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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 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 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
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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 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
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of the wicked one. This Satan himself
recognized when he said: "Doth Job fear God for nought? Hast not Thou
made an 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 mention 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
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upon the plan devised 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 well pleasing 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 victims, leaving them calmly sitting at the
Saviour's feet, subdued, intelligent, and gentle. But the demons were
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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 Syrophoenician 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),
disturbed the Sabbath quiet of the synagogue at Capernaum--all were
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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 4:36.
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 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, 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.
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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 and 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.
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