Did God create evil? how really it was formed? Is there a Devil? what is the evidence of all of these? Demons’ nature. Where do they exist? what’s the limit of their knowledge? what’s the difference between them and angels? and why God did not procure a salvation for them as man? What are the titles of demons? How were they fallen? what is their end?
God created all good
God created all good, So, He did not create evil, Since, He is Good, Perfect and Holy as it is written; (Let No one say When He is tempted, ” I’m tempted by God.”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor Does He himself tempt anyone.) (JAMES 1:13).
God created the heavenly multitudes in a holy nature, given a non-absolute free which was used wrongly by the falling cherub (Satan) and that was considered the great fall for him and for those who followed him.
-He was not made wicked in nature but was good. and made for good ends and received from his Creator no trace whatever of evil in himself. But he did not sustain the brightness and the honor which the Creator had bestowed on him, and of his free choice was changed from what was in harmony to what was at variance with his nature and became roused against God who created him and determined to rise in rebellion against Him: and he was the first to depart from good and become evil. For evil is nothing else than absence of goodness, just as darkness also is absence of light. For goodness is the light of the mind and similarly, evil is the darkness of the mind. light, therefore, being the work of the Creator and being made good (For God saw all that He made, and behold they were exceeding good) produced darkness at His free-will. John of Damascus, N. F. ser. 2, vol.9, Edition Schaff & Wace, Orthodox Faith, B. 2, ch.4, p.g 670
How was evil formed?
Angels were created and given a freewill so, their fall was possible as a result of the wrong use of the freewill given to them. (And the angels who did not keep their proper domain but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgement of the great day.) (JUDE:6)
-We should admit that God has created anything which is substantially evil, as Scripture says, “everything that God had made was very good.” For if they were created by God such as they are now, or made for this purpose; viz., to occupy these positions of malice, and ever to be ready for the deception and ruin of men, we should in opposition to the view of the above quoted Scripture slander God as the Creator and author of evil, as having Himself formed utterly evil wills and natures, creating them for this very purpose; viz that they might ever persist in their wickedness and never pass over to the feeling of a good will. The following reason then of this diversity is what we received from the tradition of the fathers, being drawn from the fount of Holy Scripture. John Cassian, N.&P.N. F, ser.2. Vol 11, by Philip Schaff, editor, Conference 8, ch.6, P.g782.
Truth of Devils' Existence
Satan is a real entity not a moral matter, this turns to be clear from the Scripture of Holy Bible that he is a working entity having power, authority and messengers and followers- According to which we are Christians. have learned that some of the angels are good, some bad, but never have we read in Scripture of good demons, St, Augustin, N.& P.N.F., ser.1, Vol.2 Edited by Philip Schaff, City of God, Book9, ch.19, P.g.393., and he is different from the Holy Angelical Rankings in their behavior, since Satan and his followers are tending for making evil and entrapping people. (Bishop Isserus- Theoretical demands in the Godly Positions, Book, Fifth demand, ch.15, Pg. 327.
(Now the Lord raised up an adversary against Solomon.) (1KINGS 11:14)
Philosophers confirm devil's Existence
They acknowledged that there are demons. Socrates says, why not? since, there was an Evil spirit attached it self specially to him even from his childhood turning his mind no Doubt from what was good.
The poets are all acquainted with demons. Even the ignorant common people made frequent use of them in cursing. In fact, they call upon Satan the demon-chief. The Dealers in magic, no less, come forward as witnesses to the existence of the bad spirits.
Written Evidence
Old Testament
( Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God has Made. And he said to the woman, ” Has God indeed said’ You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’ “) (Genesis 3:1). Since, the serpent cannot speak, some can see that Satan formed himself into the shape of a serpent.
(But the spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and a distressing spirit from the Lord Troubled him.) (1 SAMUEL 16:14)
(Therefore, look! the Lord has put a laying spirit in the mouth of all these prophets of Yours and the Lord has declared disaster against you.) (1 KINGS 22:23).
(Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them.) (JOB 1:6)
New Testament
(For a woman whose young daughter had an unclean spirit heard about Him, and She Came and fell at His feet. The woman was a Greek, a Syra-Phoenician by birth, and she Kept asking Him to cast the demon out of her daughter.) (MARK 7:25-26).
(Then He said to her,” For this saying go your way, the demon has gone out of your daughter.” And when she had come to her house, she found the demon gone out.) (MARK 7:29-30).
Nature of Demons
Demons are belonging to the world of angels, so they have the same nature as Them. Meaning, the extensive luminous nature. As, Saint Paul says, (And no Wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.) (2 CORINTHIANS 11:14).
Because, they have the same nature, they are more powerful and knowledgeable than Man.
Demons are evil angels so they stayed in the world of angels the same as people, the Evil people stayed human-beings. So, evil is a moral attribute not related with the Place of existence and does not prevent the very same being from his original nature.
Places of Demons
1-Air
( And you He made a live, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience.) (EPHESIANS 2:1-2)
2-Abandoned Places
( When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none.) ( MATTHEW 12:43).
3-Tombs
( When he had come to the other side, to the Country of the Gergesenes, there Met Him two demon- possessed men, coming out of the tombs.) ( MATTHEW 8:28).
The limits of their knowledge
Demons know God who created them. (Even the demons believe -and tremble!) (JAMES 2:19).
But, their knowledge is limited according to God’s permission.
They know they are possible to exist not a must to exist like God. As, they Know Their end too.
(Now there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit and cried out Saying, ” Let us alone: what have we to do with you, Jesus of Nazareth? did You Come to destroy us? I know who you are- the Holy One of God!”) (MARK 1:23-24).
They also know the believers of God. (A certain slave girl possessed with a spirit of divination cried out, saying, ” these men are the servants of the Most High God, who Proclaim to us the way of salvation.”) ( ACTS 16:16,17).
Demons' Knowledge about Human-being
They just know about the future of human-being by experience or guessing. For example, if a man knows a friend of him for twenty years, he may know a lot of things about him. So, do Satan, as he knows you from the date you were Born. In addition, the age of Satan is most probably 6000 years.
You may conclude that he can know your thoughts. And that makes him select the way and timing to tempt you. But he can never be sure to deceive you or not.
Difference between angels' knowledge And demons' knowledge
Simply, knowledge of angels and demons is an acquired knowledge. But, There is a vast difference which is that that of angels is definite and sincere Because God is its source. But, that of demons is a lying one even if some of it Became true cause, it is built in a matter of guessing.
Demons are immortal and having fixed number
Because they belong to the world of angels, they stayed as them even after their fallen. Therefore, Satan and his hosts remained forever.
(The devil, who deceived them, was cut into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.) (REVELATION 20:10)
Syrian Tatian says, ( while living, they practice the ways of death cause they Teach their followers ways of sin. Since death for them is not as people. Cause, they are preserved for punishment, consequently, they will not take Part in the happy eternal life, to get dead instead of blessed immortality.
(Because, demons abuse the present life for the purpose of wrong- doing, they Are dying, continually, even while they live.)
As angels, demons also do not get married so, of course they do not breed. So, they do not multiply and fixed in their number.
Why God did not procure salvation for Demons?
Because Firstly Satan was living in God’s divine attendance, standing in forth of Him, seeing heavens and God’s throne while, man does not.
Secondly, according to Pope Shenuda the third: as to Satan the evil has been Sourced by him. While the source of the evil as to man was from Satan.
Thirdly, Satan has never been thinking in repentance or the like but, instead, he Insisted on challenging God and is increasingly in so doing by all of his powers by violently exalt and attract people to share him in his evil, violence and Cruelness. And as we go through time he fills the cup of his evil more and more, In carelessness for God’s fair eternal punishment.
Demons' titles and attributes
1- Satan
Meaning, the tempter or the accuser or the resistor. (Then Jesus was led up by the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.) (MATTHEW 4:1)
2-The Unclean Spirit
(As well as those who were tormented with unclean spirits.) (LUKE 6:18)
3- The evil
Because Satan is the origin of sins by his own abuse for the freewill, God gave him, he was called the evil. (And do not lead us into temptation but deliver us from the evil one.) (MATTHEW 6:13)
4- Abaddon and Apollyon
Abaddon is a Hebrew word means extermination from the verb exterminate meaning the exterminator, and Apollyon is a Greek Name for Abaddon meaning the destroyer, in reference for the angel of the Underworld.
5- The accuser
(Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for The Accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God Day and night, has been cast down.) (REVELATION 12:10)
6- Baal-Zebub
(Now Ahaziah fell through the lattice of his upper room in Samaria, and was Injured; So, he sent messengers and said to them, ” Go, inquire of Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron, whether I shall recover from this injury.”( 2KINGS 1:2)
(And the Scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, “He has Beelzebub,” And “By the ruler of the demons He cast out demons.”) (MARK3:22)
So, from the two verses, it is clear that Baal-Zebub is god of Ekron it Is Pagan goddess. Then Jews changed its wording into Beelzebub meaning shit hubby, Cause, Jews were despising the Pagan goddess considering it demon.
7- Belial
It is the Hebrew name of Pagan goddess meaning malicious or lacking worth as mentioned in the Old Testament. And in the New Testament Saint Paul says, (What accord has Christ with Belial?) (2CORINTHIANS 6:15)
8- The great dragon and the serpent
(The great dragon was cast out, the serpent of old, called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth and his angels were Cast out with him.) (REVELATION 12:9)
So, he was called the great dragon because of his great cruelty and terrifying Body.
And, he was called the serpent, because that when he entered the serpent, he Enabled it to deceive Eve. (But I fear lest, somehow as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness., so your minds may be corrupted from simplicity”. (2CORINTHIANS 11:3)
9- A Liar and its father
Jesus says, (“You are of your father the devil, and the desire of your father You want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth, because there ‘s no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks From his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.)(JOHN8:44)
10- Ruler of world
Jesus called the devil such name when He predicted His death in the cross. (Now is the judgement of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.) (JOHN12:31)
11- The god of this age
Saint Paul is calling him the god of this age in his message to the people of Corinthians, saying, (whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the Image of God, should shine in them.) ( 2CORINTHIANS 4:4)
12- Power of darkness
Jesus said when they came to arrest Him, (When I was with you daily in the temple, you did not try to seize Me. But this is your hour and the power of Darkness.)(LUKE 22:53)
13- The prince of the power of the air
This term was mentioned from Saint Paul the messenger. (And you made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked According to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air who now works in the son of the disobedience.)(EPHESIANS 2:1-2)
14-The deceiver
He was called the deceiver because, he struggles so strongly to deceive people.
15- A roaring lion
Saint Paul the messenger says, that he is like a roaring lion to confirm his danger. (Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil walks about Like a roaring, lion, seeking whom he may devour.) (1PETER 5:8)
The reason for the fall of demon
He was called Lucifer means son of the morning before falling in reluctance. Most Probably he was a chief of a junta of angels before being fallen. Instead of, serving God And praising Him, he desired to dominate on heavens to replace God.
” You were the anointed Cherub; who covers, I established you; you were on the holy Mountain of God; you walked back and forth in the midst of fiery stones. You were Perfect in your ways from the day you were crashed, till inequity was found on you. ” By the abundance of your trading you became filled with violence within, and you sinned; Therefore, I cast you as a profane thing out of the mountain of God; and I destroyed You, O covering Cherub from the midst of the fiery stones. ” Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the Sake of your splendor; I cast you to the ground, I laid you before kings, that might Gaze At you.” You defied your sanctions by the multitude of your inequities, by the inequity of your Trending; therefore, I brought fire from your midst, it devoured you, and I turned you to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all who saw you.(All who know you among the peoples are astonished at you; you have become a horror and shall be no more forever.”) (EZEKIEL 28:14-19)
So, Isaiah says, ( How you are fallen from heavens, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how You are cut down to the ground, you who weakened the nations! for you have said In your heart: ‘ I will ascend in to heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest side of the north; I will Ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the most high.’ Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, to the lowest depths of the Pit.) (ISAIAH 14:12-15)
From the Scripture of The Holy Bible, it might be that the fall of Satan was reasoned by His arrogance against God.
Demons' terrible bad end
(The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone Where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.) (REVELATION 20;10)
Source is THE HOLY BIBLE NKJV. Arabic New Van Dyck text C. The Bible Society of Egypt. Fifth Edition Third print2019.ISBN 978-1-84364-188-9. Printed in China.
Reference: Book (Theoretical theology)(Part two)-Heavenly hosts-For Egyptian monk- Benjamin Elmaharraki.
Tawfik, S. (2022). Demons’ horrible naughty nature. www.orthodox-beliefs.site
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