========================================================================
  DEVILS, DEMONS AND BIBLICAL TRUTH
  by Malcolm Edwards
========================================================================

Edwards' study of what the Bible teaches about the devil, demons, and the realm
of spiritual evil, examining the scriptural evidence and correcting common
misconceptions about the demonic world.

  Chapters: 3

------------------------------------------------------------------------
  TABLE OF CONTENTS
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    1. 01 - Mind Powers
    2. 02 - Demons in the Bible
    3. 03 - The Devil and Temptation

========================================================================
  CHAPTER 1: 01 - MIND POWERS
========================================================================

1. MIND POWERS By Malcolm Edwards; The Australian Christadelphian Shield,
December 1995. The Amazing Complexities of the Human Mind The human brain is one
of nature’s great marvels, easily surpassing the most advanced computers of
modern technology. Whatever mankind invents in the audio-visual field of
communications, the human brain already has it, and we are so accustomed to its
achievements that we simply take it all for granted. Our brain permits us to
behold full-colour moving pictures perfectly coordinated with hearing, speaking,
smelling, and touching to a degree far beyond anything mankind can create. The
human mind itself is a remarkable computer, capable of thinking, reasoning,
imagining, retaining and recalling; yet at the same time controlling the whole
body machine in movement, air supply, blood circulation, food digestion and also
having a complete built-in maintenance and repair system. Yet there is nothing
inside the human cranium which even remotely resembles the electronic gadgetry
which we find in manufactured equipment. This invites the obvious question as to
how it could all possibly work!

Unless one believes in an intelligent allwise creator, one is driven to the less
convincing alternative view that the complex human mind was developed by totally
unintelligent and random forces. It is not our current brief to discuss the
source and origin of the human mind, but it seems very much easier to believe in
an intelligent creator than blind chance. The Levels of the Human Mind

We are reliably informed that there are three different levels of the human
mind: the Conscious mind that we employ daily in full awareness; the
Sub-conscious mind that keeps the body working when we are unaware; and the
Unconscious mind that is the level we are currently concerned with.

There are certain aspects of the unconscious mind which will be familiar to most
of us: for example its uncanny ability to awaken a person in the morning at a
predetermined time, the telepathic link that seems to exist between close
relatives and sometimes man and wife, etc.

Two more interesting examples of collective mind-power are sometimes practised
by groups as games and are worthy of mention. The first is where a subject is
blindfolded and placed in the centre of a circle of people who have agreed on
concentration of thought towards one particular person. The subject is asked to
allow himself to fall as he feels inclined, and is said to usually fall towards
the person chosen. The second is frequently practised by psychic research
students, and consists of four people after serious thought preparation being
able to quite easily lift up a seated subject by their fingertips, one under
each armpit and one under each knee. There are also familiar stories of amazing
feats of momentary strength in times of severe crisis such as a mother
single-handedly lifting the rear of a car to release a trapped child. Since it
can be demonstrated that the human unconscious mind is capable (under certain
circumstances), of much greater source of energy than normal, then we are
beginning to see a possible explanation for the more disturbing phenomena spoken
of in earlier chapters.

Child Prodigies

Every so often, nature produces a child with incredible mental abilities,
confirming again that in rare circumstances the human mind has extraordinary
powers. Child prodigies are well documented, some live only a short time, others
such as musical prodigies, survive to give the world the benefits of their
unusual gifts. In 1510, a European boy named Zerah Colbur at the age of 6-7 was
able to perform astonishing mathematical feats having had little or no tuition
in that subject. Given the number 106, 929 and asked to extract its square root,
he gave the correct number (327) in a matter of seconds. When asked what factors
will produce 247, 483, he instantly replied 941 and 263, and when he was further
asked to give the factors for 36, 083 he immediately replied correctly, that
there were none. When asked how many minutes there are in 48 years he quickly
gave the right answer of 25, 228, 800, and for good measure added that in the
same period the number of seconds would be 1, 513, 728, 000. Similar stories can
be related about youthful minds showing flashes of brilliance beyond normal
capacity, contributing further to the suggestion that the unconscious mind is
the suspected key to all paranormal phenomena.

Hypnosis

Most TV viewers will have witnessed the recent revival of hypnotism as music
hall entertainment, where, contrary to many sceptical doubts, the subjects
involved are most certainly hypnotized, and not simply acting. Usually they are
made to look foolish, but are volunteers willing to cooperate with the
hypnotist. It is sad that this remarkable phenomenon is demeaned by such
entertainment, since it does have some quite beneficial advantages in medical
fields as most people know.

Hypnosis occurs when the cooperating subject is placed in a trance by skilled
and persistent suggestion of the operator. These trances may vary from light to
profound, but it usually becomes possible to plant a suggestion in the
unconscious mind of the subject which will cause a delayed response quite
abnormal to their usual behaviour.

Under hypnosis, subjects may be made to feel pain simply by suggestion, or
conversely, anesthetized. The subject may adopt the role of a young child, see
and speak to an imaginary character, recall incidents in the life which have
been long forgotten, simply at the suggestion of the hypnotist. I well remember
as a boy a theatrical hypnotist placing a subject in a cataleptic trance in
which the whole body, facing upwards and horizontal, became so rigid that it was
able to support without harm two seated individuals, the neck and heels of the
subject resting on chair backs. In modern psychic research, hypnotized subjects
are able to perform feats of strength and endurance much beyond their normal
ability, yet without fatigue or discomfort - once again emphasizing the power of
the unconscious mind over the physical structure of the body.

Autohypnosis

It should be pointed out, that hypnosis is not imposed by the hypnotist; all
hypnotism is actually self-induced, even though triggered by external
suggestion. However, hypnosis does not depend upon outside suggestion, since
certain individuals are able to place themselves in a trance by auto-suggestion.
The results are very similar to those induced by a hypnotist in that such people
in the trance state may be able to move around and communicate and even walk
over hot coals, or pierce their flesh without feeling pain or suffering bruises
or scars.

Self-hypnosis features prominently in the occult and spiritism, and in most
cases of hallucination. In some cases the inducement is gradual, but in other
cases almost instant. Hypnosis helps us to understand how the releasing of the
unconscious mind leads to a world of human phenomena which, though difficult to
define, need not be attributed to outside intelligences such as demons etc. In
his book, Hypnosis: A Guide for Patients and Practitioners, Dr David Waxman, a
medical hypnotist for over 20 years, speaks of "the still unknown process of the
unconscious mind." The experts are still a long way from knowing the
capabilities and workings of the human mind, but most seem convinced that the
remarkable manifestations induced by hypnosis are controlled from within the
mind itself, and not from outside sources. AN EXPLANATION Drawing Threads
Together

We have now considered sufficient examples of the power and versatility of the
human unconscious mind to attempt a rational explanation of demonic possession,
without the need to attribute such phenomena to evil spirits. All the phenomena
cited, whether telepathic, hypnotic, psychokinetic, Geller-type,
clairvoyant-type, voodoo-type, occult-type, and poltergeist-type, can be
adequately explained as emanations from the human unconscious mind. The human
brain itself never ceases to amaze us, and under certain circumstances it is
obviously quite capable of much more than most people realize, and especially in
the releasing of energy beyond normal capability and control. In the preface to
his famous work, The Law of Psychic Phenomena published in 1892, Dr Thomas Jay
Hudson says: "It has long been felt by the ablest of thinkers of our time, that
manifestations of the human intellect, normal or abnormal, whether designated by
the name mesmerism, hypnotism, somnambulism, trance, spiritualism, demonology,
miracle, mental therapeutics, genius or insanity, are in some way related; and
consequently that they are to be referred to some general principle of law."

Dr Hudson was himself a religious man, and a believer in the teachings of Jesus
Christ, yet he found no difficulty in relating all such manifestations to the
remarkable capacity of the mind, and not to any external spirit source.

Parapsychology has only in recent years become a serious consideration of
scientists seeking to explore the strange ability of psychic individuals, and
how this aspect of the mind operates. Already telepathy and psychokinesis are
generally accepted psychic phenomena, and computer-aided researchers are
beginning to make progress in these fields. In his work Super Senses (1975)
Charles Panati comprehensively surveys work in progress throughout the world in
the field of parapsychology and explores the potential people have for
parasensory experience. He concludes that psychokinesis is the connecting bridge
between the "insubstantial mind and the chemistry of the human brain giving good
reason to expect that, before very long, scientists should be able to unravel
the age-long mysteries of "mind over matter." Time will show whether he is
right.

Demons Explained

Perhaps it can now be seen more clearly that the phenomena men have for so long
called "demonic" are not caused by intelligent spirits inhabiting the body of
tormented individuals, but are rather forms of hysteria in which subjects have a
mental obsession on similar lines to that of a spiritist medium, except that the
demoniac is convinced that the inhabiting spirit is not friendly, but hostile
and evil.

It is worth repeating at this stage, that people must believe in the existence
of demons to become demoniacs, for just as a person cannot be hypnotized unless
they cooperate, so an unbeliever in demons cannot respond to concepts the mind
does not accept. Because of his mental acceptance of evil spirits, the
unconscious mind of the demoniac becomes programmed to his obsession. Such a
person is generally likely to be psychic to some degree, and able to reach an
involuntary state of self-hypnosis in which the distressing but characteristic
manifestations take place. In other words, whatever such an individual thinks
himself to be, so he eventually becomes.

Knowing what we do about the dangers of outside interference with a hypnotized
person, other than the hypnotist, it can be understood why a well-meaning
exorcist is immediately seen as a threat by the programmed mind of the demoniac
and why he resists with all his might. The approach of the exorcist throws the
unreasoning unconscious mind of the subject into a turmoil and crisis, as the
two minds grapple for supremacy, causing mental stress to both parties, and
often physical injury.

Since the demoniac can only act as ‘programmed,’ suppressed evil thoughts,
obscenity and blasphemy often reach the surface and are hatefully directed at
the exorcist, who is in fact seen as an enemy by the unreasoning unconscious
mind. Such hostile response is sometimes coupled with violence and almost
super-human strength. If the exorcist is successful (and in many instances he is
not), the subject usually goes into a coma and rather like the hypnotized
subject and the epileptic, has no recollection of what has taken place.

We have likened demonic manifestations to ‘spiritist’ phenomena, and we should
also include poltergeist phenomena, since all three have strong similarities.
All these manifestations produce telepathy and psychokinesis. However, if
consistent reports of demonic exorcism producing levitation is true, then there
is a further link with poltergeist phenomena in the reported lifting of heavy
objects from the ground. In 1905, an Italian journal published a well-attested
poltergeist account from the town of Ruvo in, Italy, which interestingly,
combined several other manifestations which can now be seen to be closely
linked. The happenings centred around a seven-year-old boy named Alfredo
Pansini, and featured the usual disturbances such as pictures falling from
walls, and heavy furniture sliding across the floor. The boy also developed
demonic manifestations, coupled with familiar clairvoyant phenomena such as
trance state, visions and catalepsy. The attacks lasted about four years, and
were witnessed by a local judge, several churchmen, and also by a well-known
physician, Dr J Laponi, who documented these, and other even more bizarre
happenings. The state of trance indicates again, that self-hypnosis and the
unconscious mind are the key to the explanation of the events, emphasizing once
again the scope and power of the human unconscious mind under certain
circumstances.

Since it has been sufficiently demonstrated that under rare circumstances, the
human mind is capable of producing all the phenomena previously discussed, then,
although not fully scientifically explainable, there is no reason to attribute
them to intelligent evil spirits and the like.

God in Control The powers of the mind may seem unnecessarily complex and even
incredible, but a believer in God and Creation has to remember that what may
seem purposeless to us, has both meaning and purpose with God. We must be
reminded that man is essentially a fallen being, an imperfect representation of
the splendid human creation which first stood on planet Earth, created "after
the image and likeness of God" and described as ‘very good.’ The human brain, as
part of that excellent creation can be no failure, and it is very likely that
after the fall, the full potential of the human mind was restrained. But this
will not always be the case, Scripture plainly promises that in the mercy and
providence of The Almighty, mankind will once again manifest His glory when
immortal saints will reign on earth as "kings and priests." Revelation 5:8-10.
In his letter to the Php 3:20-21, the apostle Paul opens a prophetic window just
wide enough to show us a future period when human bodies will be changed to an
immortal condition exactly like the resurrected body of Christ himself, and in 1
Corinthians 2:9 he assures the reader that "eye hath not seen, nor ear heard,
neither have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for
them that love him." This passage not only gives a glimpse of the splendour to
come, but perhaps helps us to appreciate the potential of the human mind, which
though at the moment restrained, will then be released to fulfil, in immortal
bodies, the splendid work The Almighty has purposed for it.


========================================================================
  CHAPTER 2: 02 - DEMONS IN THE BIBLE
========================================================================

2. DEMONS IN THE BIBLE

Illnesses

It is most important at this juncture to isolate from our considerations
afflictions which in biblical times were commonly attributed to evil spirits,
but which today are medically classified. This would include deafness,
blindness, dumbness, epilepsy and insanity. see Matthew 4:24Matthew 17:15
Basically, any affliction which was not physical or visible was attributed to
demons. Even modern exorcists would not consider such to be demoniacs. What
remains is the syndrome we have been discussing, and which would be exactly the
same in biblical times as today. The Miraculous Powers of Jesus and the Apostles

It may be smugly questioned by sceptics and also with concern by some students
of Scripture, that by explaining demonic phenomena in terms of the human
unconscious mind might not the miracles of Jesus and his apostles be simply an
example of the same thing? The answer is a resounding No. A careful scrutiny of
the miraculous events in both Old and New Testaments of the Bible will reveal
many miracles which cannot be explained in terms of the human psyche. Miracles
like rivers dividing, fig trees dying overnight, multitudes fed, blind and deaf
instantly healed, and even the dead being raised etc.

Jesus of Nazareth had a great following, simply because his miracles were seen
to be genuine compared with the so-called diviners and sorcerers of the day.
Even Nicodemus, a notable Jewish elder, and of the sect of the Pharisees who
were opposed to Jesus, was forced to admit, "no man can do these miracles that
thou doest except God be with him." John 3:2.

There were, of course, exorcists in those times, similar to those of today, who
were able to ‘cast out devils’ with varying degrees of success. In Acts 19:14-15
an incident is recorded where the seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish priest, were
attacked and injured by a demoniac they attempted to cure in the names of Jesus
and Paul. Josephus, the Jewish historian, records the exorcising of a demon by
one Eleazar in the presence of Vespasian the Roman emperor, by drawing the demon
out through the subject’s nostrils! It is also recorded in the gospels that some
such operators enjoyed some success in casting out devils by using Christ’s
name, and Jesus told his disciples not to forbid it; if they succeeded, it
helped his cause, if they failed, it emphasized his superior power. Mark 9:38-40
It should be remembered that, compared with his would-be imitators, both then
and now, the healing work of Jesus was always both instant and complete. Very
often, such well-meaning healers fail altogether, and sometimes exacerbate the
problem. This is particularly the case in exorcist ritual, where the attempt may
be repeated several times and yield no results.

Aldous Huxley wrote a most informative, book called The Devils of Loudon, in
which he presents a most thorough investigation of the strange happenings at the
priory at Loudon in France in the seventeenth century. Arising from a practical
joke by one of the nuns (a joke which went sadly wrong as it turned out),
several nuns at the priory, including the prioress herself, began to suffer from
demonic seizures. A priest who tried several times without success to exorcise
the demon was wrongly accused of being the cause of the happenings, and was
tortured, then burnt at the stake for witchcraft. The prioress whom he had tried
to cure was no better, and it took a succession of exorcist monks many years
before the seizures finally abated. In distinguishing between human exorcism and
the curing of demoniacs by divine power, a very important principle emerges, and
particularly so against the background of wholesale superstition that confronted
Jesus in his ministry.

Superstition about devils and evil spirits was initially a serious hindrance to
the preaching of the gospel. How were the people to determine which was the
power of God and the power of evil? The answer was quite simple, we have
intimated earlier that some demoniacs were telepathic; this was certainly so in
Christ’s day, and there are several instances of the demons uncannily knowing
whom Jesus was, apparently without introduction. We are told that ‘they cried
out that they knew him to be the Son of God.’ Hence to the watching crowd, the
ultimate proof of Christ’s authority was established. Luke 4:41Luke 8:28Acts
19:15. In order that the ‘gospel of the Kingdom of God’ he not impeded by
ignorance and superstition, it was critical at the outset, that the divine
authority of Jesus should triumph; and so Jesus taught, ‘and if I with the
finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the Kingdom of God is come to you! Luke
11:20. A similar example can be found in Luke 10:1-24, where Jesus, having
equipped and instructed his twelve disciples to go out and preach the gospel,
extended the work by commissioning a further seventy disciples to spread abroad
the message. Like the other twelve, they were instructed to preach, and also
heal the sick. They returned later, exulting that "even the devils" were subject
to them and received both encouragement and a warning from the Master. His
response was, "I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. Behold I give unto
you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the
enemy,. and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Notwithstanding, in this
rejoice not that the spirits are subject to you; but that your names are written
in heaven." Luke 10:17-20.

Apart from the lesson imparted by this passage, that salvation is more important
than healing; the rather colourful language raises the question of whether the
enemy referred to was an intelligent all-powerful evil entity, or simply a
personification of sinful human nature, essentially always in opposition to God.
The only other clear biblical reference to Satan falling from heaven is found in
Revelation 12:9; which apart from being in a highly figurative context, is
expressed as prophecy not history. It broadly depicts God’s ultimate triumph
over sin-power, which one day will no longer have dominion over His creation.
Those seventy disciples had experienced in their own lifetimes, the beginnings
of a victory foreseen as early in Scripture as Genesis 3:15; where the seed of
the woman, though bruised in the heel, was to fatally wound the serpent in the
head, prophetic of the conquering of sin-power through the sacrifice of Christ.
The Gadarene Demoniac The record of the curing of the demoniac of Gadara appears
in all three synoptic gospels. Both Mark and Luke concentrate on the man who
believed himself to be inhabited by so many demons that he called himself
‘Legion,’ the Roman term for an army division. (Matthew records that there was
another demoniac also, but we shall concentrate on ‘Legion’ since he figures
more prominently of the two.) The narrative in Mark 5:1-19 and Luke 8:27-37
leads us to the eventual confrontation between Jesus and the tormented
individual, Jesus having recently arrived by boat from the other side of the sea
of Galilee. Until then, all attempts to exorcise the devils had failed, even
though the poor man had been restrained by chains and fetters, and with
characteristic demonic strength had always broken free. It was probably his fear
of such well-meaning treatment which had driven him to take refuge amongst the
tombs in the area. This only served to increase the fear of the superstitious
local inhabitants, who linked his place of abode with their suspicions about
evil spirits and the dead.

It should be carefully noted that Jesus cured this man instantly, and required
no elaborate ritual or regalia. One authoritative command was all it took for
this man to be, as Luke puts it, "sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed, and in
his right mind." Luke 8:35 Yet the cure had to be related to Legion’s own
understanding of what had happened, so that he might believe that never again
would the obsession take hold of him; the devils were out, but how could he be
made to understand that they were gone forever?

Legion himself voiced the answer on behalf of the so-called devils, which he
concluded would now be homeless. Let them enter into the herd of swine feeding
in the field on the cliff tops and when the swine then rushed over the cliffs
into the sea, the demoniac was convinced that never again would they trouble
him.

Whether Jesus intended from the outset that the swine should behave in that way
it is impossible to know, but certainly the stampede was part of the cure. Some
consider it a rather wasteful means of effecting Legion’s cure, whilst others
point out that it was illegal for Jews to keep pigs anyway, and the disposal of
them was a just punishment upon the owners for disregarding the law. No doubt
the bystanders also believed that the devils had transferred to the swine and
perished with them in the ocean and for them likewise, the cure was complete and
final.

Jesus consistently drew spiritual lessons from incidents in life and once, at
least use the concept of casting out demons as parallel to casting out sins. It
is just possible that the miracle was intended to bring to mind a passage from
Micah 7:19 "Thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea," for with
Jesus the lesson was always more important than the miracle.

It would be interesting to discover whether modern believers in evil spirits
accept that such can be transferred to 2, 000 swine, and whether such spirits
can in fact be drowned; but it seems fairly clear that the whole process was
important for the humouring of the demoniac and to demonstrate to all present
the divine authority of Jesus.

Biblical Use of Figure and Metaphor.

There are sections of the Bible where almost everything written is figurative.
For example the book of Revelation, and parts of Daniel’s prophecy. A beast with
many heads and horns, obviously, should not be taken as literal. There are also
instances where figurative expressions occur in the literal narrative; hence,
when Jesus called the Pharisees "serpents" and "generation of vipers," it is
plain that he is colourfully describing their insidious teachings and practices.
It would be impossible to properly interpret Scripture without accepting that it
contains this sort of language.

Occasionally, ‘Belial’ crops up in both Testaments of Scripture, yet on
examination it turns out to he a personification of worthlessness and nothing
more. When the apostle Paul asks the Corinthians 2 Corinthians 6:15 "what
concord hath Christ with Belial," it was understood that he was comparing a
literal person with a metaphorical one, which is not uncommon in Scripture.
Similarly, the enemies of Jesus accused him of casting out devils by "Beelzebub
the prince of devils." Luke 11:15 Beelzebub was a heathen god of flies, and
though, since the return from exile the Jews had ceased to believe in idolatry,
he was retained in their folklore. It was meant as an insult to Jesus who, in
reply, simply took on board the concept and turned it against themselves,
showing the absurdity of their charge. "If Satan is divided against himself, how
shall his kingdom stand?" The parable of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke
16:1-31 is another example. It speaks of ‘Abraham’s bosom’ and of a fiery
torment, with both the rich man and Lazarus having bodies (one had a ‘finger’
and the other a ‘tongue’) and being able to see and converse with Abraham. From
the writings of Josephus, the Jewish historian, we learn that this was a Jewish
belief at the time. It was quite foreign to their Scriptures and is traced to
Hellenistic superstition adopted into Jewish folklore. Jesus simply used the
concept in parabolic form, and devastatingly turned the tables on the Pharisees
who had earlier been deriding him, thus sending them a stern warning. When
therefore such terms as ‘Devil’ or ‘Satan’ are used in Scripture it is untenable
to automatically assume that literal beings are intended. Just as the idiom of
the day personified worthlessness, and concepts from outside Judaism were in
common use, it is not in the least surprising that sin itself is personified as
a cruel master, which, wrote Paul, "shall not have dominion over you." Romans
6:14. A good example of the use of this hyperbole by Jesus in the matter of
’evil spirits’ is to be found in Matthew 12:43-45 "When the unclean spirit is
gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places seeking rest and findeth none.
Then he saith, ‘I will return to my house from whence I came out’ and when he is
come he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. Then goeth he and taketh with
himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself and they enter in and dwell
there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first." Even a firm
believer in the existence of evil spirits would not accept such words in full
literality. Yet it is clear that the simple message behind them is this: for a
repentant sinner to forsake the teaching of Christ, and revert to his old ways
makes it difficult for him to do so a second time, and places him in a much
worse state of responsibility. It is what James calls being ‘twice dead,’ and
further supporting passages spell it out even more clearly (Hebrews 10:26-30 and
2 Peter 2:20-22). In the case of the parable of Matthew 12:1-50 quoted above,
the clue to its understanding is in Matthew 12:38-42, which speaks of the
blindness of the Jews to the sacrificial work of their Messiah. The figurative
use of the restless spirit returning with other wicked ones, must be seen in the
light of the concluding words of the passage, "even so shall it be unto this
wicked generation." The sinfulness of the nation which led to the period of
reformation initiated by John Baptist, and continued by Jesus, was surpassed by
their crucifixion of the Messiah, and the subsequent widespread persecution of
his followers. Thus their latter sin was worse than their original one.

Perhaps these examples are sufficient to show the use of figurative language in
Scripture, and how it must be taken into consideration in the light of its
immediate context. Since in our own language we are familiar with Mother Nature,
Father Time, Jack Frost etc., it is not at all surprising that the Jewish nation
at the time of Christ used similar idiom considering that for 500 years they
endured Babylonian, Persian, and Grecian domination.

’Who maketh his angels spirits" The only clear information to be found in the
Bible about intelligent spirits, is concerning angels. In the epistle to the
Hebrews we learn that the angels of God are "ministering spirits sent forth to
minister for them who shall be heirs to salvation," Hebrews 1:14 and from the
Psalms, that they do God’s will. Psalms 103:20 Significantly, there is
absolutely no information about any such ‘spirits’ being in opposition to God.
In the King James version of Scripture there is one lone reference to ’evil
Angels’; it is to be found in Psalms 78:49. The context speaks of them punishing
Pharaoh king of Egypt by means of the ten plagues, so they were obviously
working for God. In modern versions the text is more correctly translated
‘angels of evil’.

’Evil’ in Scripture simply means trouble, and both good and bad agencies can
bring it about ‘Hence, when Amos 3:6 says, "shall there be evil.. and the Lord
hath not done it," or Isaiah 45:7 announces that God "makes peace and creates
evil," it is the evil of God’s chastisement which is indicated. Wherever God’s
‘ministering spirits’ are employed in the affairs of mankind, their work can be
to protect, Psalms 34:7 to test, 1 Kings 22:22 or to oppose. Numbers 22:22
Although their duties may be either good, or evil, in no way can it be said they
are wicked or opposed to God.

Spirits as Expressions of Human Thought The Apostle Paul exhorted the
Thessalonian believers not to be troubled "by spirit nor word nor by letter as
from us that the day of Christ is at hand." 2 Thessalonians 2:2 He is clearly
using the word ‘spirit’ as belief or expression of human thought. Similarly John
warns his readers to "try the spirits" in his, concern that they be not seduced
by false teaching. 1 John 4:1 This particular use of ‘spirit’ has to do with
human thinking and belief; it does not refer to any supernatural influence. In 1
Corinthians 5:4; Paul, advising those believers on a critical issue, commands
that they consider the matter together with ‘his spirit.’ The Greek word pneuma
translated ‘spirit’ in these and some other passages simply means the expression
of human thought, and must not be confused with supernatural ‘spirits.’(See also
Romans 12:11;Ephesians 4:23;1 Peter 3:4)


========================================================================
  CHAPTER 3: 03 - THE DEVIL AND TEMPTATION
========================================================================

3. THE DEVIL AND THE SOURCE OF TEMPTATION The Source of Human Temptation

Compared with the great wealth of moral teaching in the Bible, little is written
about how we are tempted to do wrong. However, those writers who do dwell on the
source of sinfulness speak with united voice that temptation does not come from
without but from within. James writes, "..but every man is tempted when he is
drawn away of his ow lust and enticed, then when lust hath conceived it bringeth
forth sin and sin when it is finished bringeth forth death" (James 1:13-15). The
Apostle Paul laments, "For I know that in me, that is in my flesh, dwelleth no
good thing; for to will is present with me, but how to perform that which is
good I find not. For the good that I would I do not; but the evil which I would
not that I do. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin
that dwelleth in me". Romans 7:18-20.

Jesus himself, likewise blames the human heart as the real source of evil: "For
from within out of the heart of man proceedeth evil thoughts, adulteries,
fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness,
an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness,. all these evil things come from
within and defile the man. Mark 7:21-23. In the book of Genesis, the gross sin
that brought the flood upon mankind sprang from the imagination of the human
heart: And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth and that
every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. "

None of the above key passages blames any external evil agency for the sins of
mankind, but much is said against the rebellion of the human heart which, says
God through Jeremiah, "is deceitful and desperately wicked," therefore it is to
the human heart (or conscience) that the gospel of salvation is directed.

Devil and Satan From what has been said so far, the obvious question follows: If
devils and evil spirits and now temptation all emanate from within the person,
how are we to explain the terms ‘Devil’ and ’Satan’ which occur several times in
Scripture? The book of Revelation uses ‘Devil’ and ‘Satan’ symbolically of
opposing powers; in fact both terms have been left untranslated in the biblical
text, giving the impression that they are always a proper noun, which is
certainly not so. Basically, Satan means adversary and Devil means false accuser
or slanderer, the terms are used in Scripture for individuals, disease, rulers,
and generally things which are in opposition. Even Peter was called ‘Satan’ by
Jesus when he objected to his going to the cross. He also called Judas Iscariot
‘a devil’ because he knew he would betray him. Matthew 16:21-3John 6:70-71 The
believers at Pergamos were said to dwell where ‘Satan’s seat’ was, an obvious
reference to some persecuting power, almost certainly Rome. Revelation 2:12-13.

It is not surprising that these terms were used parabolically as proper nouns,
and found their way into folklore etc., but we are told nothing plainly about a
supernatural agency called Satan who tempts mankind, nor how such a being
originated. How very strange that we are kept in the dark; yet, all the passages
about human evil declare plainly that it comes from within as we have
discovered!

Satan in the Book of Job The adversary in the story of Job was one of the
assembly of ‘the Sons of God’ who discussed Job’s character with the Almighty.
Whether one believes this meeting took place between angels in heaven or men
upon earth, the adversary invited the trials upon Job for his spiritual good,
and under God’s control. Job 1:12 Furthermore, we are told at the end of the
book, that it was God who brought the evil on Job, who clearly benefited from
his trials. Job 42:11-12 Whoever then Job’s adversary was, he was not really his
enemy nor even wicked. He is incidental to the main story, and is nowhere
reproved by God for his part in it. The Tempter of Jesus

Similarly, the tempter of Jesus was under God’s control, for we are told that he
was "led up of the spirit" to be tempted in the wilderness. Matthew 4:1 As was
the case with Job, it was God who arranged the trial. Exactly who the Accuser
was therefore doesn’t really matter. Brother John Thomas wrote in the third
volume of his book, Eureka, that an angel could have conducted the temptations,
which may have been the case, but the real battle undoubtedly was fought in the
mind of Jesus, and it was there that the victory was won.

Sin Power Personified

If all that has been said fits together, then the last piece of the jigsaw would
be that in Scripture, sin also is occasionally personified, as are other
abstracts such as wisdom, worthlessness, idolatry, death, etc., and we most
certainly find this to be the case. By way of example many passages in the
epistle to the Romans could be cited where sin is described as an oppressive
master who should not be allowed to get the better of us. Romans 6:14Romans 7:14
It is not surprising therefore that when death and hell (the grave) are
symbolically cast into a fiery lake to express their final end in Revelation
20:1-15, sin-power as ‘the Devil’ that deceived the nations is cast in with
them. Revelation 20:10,Revelation 20:14 Thus with sin finally destroyed, the
Bible concludes with a glimpse of the glory that God has in store for all those
that love and serve Him.

CONCLUSION In our search to unravel the apparent tangle of demons, spirits, and
the whole subject of paranormal happenings, in the light of Scripture
revelation, we have travelled a long way and over a wide field, and each section
of the subject touched upon is capable of expansion. We have pursued the subject
on the basis that intelligent powers of evil do not and cannot exist, not
because we refuse to consider that possibility, but because of the lack of
direct scriptural guidance on the matter. If it were really true, it would he of
such tremendous importance that God would have left substantial and indisputable
evidence as clear warning to His children. The early chapters of Genesis, for
example, are silent about the origins of supernatural evil, and we learn nothing
about its impact upon man other than a beguiling serpent which is classified as
‘a beast,’ and such then it must have been. Genesis 3:12-14.

We discovered that where the Bible discusses temptation it is our ’own lust’
which is responsible; that evil thoughts come from ’within’; that ‘the heart of
man is desperately wicked’ and imagines evil. Surely then it must be from this
basis that evil spirits and the like should he explained. In our quest to
explain phenomena that many would attribute to a spirit world, we have spent a
considerable time explaining that these and other paranormal manifestations are
emanations from the human unconscious mind. The alternative when analyzed is too
horrific to contemplate, and not a little blasphemous: that Almighty God would
even permit the existence of such powerful opposition; that angelic nature and
evil could coexist; that God should he apparently unable, or unwilling to
control such forces; and still worse, to cooperate with them when expedient. But
most bewildering of all, that elected saints, having finally reached promised
equality with angels, Luke 20:35-36 might still have the capacity to morally
fail and fall. As individuals we are the very highest form of God’s creative
genius. We possess faculties truly remarkable by comparison with the lower
creation, yet unlike them, we are sinners every one. The very first step in
returning to God’s favour and to salvation is the painful recognition that we
ourselves and no other agency are to blame for our sins. The prodigal son
returned to his father having first "come to himself’ Luke 15:17-20 and placed
the blame at his own disobedient heart and nowhere else when he said, "I have
sinned against heaven and before thee. " The way back to God can only be via our
own deep conviction of sin, with the spotlight shining into the deep recesses of
our ‘heart.’ It is in there, within the human mind, that the battle with sin’s
power is either won or lost and where the grace of Almighty God can operate
through His guiding providence and His Scriptures of Truth. It is such a mind,
humbled and contrite, that makes the all-important decision our Creator always
longs to hear: ‘I will arise and go to my father.’

Malcolm Edwards, Chirnside Park

(Concluded)


========================================================================
Source: https://sermonindex.net/books/edwards-malcolm-devils-demons-and-biblical-truth/
========================================================================