S. Michael Houdmann Supporter Got Questions Ministries

When exactly God created angels is open for debate, but what is known for sure is that God created everything good because God, in His holiness, cannot create something sinful. So when Satan, who was once the angel Lucifer, rebelled against God and fell from heaven (Isaiah 14; Ezekiel 28), one third of the angelic host joined his insurrection (Revelation 12:3-4,9). There is no doubt these fallen angels are now known as the demons.

We know that hell was prepared for the devil and his angels, according to Matthew 25:41: "Then He will say to those on His left, "Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels."" Jesus, by using the possessive word his makes it clear that these angels belong to Satan. Revelation 12:7-9 describes an end-times angelic battle between Michael and "his angels" and the devil and "his angels." From these and similar verses, it is clear that demons and fallen angels are synonymous.

Some reject the idea that the demons are the fallen angels due to the fact that Jude verse 6 declares the angels who sinned to be "bound with everlasting chains." However, it is clear that not all of the angels who sinned are "bound," as Satan is still free (1 Peter 5:8). Why would God imprison the rest of the fallen angels, but allow the leader of the rebellion to remain free? It seems that Jude verse 6 is referring to God confining the fallen angels who rebelled in an additional way, likely the "sons of God" incident in Genesis chapter 6.

The most common alternate explanation for the origin of the demons is that when the Nephilim of Genesis 6 were destroyed in the Flood, their disembodied souls became the demons. While the Bible does not specifically say what happened to the souls of the Nephilim when they were killed, it is unlikely that God would destroy the Nephilim in the Flood only to allow their souls to cause even greater evil as the demons. The most biblically consistent explanation for the origin of the demons is that they are the fallen angels, the angels who rebelled against God with Satan.

See http://www.gotquestions.org/fallen-angels.html

July 01 2013 • 1 response • Vote Up • Share • Report

Steven Best Supporter Former mil intel analyst, chiropractor & Bible Teacher

Demons are not fallen angels, and no Scripture supports this idea. One third of the Angels in heaven, those who followed Satan (Is 14; Ez 28; Rev 12:3-4, 9) are in chains, while Satan and his demons remain active and free (I Pe 5:8; II Cor 11:14; Eph 6:12-13). According to Scripture(Gen 6:1-10, Jud 1:1-7), the early church fathers (Athenagoras, Tertullian, Iranaeus, Papius, Origen, Justin Martyr…), and ancient Jewish apocalyptic tradition (Flavius Josephus: "Antiquities of the Jews" 1.3.1, Dead Sea manuscripts: Enoch 6:1-7:2: Jubilees 5:1; 7:21-23), they are the disembodied spirits of the Nephilim (Giants), who killed each other off in what the Greeks referred to as the battles of the Titans. This was part of God's judgment, prior to the flood (I Pe 3:18-20. Possessing a soul with both human and angelic elements, God forbade their entrance to Heaven or Sheol and they are doomed to wander the earth until the day of judgment. 

Jude 1:3 declares the fate of the fallen Angels: "for the blackest darkness has been reserved for ever," which is echoed by II Pe 2:4: "delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment…." Jud: 6 adds that the angels who did not keep their "first estate, but left their own habitation," are "reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment." Thus, fallen angels cannot possibly be the demons which roam the earth, in the manner that Jesus described (Mt 12:43-50, Lu 11:19-26). However, Jesus language of the disembodied demon roaming from one dry place to another," appears to be a direct quotation from the apocryphal literature, as does much of I Peter 3, II Peter 2, and Jude. Finally the Bible clearly links the activity of these "fallen" angels with the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah – "giving themselves over to fornication" and "strange flesh," (Jud: 7) which obviously corroborates Gen 6:2 as interpreted by the early church fathers, and the apocryphal traditions.

It is important though, to note, that Scripture also tells us that our 1st and greatest defense against demonic influence is to live godly lives in Christ, resisting the devil's temptations in all forms – especially those of a sexual nature. He also gave authority to his followers to cast out demons from those who were possessed or oppressed by them (Mt 10:7-11, Mk 16:15-20, Mt 28:18-20). It is still hotly debated as to whether this gift ceased by the end of the 2nd century, but many faiths still practice exorcism. 

Source: INTERVIEW WITH A GIANT: Ethanol Historical Notes on the Nephilim by Judd H Burton, MA, copyright 2009 by Burton beyond Press

July 24 2016 • 1 response • Vote Up • Share • Report