Angels & Demons The Reality of the Unseen World Robert C. Newman

Angels & Demons The Reality of the Unseen World Robert C. Newman

The Reality of the Unseen World

Two Errors There are two pitfalls we can get into when we discuss this subject: – (1) Reject the supernatural altogether, or reject anything supernatural but God. – (2) See demons behind everything. Here, we want to see what the Bible has to say on this subject, for: – God can see the unseen & he cannot lie. – We cannot safely explore the unseen world.

The Unseen World 2 Kings 6:9-17 – Elisha's servant learns of unseen forces. Job chapters 1 & 2 – The reader gets to see what is really behind Job's misfortunes. The Book of Revelation – Actions in heaven produce results on earth: the seals, the trumpets, the bowls.

2 Kings 6:13-17 13 (NIV) "Go, find out where [Elisha] is," the king ordered, "so I can send men and capture him." The report came back: "He is in Dothan." 14 Then he sent horses and chariots and a strong force there. They went by night and surrounded the city. 15 When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. "Oh, my lord, what shall we do?" the servant asked. 16 "Don't be afraid," the prophet answered. "Those who are with us are more than those who are with them." 17 And Elisha prayed, "O LORD, open his eyes so he may see." Then the LORD opened the servant's eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

Job 1 8 (NIV) Then the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil." 9 "Does Job fear God for nothing?" Satan replied. 10 "Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. 11 But stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face." 12 The LORD said to Satan, "Very well, then, everything he has is in your hands, but on the man himself do not lay a finger."

Job 2 1 (NIV) On another day the angels came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them to present himself before him 3 Then the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil. And he still maintains his integrity, though you incited me against him to ruin him without any reason." 4 "Skin for skin!" Satan replied. "A man will give all he has for his own life. 5 But stretch out your hand and strike his flesh and bones, and he will surely curse you to your face." 6 The LORD said to Satan, "Very well, then, he is in your hands; but you must spare his life."

Revelation 6 1 (NIV) I watched as the Lamb opened the first of the seven seals. Then I heard one of the four living creatures say in a voice like thunder, "Come!" 2 I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest. 3 When the Lamb opened the second seal 4 Then another horse came out, a fiery red one. Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make men slay each other 5 When the Lamb opened the third seal there before me was a black horse! Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand. 6 Then I heard a voice saying, "A quart of wheat for a day's wages, and three quarts of barley for a day's wages, and do not damage the oil and the wine!"

Revelation 8 2 (NIV) And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and to them were given seven trumpets 7 The first angel sounded his trumpet, and there came hail and fire mixed with blood, and it was hurled down upon the earth. A third of the earth was burned up, a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up. 8 The second angel sounded his trumpet, and something like a huge mountain, all ablaze, was thrown into the sea. A third of the sea turned into blood, 9 a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.

Revelation 16 1 (NIV) Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, "Go, pour out the seven bowls of God's wrath on the earth." 2 The first angel went and poured out his bowl on the land, and ugly and painful sores broke out on the people who had the mark of the beast and worshiped his image. 3 The second angel poured out his bowl on the sea, and it turned into blood like that of a dead man, and every living thing in the sea died. 4 The third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs of water, and they became blood.

The Unseen World 2 Kings 6:9-17 – Elisha's servant learns of unseen forces. Job chapters 1 & 2 – The reader gets to see what is really behind Job's misfortunes. The Book of Revelation – Actions in heaven produce results on earth: the seals, the trumpets, the bowls

Understanding History Historians have had a real problem trying to figure out what history is all about, since they lack crucial information: – Kant: history a perfect state – Hegel: history is a rational process freedom – Marx: history is economics, class warfare. – Most recent historians: history has no meaning or goal.

Understanding History The Bible reveals that knowledge of the unseen world is necessary to make sense of history. Besides the unseen world of human thought and motivation, we see both: – Warfare between God and Satan; – God working out his plan, like an author writing a story.

Understanding One's Own Life Likewise, we cannot understand our own personal lives without taking the unseen world into account. – Jeremiah 17:9: who can understand his own heart? – 2 Timothy 2:24-26: humans taken captive by Satan – Ephesians 6:10-18: our struggle is not just with other humans

Jeremiah 17 9 (NIV) The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? 10 "I the LORD search the heart and examine the mind, to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve."

2 Timothy 2 24 (NIV) And the Lord's servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. 25 Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, 26 and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.

Ephesians 6 10 (NIV) Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

Understanding One's Own Life So, we cannot understand our own personal lives without taking the unseen world into account. – Jeremiah 17:9: who can understand his own heart? – 2 Timothy 2:24-26: humans taken captive by Satan – Ephesians 6:10-18: our struggle is not just with other humans

What Should We Do? Non-Christians should flee to God. – Proverbs 18:10: (NIV) The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe. Christians should remember that prayer is not a trivial exercise. – Ephesians 6:18 (NIV) And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

Angels, God’s Messengers

Why Have Angels? Couldn't God do it all Himself? Of course, but perhaps God wants to share His work, His joys, His sorrows, with others. After all, why did He choose to have humans either?

What Do Angels Look Like? The Traditional Picture: – Wings – White robes – Long hair – Rather feminine Actually only seraphim & cherubim are mentioned as having wings. Angels look human when they appear to humans, e.g., Genesis 18, Judges 6

Genesis 18 1 (NIV) The LORD appeared to Abraham near the great trees of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance to his tent in the heat of the day. 2 Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he hurried from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground 16 When the men got up to leave, they looked down toward Sodom, and Abraham walked along with them to see them on their way 19:1 The two angels arrived at Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gateway of the city. When he saw them, he got up to meet them and bowed down with his face to the ground.

Judges 6 11 (NIV) The angel of the LORD came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, where his son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to keep it from the Midianites. 12 When the angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon, he said, "The LORD is with you, mighty warrior." 20 The angel of God said to him, "Take the meat and the unleavened bread, place them on this rock, and pour out the broth." And Gideon did so. 21 With the tip of the staff that was in his hand, the angel of the LORD touched the meat and the unleavened bread. Fire flared from the rock, consuming the meat and the bread. And the angel of the LORD disappeared. 22 When Gideon realized that it was the angel of the LORD, he exclaimed, "Ah, Sovereign LORD! I have seen the angel of the LORD face to face!"

Angels as Spirits/Winds Psalm 104:1 (NIV) Praise the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, you are very great; you are clothed with splendor and majesty. 2 He wraps himself in light as with a garment; he stretches out the heavens like a tent 3 and lays the beams of his upper chambers on their waters. He makes the clouds his chariot and rides on the wings of the wind. 4 He makes winds his messengers, {[4] Or angels} flames of fire his servants.

Angels as Spirits/Winds Ps 104:4 is a puzzling verse! How should we translate it? – "He makes winds his messengers"? – "He makes his angels spirits"? The context is rather figurative. – I suspect it means God uses inanimate nature to do his will.

The Angel of the LORD A mysterious figure! He appears to: – Hagar in Genesis 16 & 21 – Abraham & Isaac in Genesis 22 – Balaam in Numbers 22 – Gideon in Judges 6 – David in 2 Samuel 24

The Angel of the LORD In some passages he appears to be God. – Genesis 16:11-13 (NIV) The angel of the LORD also said to her: 13 She gave this name to the LORD who spoke to her: "You are the God who sees me," for she said, "I have now seen the One who sees me." – Judges 13:21-22 (NIV) When the angel of the LORD did not show himself again to Manoah and his wife, Manoah realized that it was the angel of the LORD. 22 "We are doomed to die!" he said to his wife. "We have seen God!"

The Angel of the LORD I suspect the Angel of the LORD is Jesus before his incarnation: – John 1:18 (NIV) No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father's side, has made him known. – Joshua 5:13-15 (NIV) The commander of the LORD's army replied, "Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy." And Joshua did so.

Seraphim & Cherubim Don't know how these beings are related to angels, but we include them here. Names mean seraphim "flaming ones" and cherubim "covering ones." Not sure to what extent they differ from one another, or whether these are alternative names for the same beings. See descriptions in Isaiah 6, Ezekiel 1 & 10, and Revelation 4.

Seraphim & Cherubim The cherubim are first seen in the Bible when they keep Adam & Eve out of the garden (Gen 3:24). Images of cherubim are part of the tabernacle and temples (Exodus, 1 Kings, 2 Chronicles, Ezekiel), as statues, figures woven in cloth, and carved in the paneling. God rides upon them (Psalm 18, Ezekiel 1, 9 & 10), as they pull his throne-chariot.

The Archangel Michael Jude 1:9 – figures in dispute with Satan over the body of Moses. Daniel 10:13, 21 – helps Gabriel in fight with the angelic Prince of Persia. Daniel 12:1 – protects Daniel's people, and will arise at the end of the age. Revelation 12:7 – will cast Satan out of heaven. Michael is basically seen in warfare.

The Angel Gabriel Daniel 8:16 & 9:21 – explains visions to Daniel. Luke 1:19 – appears to Zechariah, fatherto-be of John the Baptist. Luke 1:26 – sent by God to Mary re/ the virgin birth of Jesus. Gabriel is basically a messenger.

Other Angels No others named in Bible, but some extrabiblical writings give more names. Not all angels are good. Other activities besides warfare & messages: – Prepares way for Abraham's servant (Gen 24) – Brings judgment (2 Samuel 24:16) – Worships God (Revelation 5:11-12)

We Are Angels! Christians are commissioned to deliver a message (Matthew 28:19-20). Believers are commanded to fight against wickedness (Eph 6:12; 2 Cor 10:4) Believers are sometimes delegated to bring judgment (Israel Canaan; Romans 16:20).

Satan & the Demonic

Their Creation Nothing is said about this in Genesis 1. Their creation is indicated in Nehemiah 9:6, but not when it occurred: (NASU) You alone are the Lord. You have made the heavens, The heaven of heavens with all their host, The earth and all that is on it, The seas and all that is in them. You give life to all of them And the heavenly host bows down before You.

Their Creation In Hebrews 9:11, the author refers to the heavenly tabernacle as "not a part of this creation." This may indicate that the heavenly beings belong to an earlier creation than ours.

The Fall of Satan We know little about this. There are possible hints in: – Ezekiel 28:14ff in reference to the King of Tyre – Isaiah 14 re/ the King of Babylon It is clear that Satan is already in rebellion against God when he first appears in Genesis 3.

Genesis 3 1 (NIV) Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God really say, 'You must not eat from any tree in the garden'?" 2 The woman said to the serpent, "We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, 3 but God did say, 'You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.' " 4 "You will not surely die," the serpent said to the woman. 5 "For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." 6 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.

Genesis 3 Satan tempts Eve. He apparently uses a snake. – Buswell thinks "snake" may be his name. He raises doubts, attacks God’s character. He claims that if we obey God, we will miss out on good things. Eve and Adam, in following Satan, bring disaster on the human race.

Genesis 6 1 (NIV) When men began to increase in number on the earth and daughters were born to them, 2 the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose. 3 Then the LORD said, "My Spirit will not contend with man forever, for he is mortal; his days will be a hundred and twenty years." 4 The Nephilim were on the earth in those days–and also afterward–when the sons of God went to the daughters of men and had children by them. They were the heroes of old, men of renown.

Genesis 6 This "sons of God" passage is a difficult one. Are the sons of God angels or humans? Some (including myself) think these are supernatural liaisons rather than merely marriages between humans. The purpose of this attack is not stated, but apparently to corrupt or dominate the human race.

Job 1 and 2 Here we see Satan tempting Job to curse God for the disasters that have actually been caused by Satan. We see here Satan’s power over humans and over nature. One of Satan's activities is trying to turn people away from God.

Daniel 10 12 (NIV) Then he continued, "Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them. 13 But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia. 14 Now I have come to explain to you what will happen to your people in the future, for the vision concerns a time yet to come. 20 Soon I will return to fight against the prince of Persia, and when I go, the prince of Greece will come."

Daniel 10 Here we hear about the princes of Persia and Greece, which are clearly something more than human. We see that behind human governments is something more than just human. This is not a warrant for disloyalty, or a warning to steer clear of politics. It shows us that government, too, is part of the battlefield.

Matthew 4 1 (NIV) Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 The tempter came to him and said, "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread." 4 Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'" 5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6 "If you are the Son of God," he said, "throw yourself down. For it is written: 'He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.'" 7 Jesus answered him, "It is also written: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'" 8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 "All this I will give you," he said, "if you will bow down and worship me." 10 Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.'" 11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.

Matthew 4 Satan tempts Jesus. – A replay of Eden under worse conditions. Jesus is tempted to: – (1) use divine power for his own comfort, take his ministry into his own hands; – (2) use a miracle to start the bandwagon, perhaps to avoid the cross; – (3) compromise with Satan to avoid his opposition.

Mark 5 2 (NIV) When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an evil spirit came from the tombs to meet him 6 When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him. 7 He shouted at the top of his voice, "What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? Swear to God that you won't torture me!" 8 For Jesus had said to him, "Come out of this man, you evil spirit!" 9 Then Jesus asked him, "What is your name?" "My name is Legion," he replied, "for we are many." 10 And he begged Jesus again and again not to send them out of the area. 11 A large herd of pigs was feeding on the nearby hillside. 12 The demons begged Jesus, "Send us among the pigs; allow us to go into them." 13 He gave them permission, and the evil spirits came out and went into the pigs. The herd, about two thousand in number, rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned.

Mark 5 A case of demon possession. The Bible is clear that this is not just mental illness. Jesus' cure rate suggests this is right! Some mental illness might be disguised demon possession, though. Such passages as these give us some insight into numbers, effects, attitudes, etc.

Satan Enters Judas John 13:26 (NIV) Jesus answered, "It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish." Then, dipping the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, son of Simon. 27 As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him. "What you are about to do, do quickly," Jesus told him. Not told much more, but this may suggest that Judas wouldn’t have done this on his own. This is perhaps also seen later in Judas' remorse.

The Antichrist The term comes from 1 John 4:1-3: (NIV) Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world. The person is described here and also in 2 Thessalonians 2, Daniel 7, and Revelation 13.

2 Thessalonians 2 1 (NIV) we ask you, brothers, 2 not to become easily unsettled by some prophecy supposed to have come from us for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. 4 He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God 7 For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, 10 and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11 For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie 12 and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.

Daniel 7 7 (NIV) After that, in my vision at night I looked, and there before me was a fourth beast–terrifying and frightening and very powerful. It had large iron teeth; it crushed and devoured its victims and trampled underfoot whatever was left. It was different from all the former beasts, and it had ten horns. 8 While I was thinking about the horns, there before me was another horn, a little one, which came up among them; and three of the first horns were uprooted before it. This horn had eyes like the eyes of a man and a mouth that spoke boastfully 25 He will speak against the Most High and oppress his saints and try to change the set times and the laws. The saints will be handed over to him for a time, times and half a time.

Revelation 13 1 (NIV) And I saw a beast coming out of the sea. He had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on his horns, and on each head a blasphemous name. 2 The beast I saw resembled a leopard, but had feet like those of a bear and a mouth like that of a lion. The dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority. 3 One of the heads of the beast seemed to have had a fatal wound, but the fatal wound had been healed. The whole world was astonished and followed the beast. 4 Men worshiped the dragon because he had given authority to the beast, and they also worshiped the beast and asked, "Who is like the beast? Who can make war against him?" 5 The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise his authority for forty-two months. 6 He opened his mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander his name and his dwelling place and those who live in heaven. 7 He was given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them. And he was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation. 8 All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast–all whose names have not been written in the book of life belonging to the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world.

The Antichrist Perhaps this antichrist, or beast, involves the possession of a human something like the case of Judas. He is characterized as a man of lawlessness. He will oppose & exalt himself above every other object of worship, even setting himself up as God in God’s temple.

The Antichrist Daniel & Revelation indicate that he is the last world-ruler, a fierce persecutor of God's people. He will be held back by God until the proper time for his appearing. He will be destroyed by Jesus at his second coming.

Satan's End After Jesus' return, an angel (Michael?) descends, arrests and binds Satan in the Abyss. (See Revelation 20.) He is imprisoned there for a 1000 years so as no longer to deceive the nations. Still, many will be ready to follow him when he is released at the end of the 1000 years. Perhaps this episode is allowed by God to prove that our basic human problem is our own rebellion and not our environment.

Conclusions Well, that is a brief sketch of the unseen world of angels, demons, and Satan. This is what the Bible teaches, but how do we know the Bible is right? Much of our material on www.ibri.org is designed to acquaint you with the evidence God has provided that the Bible is his communication to us.

Conclusions I advise you to check out this website. If you wish to investigate the unseen world on your own, I warn you that it is dangerous. There are beings out there who are: – smarter than we are – deceptive – malevolent.

The End of this talk. The real end is yet to come.