John Lawrence: Demonology Part 3 of 5

DEMONOLOGY
Part 3
III. The Origin and Identification of Demons Based on Genesis 6
Various theories have been advanced as to the origin of demons. Some of these must be completely rejected in light of the Word of God, but others are certainly argumentative. In the final analysis it is impossible to be completely dogmatic concerning their origin. We shall look at the various theories and then consider their strengths and weaknesses in light of all the evidence that can be brought to focus on the subject.
A. Various theories as to the identification of demons; we maintain that only 1 and 4 below are Scripturally feasible.
1. They are evil (fallen) angels.
2. They are disembodied spirits of a pre-Adamic race.
3. They are the souls of evil men.
4. They are the offspring of a union between fallen angels and
women in Genesis 6.
B. Examination of the various theories,
1. Demons are evil fallen angels, and evil angels are demons.
Many theologians hold this view. However, it must be also stated that in many cases very little has been written about the subject in the majority of systematic theologies. For instance, Charles Hodge denotes 54 pages to demons in a three volume work of 2,260 pages. A few others, like Meryl Unger, have written an entire volume on this very subject and they hold this view. A favorite of mine is L. S. Chafer, who almost favors this view, but in his systematic theology is more non-committal. He has two sections of 9 and 4 pages, respectively.
a. The reasons proposed for holding this view:
(1) Satan and his host that rebelled are designated as:
"Beelzebub, prince of the demons" (Matt. 12:24).
"Satan and his angels (Matt. 25:41).
"The dragon . . . and his angels (Rev. 12:7).
(2) The organizational structure is stated to be gradated as "principalities," "powers", "world
rulers of this darkness," and "spiritual hosts of
wickedness in the heavenly places" (Eph. 6:12 R.V,).
These various designations are said to be none
other than Satan's angels or demons with different
stations of rank and responsibility.
(3) When Satan fell, one-third of the heavenly host fell with him (Rev. 12:4). Some of Satan's angels are bound as described by Jude and Peter while others are
loose to roam the earth as demons. Those confined
are permanently confined because of their sin in Gen.
6 by sexual relations with women. Others have
been confined to the abyss and these will be
freed during the tribulation and all then confined
with Satan during the Millennium, loosed with him for
a short season and all finally confined to the Lake
of Fire forever. (We shall look in detail at all the passages related to this later).
b. The reasons for rejecting this view:
(1) Angels are never called demons in the Word of
God, nor are demons referred to as angels.
There is not one verse in Scripture that equates angels
and demons as there is, for instance, passages that
equate demons and evil spirits. Matt. 8:16.
Matt. 17:18/parallel: Mark 9:25 demons = unclean spirits"
Mark 5:2,12,13,15,etc. Luke 10:17,20, Rev. 16:13,14.
Scripture seems to be clear in keeping intact a
distinction between the two terms so as not to confuse them.
(2) Furthermore, Satan may be both the Prince of demons,
and also be the Dragon with his angels, and these two
groups not be the same.
We know that Christ is King of Israel, but he is
never once spoken of as King of or to the Church. In reference to the church,He is the Firstborn (Heb. 12:23).
In this passage in Hebrews, Christ has a relation to
angels, to the church, and to the spirits of just men
made perfect. These are all separate and distinct groups. Just so Satan may very truly have one re1ationship as leader of angels that have sinned, and another as leader of demons without the two being the same group.
Since we can find NO place where Scripture equates them as being the same, the burden of proof that they are the same rests upon those who say they are. It must be proved, not assumed. We do not believe that it can be proven!
(3) Demons have the characteristic of being disembodied
spirits that are always seeking embodiment while
angels (good or evil) do not have this characteristic.
Demons not only continually seek a body to abide in,
but to be cast out brings distress and suffering to
them. Mark 5:6-8. Matt. 12:43. This seems to point to the fact that they had a body at one time; do not have a body now; and feel an imperative need for a body.
Angela never express this craving. Holy angels are never
seen to have any need for a body and can carry on
their work without possessing a body. Neither does
Satan, the head of the evil angels, have any need to
possess a body. Satan is seen twice in Scripture possessing a body but never because of an intrinsic need.
Rather, it is to perform a specific task that could be
performed in no other way. These two occasions were the
possession of the serpent’s body in Genesis 3 and the
body of Judas in John 13:27.
Satan is spoken of under the figure of the King of
Tyre (Ezek. 28:12). This does not indicate at all
that he possessed a physical earthly prince (Ezek. 28:2). He was the spiritual force and authority working
behind the scenes. This is the same thing for the
forces of evil represented in Daniel 10:l3. This evil
angel did not possess the body of the king of Persia
and in that body withstand the angelic messenger from
God. Moreover, Michael did not possess a human body
in order to overcome the evil being who was unquestionably an evil being, greater in rank than the first one and less in rank from Michael.
The very fact that all demons have this craving shows
that they are different in nature than angels and cannot be equated with them.
(4) In Acts 23:8 and 9 we read that the Sadducees denied the existence of both angels and spirits along with a denial of the resurrection of the body, but that the scribes and Pharisees believed in both spirits and angels.
In this we may see the mind of the Jew of that day that believed the Scripture. They held to both angel and spirit distinctions and did not equate them as being one and the same. While this is not proof in itself, for the scribes could have been wrong, yet it does reveal a distinction which Scripture does not contradict.
(5) The different organizational structure ranks in Satan's forces as "principalities", "powers", "world rulers of this darkness," and "spiritual hosts of wickedness in heavenly places" does not in the least prove that angels and demons are the same. There could even more likely be this gradation of spiritual wickedness with angels and demons being entirely distinct and separate entities. The gradation in and of itself proves nothing.
(6) There is another point that should be mentioned. Demons cried out in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ several times with expressions similar to the following:
"I know thee who thou art, the Holy one of God" (Mark 1:24)
For an evil angel that had been created by Him and worshipped before the Lord before the rebellion of Satan to say this is absurd. All angelic creatures, whether evil or good, know their Creator whether pre-incarnate or incarnate.
Angels (good and evil) are spoken of in the OT as Sons of God because God created them all directly and they are therefore accountable to Him. Since they are directly created by God and directly accountable to God whether good or evil, Job shows that they periodically present themselves before the Lord (Job 1:6, 2:1). Satan was there along with all the other Sons of God--angelic beings--good or evil. Consequently, all the angels, good or evil, knew the fact and the person of the incarnate Christ because He was their Creator. Satan never said: "I know who thou art, the Holy One of God." What he did say to Christ was, "Since you are the Son of God", (Matt. 4:4 Greek). Evil angels knew their Creator and all about Him. However, demons, not being created directly by His hand, yet having a very great and keen knowledge, would cry out: "1 know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God." "I was not created by you, but I know you: You are the Holy One of God." Here again we see the great supernatural knowledge that demons possess.
In another case a demon said: "Jesus I know, and Paul I know . . ." (Acts 19:15). Paul is here placed on the same level with the Lord. It is not that they know their Creator and they know their Creator's
servant. Jesus had not created them and neither had Paul, but both cast evil spirits out of those possessed of them. As far as the demons relationship to expulsion from the body of a victim was concerned, both the Lord and Paul bore the same relationship.
(7) If evil angels and demons are the same, then demons have been present on this earth from the very beginning. However, nowhere does Scripture speak of demon activity until after the flood. Only then do you have false worship with its demonic activity that is behind it. Before the flood there was no worship, or atheism practiced. This is why Cain's descendents named their children in derision of God: Mehujael: "blot ye out that Yah is God."
Methusael: "He dies who is (was) of God."
The first can be translated variously as to strike, to rule; to erase; to abolish, blot out; destroy, wipe away. Yah means God or strength.
The second can be translated variously as to die; he suffers or they suffer; with the ending of God or strength.
Belief in demons never occurred before the flood and only gradually following the flood did their true nature become clear through observation and experience. This accounts for the change in the meaning of the term "demon" throughout the years following the flood, and an understanding of their evil nature become clear.
2. Demons are disembodied spirits of a pre-Adamic race.
This is the view of Pember in Earth's Earliest Ages, and Larkin in The Spirit World (as well as other writings). They hold that a pre-Adamic race existed on the original earth (Gen. 1:1) under the rulership of Satan in his unfallen state as "the anointed cherub that coverth" (Ezek. 28:14). This earth became the sphere of Satan's revolt and Satan and his angels were cast down to this earth with a resultant cataclysm to the earth and its inhabitants (Gen. 1:2). The race that was destroyed became disembodied spirits that are now free to roam the earth which we call demons. This race was not of angelic beings because angels do not lose their bodies at any time. This idea may have been indirectly, even unwittingly supported by footnotes on Genesis 1 in the Schofield Study Bible.
a. The reasons proposed for holding this view.
(1) Angels are not disembodied spirits, but clothed with
spiritual bodies; while demons are disembodied spirits. The children of the first resurrection receive spiritual bodies (2 Cor. 5:2-3) and are said to be like or equal to the angels (Luke 20:36, etc.). Therefore angels have bodies.
(2) The two classes of Satan's subjects are regarded as
different in both the 0T and the NT.
In the Old Testament angels such as Gabriel, Michael, the princes of Persia and Grecia are considered angels, while the ‘familiar’ spirits and the shedhim, seirim, and Lilith are of the order of demons.
(3) The classical meaning of the word demon signifies
"the spirits of men of the golden age" acting as tutelary deities.
(4) Certain Scriptures are used to support this view:
(a) Gen. 1:28, ". . . and replenish the earth."
(b) Isa. 45:18, "He formed it to be inhabited."
Jer. 4:23-27.
These passages are taken to refer to an original creation.
(c) 2 Pet. 3:6, "the world that then was"
This is taken to refer to an original creation, not pre-flood, but pre-cataclysmic.
b. The reasons for rejecting this view:
(1) Scripture nowhere speaks of such a race that populated
the earth.
(2) If there were such a race of people, God would have
been unjust to judge them for the sin of Satan whom He had placed over them as their governor.
God often judges people through their Leader, but always because the people themselves are evil in heart. Now If these people were on earth, and went along with Satan in his rebellion and consequently become involved in the conflict of the ages as disembodied spirits-~GOD HAS A RESPONSIBILITY TO REVEAL THIS. This is a matter for revelation, not just curiosity. Nowhere is such a people referred to in Scripture.
(3) There may be a distinction between angels and demons
without the origin of demons being the disembodied spirits of a pre-Adamic race. Even if this distinction may be maintained, that angels and demons are different, it is not proof that demons came from a pre-Adamic race, for it must be proved that they did not and could not have come from the time of the flood, or from any other period.
(4) No demons are ever referred to nor is their activity ever seen before the flood.
If demons were in existence from the very beginning of Adam's history on this planet, it would seem only natural for them to manifest themselves, particularly because of their desire to control a body, and because the people who were on the earth were bent on doing wickedness. (Gen. 6:5,11). The nature of a being does not change toward good without God’s intervention (God's provision for sinners
is for them to have a new birth and therefore experience the creation
of a new nature created after godliness). The nature of demons would now be the same as before the flood, and before the flood the same as now. If demons were present, they would have had the same desire to possess and control a body for evil.
Since the sin of the pre-flood people of the earth is never stated to be that of demon worship, nor is demon possession seen at all, it must be concluded that demons were not in existence at that time. Therefore, they could not be the spirits of a pre-Adamic race any more than they could have been fallen angels, for both would have been in existence before the flood. (The only other factor that we can conceive of is that demons were present with the same desire to possess a body but were not permitted or allowed to do so because of some prohibition of their master or of the Lord. However, Scripture is silent on this. Therefore, it cannot be a solution.
(5) The classical meaning of the word demon, "the spirits of men of the golden age" is a tradition that can have a basis of truth behind it, even as other traditions have a basis of truth behind them. A basis of truth behind traditions does not signify that these spirits came from a pre-Adamic race. Again, in order to prove this, it will be necessary to prove that demons could not have come from the time of the flood, or from any other period of history.
(6) The Scripture references used to show the existence
of a pre-Adamic race, do not teach this at all. In other words, each Scripture passage used in support of this view may be better interpreted in another way. One of the basic rules of Bible interpretation is that when there may be more than one meaning of a passage, the correct one is that interpretation which is most normal to the totality of Scripture. Any extreme interpretation is always to be avoided unless there is specific, clear, and undisputed evidence with
Scriptural context and support elsewhere. Let us examine these passages separately and consider the clearest interpretation:
(a) Genesis 1:28, ". . . and ‘replenish’ the earth."
The Hebrew word ‘male’ really means to "fill." It is true that sometimes it is used of something that once was filled, and then it does mean to "refill" as in Genesis 9:1. However, the word itself does not tell you this; only the context does. But the context of Genesis 1:28 does not reveal that there was a previous race before Adam.
(b) Isa. 45:18, "He formed it to be inhabited."
This could be a reference just to the conditions of Genesis 1:1, or some have said this could be a reference to angelic beings who in- habited this earth before Satan's sin. At least Scripture is clear to reveal that Satan himself was in the Garden of Eden (Ezek. 28), and it
is very likely that he was not alone on earth but other angels were with him. However, against the view that angels might be the meaning of the passage it must be stated that angels were here on earth even in the midst of the chaos that this earth went through, and yet God still
classified it as being void.
So, we can truthfully state that God knowing the end from the beginning knew that He would be creating man on this earth, and that this was one of his purposes for the creation of this planet.
Cf. Matt. 25:34; Eph 1:4; 1 Pet. 1:1,2
(c) Jer. 4:23ff. What Jeremiah is doing is describing the devastation that will be coming upon Judah and Jerusalem (4:5, 14).
He likens this divine destruction and judgment to that of the pre-Adamic destruction. But the desolation is not just that of man; in fact man is not completely destroyed (Jer. 4:27). It is a destruction of vegetation and a chaotic state. This seems to be the significance of the comparison.
(d) 2 Peter 3:6, Even though this reference may refer to the earth of Genesis 1:1, the passage does not say the earth then had inhabitants just because it has inhabitants now. In all fairness we must conclude that these last three passages may be argued both ways. Therefore they cannot possibly be used to state anything conclusively in reference to the earth being inhabited before Adam. In order to prove this position, a clear and undisputed passage must be found. But none exists.
(7) There is one final thing: Scripture does speak about the history of this world "from the beginning" and nothing is mentioned about a previous race or the ‘chaotic destruction’ which it suffered.
Matt. 24:21, "For then shall be great tribulation, such as was NOT since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be."
Mark 10:6, "But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female."
Mark 13:19, "For in those days shall be affliction, (of) such (a sort) as was NOT from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be."
Someone can say that in all of these passages Christ is speaking only from the beginning of the new world that God reconstructed. He is not speaking about the whole history of the earth. What is said that leads one to believe that it goes back to the construction (creation) itself? Do we have such a passage? Yes!
Luke 11:50,51. 50so that the blood of all the prophets, shed since the foundation of the world, may be charged against this generation, 51from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the house of God; yes, I tell you, it shall be charged against this generation.’ Cf. Zacharias ...But could argue that these were not prophets. See Matt. 23:35.
3. Demons are the souls of evil men who have died.
This concept developed from the ancient Greek concept of the gods. Homer’s (c. 850 B.C.) gods were but ‘supernatural men’ and these were demons or spirits of good and great deceased men. Gradually, as the centuries changed, the concept of demons as being only evil occurred. The idea developed also that these evil and vile demons were the spirits of wicked men. Josephus, for example, seems persuaded of this view when he speaks of demons as "the spirits of the wicked that enter into men that are alive."
a. The reasons for holding this view.
There is no Scriptural support whatsoever for this view as to the origin of demons. It is attributed to traditions of men.
b. The reasons for rejecting this view:
There is only one that needs to be mentioned which reveals the Scriptural impossibility: All mankind in the 0T went to a place identified as Sheol (and in the NT as Hades). This occurred regardless of whether the person who died was a believer or an unbeliever, whether he was righteous or unrighteous. The OT translates the Hebrew word "sheol" by three English words: "grave,"' "pit", or "hell." Ps. 9:17–wicked, 16:10 – Christ; Jonah 2:2 -prophet. Num. 16:30,33 - Korah and family.
"Sheol" simply means "the place of the departed spirits" and is equivalent to the Greek word "Hades" translated wrongly as "hell" in the NT. Christ informs us that Sheol or Hades is divided into two compartments--the righteous portion and the unrighteous portion (Luke 16). But the point of importance is that this place of Sheol or Hades is a place of confinement. All the dead were there until the resurrection of Christ when He rose and led captivity captive to heaven with Him. Eph. 4:8-9.
These are all of the righteous souls who were held captive by Sheol until the Lamb was slain on the altar and the blood was brought into the Holy of Holies to be placed upon the mercy seat. Then, and only then, could there be an entrance into the Holiest of all.
Paradise has consequently been changed from being ‘in the earth’ (Luke 23:43 with Matt. 12:40) to the third heaven, or the throne of God
(2 Cor. 12:2, 4).
It is clearly seen that the righteous are "held captive". That one is in torment and the righteous are " paradise" is also stated. Scripture is specific about this. But the unrighteous are also equally captive and will not be released until the second resurrection. Prov. 27:20, "Hell and destruction are never fu11." The idea is that they hold their victims, however.
Ezek. 31:14b. Not free to roam the earth.
Heb. 2:5. A description of gathering and holding and
yet wanting always more.
The account of the rich man settles it once and for all. Luke 16:22-31.
The rich man died and he was in torment. He could not free himself of this torment either, nor could he return to the earth to tell his brothers about what Hades was like. If he could return, he would not be deceiving his brothers at all; he would be working on God's side for righteousness, not for Satan and for wickedness. Therefore, demons cannot be the souls of wicked men.