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Huntersfield Christian Training Center A Discipleship Ministry “TO DISCIPLE PEOPLE IN THE DISCOVERY OF THEIR IDENTITY, PASSION, AND PURPOSE” Demonology A Biblical Perspective Instructor: Larry Poston (Study Guide) Huntersfield Christian Training Center STUDENT NAME (print) Table of Contents BIBLICAL TEACHING REGARDING SATAN, DEMONS AND THE OCCULT IN GENERAL ..................................................................................................................................... 1 PROBLEMATIC PASSAGES REGARDING ...................................................................................... 4 DEMONS IN THE OLD TESTAMENT ............................................................................................... 4 DEMONS AND DEMONIC ACTIVITY IN THE NEW TESTAMENT ............................................ 4 OTHER PASSAGES TO CONSIDER: ................................................................................................. 6 SATAN (More Specifically…) ........................................................................................................... 7 DEMONOLOGY AND THE OCCULT: AUTHORS AND IDEAS .......................................... 9 A DIRECTORY OF OCCULT PHENOMENA ....................................................................... 16 CONCERNING VAMPIRES, ZOMBIES, SORCERERS AND “SUPERHEROES” ...................... 18 EXORCISM AND DELIVERANCE MINISTRY – “CASTING OUT DEMONS” ............... 22 CHRISTIANS AND THE OCCULT: CONCLUSIONS .......................................................... 25 1 BIBLICAL TEACHING REGARDING SATAN, DEMONS AND THE OCCULT IN GENERAL Larry Poston, Nyack College 1. Genesis 1:6-8 – In the Creation account, it may be observed that five of the days were blessed by God, but one was not. Which day was NOT blessed (i.e. not pronounced “good”)—and why not? 2. Genesis 3:1 -- “The serpent” appears in the first verse; appearing as the tempter who helped to bring about the original fall of humankind. Revelation 20:2 makes the connection between him/it and the devil/Satan. 3. Genesis 6:1-8 – This passage is interpreted by some to indicate that angelic beings (see Job 1:6) who had followed Satan in his rebellion against God (see Matthew 25:41) (i.e., demons) had sexual relations with human females, producing a race of half demon/half human beings called the Nephilim (this word is translated “giants” in some versions of the Bible, but the Hebrew word for “giants” is anakim, and so usually the term is simply transliterated today). This passage is connected by some theologians with Jude 6 and 2 Peter 2:4, which together allegedly teach about a class of demons who are bound in a section of the underworld called Tartarus rather than being allowed to roam free. They are confined to Tartarus because of their special sin of having sexual intercourse with women. 4. The Mosaic Covenant contains several references to a class of phenomena which, while not necessarily being directly connected with Satan, can nevertheless be categorized as “occult (meaning “secret” or “hidden” or “behind the scenes”) phenomena”: a. Exodus 7:11-12 – speaks of secret arts, sorcerers, and magicians and demonstrates that “supernatural occurrences” are certainly not unique to Christianity. b. Exodus 28:30 -- Urim and Thummim – a means of discerning the will of God in certain situations; involved asking “yes and no” questions and casting these objects to see how God caused them to land. This practice differs from occult divination only in its SOURCE; the source here being the One True God. c. Leviticus 19:26, 31 -- condemnation of divination and sorcery, mediums and spiritists; “you will be defiled by them.” d. Leviticus 20:6 – those who consult mediums and spiritists are “prostituting themselves,“ and they are to be “cut off” from God’s people. e. Leviticus 20:27 – Here the death penalty is commanded for spiritists/mediums f. Deuteronomy 18:10-13 -- divination, sorcery, interpretation of omens, witchcraft, casting spells, mediumship, and spiritism are all condemned in this passage; those who engage in these practices are “detestable to the Lord.” 5. 1 Samuel 28:6ff – contains the account of Saul and the witch of Endor (there are various views as to what is actually happening here) 6. 1 Chronicles 21:1 – speaks of Satan’s influence on David the King – the “man after God’s own heart” (cf. 2 Samuel 24:1). 7. Job 1:6-12 -- Satan is seen here as having access to the presence of God. Does he still have such access, or did he lose this access when he “fell like a lightning flash” (Luke 10:18). 8. Isaiah 14:12-15 – A description of Satan. Many scholars find it difficult to believe that the characteristics of the person being directly addressed (i.e. the king of Babylon – v.4) could be those of a mere human being, particularly when compared with the next passage. Thus it is believed that the address is to the spiritual being (i.e. Satan) that stands behind and empowers this person. 9. Ezekiel 28:11-19 – A more detailed description of Satan. It is believed by many scholars that while it is the king of Tyre who is being addressed directly, the characteristics in the description cannot be those of a mere human. Thus it is believed that the address is to the spiritual being (i.e. Satan) that stands behind and empowers this person. 2 10. Matthew 4:1-11 – The account of Jesus being tempted by Satan in the wilderness.Some see this as a paradigm of Satan’s temptations in general. First, he tempts us to be independent and provide for ourselves in order to satisfy our desires (i.e. turn stones into bread). Second, he tempts us to be naively dependent on God (“throw yourself off this building—God will take care of you”). And third, if we get past those two temptations, he will tempt us to believe that we’re all-powerful; we could have all the kingdoms on earth (“bow down to me and all these kingdoms will be yours”). 11. Matthew—as is the case with the other Gospels—gives several accounts of Jesus dealing with demon possession and/or demonic activity (see separate handout “Demons and Demonic Activity in the New Testament”). 12. Matthew 12:43-45 – Here Jesus teaches the importance of “follow-up” to any exorcism/deliverance session. According to His teaching, “when an evil spirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it.” Eventually this demonic spirit decides to return to its original host, and “when it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that man is worse than the first.” Thus we see that a “deliverance session” by itself is not nearly enough with respect to liberating a human being from demonic bondage. 13. Matthew 25:41 gives one of the clearest teachings in the Bible regarding the connection between “the devil” (i.e. Satan) and “his angels,” from which is derived the doctrine that Satan was the leader of an entire group of angels in his original rebellion against God, and these “fallen angels” are what we today call “demons.” This passage also indicates the eventual fate of these fallen beings: “eternal fire” (i.e. Gehenna) which was prepared specifically for them. 14. Lukan passages dealing with the occult and the satanic: a. Luke 10:18-19 – Jesus states that He saw “Satan falling like a lightning flash” – which could mean his original expulsion from the presence of God before the creation of the world, or it could have been at some later point that we don’t have any details regarding. b. Luke 16:19-31 – which deals with the reality of Hell/Hades and gives insight regarding the question of whether Satan resides in or rules over this place) (with Jude 6, 2 Peter 2:4, Matt 25:41; Revelation 20:11-15) c. Luke 22:3 (along with John 13:27) – apparently Judas was “possessed” by Satan (Satan entered into him), leading him to betray Jesus. 15. John 8:44 – Jesus calls the Jewish people of His day “children of the devil” – using belief in Himself and obedience to His Word as the “test” for determining which “father” (i.e. God or the devil) one could claim. He gives the following characteristics of the devil: a. A murderer from the beginning b. Does not stand in/adhere to the Truth c. There is no truth in him d. When he lies, he speaks his native language and out of his own character e. He is a liar and the father of lies. 16. Acts 8:9ff – concerning Simon the Sorcerer/Magician, who even after becoming a Christian was still interested in obtaining “power” to do supernatural things (“give me this power also…”) , even to the point of offering to purchase this ability. He is told to repent of such “wickedness” – a warning to all Christians, especially those who have dabbled in the supernatural in their past. 17. Acts 19:13-20 – concerning the sons of Sceva, Jewish exorcists who believed that a “technique” involving the use of Jesus’ name would accomplish their purposes. The results were disastrous, showing that “techniques” are not the means by which demons may be controlled or cast out. 18. The Pauline epistles: a. Romans 16:20 – concerning the “crushing” of Satan (cf. Genesis 3:15) b. 1 Corinthians 5:5 – concerning one of the “uses” of Satan: to “destroy the flesh” 3 c. 1 Corinthians 10:18-22 – Paul clearly states here that sacrifices offered to idols are actually offered to demons, implying that it is through demonic/Satanic influence that idol worship is formed, showing that demons desire—even crave—to be worshiped. d. 2 Corinthians 11:13-15 – concerning false apostles; Paul states that Satan himself masquerades as an “angel of light” e. 2 Corinthians 12:7 – concerning a “messenger (angel) of Satan” (angelos satanos) being Paul’s “thorn in the flesh.” Taken literally, this would mean that Paul was “given” a demon to “buffet” him in order to keep him from becoming too proud of his supernatural experiences (a similar situation is discussed below in the section of “Problematic Passages in the O.T.).
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