DEMON
An invisible wicked spirit creature, sometimes called a ‘fallen angel,’ having superhuman powers. The demons as such were not created by God. The first to make himself one was Satan the Devil (see SATAN), who became the ruler of other angelic sons of God who also made themselves demons. (Matt. 12:24, 26) In Noah’s day these disobedient angels materialized, married women, fathered a hybrid generation known as Nephilim (see NEPHILIM), and then dematerialized when the Flood came. (Gen. 6:1-4) However, upon returning to the spirit realm they did not regain their lofty original position, for Jude 6 says: “The angels that did not keep their original position but forsook their own proper dwelling place he has reserved with eternal bonds under dense darkness for the judgment of the great day.” (1 Pet. 3:19, 20) So it is in this condition of dense spiritual darkness that they must now confine their operations. (2 Pet. 2:4) Though evidently restrained from materializing, they still have great power and influence over the minds and lives of men, even having the ability to enter into and possess humans and animals, as well as to use inanimate things such as houses, fetishes, charms, and so forth.—Matt. 12:43-45; Luke 8:27-33; see DEMON POSSESSION.
The purpose of all such demonic activity is to turn people against Jehovah and the pure worship of God. Jehovah’s law, therefore, strictly forbade demonism in any form. (Deut. 18:10-12) However, wayward Israel went so far astray as to sacrifice their sons and daughters to the demons. (Ps. 106:37; Deut. 32:17; 2 Chron. 11:15) When Jesus was on earth demon influence was very prevalent, and some of his greatest miracles consisted of expelling them from victimized persons. (Matt. 8:31, 32; 9:33, 34; Mark 1:39; 7:26-30; Luke 8:2; 13:32) Jesus gave this same power to his twelve apostles and to the seventy that he sent out, so that in the name of Jesus they too could cast out the demons.—Matt. 10:8; Mark 3:14, 15; 6:13; Luke 9:1; 10:17.
Demon influence in human affairs is no less manifest today. That “the things which the nations sacrifice they sacrifice to the demons” is still true. (1 Cor. 10:20) In the last book of the Bible, the “revelation by Jesus Christ, which God gave him, to show his slaves the things that must shortly take place,” prophetic warning is given concerning accelerated demon activity on the earth. (Rev. 1:1) “Down the great dragon was hurled, the original serpent, the one called Devil and Satan, who is misleading the entire inhabited earth; he was hurled down to the earth, and his angels [demons] were hurled down with him. On this account . . . Woe for the earth and for the sea, because the Devil has come down to you, having great anger, knowing he has a short period of time.” (Rev. 12:9, 12) Unclean froglike expressions “are, in fact, expressions inspired by demons and perform signs, and they go forth to the kings of the entire inhabited earth, to gather them together to the war of the great day of God the Almighty.”—Rev. 16:13, 14.
Christians must, therefore, put up a hard fight against these unseen wicked spirits. James, in arguing that belief alone is not sufficient, says: “You believe there is one God, do you? You are doing quite well. And yet the demons believe and shudder.” (Jas. 2:19) “In later periods of time,” warned Paul, “some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to misleading inspired utterances and teachings of demons.” (1 Tim. 4:1) One cannot eat of Jehovah’s table and at the same time feed from the table of demons. (1 Cor. 10:21) The faithful, therefore, must put up a hard fight against the Devil and his demons, “against the world rulers of this darkness, against the wicked spirit forces in the heavenly places.”—Eph. 6:12.
This use of the word “demon” is narrow and specific compared with the notions of ancient philosophers and the way the word was used in classical Greek. Says The Encyclopedia Britannica (Ninth Edition, Vol. VII, page 54): “The earlier and wider notion of demons includes the whole class of such spirits, who may be friendly or hostile, good or evil, persecuting and tormenting man or acting as his protecting and informing patron-spirits.” (See Acts 17:22, 1950 ed., ftn.) So it was that Socrates called the genius or spirit that dwelt in him a demon.