Meaning of DEMON

Among the Greeks this term designated:
(a) a god or deity in general;
(b) the genie or familiar spirit that accompanied one;
(c) the fate of him;
(d) the soul of an individual who lived in the golden age (the age before affliction entered the world.

When Pandora's box was opened, all its evils were precipitated into the world. [Greek mythology]), and since then acted as a tutelary divinity; a god of lower category.

The pagan idea, expounded by philosophers, was that demons were mediating beings between God and man. This is how Plato puts it:

«Each demon is an intermediate being between God and the mortal. "Man does not approach God directly, but the entire relationship and communication between gods and men is achieved through the mediation of demons."

This was a satanic deception, achieving the worship of God through the mediation of demons or demigods. We can see how this pagan conception has left its profound deforming mark on large sectors of so-called Christianity, in open opposition to the Scriptures (cp. 1 Tim. 2:5).

The Scriptures also make clear the true nature of demons as evil spirits (see Rev. 16:13, 14).

In the Scriptures it is also seen that idolatry is essentially worship of demons since the idol itself is nothing "They sacrificed to demons (shed) and not to God (Deut. 32:17; 1 Cor. 10:19, 20) , “never again will they sacrifice their sacrifices to demons (sair)” (Lev. 17:7; Rev. 9:20).

Jeroboam fell so low that he ordained priests for the demons (sair) and for the calves he had made (2 Chron. 11:15), and some "sacrificed their sons and their daughters to the demons (shed)" (Ps. 106:37).

The things worshiped may have been invisible objects, or they may have had some mystical representation, or they may have been mere idols; but behind all this were true, evil and unclean beings; so that it was morally impossible to have fellowship with the Lord Jesus and with these demons (1 Cor. 10:19-21).

The evil spirits that possessed so many people when the Lord was on earth were demons, and so we learn a lot about them. The Pharisees said that the Lord cast out demons through Beelzebub the prince of demons.

The Lord interpreted this to mean "Satan casting out Satan." This is why we know that demons are agents of Satan; and that Satan, as a strong man, had to be bound before his kingdom could be assaulted (Mt. 12:24-29).

The demons are also powerful, due to the way they handled those they possessed, and how one possessed attacked seven men, causing them to flee from the house naked and wounded (Acts 19:16).

We also know that they were intelligent beings, they recognized the Lord Jesus and bowed before his authority. They also knew that punishment awaited them, some asked if the Lord had come to torment them before their time (Mt. 8:29).

It should not be assumed that demonic activity has ceased. We are given the exhortation: "Do not believe every spirit, but test whether the spirits come from God" (1 John 4:1).

With this is consistent the statement that "in later times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons" (1 Tim. 4:1).

Spiritualists and theosophists have a relationship with them and receive teaching from them. Also in a future day, when God pours out his judgments on the earth, men will not repent, but will worship demons and all kinds of idols (Rev. 9:20).

Also the demonic spirits, working miracles, will gather the kings of the earth in the battle of the great day of the Almighty God (Rev. 16:14). And mystical Babylon will become “the habitation of demons and the haunt of every unclean spirit and the shelter of every unclean and hateful bird” (Rev. 18:2).

The world and the professing church are evidently maturing for this state of things and many are those who, with the intention of investigating parapsychological phenomena, are unconsciously becoming prey to demons.

The end of the church age is marked by the terrible prophecy of 2 Thes. 2:11: "For this reason God sends them a deceitful spirit, so that they believe a lie, so that all those who did not believe the truth but took pleasure in unrighteousness would be condemned."