Chapter 31 : Agency of Evil Spirits

The connection of the visible with the invisible world, the ministration

of angels of God, and the agency of evil spirits, are plainly

revealed in the Scriptures, and inseparably interwoven with human

history. There is a growing tendency to disbelief in the existence of

evil spirits, while the holy angels that “minister for them who shall

be heirs of salvation,” [Hebrews 1:14.] are regarded by many as the

spirits of the dead. But the Scriptures not only teach the existence

of angels, both good and evil, but present unquestionable proof that

these are not the disembodied spirits of dead men.

Before the creation of man, angels were in existence; for when

the foundations of the earth were laid, “the morning stars sang

together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy.” [Job 38:7.]. After

the fall of man, angels were sent to guard the tree of life, and this

before a human being had died. Angels are in nature superior to

men. For the psalmist says that man was made “a little lower than

the angels.” [Psalm 8:5.]

We are informed in Scripture as to the number, and the power

and glory, of the heavenly beings, of their connection with the government

of God, and also of their relation to the work of redemption.

“The Lord hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom

ruleth over all.” And, says the prophet, “I heard the voice of many

angels round about the throne.” In the presence-chamber of the King

of kings they wait—“angels that excel in strength,” “ministers of

his, that do his pleasure,” “hearkening unto the voice of his word.”

[Psalm 103:19-21; Revelation 5:11.] Ten thousand times ten thousand

and thousands of thousands, were the heavenly messengers [512]

beheld by the prophet Daniel. The apostle Paul declared them “an

innumerable company.” [Daniel 7:10; Hebrews 12:22.] As God’s

messengers they go forth, like “the appearance of a flash of lightning,”

[Ezekiel 1:14.] so dazzling their glory, and so swift their flight.

The angel that appeared at the Saviour’s tomb, his countenance “like

lightning, and his raiment white as snow,” caused the keepers for

fear of him to quake, and they “became as dead men.” [Matthew

28:3, 4.] When Sennacherib, the haughty Assyrian, reproached and

blasphemed God, and threatened Israel with destruction, “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.”

There were “cut off all the mighty men of valor, and the leaders

and captains,” from the army of Sennacherib. “So he returned with

shame of face to his own land.” [2 Kings 19:35; 2 Chronicles 32:21.]

Angels are sent on missions of mercy to the children of God.

To Abraham, with promises of blessing; to the gates of Sodom, to

rescue righteous Lot from its fiery doom; to Elijah, as he was about

to perish from weariness and hunger in the desert; to Elisha, with

chariots and horses of fire surrounding the little town where he was

shut in by his foes; to Daniel, while seeking divine wisdom in the

court of a heathen king, or abandoned to become the lions’ prey;

to Peter, doomed to death in Herod’s dungeon; to the prisoners at

Philippi; to Paul and his companions in the night of tempest on the

sea; to open the mind of Cornelius to receive the gospel; to dispatch

Peter, with the message of salvation to the Gentile stranger,—thus

holy angels have, in all ages, ministered to God’s people.

A guardian angel is appointed to every follower of Christ. These

heavenly watchers shield the righteous from the power of the wicked

one. This Satan himself recognized when he said, “Doth Job fear

[513] God for naught? Hast not thou made a hedge about him, and about

his house, and about all that he hath on every side?” [Job 1:9, 10.]

The agency by which God protects his people is presented in the

words of the psalmist, “The angel of the Lord encampeth round

about them that fear him, and delivereth them.” [Psalm 34:7.] Said

the Saviour, speaking of those that believe in him, “Take heed that

ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That

in Heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father.”

[Matthew 18:10.] The angels appointed to minister to the children

of God have at all times access to his presence.

Thus God’s people, exposed to the deceptive power and unsleeping

malice of the prince of darkness, and in conflict with all the

forces of evil, are assured of the unceasing guardianship of heavenly

angels. Nor is such assurance given without need. If God has

granted to his children promise of grace and protection, it is because

there are mighty agencies of evil to be met,—agencies numerous, determined, and untiring, of whose malignity and power none can safely be ignorant or unheeding.

Evil spirits, in the beginning created sinless, were equal in nature,

power, and glory with the holy beings that are now God’s

messengers. But fallen through sin, they are leagued together for the

dishonor of God and the destruction of men. United with Satan in

his rebellion, and with him cast out from Heaven, they have, through

all succeeding ages, co-operated with him in his warfare against the

divine authority. We are told in Scripture of their confederacy and

government, of their various orders, of their intelligence and subtlety,

and of their malicious designs against the peace and happiness of

men.

Old-Testament history presents occasional mentions of their

existence and agency; but it was during the time when Christ was

upon the earth that evil spirits manifested their power in the most

striking manner. Christ had come to enter upon the plan devised [514]

for man’s redemption, and Satan determined to assert his right to

control the world. He had succeeded in establishing idolatry in every

part of the earth except the land of Palestine. To the only land that

had not fully yielded to the tempter’s sway, Christ came to shed

upon the people the light of Heaven. Here two rival powers claimed

supremacy. Jesus was stretching out his arms of love, inviting all

who would to find pardon and peace in him. The hosts of darkness

saw that they did not possess unlimited control, and they understood

that if Christ’s mission should be successful, their rule was soon

to end. Satan raged like a chained lion, and defiantly exhibited his

power over the bodies as well as the souls of men.

The fact that men have been possessed with demons, is clearly

stated in the New Testament. The persons thus afflicted were not

merely suffering with disease from natural causes. Christ had perfect

understanding of that with which he was dealing, and he recognized

the direct presence and agency of evil spirits.

A striking example of their number, power, and malignity, and

also of the power and mercy of Christ, is given in the Scripture

account of the healing of the demoniacs at Gadara. Those wretched

maniacs, spurning all restraint, writhing, foaming, raging, were

filling the air with their cries, doing violence to themselves, and

endangering all who should approach them. Their bleeding and

disfigured bodies and distracted minds presented a spectacle wellpleasing

to the prince of darkness. One of the demons controlling

the sufferers declared, “My name is Legion; for we are many.” [Mark

5:9.] In the Roman army a legion consisted of from three to five

thousand men. Satan’s hosts also are marshaled in companies, and

the single company to which these demons belonged numbered no

less than a legion.

At the command of Jesus, the evil spirits departed from their

[515] victims, leaving them calmly sitting at the Saviour’s feet, subdued,

intelligent, and gentle. But the demons were permitted to sweep a

herd of swine into the sea; and to the dwellers of Gadara the loss

of these outweighed the blessings which Christ had bestowed, and

the divine Healer was entreated to depart. This was the result which

Satan designed to secure. By casting the blame of their loss upon

Jesus, he aroused the selfish fears of the people, and prevented them

from listening to his words. Satan is constantly accusing Christians

as the cause of loss, misfortune, and suffering, instead of allowing

the reproach to fall where it belongs, upon himself and his agents.

But the purposes of Christ were not thwarted. He allowed the

evil spirits to destroy the herd of swine as a rebuke to those Jews

who were raising these unclean beasts for the sake of gain. Had

not Christ restrained the demons, they would have plunged into the

sea, not only the swine, but also their keepers and owners. The

preservation of both the keepers and the owners was due alone to his

power, mercifully exercised for their deliverance. Furthermore, this

event was permitted to take place that the disciples might witness the

cruel power of Satan upon both man and beast. The Saviour desired

his followers to have a knowledge of the foe whom they were to

meet, that they might not be deceived and overcome by his devices.

It was also his will that the people of that region should behold his

power to break the bondage of Satan and release his captives. And

though Jesus himself departed, the men so marvelously delivered

remained to declare the mercy of their Benefactor.

Other instances of a similar nature are recorded in the Scriptures.

The daughter of the Syro-Phenician woman was grievously vexed

with a devil, whom Jesus cast out by his word. [Mark 7:26-30.]

One “possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb,” [Matthew 12:22.] a

youth who had a dumb spirit, that ofttimes “cast him into the fire,

and into the waters, to destroy him,” [Mark 9:17-27.] the maniac,

who, tormented by “a spirit of an unclean devil,” [Luke 4:33-36.] [516]

disturbed the Sabbath quiet of the synagogue at Capernaum, were

all healed by the compassionate Saviour. In nearly every instance,

Christ addressed the demon as an intelligent entity, commanding

him to come out of his victim and to torment him no more. The

worshipers at Capernaum, beholding his mighty power, “were all

amazed, and spake among themselves, saying, What a word is this!

for with authority and power he commandeth the unclean spirits,

and they come out.” [Luke 4:33-36.]

Those possessed with devils are usually represented as being in

a condition of great suffering; yet there were exceptions to this rule.

For the sake of obtaining supernatural power, some welcomed the

Satanic influence. These of course had no conflict with the demons.

Of this class were those who possessed the spirit of divination,—

Simon Magus, Elymas the sorcerer, and the damsel who followed

Paul and Silas at Philippi.

None are in greater danger from the influence of evil spirits than

are those who, notwithstanding the direct and ample testimony of

the Scriptures, deny the existence and agency of the devil and his

angels. So long as we are ignorant of their wiles, they have almost

inconceivable advantage; many give heed to their suggestions while

they suppose themselves to be following the dictates of their own

wisdom. This is why, as we approach the close of time, when Satan

is to work with greatest power to deceive and destroy, he spreads

everywhere the belief that he does not exist. It is his policy to conceal

himself and his manner of working.

There is nothing that the great deceiver fears so much as that we

shall become acquainted with his devices. The better to disguise his

real character and purposes, he has caused himself to be so represented

as to excite no stronger emotion than ridicule or contempt.

He is well pleased to be painted as a ludicrous or loathsome object, [517]

misshapen, half animal and half human. He is pleased to hear his

name used in sport and mockery by those who think themselves

intelligent and well-informed.

It is because he has masked himself with consummate skill that

the question is so widely asked, “Does such a being really exist?”

It is an evidence of his success that theories giving the lie to the

plainest testimony of the Scriptures are so generally received in the

religious world. And it is because Satan can most readily control the

minds of those who are unconscious of his influence that the Word

of God gives us so many examples of his malignant work, unveiling

before us his secret forces, and thus placing us on our guard against

his assaults.

The power and malice of Satan and his host might justly alarm us,

were it not that we may find shelter and deliverance in the superior

power of our Redeemer. We carefully secure our houses with bolts

and locks to protect our property and our lives from evil men; but we

seldom think of the evil angels who are constantly seeking access

to us, and against whose attacks we have, in our own strength, no

method of defense. If permitted, they can distract our minds, disorder,

torment our bodies, destroy our possessions and our lives. Their

only delight is in misery and destruction. Fearful is the condition of

those who resist the divine claims, and yield to Satan’s temptations,

until God gives them up to the control of evil spirits. But those who

follow Christ are ever safe under his watchcare. Angels that excel

in strength are sent from Heaven to protect them. The wicked one

cannot break through the guard which God has stationed about his

people.