Watch Out For Doctrines of Devils Pt. 1 Where Did Satan And His Devils Come From?

We are going to look at something Paul warned us about, concerning the end times. However, in order for us to fully grasp the importance of this study, we must first look at Satan and the fallen angels. 

God gave us a record of the Devil and fallen angels for a reason. We must know about these beings because they are God's enemies and our enemies. 

Thus, my intent is to put the light of scripture upon this topic so that we can see our enemy more clearly. 

We cannot fully grasp truth about doctrines of devils and seducing spirits unless we know about them

Next month is when much of the world will exalt the Devil by celebrating Halloween. Thus, it is most appropriate for us to study these things and to pray for our families.

Where did Satan come from?

Isaiah 14:12-15  How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! 13  For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: 14  I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. 15  Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit. 

Take note of the five "I will statements of Lucifer. Each one is full of brazen rebellion against Jehovah. He expressed his evil plan to conquer heaven for himself, so that he would be preeminent and not God. 

Ezekiel 28:13-18  Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created. 14  Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. 15  Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee. 16  By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. 17  Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee. 18  Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffick; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee.  

Take note of God's five "I will" statements of judgment upon Lucifer. Lucifer wanted to be just like God but God said I will reduce you to ashes. 

Satan's original name was Lucifer. Ezekiel tells us that he was the covering cherub in heaven. The description of pipes, tabrets, and great beauty, indicate that he was a worship leader in heaven.

As one of the Cherubim, Lucifer had enormous privileges granted by God. as Ezekiel puts it, he was perfect until one day, sin was found in him

Isaiah tells us that pride was the sin of Lucifer. His plan was to overthrow God and take the place of God. 

He made five "I will" statements about his plan to overthrow God. However, God countered with His five "I will" statements in Ezekiel, that exactly undo the Devil's design. 

Thus, we read about the war in heaven and Satan along with all angels that rebelled, being cast out. 

Satan is now known as the father of lies and a murderer (John 8:44).

Where did unclean spirits come from?

Revelation 12:4   And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born. 

According to this text, however many angels God created, one third followed Lucifer into rebellion (See Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28). 

There are a lot of angels because Jesus said that He could summon twelve legions (about 72,000) of angels from His Father (Matthew 26:53). 

There may be even more that this number, and then there are cherubim, seraphim and archangels and we do not know how many there may be.. 

This suggests that as many as 36,000 angels followed Satan. 

Satan and his angels were booted out of heaven. 

Revelation 12:7-9  And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, 8  And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. 9  And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. 

Satan and the angels that followed him are already defeated by the cross of Christ and the glory of His resurrection. His mission now is to keep people from hearing and responding by faith to the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

The Devil is full of wrath because he knows his time is short and his days are numbered (Revelation 12:12).

Some fallen angels are bound in chains until final judgment. 

2 Peter 2:4  For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;

The book of Revelation tells us that during the tribulation period, the bottomless pit will be opened and rebellious angels will come out. 

They will sorely vex those alive on earth at that time, but will ultimately suffer the same fate in Hell with Satan. 

Peter tells us that currently, these angels are in hell, bound by chains until that time of judgment arrives. 

Jude 1:6  And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.  

Jude tells us that these angels did not keep their first estate. That is they chose to leave heaven, having believed the lies of Lucifer. They are bound with everlasting chains. 

However, we know that many unclean spirits were active when Jesus walked on earth. These are not the same ones bound in chains in hell. 

They are free to roam and commit wicked acts for now. 

The evil activity of unclean spirits. 

Matthew 12:43  When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. 44  Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. 45  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 so shall it be also unto this wicked generation. 

You recall that Jesus cast out innumerable demons while He dwelt among men we learn of their evil nature. 

Jesus gave an illustration of a spirit that left a man, and went wandering about, seeking a host to shelter in and possess. He found none and went back to the same man he came out of. 

The idea of finding his former abode empty, swept and garnished, is the idea of an unclean spirit returning to dwell in someone who decided to clean up their act. 

This man chose to avoid committing certain violations of God's law and put on an external appearance of morality. 

However, the change in his heart was merely self reformation that could not produce lasting transformation. 

In the case of this man, the unclean spirit recruited seven other more wicked spirits and invaded that man's heart. Jesus said that his last condition was worse than his original condition.

A sobering account of the maniac of Gadara. 

Mark 5:1  And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes. 2  And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, 3  Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains: 4  Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him. 5  And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones.

Mark gave us this sobering account of the so called maniac of the Gadarenes. This account tells us a lot about fallen angels, which are also referred to as unclean spirits or devils. 

A legion of unclean spirits inhabited and controlled the Gadarene man. A Roman legion consisted of four to six thousand soldiers, so some believe that there were a like number of demons inhabiting this poor man. 

in this account, the cemetery was on a main road used by the people, but Matthew tells us this man was exceedingly fierce, and people could not use the road to pass by (Matthew 8:28). 

Unclean spirits caused this man to live in a cemetery filled with tombs, graves and reminders of death and decay. 

According to God's law, anyone who touched a human corpse was ceremonially defiled and unclean for a period of time (Numbers 19:11-22). 

Dwelling where the dead are buried makes one unclean and showed disrespect for those buried in tombs or in the ground.

Mark tells us that many men tried to bind this demon possessed man with iron shackles and chains, but he had supernatural strength and broke them off.

He constantly cried out and constantly cut himself in violent acts of self injurious behavior. 

Unclean spirits must bow to the Son of God, Jesus Christ. 

Mark 3:11  And unclean spirits, when they saw him, fell down before him, and cried, saying, Thou art the Son of God. 

Whenever a demon possessed individual was encountered by Jesus Christ, the demon (s) readily acknowledged that Jesus was the Son of God, and were afraid of His presence. Often, they ran to Christ and worshiped.

Unclean spirits know who Jesus is and are afraid.

Mark 5:6  But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him, 7  And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not. 8  For he said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit. 

Jesus commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man and it had no choice but to obey. The same voice which stilled the winds and waves, which healed all the sick and sorrowing, and which raised the dead back to life, also commanded demons and they obeyed.

The unclean spirits went from one polluted place to another. 

Mark 5:9-13  And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many. 10  And he besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country. 11  Now there was there nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine feeding. 12  And all the devils besought him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them. 13  And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, (they were about two thousand;) and were choked in the sea.  

Jesus required the demon to state its name and it asked that He not send them far away. A large herd of swine were feeding nearby and the demons asked permission to enter into the animals. 

Jesus granted their request, and once they entered the swine, the entire herd ran violently over a cliff and drowned in the water. Mark tells us there were about two thousand swine that drowned, thus the connection with the name Legion.

Swine were listed by God as unclean animals, and the Jews would not consume any pork. This emphasizes the unclean element of demons. They like that which is filthy, vile, contaminated, or perverse. 

Jesus saved this man and he began a new life in Christ. 

Mark 5:15  And they come to Jesus, and see him that was possessed with the devil, and had the legion, sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid. 

The possessed man was rescued by Jesus Christ and sat, clothed and in his right mind. This alerts us to the fact that demons can make people go out of their right mind, as this mans former life demonstrated.

The people from town were both amazed and afraid at what had happened. In addition, some were upset because the livestock represented their wealth and they were all dead. 

Jesus sent this man back home to be His witness. 

Mark 5:19  Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee. 20  And he departed, and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men did marvel. 

The man whom Jesus rescued, begged the Lord to allow him to accompany His disciples. Jesus had other plans for him and told him to tell everyone he knew about the wonderful things that Jesus did for him.

He instantly obeyed and was a faithful witness for Christ. 

Unclean spirits try to destroy people. 

Matthew 17:14,15  And when they were come to the multitude, there came to him a certain man, kneeling down to him, and saying, 15)  Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatick, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water. 

In this example, a father's little son was possessed by a devil and the boy was not in his right mind. In addition, the devil tried to burn the boy in fire or drown him in water.

In another example, Satan bound a woman for eighteen years with a spirit of infirmity, but Jesus healed her (Luke 13:10-17).

One man was dumb and unable to speak because of a devil but Jesus healed him (Matthew 9:32-33). 

Yet, another man was both blinded and unable to speak by a devil working in him, but Jesus healed him (Matthew 12:22-23).

Thoughts to Ponder...

First, we must know our enemy.

This post has given you the framework to understand where Satan originated and how the world become home to fallen angels and devils. 

Second, the unclean spirits have been at work for centuries. They gravitate toward that which is base, vile, despicable and depraved. Thus, they represent the spiritual wickedness in high places that Paul warned us about (Ephesians 6). 

This is why things keep getting worse and worse, no matter which party is in power. There is spiritual wickedness in high places, including governments and religions. 

Satan and his devils will push society to do that which God says not to do. 

Satan and his devils will try to destroy any person before they can hear the gospel and be born again.

They will try to disrupt and destroy our Christian homes. 

We are not ignorant of Satan's schemes or devices. 

Let us put on our gospel armor and pray against spiritual wickedness in our homes, governments and communities. 

Let us pray for our pastors to be strengthened by Jesus for spiritual warfare and that the glorious light of the gospel would shine brightly through us.

Bob