A Study of Demons by James Meadows

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Digging Deeper: A Study of Demons by James Meadows

Introduction
1. Read Mark 16:17-20
2. In a Harris Poll a few years back, the poll showed that thirty-three percent of Americans believed in demon possession today.
3. In this study we plan the following outline: (1) Demons did exist. (2) What were demons able to do? (3) What was the purpose of demon possession? (4) What are views about demons — who or what? (5) Do demons possess people today?
Did Demons Exist?
1. There are only two or three references to demons in the Old Testament — Psa. 96:5, 106:37; Deut. 32:17.
2. There are nearly 100 references to demons in the New Testament (Noel Merideth, G.A., March 1974).
  1. Daimon, one Greek word for demon occurs five times (Matt. 8:31; Mk. 5:12; Lk. 8:29; Rev. 16:14, 18:2).
  2. Daimonism, another Greek word for demon (neuter of the adjective daimonios) occurs sixty times (Matt. 7:22; 9:33,34; 10:8; 11:18; 12:24,27,28; 17:18; Mark 1:34,39; 3:15,22; 6:13; 7:26,29,30; 9:38; 16:9,17; Luke 4:33,35,41; 7:33; 8:2,27,30,33,35,38; 9:1,42,49; 10:17; 11:14,15,18,19,20; 13:32; John 7:20; 8:48,49,52; 10:20,21; Acts 17:18 (translated here gods); 1 Cor. 10:20,21; 1 Tim. 4:1; James 2:19; Rev. 9:2).
  3. "Possessed with demons" (daimonidzomai) occurs thirteen times (Matt. 4:24; 8:16; 8:28; 8:33; 9:32; 12:22; 15:22; Mark 1:32; 5:15,16,18; Luke 8:36; John 10:21).
  4. "Demoniacal" or "devilish" occurs only in James 3:15 (daimoniodes).
  5. "Unclean spirit or spirits" are the same as demons and they occur twenty-one times (Matt. 10:1; 12:43; Mark 1:23,26,27; 3:11, 30; 5:2, 8, 13; 6:7; 7:25; Luke 4:33,36; 6:18; 8:29; 9:42; 11;24; Acts 5:16; 8:7; Rev. 16:13).
  6. "Evil spirits" occur six times (Luke 7:21; 8:2; Acts 19:12,13,15,16).
  7. "Spirit of divination or Python" is found in Acts 16:16.
  8. Spirit of infirmity in Luke 13:11 may have been caused by a demon.
3. There are a number of recorded instances of casting out demons in the New Testament.
  1. Demons in Syria (Mt. 4:24).
  2. At Capernaum (Mt. 8:16; Mk. 1:2-26).
  3. In Galilee (Mt. 9:32; 12:22).
  4. In Gadara (Mt. 8:23-33).
  5. Near Mt. Hermon (Mt. 17:14-18).
  6. Mary Magdalene (Mk. 16:9; Lk. 8:2)
  7. In Samaria (Acts 8:7).
  8. At Philippi (Acts 16:16-18).
4. Jesus cast out demons by the Spirit of God (Matt. 9:33; 12:28).
5. Jesus gave power to the apostles to cast out demons (Matt. 10:8).
6. Jesus gave the seventy power to cast out demons (Luke 10:17-20).
7. Casting out demons was one of the signs that would follow believers (Mk. 16:17-20).
What Were Demons Able to Do?
1. They are called unclean spirits (Mk. 5:2,8,13).
2. They could cry with a loud voice (Mk. 5:7) and gave their name (Mk. 5:9).
3. They could leave a man, enter a herd of swine and cause them to run into the sea (Mk. 5:12-14).
4. Jesus would not allow them to speak because they knew him (Mk. 1:34).
5. Matthew declares that a demon departed from a child (Matt. 17:18).
6. Demons are able to "believe and tremble" (Jas. 2:19).
7. Jesus addressed demons (Matt. 8:32).
8. Paul addressed demons (Acts 16:18).
9. The seventy declared that demons were subject to them (Luke 10:18).
What Was the Purpose of Demon Possession?
1. The New Testament does not give a specific answer to this question.
2. "If the mission of Christ, as the divine Son of God, was to be effective, the Lord's absolute authority must be established." (Jackson, 391)
  1. Christ demonstrated his authority in a number of ways.
    1. He had power over diseases (Mt. 9:20-22).
    2. He had power over material objects (Mt. 14:15-21).
    3. He had power over the element of nature (Mt. 8:23-27).
    4. He raised Lazarus from the dead (John 11).
  2. Christ demonstrates his authority in the Spirit world.
    1. When the seventy returned and said the devils are subject unto us, Jesus said, "I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven" (Luke 10:1-18). Ultimate and complete fall of the devil.
    2. Christ said he cast out devils by the Spirit of God (Matt. 12:28-29; Luke 11:2022).
  3. "These passages, I believe, help us understand the purpose of demon possession in the first century. It established the comprehensive and supreme authority of the Son of God." (Wayne Jackson)
What Are Some Views Held as to Who or What Demons Were?
1. In 1974 a well-known gospel preacher wrote an article, "Are You Possessed by a Demon?" (It was printed in the Gospel Advocate in February 1974). His position is as follows:
  1. "Demon possession, as described in the New Testament, appears to always been some sort of medical problem — dumbness, blindness, epilepsy, mental illness, etc."
  2. "these people did not know what epilepsy was, so they called it demon possession. They did not know much about mental illness, so they called it demon possession..."
  3. Jesus didn't "straighten out" their understanding because "it was never his purpose to educate the ignorant of the world about the things of this world."
  4. What else did the Lord leave us in ignorance about?
  5. "It would be impossible to regard demon possession as a mere disease without doing violence to the language use in every instance of the expulsion of a demon." (McGarvey)
2. Some claim that demons were the disembodied spirits of a pre-Adamic race of men who lived upon the earth in a "gap" period that allegedly lived between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2. (Wayne Jackson, Reason & Revelation, April 1998, p. 26)
3. Some trace the origin of demons to a supposed cohabitation between angels and certain women of the pre-flood world (Gen. 6:16). Jesus taught that angels are sexless beings (Mt. 22:30).
4. Some identify the demons with the fallen angels mentioned in 2 Peter 2:4 and Jude 6. This verse indicates they were to stay there till judgment.
5. Another view is that demons were the wicked spirits of the dead men who were allowed by God to leave the Hadean realm.
  1. Alexander Campbell held this view (a lecture delivered in Nashville, Tennessee, March 10, 1841).
  2. Since the rich man could not leave Hades and a great gulf separated the righteous and the wicked, and could not crossed, this is questionable.
6. The New Testament does not tell us the origin of demons, thus no dogmatic conclusion can be drawn with reference to their origin.
Do Demons Possess People Today?
1. Zechariah prophesied that the prophets and the unclean spirit to pass out of the land (Zech. 13:1-2).
  1. The day in which a fountain would be open for sin and uncleanness can only refer to the Christian age (Heb. 9:15-17; Rom. 5:8-9).
  2. God said that in the Christian Age he would cause the unclean spirit to pass out of the land.
  3. To claim that some are possessed with demons today is to deny the word of God and make him a false prophet.
2. The purpose of supernatural gifts was to confirm the authenticity of divine revelation (Mk. 16:17-20; Heb. 2:1-4).
3. The New Testament clearly shows that the day was on the horizon when miracles would cease (1 Cor. 13:8-10; Eph. 4:8-16).
  1. The power to cast out demons (along with other matters) came directly on the apostles in Acts 2.
  2. The power to cast out demons by others came through the laying on of the apostles' hands (Acts 6:1-7; 8:13-18).
  3. When the apostles died and those on whom they laid hands died, the age of confirming signs was over.
  4. W.E. Vine wrote the following: With the completion of Apostolic testimony and completion of the Scriptures of truth ("the faith once delivered for all the saints," Jude, 3, R.V.), "that which is perfect" had come, and the temporary gifts were done away. For the Scriptures provided by the Spirit of God were "perfect." Nothing was to be added to them. This interpretation is in keeping with the context.
4. Third, if men are possessed of demons today then Satan has once again risen to power and Christ has no complete victory over him (Heb. 2:14).
5. Fourth, to hold the claim that men are possessed of demons today says that the devil can still have power over a man against his will (Rom. 6:16).
Conclusion
1. There are dangers associated with the present preoccupation with demonism.
  1. One might blame the devil for it all.
  2. Danger from Satan's frontal attack.
  3. Let us be busy in resisting the devil.
Works Consulted
1. Jackson, Wayne. The Acts of the Apostles. Stockton, California, Christina Courier Publications, (2005): 385-396.
2. Turner, Rex. Systematic Theology. Pensacola, Florida, Firm Foundation Publishing House (1989): 93-100.
3. Jones, Kenneth L. Witchcraft, Spiritualism, Astrology and Demon Possession. N.D. 1-11. Vine, W. E. An Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words.
4. Meadows, James L. Questions About the Article "Are You Possessed by a Demon?" Gospel Advocate, March 14, 1974, 164-165.
5. Fulford, Sid. Are You Possessed by a Demon? Gospel Advocate, February 1974, 119-120. Merideth, J. Noel, Demonology (I). Gospel Advocate. March 21, 1974, 184.
6. Jackson, Wayne. Demons: Ancient Superstition or Historical Reality, Reason &
7. Revelation, April 1998, 25-30.
8. Roper, David L. Truth for Today Commentary — Acts 1-14. Ed. Eddie Cloar. Searcy, Arkansas. Resource Publications, N.D. 286.
9. Main, Wynella F. An Investigation of Demons. Nashville, Tennessee. Gospel Advocate, July/August, 1999, pp. 29-36.
10. Jackson, Jason, "What We Have Seen and Heard." Stockton, California. Christian Courier. February 2006, pp. 37-39.