| Where did Demons Come From? [message #12340] |
Sat, 30 December 2017 21:22  |
 Mark L
Messages: 853
Registered: October 2006
Location: Canada |
Senior Member |
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Where did demons come from.
Never being one to step back and be shy about rendering an opinion when one is called for I am going to put pen to paper and give mine. Of course some may characterize my opinions as shooting my mouth off but that can't be helped.
Before I do here is some background info and some thoughts on the whole subject. I really started wondering about the subject as I put my OT theology notes up. Because the subject was addressed there.
Bro. Freemans opinion according to the notes is . . .
If God had wanted us to know where demons came from he would have told us. The bible just assumes their existence.
Without trying to be critical I think that is ridiculous. There are copious amounts of material about spiritual personalities and the spiritual world in the bible. Why put it all in there if God doesn't want us to know things. Obviously it doesn't directly tell us where they came from but what is wrong with applying some thought and reason to the subject? The whole subject of theology comes from thought and reason. Obviously based on the bible but much is derived facts based on reason.
There are several cautions in the bible on the subject. Here is one.
Col.2/18 . . . and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen vainly puffed up with his fleshly mind.
In other words we are to be careful how we deal with subject and not get obsessed and off on tangents. Or too far into speculation. But we aren't doing that only taking a careful look at the subject.
Various Theories From the theology notes with some added info from me. It should also be noted that Bro. Freeman didn't believe any of these were correct.
a) Demons are fallen angels. This comes out of the book of Enoch in the apocrypha. The problem is in the bible there are demons and fallen angels. Jesus never cast out fallen angels. People really need to be careful here. I read all the time of people mixing these things up. Calling Satan who is one of the cherubim an angel for eg.
b) They are a fallen pre-adamic race of men.
In other words there were people who lived on the earth before Adam was created. The spirits of those people are the demons. The gap theory falls in here as well as some who teach an "old earth". Neanderthal as a separate intelligent species more or less equal to men. And more.
The problem with all that is none of it is in the bible. Not the place to discuss gap theory etc so I will leave it at that.
c) Josephus said demons are the spirits of the wicked dead. I haven't had a chance to read Josephus yet so I'm just going by what HEF said. Point being I don 't know how serious he was in making the statement. For our purposes that is refuted all through the bible.
d) Jewish tradition has it that demons are the offspring of Adam and Lilith (a female demon). That is a ludicrous position at least for anyone with a sound appreciation of scripture.
e) The giants (nephilim) of Gen 6 died in the flood and became demons. I found this on the internet and heard it from family as well. I think as did Hef that this was referring to their inward nature. Rather than physical size. Apparently this has been making the rounds of the charismatic world for some time. I'm not going to address this except to say I disagree.
So where did they come from?
Here's my answer. Let me say right off that it isn't very satisfactory as I don't have all the answers.
This world was made for us. In fact the whole universe. Gods initial plan was for us humans was to procreate and eventually inhabit the entire universe.
I think that they all came out of the spiritual world. Why? Probably as part of the curse. Nothing else fits. There is one scripture that alludes to it.
Rev.12/4 His tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven and did cast them to the earth.
I think this is a clear reference to where they came from. If we take the very conservative position of Gen 1 being the absolute beginning of our universe and world (as we should) then there was no place or position for them prior to the fall. So if they came after the fall as they obviously did then where did they come from? There was nothing in this world for them to come from.
So as I say it isn't a very satisfactory answer. It leaves me with a lot of questions. Which I don't intend to start speculating about. But nothing else fits the facts. They weren't here before us as there was nothing before us. They didn't have their origin here as it isn't their world. Its ours. So they had to have come here from somewhere else. And the only somewhere else is the spiritual world (which I'm going to talk about in another post below)
One question or problem I have with my own thoughts on the matter is why do some demons want to inhabit people. Live inside them. Craving a body. That would almost suggest that one of the false theories stated above is correct. eg the spirits of wicked men from the past. I don't believe that I just don't have an answer.
[Updated on: Thu, 25 February 2021 00:22]
You can read
"Meanderings on Scripture by Mark
https://mlederman.substack.com/
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