A Brief Study of Angels
Do demons really exist?
We must begin with this question because there are numbers of people who reject the supernatural altogether and so, of course, would reject the existence of spirit beings like demons. They would assert that a belief in demons is the product of an overactive imagination and should be placed in the same category as believing in ghosts, werewolves, hobgoblins and other such fictitious creatures. Or because of the underlying shift in worldview especially in Western civilization (modernism to postmodernism as briefly discussed in this question under Holy Angels section) some perhaps believe in some evil force at work behind the scenes but would not attribute any resulting wicked and tragic outcomes to unseen, personal evil beings. It’s more of a cosmic good versus evil scenario for them. Finally, some use the word “demons” to refer to their personal weaknesses and failings which cause hurt and misery in their own lives and the lives of others close to them.
It is probable that we have all interacted with people who have these sorts of ideas. What may be surprising is that sometimes the people who reject the idea of literal demons who serve Satan, oppose God and prey on humans claim to be Christians. Whether they are genuine in their faith in Christ or not we will let the Lord decide, however, it is clear that they do not hold to the Bible as the inerrant, infallible word of God. Because it is there that Christians find the strongest evidence for the existence of demons.
Direct references to demons in the Old Testament are rare but there are a few. The first is in Leviticus 17:7. In the context the Israelites are forbidden by God to slaughter any animals outside the camp away from the Tabernacle (vv. 3-5). Part of the reason for this was to prevent any secret sacrificing to the “demons” on the part of some Israelites. If caught the Israelite might simply say he was slaughtering his animal for meat. This injunction closed that loophole. However, since it was only practical to do this in a setting where everyone lived close to the Tabernacle (as they did while with Moses in the wilderness), later when they spread out through the promised land this restriction was lifted (Deut. 12:20-22). The Hebrew word for “demons” in this verse is seirim which usually simply means goats (NIV “goat idols”; NASV “goat demons”). The worshippers of these demons believed that they took the form of goats. Even today Satan worshippers make heavy use of an upside down pentagram which they picture sometimes as a goat head with the five points being the horns, ears and beard.
Another direct reference to demons is found in Deuteronomy 32:17 where Moses, at the end of his life, was giving Israel his final message and in it detailed some incidents of Israel’s failure before the Lord. The last one is similar to this and is found in Psalm 106:37. Of course, we see other examples of wickedness in the Old Testament which might be attributed to the influence and power of demons such as the magicians of Egypt who opposed Moses and especially the widespread and bloody worship of idols among the heathen nations and even in Israel.
The New Testament speaks of demons much more frequently than the Old. In fact the only New Testament book which makes no mention at all of these beings is Hebrews. We will not take the time to look at specific verses right now since we
will be examining many of these passages in closer detail as we continue our study. However, it is worth noting that the four books known as the Gospels are replete with references to demons. In these, Jesus Himself spoke about them and also directly to them during His earthly ministry. It is surmised among many scholars that demonic activity was especially high during that period because of the presence of God the Son on the earth. Merrill Unger refers to this period of time as being “a violent outburst of evil supernaturalism” (Demons in the WorldToday, p. 4). Much of our doctrine about demons comes from the recorded words of Jesus concerning them.
Just as with the holy angels, the writers of the various books of the Bible never seek to prove the existence of demons. They simply take for granted that they are there by making references to them or recording the amazing events that transpire with regard to them. That in itself is a powerful testimony for we only seek to prove that which may be in doubt. To the authors of the Bible the existence of demons was never in doubt.
For the fundamental Christian, this should be enough. As already mentioned the testimony of the Bible is the strongest evidence for us and we believe it. However that is not the only evidence. If we consider world history and especially that of religion, we will see that even from the earliest times, mankind has known of and interacted with demons. Occult activity has been and still is prevalent among the peoples of the world. Unger states that “...exorcisms and various forms of demonological phenomena abound in archaeological discoveries from Sumeria and Babylon. Egyptian, Assyrian, Chaldean, Greek, and Roman antiquity are rich in demonic phenomena” (Demons in the World Today, p. 6). Today the obsession with the occult seems stronger than ever and more readily accepted by the public in general. Later, we will talk about some of these things and how they are deceptions foisted upon human beings by demons. For now, let us just mention that as the old saying goes “Where there’s smoke, there’s fire.” In other words, it is hard to imagine such an extent of activity without something being behind it. And as Robert Lightner remarks concerning this that “...there are many experiences that defy human explanation” (Angels, Satan, and Demons, p. 86). Having heard the personal testimonies of some people who have been involved in such practices, I believe Lightner’s comment to be accurate.
Do demons exist? Yes and we must not doubt it for an instant. This fact explains much of what is going on in the world. But more importantly it is the testimony of the Bible, God’s word, that these beings are real.