Angels and Demons
Yes, actual angels and demons are walking among us. Sometimes both types of angels influence us via visions or whispering into our hearts and minds. Some are warnings, some are enticements to temptations.
When demons do that, those are evil thoughts we must conquer, for they are real entities that strive to disrupt our lives and cause us to sin. They want you to suffer and they strive to cause you to make others suffer. More than anything they want to erode or eradicate your belief in Jesus Christ. That's the bad news.
The good news is God knew of our weaknesses and caused his only begotten Son to suffer and die for the sins of all the people that have or will ever have inhabited this world. For our salvation, all we have to do is believe in Jesus and walk the path he outlined for us.
We read in the Bible that God created angels to serve and glorify Him. “Praise him, all his angels: praise him, all his hosts. Praise him, sun and moon: praise him, all ye stars of light. Praise him, ye heavens of heavens, and ye waters that be above the heavens. Let them praise the name of the Lord: for he commanded, and they were created.” (Psalm 148:2-5)
Angels are mighty in strength, as told by Psalm 103:20, “Bless the Lord, you (are) His angels, Mighty in strength, who perform His word, Obeying the voice of His word!” Another example is revealed within Revelation 10:1, “I saw another strong angel coming down out of heaven, clothed with a cloud; and the rainbow was upon his head, and his face was like the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire.” Verse 18:21 adds, Then a strong angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, “So will Babylon, the great city, be thrown down with violence, and will not be found any longer.”
Both Isiah and 2 Kings reveal that a solitary angel of the LORD went out at night and struck down one hundred eighty-five thousand troops in the camp of the Assyrians. When God's people got up the next morning—all there were to be seen were dead bodies scattered everywhere!
In the form of a question, Hebrews 1:14, says we are told that angels are spirits. “Are they not all ministering spirits, sent out to provide service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation?” And by comparison, according to Psalms 8:5, “Man was created a little lower than the angels.”
Once we become glorified, circumstances change as does the hierarchy between angels and humankind. Apostle Paul, in his letter to the Corinth church, told us that believers will not only judge the world but also judge angels: “Do you not know that we are to judge angels?” What we can surmise from this? 1 Corinthians 6:3 passage relates that we, as God’s children, will be given positions higher than the angels.
Not only are we created in God’s image but we are redeemable by Christ (Galatians 3:13; Luke 1:68). Though angels were created immortal, they were not created in God’s image and are not redeemed by Christ (Hebrews 1:14; 2:16). Also, God sends His angels to serve us, His saints.
Do you believe good angels can physically guide people or harm them? Read Genesis 19. God sends angels to warn and advise humans, or even blind troublemakers if need be. Angels warned Lot to escape Sodom before God would destroy the city. When Lot did not move fast enough, the two men grabbed his hand. They also took the hands of his wife and his two daughters. The two men (angels) led Lot and his family safely out of the city. (Genesis 19). Too bad for her that Lot's wife turned around.
Two angels greeted the women at Jesus’ tomb, and said, “Jesus had risen and to go tell His disciples to meet Jesus in Galilee.”As Jesus ascended into heaven, two men (angels in white apparel) informed the disciples that Jesus would return in the same way they saw Him go into heaven (Acts 1:10-11).
Few angels, among the thousands of angels, are named in the Bible. Michael and Gabriel are God's angels, whereas Lucifer and Abaddon are adversaries of God. Lucifer is well known but Abaddon is only mentioned once and appears to be another fallen angel, given the mission to rule over the Abyss of the bottomless pit. Michael is specifically named more than once. Michael fought valorously and stood guard over the Israelites (Daniel 12:1). Jude reported in chapter 1, verse 9, “Yet Michael the archangel, in contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him (the devil) a reviling accusation, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!” Was Micheal fearful of Satan? Much later, Revelation 12:7 foretells, “And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought.”
As for Gabriel, he appeared to Daniel the prophet twice to explain his visions. Gabriel, also, appeared twice in Luke. First to the priest Zechariah to announce the impending birth of John (Luke 1:11-20), and, six months later, to announce to Mary she would give birth to Jesus (Luke 1:26-38).
Different angels appeared in the Bible in several different ways and forms. Some angels appeared in recognizable forms, even seeming to be human as with Gabriel's visitation to Elizabeth and Mary. Luke 2:8-14 records, “Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”
Angels appeared to others in the dreams of those persons. This was especially true when an angel appeared to Joseph, betrothed to Mary, to tell him to take Mary as his wife and that their son would be Jesus, the Messiah. That's from Matthew 1:20-21. An angel also appeared to Joseph, in another dream, to warn him to flee to Egypt.
Other angels appeared to people in visions as presented to Ezekiel (Ezekiel 1 and 10), as well as in Revelation. These visions were not dreams, as they took place when the individuals were wide awake. However, these visions contrasted with other occurrences where angels could be recognizably seen by others as physical entities, or as humans. Occasionally, in a crowd, only one person could see and/or hear the angel.
God's angels work for Him only, and, by the powers He allocates to “good” angels, they can intercede, on His behalf, in the affairs of designated people, not just God's people. Angels protect God’s people and little children. “He will give His angels orders concerning you, to protect you in all your ways. On their hands they will lift you up” (Psalm 91:11-12). The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear Him and rescues them (Psalm 34:7).
Angels were given specific positions within God's hierarchy. Michael, the archangel, is a chief angel holding one of the most superior ranks. Many folks understand this to mean Michael was the highest angel. That is not correct. Several angles hold that very same title even though they may have different responsibilities. Jude 1:9 identifies Michael as “one of the chief princes.” Daniel 10:13 supports my thinking about Michael's rank when he reports, “But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days; and behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left alone there with the kings of Persia.”
A common but repeated myth is that when good people die they get their wings and become angels. Wrong! Humans do not become angels—ever! God created us in His image. I find no biblical evidence that any angel was created in His image. Quite the contrary, some descriptions of angels are borderline repulsive or gross.
Here is a brief hodgepodge of angel facts.
The eternal destination of angels is with us in heaven! Revelation 19-22 describes them as being there, with God, falling down and worshiping Him, at the marriage of the Lamb, waging war against the nations, and with God in the new heaven and earth.
Angels protect us and promote peace among humans. They guide us towards self-control and self-improvement.
We often see angels depicted in artwork as chubby babies or attractive, peaceful-looking women. Yet, the Bible never speaks of child angels or women angels. The appearances of angels changes depending on their type or mission.
Imagine Ezekiel's mortification when he observed this and said, “Then I looked, and behold, a whirlwind was coming out of the north, a great cloud with raging fire engulfing itself; and brightness was all around it and radiating out of its midst like the color of amber, out of the midst of the fire. Also, from within it came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance: they had the likeness of a man. Each one had four faces, and each one had four wings. Their legs were straight, and the soles of their feet were like the soles of calves’ feet. They sparkled like the color of burnished bronze. The hands of a man were under their wings on their four sides; and each of the four had faces and wings. Their wings touched one another. The creatures did not turn when they went, but each one went straight forward.
As for the likeness of their faces, each had the face of a man; each of the four had the face of a lion on the right side, each of the four had the face of an ox on the left side, and each of the four had the face of an eagle. Thus were their faces. Their wings stretched upward; two wings of each one touched one another, and two covered their bodies. And each one went straight forward; they went wherever the spirit wanted to go, and they did not turn when they went.
As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, like the appearance of torches going back and forth among the living creatures. The fire was bright, and out of the fire went lightning. And the living creatures ran back and forth, in appearance like a flash of lightning.”
Might those be the Seraphim? The word “Seraphim” means “fiery one. In Isaiah 6, they are described as each spouting six wings, and they all cry out “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord”, but the four faces and bodies full of eyes also seem similar to the cherubim which have human-like hands under their four wings. No doubt descriptions of angels are confusing and may bear separate studies.
Angels do not get married, as indicated by Matthew 22:30, “For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels of God in heaven.” Angels are spirit-entities, so we usually can’t see them unless our eyes are opened by God. In Numbers 22:22-31, the donkey could see the angel blocking the road, but Balaam could not–until God opened his eyes. Elisha knew that angel armies surrounded their city, but his servant could not see them until God opened his eyes (2 Kings 6:15-17).
1 Peter 1:12 reports: To them it was revealed that not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things which angels desire to look into.
When God's angels deliver His messages to humans, they sometimes appear looking like men, often wearing impressive white robes (Daniel 8, Acts 1). When the women entered Jesus’ tomb they saw a “young man” wearing a white robe (Mark 16:5). The appearance of the angel who rolled away the stone from Jesus’ tomb “was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow” (Matthew 28:3).
Some angels appear so ordinary that they aren’t recognized. Hebrews 13:2 warns, “Do not neglect hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.”
Angels are keenly interested in the Holy Spirit's work as far as humans are concerned. “There is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents” (Luke 15:10).
Angels obey God’s voice and perform His Word (Psalm 103:20).
They praise God for His glory and strength (Psalm 29:1).
Myriads of angels surround God’s throne, shouting out that the Lamb of God is worthy! (Revelation 5:9-10, 12-13)
God placed cherubim, a type of the angel classes, on the east side of the Garden of Eden with a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life (Genesis 3:24).
Angels are “greater in might and power” than false (human) teachers (2 Peter 2:11). However, in the age to come, we who are believers will judge the world – including angels (1 Corinthians 6:2-3).
Often, when an angel appeared to people they cowered with fear. The shepherds were “terribly frightened” when the angel announced the birth of Jesus in Luke 2. When the soldiers saw the angel at Jesus’ tomb, they “shook from fear of him and became like dead men” (Matthew 28:4).
While angels worship God, we are never to worship angels nor pray to them. (Colossians 2:18) When the apostle John fell and groveled at the feet of an angel to worship him, the angel rebuked him, “Do not do that; I am a fellow servant of yours and your brothers and sisters who hold the testimony of Jesus; worship God!” (Revelation 19:10). While there is no verse saying “You shall not pray to angels,” no verse says we should. Clearly, we are not to pray to angels. There are theological reasons why praying to angels would be inappropriate. Jesus Himself always prayed only to our Father God. When His disciples wanted instruction on how to pray, He instructed, “When you pray, say: “Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come...”(Luke 11:2). The book of Matthew records Christ giving similar advice. Jesus also stated: Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
Remember what got several Old Testament characters in trouble—they were praying to idols. Even though God's angels are “heavenly” beings, praying or worshiping anything or anyone other than God is idolatry.
One of the principal missions of Angels is to convey God’s true Word. It was Moses who heard from the angels to deliver God's Word to him and then on to his tribe. That is my interpretation of Acts 7:38, “This is he who was in the congregation in the wilderness with the Angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our fathers, the one who received the living oracles to give to us.” God's laws are sometimes directed to “normal” humans by angels, as in Acts 7:53, “who have received the law by the direction of angels and have not kept it.” “The word spoken through angels proved unalterable” (Hebrews 2:2).
Personally, whether I am right or wrong, while not worshiping angels nor praying to angels, I do ask them, if it is permissible, to present my thoughts of love to my deceased parents. I hope, as God's messengers, they would not mind infrequent requests of this ilk.
Hebrews 1:14 reports, “All the (good) angels are spirits who serve God and are sent to help those who will receive salvation.” They comforted the prophets Daniel and Zechariah and gave an understanding of the visions they saw and told what to proclaim. As Daniel said, “My God sent His angel and shut the lions’ mouths, and they have not harmed me.” When the King of Aram dispatched an army against the prophet Elisha, God sent His army of angels with chariots of fire (2 Kings 6:8-17). And, who has not read of the angel that rescued apostle Paul from prison—twice!
Therefore, in discussing whether angels appear today, one must be cautious to note that both holy angels and fallen angels of Satan truly exist. All declarations of angel visitations need to be screened into one of these three categories.
Are they made up or imaginary, whether intentionally or sincere.
Any “angelic visit” could be a deception caused by Satan or an evil spirit.
Or, a person may encounter a genuine angelic visitation, message, assistance.
One demonic trick is to deceive people into believing that evil agents are messengers of God. True angelic encounters will be based on messages or activities where God's Word is not contradicted and no harm is intended. All angelic powers, good or bad, are allowed or given by God. All God's messages from good angels are His and not from angel-directed origins.
Personally, I feel I have been warned or even saved physically more than once by what is commonly referred to as guardian angels.
But back to detailing demon activities and the damages they conspire to do. Satan is a liar, and demons are masters of deceit. Jesus called the devil a “liar and the father of lies.” He said, “He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language” ( John 8:44 ).
Where did these demons come from? Did God create them? The Bible doesn't specifically tell us why God allowed the devil and the other demons to revolt for no good reason. However, the Almighty has every right to do so. The New King James Version (NKJV) informs us in Deuteronomy 15, “See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil.” God is not a tyrant and proof of that is found in the fact that just as he bestowed free will on humans, he had also done the same for His angels. We know with certainty, that before God finished the foundations of the earth, or Adam and Eve, he created angels with free will. Satan, in a fit of sinful pride, chose to depart from heaven and one-third of the angels followed him.
Jude says, demons are “angels who did not keep within their own domain but abandoned their proper dwelling place.” So demons, as we know, are fallen angels. The Bible also identifies them as evil spirits or unclean/impure spirits. Like angels, they were created beings, and, yes, they can be powerful.
Satan is in no way equal to God. This beautiful but corrupt angel was created with powers limited to those expressly granted by God’s authority. Speaking of the devil's past and present state, Ezekiel chapter 28 relates the symbolization of Satan to king Tyre. “You were the seal of perfection, Full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God; Every precious stone was your covering: The sardius, topaz, and diamond, beryl, onyx, and jasper, sapphire, turquoise, and emerald with gold. The workmanship of your timbrels and pipes was prepared for you on the day you were created. You were the anointed cherub who covers; I established you; You were on the holy mountain of God; You walked back and forth in the midst of fiery stones. You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, Till iniquity was found in you.” Verse 17 goes on to show God's magistracy and superiority over Satan as God said: Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; You corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor; I cast you to the ground, I laid you before kings, That they might gaze at you.
What do demons do? Demons influence or enter humans, causing strife, disabilities, and symptoms of physical or mental illness. To know this, we only have to read Mark 9:16-20, where Jesus asked the scribes, “What are you discussing with them?” Then one of the crowd answered and said, “Teacher, I brought You my son, who has a mute spirit. And wherever it seizes him, it throws him down; he foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth, and becomes rigid. So I spoke to Your disciples, that they should cast it out, but they could not.” He answered him and said, “O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him to Me.” Then they brought him to Him. And when he saw Him, immediately the spirit convulsed him, and he fell on the ground and wallowed, foaming at the mouth. In verses 25-26, Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “Deaf and dumb spirit, I command you, come out of him and enter him no more!” Then the spirit cried out, convulsed him greatly, and came out of him.
Some other examples of the evil acts of demons resulted in, the woman bent over double for years (Luke 13:11-13), and the wild-man was possessed by a “legion” of spirits who ran naked through the tombs and had the power to break chains and shackles (Luke 8:27-38).
Besides physical possessions, Satan and his demons tempt people to sin. Everyone remembers when Satan lured Adam and Eve into sin by questioning the words of God. The consequences of disobeying Him are severe (Genesis 3:1-5). The New Testament tells us Satan entered into Judas before he betrayed Jesus (John 13:27). Yes, Satan scatters his demons over the width and breadth of this earth. They either sneak around or prowl like roaring lions, seeking people to trick or devour. We must be diligent, on our toes, as it were, and be watchful to resist the devil. Fear not! Prayer and the power of Christ will cause evil to flee!
Ephesians 4:21-27 (NKJV) has important messages for us. “If indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.” Therefore, putting away lying, “Let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor,” for we are members of one another. “Be angry, and do not sin do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil.”
As far as the above verses go, the NIV is clearer on 4:26: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry,
Believe it or not, Satan is the chief ruler or “god” of this world? This is evidenced by John 12:31. We have read the devil blinds the minds of the unbelieving and deceives the nations. He veils or snatches away the good news of the kingdom. Unlike God, Satan has does not have unlimited authority or influence as he is not omnipotent. The devil is not all-knowing; nor has he infinite awareness, understanding, or insight as he is not omniscient. The evil master, unlike God, cannot be in every place constantly as he is not omnipresent. Compared to God, Lucifer can't play the second fiddle. Compared to us, he is a cunning adversary capable of causing you to be bad Christian examples, harm others, or, heaven forbid, forfeit your soul by disbelieving in Jesus Christ.
Therefore, much of his evil doings are likely carried out around the world by his demons and sub servant humans. Presently, 1 John 5:19 reflects both the good and the bad of our human, unglorified, existence by saying, “We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.”
What makes some of our decision especially difficult, is the fact that the devil and his demons can perform false signs and wonders. This is why the Bible tells us to “test the spirits to see whether they are from God.”
What else does the Bible associate with demons? Demons, like angels, also have a hierarchy where Satan is the prince of the power of the air, the overall master of his followers if you will? Ephesians 6:10-12 says, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.”
Daniel described a certain man (an angel) clothed in linen, whose waist was girded with gold of Uphaz, with a body was like beryl, and his face like the appearance of lightning, with eyes like torches of fire, and arms and feet like burnished bronze in color, sounding his words like the voice of a multitude. That man said to me, “Daniel, God loves you very much. Think very carefully about the words I will speak to you. Stand up; I have been sent to you.” And when he said this, I stood up. I was still shaking because I was afraid. Then the man in the vision started talking again. He said, “Daniel, do not be afraid. From the very first day you decided to get wisdom and to be humble in front of God, he has been listening to your prayers. I came to you because you have been praying. But the prince of Persia has been fighting against me for 21 days. Then Michael, one of the most important princes, came to help me because I was stuck there with the king of Persia. Now I have come to you, Daniel, to explain to you what will happen to your people in the future. The vision is about a time in the future.”
Now A human prince would not have been able to block this magnificent angel—this, obviously was the devil himself. In Daniel's story, you'll notice it took two angels to overcome Satan's evil. Apparently, the devil and some of his demons have some power over some angels in some circumstances. Unless, of course, God or Jesus directly intervenes.
Jesus gave His disciples power and authority over all the demons. “Now He called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all the demons, and the power to heal diseases” (Luke 9:1). “Now the seventy-two returned with joy, saying, ‘Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name!’ And He said to them, ‘I watched Satan fall from heaven like lightning. Behold, I have given you authority to walk on snakes and scorpions, and authority over all the power of the enemy' (Luke 10:17-20). Despite this, Matthew 17 relates a case where the disciples failed to cast out a demon. Matthew 17:19-20, Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?” He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”
Despite rebelling, demons believe that God is Almighty. James 2:10 (ERV) says, “You believe there is one God. That’s good, but even the demons believe that! And they shake with fear.” The evil spirits know there will come a time when they will be tortured (Matthew 8:29). Demons know Jesus! Mark 1:34 describes them shouting “You are the Son of God!”
A legion of demons possessing a man fell down before Jesus, begging Him not to send them to the abyss (Luke 8:26-33). Even as they plead and rebel, demons recognize God’s authority over them. Demons serve Satan and pervert God's truth while pestering or misleading humans. They are full of anger, jealousy, and constantly battle us, deny God's authority, and promote chaos.
A common myth about the appearance of Satan is that his skin is red and he sports a forked tail. Demons are depicted as nasty little things with all types of disgusting appearances. Not true! The most difficult problem—with trying to describe what Satan and demons look like, is that they are by definition, non-physical spirits. Thus, it is impossible to assign permanent or consistent physical features to demonic entities. The devil and his demons can change their deceptive looks as they choose. The Bible describes Satan, the prince of demons, as one who “disguises himself as an angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14). Satan’s demons, or human servants, can falsely disguise themselves as “apostles of Christ” and “servants of righteousness.”
When seriously studied, what the Bible says about angels and demons can be intriguing faith-building. Even comforting. We rejoice that God’s angels serve to guide and protect us. Moreover, who does not look forward to when we can join with them in heaven and worship our God? However, we need to be alert and diligent against the strategies of Satan and his demons. We must be led astray into the sin of harming others, disbelieving in Christ, or falling prey to false idols.
Near the end of this world, angels will wage war against Satan and his foolish followers, and the fool-hearted people who reject God. An army of angels will return with Christ “in flaming fire, dealing out retribution to those who do not know God, and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus” God's militant angels will fight and conquer the false prophet Satan and his demons, and the people that rebel against God and receive the mark of the beast (Revelation 18 and 19). Near the end, an angel will bind Satan with a great chain and throw him into the abyss for 1000 years (Revelation 20:1-3).
We are not saved by just knowing correct theology, or simply doing good works. Although those are crucial steps among many more. No, we are saved by our living faith in God everlasting and walking, in true faith, down the path as Jesus Christ taught us.
Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit and never fear Satan or his demons.
The End
Read the Bible, replenish yourself in His word, repent as needed, and be kind and forgiving of our fellow humans, while going forth and making disciples of all nations. Amen
Please feel free to contact me, Dennis King, at DoJ@mail.com if you have questions, comments, corrections, or just wish to share your troubles or testimonies.
