something that is equally as important, if not more so, than this. That is the Word of God. If God's Word fails--everything fails. If the Word is not true, God is not true. This is something that affects not only the whole universe, but even the very nature of God Himself.
Since the Word is of uppermost importance, it is no wonder that it is Satan's first and principle point of attack. He started this attack at the very beginning of man's history in the Garden of Eden, and he hasn't changed it since. The very method that he employs against the Word of God there may be clearly seen, and it is the pattern for us for all time.

a. The first example: Gen. 3:1-5.
Satan's work from the very first has been to:
(1) Question the Word of God, 3:1.
(2) Deny the Word of God, 3:4.
(3) Replace the Word of God, 3:5.
We will do well to study this closely.
(1) He Questions the Word of God, Gen. 3:l.
Satan knows what Christ knew and stated in the Gospels: That words express the character of a person. Matt 12:34-37, "out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks." Matt 15:17-20. The unregenerate man shows that he is unregenerate by what comes out of his mouth. This reveals his character and depravity. Satan here in Genesis then is attacking basic issues concerning the very character and nature of God. He is trying to throw the mind of Eve into a tailspin in reference to the Word of God and behind this is an attack on the character of God.
Eve's sin began with a thought. The act was merely the final end of a chain reaction. Satan always gets us to sin by overt action, only because he first gets us to sin in thought. He can get at the believer in no other way.
This is Satan's softening up operation. It is for him the place of victory or defeat. He will take the Word of God and misquote, misapply, misinterpret, or misuse the Word (Cf. Matt. 4:6). Never think that because the Word is being quoted that it is necessarily of God!
(2) He Denies the Word of God, Gen. 3:4.
This is the next step of Satan's attack. Satan claims God's Word is wrong; it is a lie. Thus he is denying:
Its truthfulness. "It is not right".
Its goodness. "Anything that is not right is not good."
Its authority. "If it is not trustworthy and good, it has no authority over you and it should not be followed." Of Course, this is perfectly logical! Satan is saying: You do not have to believe God and
therefore you do not have to obey God, because His Word is not right. It arrives back to the Word.
The Dutchman, Van Manen, argues that Paul wrote no epistles, if indeed he ever lived. This was cleverly answered by Whateley's satire, Historic Doubts about Napoleon Bonaparte. This work was so cleverly done that some readers were actually convinced that no such man as Napoleon ever existed, but rather is the product of myth and legend. In recent times, the school of "higher criticism" have made similar claims about the Scriptures.
Satan has many workers today, and they are all, in some way or other, denying the Word. Cf. Isa. 5:20 and what God says about them.
Up to this point the attack on the Word was entirely negative and destructive. But Satan knows that man will not live in a vacuum. Therefore having denied the Word of God, he immediately takes the final step to give man something to believe in place of God's Word.
(3) He Replaces the Word of God.
Notice that this is supra-revelatory. This is something over and above the Word of God. We have previously seen many times that Satan has his "deep things" (Rev. 2:24). He has his doctrines which are from demons (1 Tim. 4:1). He has his workers and teachers in abundance. Each one
is doing the same work. Each one is helping to dethrone "the truth" and to in-throne "the lie." There are various ways in which the Word of God is replaced, but the end result of all methods is the same.
-1- The Pharisees replaced and nullified the Word by their
traditions. Mark 7:5-13.
-2- The Roman Catholics do it by dogmas etc.
See Ott, pp. 296-99, pp. 3, 9.
-3- Various cults do it by another book or books, or by a particular writer or writers:
The Mormons had Joseph Smith.
Christian Science (Mary Baker Eddie)
Seventh Day Adventists (Ellen C. White).
And many more.
-4- Satan has other methods.
Visions of 0.L. Jaggers in the 60s, etc.
b. The Rest of Scripture.
(1) The Scriptures speak about the Word being rejected.
Ps. 50:l6-17, Isa. 5:24, Jer. 6:10, 8:9, 36:23, Zech. 7:12.
(2) God’s Word is spoken of as "truth" which is often times
rejected. Gal. 2:14, "walk not uprightly according to truth."
Gal. 3:1, 5:7, "that ye should not obey the truth."
2 Thess. 2:10, "receive not the love of the truth that
they might be saved."
1 Tim. 6:5, "destitute of the truth."
2 Tim. 2:18, "concerning the truth have erred."
2 Tim. 3:8, "resist the truth."
2 Tim. 4:4, "turn away their ears from the truth."
Tit. 1:14, "turn from the truth."
2 Pet. 2:2, "the way of truth shall be evil spoken of."
(3) Satan also blinds men's minds to the truth so that they
do not see it at all. 2 Cor. 4:3-4.
Notice again that it has to do with the mind.
c. Our defense against this attack: 2 Cor. 10:2-5.
We are to bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. It is not wrong to be tempted for this Satan does and will do; it is only wrong (sin) when we yield to the temptation. Christ met Satan's attack by the Word (Matt. 4) So likewise it is our only defense:
Eph. 6:17, "sword"
Jer. 23:29, "hammer."
Jer. 5:14, "fire."
Since Satan so strongly opposes the Word, we need to strongly promote the Word with all diligence. 2 Tim. 3:14-4:2.
1. He oppresses mankind.
2. He strikes fear into the heart of man.
3. He denies the Word of God.
4. He opposes the Word of God.
5. He hinders the Work of God.
Whenever God works, Satan is busy counter working in order that he may, by either direct attack or indirect attack defeat the purpose and program of God through the believer. It is essential that the believer is thoroughly instructed in this area and prepared for the onslaught of Satan when it comes, because, if he is going to live for the Lord and serve the Lord, come it will.
a. By external opposition from unbelievers.
This opposition may take various forms, but it is always to accomplish the same ends. Whenever the saints say, "let us rise up and build," he says, "Let us rise up and oppose." Whenever there are "open doors," there are also many adversaries" (1 Cor. 16:9). Satan will often directly oppose by snatching away the good seed that was sown, Matt. 13:4,19. At other times he may use a more indirect attack first. The Book of Nehemiah is a classic in regard to Satan's opposition to the work of God.
(1) Ridicule.
(a) An outward expression, Neh. 2:19.
(b) An intense campaign, Neh. 4:1.
If the world ridiculed Christ, they will also ridicule us (John 15:18-21), Mark 5:40, 1 Cor. 4:9-13.
Cf. Heb. 11:36, "mockings"
Cf. Acts 2:13, "others mocking"
(2) Direct force, Neh. 4:7-23, 2 Cor. 11:23-27, Rev. 2:10.
This partly falls under the oppression Satan brings upon believers, but it involves more. Persecution may be physical, spiritual, social, or mental or any combination of these. 1 Thess. 3:3, Phil. 1:28-29.
(3) Subtle ways, Neh. 6.
Notice the order. It will usually be in this same order of progression: Ridicule, Direct force, Indirect force.
(a) Compromise, Neh. 6:1-4.
(b) False Reports (Scare campaign), 6:5-9. Slander of Character.
(c) Treachery (Scare campaign), 6:10-14.
Infiltration -- One.
(d) Compromising Brethren (Scare Campaign), 6:17-19.
Infiltration -- Many.
Notice all through this that Satan is trying through these unbelievers to get the believer (in this case Nehemiah) to panic. The minute that he does—he will cease to operate "by faith" and will operate by sight, and Satan will have won the battle. Take a lesson. As long as the believer operates by faith," Satan is powerless.
b. By internal opposition from believers and/or professors.
If Satan is thwarted in one way, he never gives up, but changes his method of attack. If he cannot stop the work of God by direct attack, he will use an indirect approach. If he does not succeed by fighting, he will join and work from within. There are two parts of Satan's internal opposition. One is the cause; the other is the effect.
(1) Satan plants his own seed right where God planted His.
Matt. 13:24-30. Parable, Matt. 13:36-42 - Lord’s interpretation.
Notice some important things about it:
Christ begins the sowing and sows good seed.
The enemy who comes in later to sow bad seed is the devil.
The whole world is involved. There is no place where this
truth does not apply.
The good seed is the sons of the kingdom (believers).
The tares are the sons of the evil one.
The tares, or "darnel", is a wild type of wheat in Palestine which looks like the real wheat. It is impossible to distinguish it from the true when it is first growing. Sowing tares in a field for purposes of revenge was a crime under Roman legislation.
Here we see the initiating and the hypocrisy again. Satan and his workers are always crying to look like the real McCoy.
The important point that we want to observe right now is Satan's method of operation--sowing seed right in the midst of God's seed. This is an entirely new approach than that stated in the previous parable where he snatched seed away. Here he is mixing with the good in order to try to
defeat the work of God. Thus Satan will bring unbelievers even into the church when persecuting it will not work (Cf. Rev. 2, Pergamos and
Thyatira). Satan’s whole objective is to create a chaotic state where there is disunity and disharmony.
1 Cor. 14:33, "For God is not the author of confusion", but
of peace".
James 3:16, "For where envying and strife is, there is
confusion and every evil work." Cf. v 14
Cf. 1 Cor. 1:11, 3:3, 6:6, 2 Cor. 12:20, Phil. 4:2, Prov. 6:16-19.
The reason for Satan to bring in this disorder into God's work is so that he can take over and establish his own kosmos. (Greek word which is the opposite of chaos!) Deceit is his name.
(2) There are a number of effects created in the lives of believers by this dual sowing. As we have seen, Satan's objective is to cause disunity and discord among believers and so hinder or stop the work of God. The work of God is stopped the moment believers place their eyes on circumstances rather than the Lord and His ability. When this happens, the believer becomes selfish, discouraged, fearful, complaining and murmuring, doing the wrong things, and even sinning willfully. Let us briefly examine each one of these things.
(a) Selfishness.
Church at Corinth.
Selfish, divided, work for the Lord was stopped.
Phil. 2:5ff. "Let this same mind be in you which was
also in Christ Jesus."
(b) Discouragement.
Why are we discouraged? Because God failed us, or failed to keep His word? NOT AT ALL. It is because we have our eyes on circumstances and the sowings of the enemy: so we feel defeated. Num. 21:4, Neh. 4:10, "Much rubbish,"
Discouragement is one of Satan's greatest weapons. Every servant of God faces it at some time. Its source is the devil. Its cause is getting eyes on things and not on our Lord. " Much rubbish" = They were trying to remove a month’s rubbish in one day. To try to get a month’s work done in one day will lead to frustration and discouragement.
I seem to remember that the Lord only promises us strength for one day at a time! Deut. 33:25b, "And as thy days, so shall thy strength be."
(c) Fearfulness.
This is another by-product. Discouragement leads to fearfulness (since we are not 1ooking by faith to the Lord and His ability). Neh. 4:11-14. "The fear of man works a snare."
(d) Complaining and murmuring.
All these things before were inward and the a part of the heart state. Now they begin to express themselves outwardly. Look at the children of Israel. 1 Cor. 10:10, Phil. 2:14.
(e) Doing the wrong things.
The child of God will be doing what Satan wants him to do, rather than what God wants Him to do, or what he by faith wants to do. Romans 7. There is not only the stopping of God's work, but the believer may become actively engaged in promoting Satan's program SINCERELY BELIEVING HE IS DOING THE RIGHT THING. Matt. 16:21-23. Peter was Satan's ‘mouth piece’. Matt. 26:69~75.
(f) Children of Israel: Always after murmuring and complaining, they would operate according to the flesh in Numbers. From Sinai to Kadesh-Barnea: murmuring, and discontent: Num. 10:1-12:16
At Kadesh-Barnea = Unbelief, Ch. 13-14. They did the wrong thing because their heart was wrong. They met with disaster. In the wilderness wanderings, they met divine chastising in Ch. 15-19 for the purpose of discipline.
(g) Sinning willfully.
It is one thing to sin when you have allowed Satan to trick you; it is quite another thing to sin willfully or deliberately. Heb. 10:26-31. "For if we who are believers, keep on sinning willfully after that we have received the (full) knowledge of the truth ..." This is the climax. Sin always starts as a little thing but never stays little. Satan's seed has imitated the good seed; here is the good seed in rebellion and imitating Satan.
C. The Methods of Operation, or the Wiles of Satan(Repeated!)
1. He oppresses mankind.
a. The unbeliever.
b. The believer.
2. He strikes fear into the heart of mankind.
3. He deceives mankind.
a. He deceives by counterfeiting the things of God.
b. Satan is the Deceiver, his workers deceive, mankind is the object, and he will use anything to accomplish his ends.
c. He deceives by blinding men's eyes to the truth.
(1) For the unbeliever.
(a) Natural blindness upon all unbelievers.
(b) Judicial blindness in part upon Israel.
(c) Satanic blindness in reference to the Gospel
(2) For the believer.
4. He opposes the Word of God.
a. The first example: Genesis 3:1-5.
(1) He Questions the Word of God.
(2) He Denies the Word of God.
(3) He Replaces the Word of God.
b. The harmony of the rest of Scripture.
c. Our defense against this attack.
5. He hinders the Work of God.
a. By external opposition from unbelievers.
b. By internal opposition from believers/and/or professors.
6. He tempts to Sin and Snares the believer into sinning.
a. The Unbeliever.
The unbeliever is already under the control and domination of Satan. He has only one nature--the sin nature—which leads him into sin so that he cannot do anything righteous.
The unbeliever is totally unaware of this, however, and feels that he does many things that are good and acceptable works of righteousness. He fails to understand that this is Satan leading him to be "like God" in a false sense. The only true way to be "like God" is to be born like Him and made like Him in the person of His Son.
Because the unbeliever does possess a conscience, he does possess a controlling influence in some degree upon his sinning. From this standpoint, Satan can be said to tempt the unbeliever to sin using the sin nature and its lusts.
An example of this would be Pharaoh. Satan certainly was behind him and his actions. He controlled his thinking and made him, even at the last,
lust to have the children of Israel back again (Ex. 14:5).
Another example is Herod. Satan was behind his actions (Rev. 12:4b), yet again he used the lust for power, etc. to accomplish what he wanted.
Judas is a case at point. Satan tempted him to sin in betraying Christ through the lust of money (John 12:4-6,) and then even possessed him to be sure he carried out his act without failure. (John 13:27)
B. The Believer.
Satan's major thrust of temptation is done in reference to those who are believers. We who are believers do not have to yield ourselves ever to Satan's temptations (Doctrine of Sanctification; Romans 6-8, especially 6:6-14). We never have to obey the orders of the taskmasters of Egypt again. The source of power to overcome temptation is the Word of God (Matt. 4:1-li). We must meet temptation just as Christ met temptation and was victorious over it (cf. Eph. 6:13-17).
We will, furthermore, never be tempted by Satan (God allowing that testing) above what we are able to bear (1 Cor. 10:13). God knows our frame (Ps. 103:14), and He knows our spiritual state and maturity.
The entire doctrine of Hamartiology is involved here.
(1) The definition of sin. "Sin is anything contrary to the very nature of God's holiness.
Chafer: "Sin is any lack of conformity to the very nature of God."
(2) The various categories into which sin may be divided.
(a) Sin is against the Person of God.
Terms used: Godless, impious, irreverent, blasphemous.
Sin is against the Will of God.
Terms used: Rebellion, lawlessness, transgression,
iniquity.
(b) Sin is spoken of in two ways in Scripture.
"Sin" - A nature or capacity to do wrong and evil.
"Sins" = The outworking of the nature as it manifests
itself in time.
The one is the ROOT.
The other is the FRUIT.
(c) Sin is against God,
against society,
against self.
(d) Sin may be categorized as a thought,
an act,
a state or nature.
(e) Sin may be divided into a thought,
a word,
a deed.
(f) Sin may be a falling short of a goal or standard,
a straying off a correct path,
a transgression or going beyond or over
a certain boundary.
(g) There are sins of omission,
and sins of commission.
(h) There are unknown sins, and there are known sins.
Sins of ignorance (unconscious sins) and willful sins (conscious sins).
(i) There are sins of the flesh, and sins of the spirit.
(j) There are sins of the mind and heart, and sins of the
mouth, hand, or foot.
There are internal sins; there are external sins.
(k) There are overt (public) sins, and private (hidden)
sins.
(1) There are sins which are an attitude, and there are
sins which are actions.
(m) There are sins as an unbeliever and sins as a believer
(n) There is the penalty of sin, the power of sin,
the presence of sin.
(o) There is sin that is past, present, future.
(p) The doctrine of sin is divided into Personal sin,
Sin Nature, Original Sin.
(3) The Believer is snared by Satan when he sins.
The snaring is accomplished by making the wrong way attractive
and the believer falls for it. Satan camouflages the evil by making it appear good. He shows the bait, but he hides the hook. The believer bites thinking he will gain . . ." 2 Tim. 2:26.
The only standard is the Word (2 Tim. 2:25), but remember that Satan uses it also--out of context, and incompletely. Ps, 91:3, Ps. 124:7.
There are several things listed in the Word that snare people:
-1- Hypocrisy. 1 Tim. 3:7.
-2- Money. 1 Tim. 6:9.
-3- Women. Prov, 7:18-23.
-4- Fear of Men. Prov. 29:25.
(4) The Result of the believer sinning is that he is out of fellowship. A believer out of fellowship can do nothing pleasing to God. He is just like the unbeliever who can do nothing pleasing to God in some respects.
Satan desires to keep the believer out of fellowship for just as long a time as possible. He does this by making the sinning attractive and something the believer does not want to confess, or by ignorance of how to get back into fellowship with God. The only way for a believer who has sinned to come back into fellowship is to "confess" his sin to God (1 John 1:9). The restoration is immediate. Just as there is only one way to be saved, there is only one way to be restored to fellowship.
* He Energizes the Unbeliever to sin, and he accuses and
slanders the Believer when he sins.
There is certainly an overlapping of each of these categories as is true of this one. Yet, it is important that they be broken down into these various divisions in order to see the total picture.
a. In relation to Unbelievers, Satan energizes them to sin.
Eph. 2:2. This is seen in many examples as Pharoah, Herod, Judas.
b. In relation to Believers, Satan accuses and slanders them
when they sin.
(1) Directly (Godward): Satan himself accuses us before God.
Rev. 12:10, "The accuser of our brethren . . . which
accused them before our God day and night." Zech. 3:1-4.
Satan cannot understand grace. Joshua, the High Priest, had filthy garments on and Satan felt that God, being holy, would have to judge him and cast him out of His presence. Zech. 3.
But God's holiness is satisfied because Christ's death (has) paid the price for forgiveness and cleansing. In the OT, they looked forward to the coming of Messiah. Now, we preach Jesus crucified and risen from the dead. God, therefore, is faithful to His sinning child and just to His own holy standard of righteousness. (1 John 1:9). This was the problem of Balaam in Numbers 23-25.
It is no small thing when a believer sins. The believer immediately has broken fellowship with the Father. The filling of the Holy Spirit ceases, and so does the fruit of the Holy Spirit in the life of the person. The Holy Spirit stops "teaching" and "leading" the believer and begins to convict the believer of sin, and, therefore, broken fellowship. The believer has begun a road that will eventually lead to discipline--if he continues—even to the point of physical death (1 John 5:16).
Satan at the same time accuses the brethren before the throne of God, the Father, and in the presence of all the holy angels. This is why secret sin on earth is open scandal in heaven. The Lord Jesus
Christ as our Advocate, then comes as our mediator and pleads our case on the basis of His own death for that sin (1 John 2:1). The Lord also makes intercession for us (Rom. 8:34). This intercession together with
the Holy Spirit's work in our hearts is to bring us to the place of being willing to acknowledge our sins and confess that we have sinned so as to be restored back into fellowship (1 John 1:9).
(2) Indirectly (Manward): He uses others to do it. Rom. 3:8
Why is not more of the slander received by the Apostles,
disciples and early believers recorded in the Word?
The reason is that the Word is not a record of the false reports and slander, and therefore it is not recorded. Prov. 10:18; 11:13
We have hints that much of it went on. 1 Cor. 4:9-13, 2 Cor. 6:8, 1 Tim. 4:10, Heb. 10:33. Moreover, the fact that reproach will come to believers is clearly stated. Prov. 11:9, Matt 5:11; Heb. 13:113, 1 Pet. 4:14. We are no better than Christ and He bore reproaches and slander for us, leaving us an example. 1 Pet. 2:20-23. He that will serve the Lord will be slandered, but he is not to slander. A good admonition to take and to follow is Prov. 26:28.
XI. THE WORK OF SATAN: SUMMARY
A. His forces of operation.
1. His use of spiritual forces.
Cf. Millennium when Satan and his forces are bound and there is not much sinning even though man from the tribulation still has a sin nature).
2. His use of the kosmos (and nations).
3. His use of the flesh.
4. His use of the Man of Sin.
5. His use of unbelievers in general.
6. His use of his doctrine, assemblies and teachers,
B. His work of opposition.
1. Against "the Seed."
a. Before Christ's Coming.
b. At Christ's Coming.
His birth, His temptation.
His Life, His Cross (Gethsemane)
c. After Christ's Coming (Redemptive Work of Christ),
2. Against "the Believer."
a. His Witness: Believer's testimony of the message of
salvation.
b. His Warfare: Believer's prayer life, i.e. power.
c. The Believer's defense:
Flesh = Holy Spirit.
World = The Father,
Satan = The Son,
3. Against "the Word." In the Garden of Eden, Last Days.
4. In the world from of old: Lev. 19:31, 20:6 and Deut.18:9-14: "When you enter the land which the LORD your God gives you, you shall not learn to imitate the detestable things of those nations. There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, one who uses divination, one who practices witchcraft, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who casts a spell, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. For whoever does these things is detestable to the LORD; and because of these detestable things the LORD your God will drive them out before you. You shall be blameless before the LORD your God. For those nations, which you shall dispossess, listen to those who practice witchcraft and to diviners, but as for you, the LORD your God has not allowed you to do so." Also, 1 Samuel 28. Now we enter into Demonology.