Casting out Demons

Q. In Mark 9, the disciples were unable to drive out a spirit and only Jesus could. When they asked why, Jesus replied that this kind of spirit could only be driven out by prayer. Why are there some that are like this, and how can you tell when that is the case?

A. The passage is Mk 9:14-29, with parallel accounts in Mt 17:14-21 and Lk 9:37-43:

• Mk 9:29 And He said to them, “This kind cannot come out by anything but prayer.” Some manuscripts add “and fasting“.
• Mt 17:19-20a Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not drive it out?” And He said to them, “Because of the littleness of your faith;

Just as there are different kinds of angels e.g. archangel, cherubim, seraphim, there are different kinds of demons. Some scholars point to:

• Dan 10:13 But the prince of the kingdom of Persia was withstanding me for twenty-one days; then behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left there with the kings of Persia.
• Eph 6:12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.

From the first day Daniel prayed, an angel was sent to give him understanding, but the prince of Persia, a fallen angel, detained him for 21 days. He was not able to overcome the prince of Persia by himself, until Michael the chief prince (archangel) came to his rescue. So there are ranks among demons with different strength, presumably classified as rulers, powers, principalities (Rom 8:38) etc, but the Bible does not give us enough details to identify each.

Although we can not tell which demon is what rank, we do know that Jesus had delegated His authority to His apostles and disciples to cast out demons in His name. The authority is not inherent in them, but His. They can exercise His authority when they have faith, which they manifest by prayerful dependence on Him:

• Mk 3:14-15 And He appointed twelve, so that they would be with Him and that He could send them out to preach, and to have authority to cast out the demons.
• Mk 6:7, 13 And He summoned the twelve and began to send them out in pairs, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits; … And they were casting out many demons and were anointing with oil many sick people and healing them.
• Mk 16:17 These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues;

His authority is available to all true believers. It does not reside in some exorcists as some are led to believe.

Sons of God and Nephilim

Q. Who are the sons of God and Nephilim in Genesis 6?

I have answered a related question in Apr. 2014, so won’t repeat myself here. Please refer to:

https://raykliu.wordpress.com/2014/04/28/imprisoned-spirits/

As I said earlier, not all scholars agree with this view, but their objections can be answered. There are also hoaxes e.g. National Geographic discovering giant skeletons. So study all biblical evidence and decide which is more believable.

What does Satan Look Like?

Q. What does Satan look like? What about demons?

A. The Bible does not describe what Satan looks like after his fall. There is a passage in Ezk 28 describing the king of Tyre, but which many commentators believe applies to Satan because its description goes beyond a mere man:

• Ezk 18:12-19 “Son of man, take up a lamentation over the king of Tyre and say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “You had the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. “You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering: The ruby, the topaz and the diamond; the beryl, the onyx and the jasper; the lapis lazuli, the turquoise and the emerald; and the gold, the workmanship of your settings and sockets, was in you. On the day that you were created they were prepared. “You were the anointed cherub who covers, and I placed you there. You were on the holy mountain of God; you walked in the midst of the stones of fire. “You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created until unrighteousness was found in you.
• “By the abundance of your trade you were internally filled with violence, and you sinned; therefore I have cast you as profane from the mountain of God. And I have destroyed you, o covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. “Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom by reason of your splendor. I cast you to the ground; I put you before kings, That they may see you. “By the multitude of your iniquities, in the unrighteousness of your trade you profaned your sanctuaries. Therefore I have brought fire from the midst of you; It has consumed you, And I have turned you to ashes on the earth in the eyes of all who see you. “All who know you among the peoples are appalled at you; you have become terrified and you will cease to be forever.”’”
Before his fall, he is a cherub (see Dec 10, 2015 post) in Eden, perfect in beauty, full of wisdom, and blameless. After he sinned he was filled with violence, profane, proud, corrupted, and unrighteous.

He appeared as a serpent to Adam and Eve, tempted our Lord in the wilderness, and John saw him as a red dragon in his vision. To men, he disguises himself:
• 2 Co 11:14 No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.
I think that’s what he did when he disguised himself as the angel Gabriel to reveal the Qur’an to Muhammad, or as Moroni to give Joseph Smith the golden plates from which came the Book of Mormon.

Like Satan, demons are fallen angels and therefore do not have physical bodies. When allowed, they possess human beings who may become extremely violent (Mt 8:28; Mk 5:2-5; Lk 8:27), mute (Mt 9:33; Mk 9:17), deaf (Mk 9:25), or blind (Mt 12:22) i.e. they attack the means of communication. Demons can also throw the possessed into convulsions (Mk 9:18, 20, 26). However, these describe the demon-possessed men, not the evil or unclean spirits themselves.

One passage in Rev describes unclean spirits as like frogs:
• Rev 16:13 And I saw coming out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits like frogs;

Beyond that the Bible is silent as to their physical appearance, but what’s described is very different from Hollywood’s depiction.