Brad Alles

The first two blogs in this series dealt with angels and their tasks,  but now let’s turn our attention to demons.  Demons (or fallen angels or evil angels) “fell” from their status as perfect spirit beings created by God due to their prideful rebellion. 

The demons willfully rebelled against God according to Jude 1:6.  It says, “And the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their proper dwelling–these he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day.”  The desire to do their own will rather than God’s seems to be the source of their rebellion.  Satan was the leader of this angelic rebellion.

Satan originally was created perfect, and served God as an angel, until he rebelled in pride, as recorded in Ezekiel 28:14-17. (Some Bible commentators believe that this prophecy uses Satan’s fall from heaven in pride as a comparison to an arrogant king on earth.)

“You were anointed as a guardian cherub, for so I ordained you. You were on the holy mount of God; you walked among the fiery stones. You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created till wickedness was found in you. Through your widespread trade you were filled with violence, and you sinned. So I drove you in disgrace from the mount of God, and I expelled you, O guardian cherub, from among the fiery stones. Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor.”

Here is the origin of the devil, and the tempter of Adam and Eve. Satan rebelled against a holy God because “wickedness was found” in him, namely violence and pride. It sounds like this angel didn’t want to follow God, but “do his own thing.” This is the source of evil in the world.

These angels used to serve God; now they are opposed to Him.  And they are an enemy to humans as well.  The devil is compared to a lion “looking for someone to devour” in 1 Peter 5:8.  In the next blog we’ll examine these demonic attacks or what is known as “demonic possession.”