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 Chapter 116.

The Dark Ministries of Bad Angels

1. AGAINST whom do we wrestle?

"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness [margin, wicked spirits] in high places [margin, heavenly places]." Eph. 6:12.

NOTE.-"The facts of history concur with the statements of revelation in forcing upon us the unwelcome conviction that the human race is subject to the malevolent influence of an organized and all-pervading demonism. Alike in the career of nations and in the phenomena of personal destiny the presence of demoniacal skill and power is often prominent, frequently dominant, always evil."- "Footprints of Angels in Fields of Revelation," by E. A. Stockman, page 2.

2. To what place were the angels that sinned cast?

"For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell [Greek, tartarus, a place of darkness], and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment." 2 Peter 2:4.

3. What is Satan himself called?

"The god of this world." 2 Cor. 4:4. "The prince of this world." John 14:30. "The prince of the power of the air." Eph. 2:2.

4. How numerous are these wicked spirits, or fallen angels?

"And He asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many." Mark 5:9.

5. What is the chief occupation of Satan and his angels?

"And He was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan." Mark 1:13. "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour." 1 Peter 5:8. See Rev. 12:9,12; 16:14.

NOTES.-"In undiminished possession of their intelligence and strength, they constantly assault us in every weakness, through every avenue, by every means, by methods foul or fair. . . . Whom they cannot destroy they cease not to worry, torment. They inspire evil tempers; arouse dark passions; instill ill will; beget malice, envy; impose care, fear, distrust; suggest deceit, fraud, and all the forms of crime." "Supremely do they revel in the criminal domain. They foster falsehood incite revenge, fan jealousy, beget quarrels, help on thefts, robbery, and arson, further divorces, plan defalcations, instigate murders. They run the saloons and edit the Police News."- "Footprints of Angels in Fields of Revelation," pages 9,10,22.

6. What are we admonished not to do?

"Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: neither give place to the devil." Eph. 4:26,27.

NOTE.-Those who give vent to anger or retain old grudges, who parley with temptation or tamper with vice, who indulge in intemperance, pride, foolishness, or levity, or give way to any other weakness, give place to the devil; that is, they give the devil an opportunity to work through them- give him an advantage over them. We should therefore close every avenue to Satan and his angels. We should suppress anger, be sober and watchful, and nip in the bud every prompting to sin.

7. What spirits stand ever ready to deceive and ruin those who are off guard or bent on going astray?

"And the Lord said, Who shall persuade [margin, deceive] Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead? . . . And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the Lord, and said, I will persuade him. And the Lord said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And He said, Thou shalt persuade him, and prevail also: go forth, and do so." 1 Kings 22:20-22. See 2 Thess. 2:10,11.

8. With what were many possessed in Christ's time?

"And they brought unto Him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils." Matt. 4:24.

NOTE.-Vampire-like, evil angels take possession of, and make their abode with, all over whose minds and bodies they can gain control. Only through Christ can this demoniacal captivity be broken. Until this is done, one in this condition is led captive by Satan "at his will." His self-control and power to resist temptation are gone. See 2 Tim. 2:26.

9. How do evil spirits sometimes treat those thus possessed?

"And as he was yet a coming, the devil threw him down, and tare him." Luke 9:42.

NOTE.-Those under demoniacal control are simply the sport and plaything of the evil spirits possessing and controlling them.

10. As we near the closing scenes of human probation, why may we expect an increase in demoniacal manifestations?

"Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time." Rev. 12:12.

NOTE.-Acquainted, as they are, with the laws of nature, Satan and his angels raise storms and scatter disease and death as far as lies within their power; and, as enemies of God, they likewise pervert the truth and disseminate error as far as possible. Far better, also, than the inhabitants of the world, do they know that the end of all things is fast approaching, and that their time to work is short.

11. Concerning what have we been definitely informed?

"Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils." 1 Tim. 4:1.

12. What class of God's servants have evil angels, through wicked men, seemed to make special objects of attack?

"Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted?" Acts 7:52.

NOTES.-"Of all classes of men employed by the Heavenly Father in the work of redemption, none are more fiercely hated by the wicked angels than the whole line of the prophets; for from the first to the last they foretell the final and eternal overthrow and utter extinction of the 'powers of darkness,' the 'spirits of disobedience.'" - "Footprints of Angels in Fields of Revelation," page 14.
Evil angels also incite men and nations to war, and by this means divert their attention from things pertaining to the kingdom of God, and so take peace from the earth. Rev. 16:14. This will end in Armageddon.
"Familiar with the laws which govern mental conditions, the fallen hosts ply all their specious arts to excite personal suspicions and animosities, and to create national resentments and bloody conflicts, their chief delight being to compass the destruction of peace and the banishment of concord from the earth, to embitter the poor children of sin and sorrow against each other, and turn our world into an arena of strife and crime."- Id., page 22.

13. What will be the final doom of Satan and his angels?

"Then shall He say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from Me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels." Matt. 25:41. "And the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch." Mal. 4:1. See Rev. 20:9.

 

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