The precise reason why Satanic and demonic hatred is directed so relentlessly against man is wrapped in mystery. It may be that Satan and certain angels were given the suzerainty over the earth when it was primevally created, and that it was in that high position of responsibility and trust that Satan first obtruded his will against the will of God (Isa. 14:12-14), bringing divine judg ment and chaos upon this sphere (Gen. 1:2). If this explanation is true, it would account for Sa tan’s jealousy and temptation of Edenic man (Gen. 3:1-6), who was given dominion over the renewed globe (Gen. 1:28), as well as justify Satan’s claim that this world belongs to him (Matt. 4:8-9), and would furnish, in addition, a valuable commentary on why he is waging such a persistent war against God to retain his usurped possession of the earth. Whatever may be the ultimate reason for Sa tan’s implacable hostility toward the human fam ily, it is certain that man, through his fall, lost his sovereignty over the earth to the usurper, and was thus alienated from his Creator. To repair the damage instigated and wrought by Satan, the Logos, the image of the invisible God, left the bosom of the Father (John 1:1, 14), took upon Himself humanity (Phil. 2:5-7), and wrought re demption, not only for man’s salvation (Col. 1:14; II Cor. 5:21), but for the earth’s deliverance as well (Matt. 13:44; Eph. 1:14; Rev. 5:1-10). There fore, Satan and the demons tried, in every possi ble way, to tempt or to kill Christ, in order that there might not be the shedding of blood, accord ing to the Scriptures (Matt. 2:16; 4:1-11; Luke 4:29; 22:3, 44). The same intense opposition, shown against Christ, is manifested against all be lievers united to Him, and who are one “ in Him” (Eph. 6:10, 12). Israel, moreover, as God’s elect nation, in whom He is to consummate His plan on the earth, is marked as a special target for diabolic fury (Rev. 13:13-17).Those whom Satan alienated and turned from God when he seduced the human race, he holds with a fierce and tenacious grip, and relent lessly fights to keep them from claiming salvation provided in Christ (Col. 1:13-14; II Tim. 2:26). No one in the human family, whether saint or sinner, is exempt from Satan’s incessant attacks, and salvation and safety are to be found only in the blood of Christ (Rev. 12:11). Temporal and eternal ruin must inevitably be the portion of all who do not avail themselves of the divinely pro vided way of escape (Rev. 20:15).
Demonism and the Way of Deliverance It must be obvious, to all who have even a cursory knowledge of Biblical demonology, that, since such beings as Satan and demons actually exist, since they have caused so much havoc and mischief in the world in the past, since they are still relentlessly pursuing their wicked depreda tions, and since they are to be allowed an aug mented sphere of influence and activity in the future, the possibility of release and exemption from their destructive doings is a matter of per sonal and paramount concern to everyone. It would indeed be strange if the good and all wise Creator of the universe would not have made a fully efficacious provision for human safety and salvation where it is most desperately needed, especially when it is clearly the divine method to provide for every possible emergency in the course of events. If all things on earth are made for man’s comfort, help, and happiness — which is no less the testimony of science than of the Holy Scrip tures (I Cor. 3:21-22)—certainly the all-gracious God would not fail man in this most momentous need of all: deliverance and safety from Satan and demons. Demonism and the Cure for Spiritual Disease Cure comes before prevention, because man is already spiritually sick. “All have sinned” (Rom. 3:23). “Death has passed unto all men, for that all sinned” (Rom. 5:12). Rescue comes before preservation, because man has already been de spoiled, and lies under the heel o f the Devil, and the power of demons (Eph. 2 :2 ; Col. 1:13). Real ization of even the most elementary principles of Biblical demonology must at once strip man o f all vain hopes of salvation by merely his own puny efforts, by his own merits, works, character, or self-improvement (Eph. 2:8-10). All men, both Jews and Gentiles, are “under sin” (Rom. 3 :9 ), a prey to Satan and demons, totally unable to save themselves, and without God’s grace, appropri ated by faith (Rom. 3:25), must perish forever (Rom. 5:6, 18). Christ died, “ the righteous for the unrighteous, that He might bring us to God” (I Peter 3:18), and we must ever remain away from God, under the thraldom and tyranny of Satan and demons, unless He, who is the only way to the Father (John 14:6), delivers us from the power of evil supernaturalism and brings us hither by His grace. The blood of Him “who His own self bare our sins in His body upon the tree”
NOVEMBER, 1967
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