Lesson 6: What Are Angels, Satan, and Demons?

Introduction

About 20 years ago, I drove to CompUSA to spend $100 on an AirPort Extreme Card. Why? So that my laptop could connect to Wi-Fi—yes, there used to be a time when computers and laptops didn’t come with Wi-Fi. demonstrate installing the card In its original factory, it would have been able to connect. However, the card was removed and the ability lost; it was lost until I restored its ability to connect the unseen signal it was created to interact with.

What does Wi-Fi have to do with our lesson this morning? In our original condition, we were made to interact with the now unseen world surrounding us. Out of Eden, man lost the ability (typically) to interact with the unseen world.

In Genesis 3, Adam and Eve interact with God, the serpent, and cherubim. I do not understand how all of those were able to interact. But I believe that they did. Likewise, we don’t have to understand how a tiny chip enables a device to be receptive of unseen signals all around us, but we know it does. Just because we lack the wisdom to know how those two realms relate to each other, it does not mean that they are totally separate. We are living in a material world, but that is a relatively new worldview.

There is no such word as “religion” in the languages of the ancient Near East. Likewise, there is no dichotomy between sacred and secular, or even between natural and supernatural. The only suitable dichotomy is between spiritual and physical, though even that would be a less meaningful distinction to the people of the ancient Near East than it is to us. In the end, there is a distinction between the heavenly realm and the earthly one, but events in the two were often intertwined or parallel. It would be difficult to discuss with ancients the concept of divine intervention because in their worldview deity was too integrated into the cosmos to intervene in it. For the most part, deity is on the inside, not the outside. The world was suffused with the divine. All experience was religious experience; all law was spiritual in nature; all duties were duties to the gods; all events had deity as their cause. Life was religion and religion could not be compartmentalized within life.¹

So, what are the two main components of that unseen world that we usually think about? Angels and Demons. Even this may not be entirely accurate (example of a window, humans and animals, etc). The variety we see in this world of biological life may reflect the diversity in that realm as well.

So what? So, pray.

For some, thinking through the ideas of what dwells in the unseen realm can lead to great deals of speculation. It can lead to fascination. But one thing that it probably won’t lead to is perfect understanding of everything we cannot see. Primarily, the Bible was written so that we might know him and how to glorify him in this life.

Forgive another computer illustration, but you might remember your first computer and the manual that came with it. Now, you get the bare minimum of a couple sheets of regulatory information. Back then, it would be like a little book. But what did that manual have? It didn’t get into the specifics of what you don’t see. It likely mentioned the CPU, the RAM, the HD, and the CD drive, but it didn’t get into processor architecture, swap memory, hard drive platters, and how a laser reads a spinning mirrored disc.

Why? Because the manual wasnt made so that you would understand how the inner working of the computer operates. It was made so that you would know how to use it. Likewise, the Bible was not written so that we would know all the details about every single type of being in God’s creation

Ephesians 6:10–16⠀10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; 15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

I hope to say more at the end, but remember this main takeaway. The reason we are to engage in prayer to an unseen God is because it is the weapon against our unseen enemy.

Angels

Psalm 148 says that they were created.

Psalm 148:1–5⠀1 Praise ye the LORD. Praise ye the LORD from the heavens: Praise him in the heights. 2 Praise ye him, all his angels: Praise ye him, all his hosts. 3 Praise ye him, sun and moon: Praise him, all ye stars of light. 4 Praise him, ye heavens of heavens, And ye waters that be above the heavens. 5 Let them praise the name of the LORD: For he commanded, and they were created.

Job may give a hint as to when they were created.

Job 38:7⠀7 When the morning stars sang together, And all the sons of God shouted for joy?

They are typically unseen.

Numbers 22:31⠀31 Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and he bowed down his head, and fell flat on his face.

2 Kings 6:17⠀17 And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.

When seen, they may look just like us.

Genesis 18:1–8⠀1 And the LORD appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day; 2 And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground, 3 And said, My Lord, if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant: 4 Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree: 5 And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your hearts; after that ye shall pass on: for therefore are ye come to your servant. And they said, So do, as thou hast said. 6 And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth. 7 And Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetcht a calf tender and good, and gave it unto a young man; and he hasted to dress it. 8 And he took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat.

Acts 12:15⠀15 And they said unto her, Thou art mad. But she constantly affirmed that it was even so. Then said they, It is his angel.

Their main task is to minister to (serve) the people of God.

In Hebrews 1–2, it speaks about angels 11 times in two chapters. The main points are that Jesus Christ is better than the angels, we are made lower than the angels, Jesus did not become an angel, and angels are not to be saved but they are to be servants of the saved.

Hebrews 1:14⠀14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?

And in a way that I don’t understand the more I think about it, but I have been thinking about it more, is that when we worship we are not only in the presence of God but also of his holy angels and saints and Savior.

This view of the Christian hope is to be distinguished from the OT and Jewish expectation of a restoration of the earthly Jerusalem, nor is the heavenly city described, as in Rev, as “coming down out of heaven.” The picture is rather the converse one of Christians on earth already participating in advance in the life of a supernatural city of which God is the sole builder.²

So in the book of Hebrews the author opens in the first two chapters with multiple references to angels. And in the final two chapters, 12–13, he says this about angels—that they are part of our worship of God and second…

Hebrews 13:2⠀2 Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.

While God may be seen on every page of the Bible, his messenger angels are not. Therefore, we can think about these matters but it would not be wise to expect them. Just as the number of times that God audibly spoke to people is quite rare, so too is the fact that God intervened with a visible angel.

The potential downside to this, of course, is that some will inevitably wonder why God has never sent an angel to make things better for them… Near the beginning of her book, MacDonald asks, “Where was the angel when my friend’s three teenage children were suddenly killed by a train at an unmarked railroad crossing?” Here is her response: “No one has the answer.… Most of the time there isn’t any answer. We know that during the days when Jesus lived on earth, He didn’t heal every blind, sick, and crippled person in the entire city of Jerusalem. He didn’t stand at the entrance of each tomb and call every person back to life as He did Lazarus. When you read through your Bible, you find that God did intervene in certain circumstances; but those circumstances were the exception, not the rule. God does send some angels to rescue His people from time to time, but those instances are rare.” This is not a sophisticated philosophical or theological statement. It serves well enough, however, for practical purposes. Seemingly remarkable interventions occur only now and then, and no one can say why some are rescued or favored with a vision and others are not.³

Satan

Another of God’s creatures that is real though I suspect we are probably more likely to encounter one of his inferiors rather than himself is the devil.

Tradition

When did Satan fall? When he fell, did he take 1/3 of the angels with him?

Revelation 12:1–9⠀1 And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars: 2 And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered. 3 And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. 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. 5 And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne. 6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days. 7 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.

Scripture

Genesis 3:1–5⠀1 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? 2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: 3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. 4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: 5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.

Demonic Activity

2 Corinthians 11:3–15⠀3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. 4 For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him… 13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. 14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. 15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

1 Kings 22:19–23⠀19 And he said, Hear thou therefore the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him on his right hand and on his left. 20 And the LORD said, Who shall persuade Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead? And one said on this manner, and another said on that manner. 21 And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the LORD, and said, I will persuade him. 22 And the LORD said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt persuade him, and prevail also: go forth, and do so. 23 Now therefore, behold, the LORD hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy prophets, and the LORD hath spoken evil concerning thee.

The Power of Angels and Demons

2 Kings 19:35⠀35 And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the LORD went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses.

Mark 5:13⠀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.

But greater than any angel or demons is the love of God in Jesus Christ:

Romans 8:38–39⠀38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Conclusion

What does all of this mean for our day to day life? Remember last week’s lesson? We looked at the doctrine of prayer. When you consider the truths of this week’s lesson and the fact that it immediately follows last week’s lesson, the takeaway is this:

Though we cannot now see it, we are surrounded by beings that are sent by God to serve us and help us along the way to salvation. And, we are also surrounded by beings that are evil and tempt us to neglect salvation.

In the model prayer, we are to pray that God’s will be done on earth as his will is done in heaven. And, we are told to pray that we are be led away from temptation and delivered from evil. So, because of prayer, we can know that the assaults on our walk with Christ are closer than we realize. Yet, the One who answers our prayers by sending sometimes unseen answers is even closer. You may have heard that help us only a prayer away… think of it like this—it isn’t even “away.” If God was to open our eyes right now, we’d see that our prayers don’t have to go very far—and the answers are not very far away either. If your prayers are so weak or so secret that they don’t even leave your heart, God can still hear them because your heart is where his Holy Spirit dwells.

1. John H. Walton, Ancient Near Eastern Thought and the Old Testament: Introducing the Conceptual World of the Hebrew Bible, Second Edition. (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic: A Division of Baker Publishing Group, 2018), 47. ↩
2. Paul Ellingworth, The Epistle to the Hebrews: A Commentary on the Greek Text, New International Greek Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI; Carlisle: W.B. Eerdmans; Paternoster Press, 1993), 678. ↩
3. Dale C. Allison Jr., Encountering Mystery: Religious Experience in a Secular Age (Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2022), 95–96. ↩