What is a Demon?

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CoreIssue

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They pop up in conversations often what exactly are they?

Many say Fallen Angels. But that simply cannot be since fallen Angels have been chained in the pit since the war in heaven.

Jude 6 New International Version (NIV)
6 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.

Related to this, I believe, is what are the four living creatures around the throne of God?

Many say angels. But that cannot be because they are flesh, not spirits.

Revelation 5:6-14 New International Version (NIV)
6 Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders.

The KJV New Testament Greek Lexicon
Strong's Number:
2226 Browse Lexicon
Original Word
Word Origin
zw/'on of a derivative of (2198)
Transliterated Word TDNT Entry
Zoon 2:873,290
Phonetic Spelling Parts of Speech
dzo'-on Noun Neuter
Definition
  1. a living being
  2. an animal, brute, beast

I believe that both were pre-Adamic beings, those which sided with God are represented by the four in heaven. Those aside was Satan became demons.

Think about it. Demons are never called fallen angels and fallen Angels are never called demons.

And while we are told for the fallen angels are we are never told where demons are.

Revelations says there are humans around and in front of the throne. It says four living creatures and angels around the throne. So we know they are not on the same.

What do you think?
 

Enoch111

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Many say Fallen Angels. But that simply cannot be since fallen Angels have been chained in the pit since the war in heaven.
Only a small group of fallen angels are chained in Tartarus. These are the angels *which kept not their first estate* and *sinned* through unlawful unions with human women, thus producing giants and men of renown (Genesis 6).

The vast majority are free, dwelling in the atmosphere, and under the control of *the prince of the power of the air*. These would be elemental spirits, ranged in hierarchies of authority and control, several assigned to the various countries of the world to influence events in those lands.

Only some fallen angels are demons, taking possession of creatures, or being worshiped as pagan gods. Animists assign spirits to forces of nature and wild animals, and this may well be the case. Some claim that the Nephilim are demons, but there is no Scripture to support that.
 
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Enoch111

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Revelations says there are humans around and in front of the throne. It says four living creatures and angels around the throne. So we know they are not on the same.
True. The four living creatures are special angels called Cherubims, but the vast majority of holy angels are simply that, and some of them are Seraphim. Again there are hierarchies of angels ranged under Michael, the archangel.
 
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Heart2Soul

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Only a small group of fallen angels are chained in Tartarus. These are the angels *which kept not their first estate* and *sinned* through unlawful unions with human women, thus producing giants and men of renown (Genesis 6).

The vast majority are free, dwelling in the atmosphere, and under the control of *the prince of the power of the air*. These would be elemental spirits, ranged in hierarchies of authority and control, several assigned to the various countries of the world to influence events in those lands.

Only some fallen angels are demons, taking possession of creatures, or being worshiped as pagan gods. Animists assign spirits to forces of nature and wild animals, and this may well be the case. Some claim that the Nephilim are demons, but there is no Scripture to support that.
Agree....and demons do not have a physical body....they seek one to inhabit.....Also they are referred to as unclean spirits...

Matthew 12:43-45 -  A Demon’s Journey

“When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none”(Matt 12:43). Jesus speaks from the point of view of a demon evicted from its home. He has been displaced, and is obviously unhappy about it. He travels, “seeking rest, and finds none”—a miserable, unsatisfied existence. “Then he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when he comes he finds it empty, swept, and put in order”(Matt 12:44). The unclean spirit attempts to again possess the man who was his home—and finds the man more than willing to have him back! Not only is he allowed entry, but the house is empty, swept, and put in order—ready for demon habitation! “Then he goes and take with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first”(Matt 12:45). Finding his home far better than he left it, he decides to bring seven worse spirits so they can all live together and torment this man. Truly does Jesus say, “the last state of that man is worse than the first”. Jesus makes the application: “So shall it also be with this wicked generation”(Matt 12:45).
 
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Helen

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We know that they are evil.
We know that they were not created by God.
We know that Satan cannot create.

And I know that I do not know!!!
 
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mjrhealth

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you should all read the book of enoch is you do care to know

The evil spirits that would now pervade the earthly realm and bring affliction and persecution upon humanity are identified in 1 Enoch 15.8-12 as the ‘spirits of the giant offspring’ – the children of the ‘Sons of God” (bene haelohim) and the daughters of humanity.

Gen_5:24 And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.

Jud_1:14 And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints,
 
D

Dave L

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Michael Heiser The Unseen Realm author thinks demons are the spirits of the dead Nephthalim who were born of women who mated with the "sons of God" mentioned in Job and Genesis.

“That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.” (Genesis 6:2) (KJV 1900)
 

CoreIssue

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Only a small group of fallen angels are chained in Tartarus. These are the angels *which kept not their first estate* and *sinned* through unlawful unions with human women, thus producing giants and men of renown (Genesis 6).

The vast majority are free, dwelling in the atmosphere, and under the control of *the prince of the power of the air*. These would be elemental spirits, ranged in hierarchies of authority and control, several assigned to the various countries of the world to influence events in those lands.

Only some fallen angels are demons, taking possession of creatures, or being worshiped as pagan gods. Animists assign spirits to forces of nature and wild animals, and this may well be the case. Some claim that the Nephilim are demons, but there is no Scripture to support that.

All the fallen angels except Lucifer are chained. The Bible does not say only some.
 

CoreIssue

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True. The four living creatures are special angels called Cherubims, but the vast majority of holy angels are simply that, and some of them are Seraphim. Again there are hierarchies of angels ranged under Michael, the archangel.

By definition the four living creatures are flesh, not angels.
 

CoreIssue

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True. The four living creatures are special angels called Cherubims, but the vast majority of holy angels are simply that, and some of them are Seraphim. Again there are hierarchies of angels ranged under Michael, the archangel.

By definition they are living beings, flesh.

Do not say that is impossible because Enoch and Elijah are flesh and blood in heaven.
 

CoreIssue

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you should all read the book of enoch is you do care to know

The evil spirits that would now pervade the earthly realm and bring affliction and persecution upon humanity are identified in 1 Enoch 15.8-12 as the ‘spirits of the giant offspring’ – the children of the ‘Sons of God” (bene haelohim) and the daughters of humanity.

Gen_5:24 And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.

Jud_1:14 And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints,

Enoch? A Gnostic book? Really?
 

CoreIssue

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these two groups are both alive and well, might be useful to contemplate why it can't ever be
"the Sons of Humanity came in to the Daughters of God."

In the Old Testament humanity was man and man was Adam.

As well, while God is neither male or female and even in the OT women could be in relationship with God all were referred to in the masculine because that's how the Hebrew language worked. All such roles were always in the masculine context.

Same in the New Testament.

And therein lies the problem for some of these claims. The fallen angels were not in a relationship with God so they were not sons of God.
 

Enoch111

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By definition they are living beings, flesh.
Of course they are living beings or living creatures. Did I say they were not? But you failed to mention that they were a special group of angelic beings called Cherubim. And that is critical. Replicas of the Cherubim were placed over the Mercy Seat which was over the Ark of the Covenant. These Cherubim are described in Ezekiel.
Do not say that is impossible because Enoch and Elijah are flesh and blood in heaven.
I did not say it is "impossible" either. In fact I have been consistently positing that all the OT and NT saints are in Heaven, which includes Enoch and Elijah.
 
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Enoch111

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All the fallen angels except Lucifer are chained. The Bible does not say only some.
This is UTTER NONSENSE and contradicts the Bible.

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. (Eph 6:12)

Who are these entities? Because they are spirit beings or angelic beings, the Bible says "we wrestle not against flesh and blood" (human beings). And they are ranked in hierarchies, and that is why we have this list:

1. Satan (the prince of the power of the air, formerly a Cherub)
2. Principalities
3. Powers
4. Rulers of darkness
5. Spiritual or Spirit Wickedness

These hierarchies existed at the beginning, and are applicable to holy angels as well: For by him [CHRIST] were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: (Col 1:16)

In the OT angels are equated to an army, with the LORD of Hosts (Christ) [Jehovah Sabaoth] as the "Commander in Chief ". And every army has ranks from top to bottom. Thus the angelic armies also have ranks or hierarchies.
 

Enoch111

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We know that they were not created by God.
Since demons are creatures (spirit beings), and all creatures are created by God, how do you conclude that "they were not created by God"?

You could say "they were not created EVIL AND DEMONIC by God" and that would be true. But every creature is a creature of God including Satan.
 

Enoch111

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Getting back to the Cherubim (singular Cherub) we have this description in Ezekiel 1. "Likeness" means resemblance or appearance:

5 Also out of the midst thereof came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance; they had the likeness of a man.
6 And every one had four faces, and every one had four wings.
7 And their feet were straight feet; and the sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf's foot: and they sparkled like the colour of burnished brass.
8 And they had the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides; and they four had their faces and their wings.
9 Their wings were joined one to another; they turned not when they went; they went every one straight forward.
10 As for the likeness of their faces, they four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion, on the right side: and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four also had the face of an eagle.
11 Thus were their faces: and their wings were stretched upward; two wings of every one were joined one to another, and two covered their bodies.
12 And they went every one straight forward: whither the spirit was to go, they went; and they turned not when they went.
13 As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, and like the appearance of lamps: it went up and down among the living creatures; and the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning.

14 And the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning.

They are further mentioned in Ezekiel 10, where they are called Cherubim.
 
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