Demons
The Bible refers to demons as unclean spirits (akathartos in Greek). They were originally created perfect but chose to rebel against God and were consequently cast out of heaven (Revelation 12:7-9). Demons (evil angels) are spirit beings that don’t possess physical bodies (Hebrews 1:14) whereas humans are souls with physical bodies (Genesis 2:7).
The Bible tells us that demonic spirits can entice people to do evil, even, possess them (Matthew 10:1; 12:43; Mark 1:26; Luke 4:36; 6:18; Acts 5:16; 8:7). These dark angels cooperate with one another to spread evil in the world (Mark 5:1–20; Matthew 12:45). But at the end, they are under God’s authority (Mark 1:27; 3:11; 5:8, 13) and will be doomed to utter destruction in hell (Matthew 25:41).
Evil Spirits Can Take Physical Forms
These evil angels often impersonate the dead to deceive the living. The story of King Saul tells us how he asked his servants to seek a medium to consult the deceased prophet Samuel (1 Samuel 28:7). But God had clearly commanded His people never to seek mediums hoping to speak with the dead. For in reality they are speaking with demons (Leviticus 19:31 20:27). But the king disregarded God’s command. Upon finding the witch of Endor, the king asked her, “Bring me up Samuel.” And the witch brought an apparition claiming to be Samuel the prophet. That apparition was a demon that gave the king a hopeless message that led to his death.
The devil cannot create any kind of life form but he can merely creates images. The Bible tells us that the pagan magicians at Pharaoh’s court at the time of Moses and Aaron tried to imitate the supernatural act of Aaron when he by the power of God turned his staff into a living snake. So, “each one (of the magicians) threw down his staff and it became a snake.” But because their snakes were merely images, Aaron‘s real snake “swallowed up” all the magicians’ fake snakes (Exodus 7:12).
The Bible teaches that the living can’t contact the dead for the latter are actually sleeping (John 11:11,14) awaiting to be raised at the Resurrection Day (1 Thessalonians 4:16; 1 Corinthians 15:51-53). Fore more on the state of the dead, check the following link: https://bibleask.org/bible-answers/112-the-intermediate-state/
Satan’s Miracles
While the devil can’t create life, he can perform miracles. Revelation 16:14 says: “For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles.” The devil can appear as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14) and, even more shocking, as Christ Himself: “False christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect” (Matthew 24:24).
These miracles will be so convincing at the end of time. In fact, the Bible tells us that the devil will deceive the world by his miracles: “He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men. And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do …” (Revelation 13:13, 14).
But the righteous will not be deceived because they have made the Word of God their guide. Studying the Bible and having a daily relationship with Jesus allows the believers to be protected from all the evil deceptions (Isaiah 8:20). Jesus said, “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me” (John 15:4).
In His service,
BibleAsk Team
