Introduction

The word demons is widely understood to be another name for fallen angels. For example, Gotquestions.org gives a popular explanation, writing:

While the Bible does not specifically say what happened to the souls of the Nephilim when they were killed, it is unlikely that God would destroy the Nephilim in the Flood only to allow their souls to cause even greater evil as the demons. The most biblically consistent explanation for the origin of the demons is that they are the fallen angels, the angels who rebelled against God with Satan.

However, there are compelling reasons to reject the view that demons are fallen angels. This blog, which details the reasons for this, is worth considering. In it, I suggest that the demons were the offspring of fallen angels and women (Gen 6:3-4) who died in Noah’s Flood.

My question in this blog is this: What difference does it make?

I’ve got a baker’s dozen for you to ponder. I recognize these suggestions are speculative. But if you meditate on Scripture touching these issues, God will give you helpful insights.

1. We understand the Gospels much better if we understand that demons were like hermit crabs, seeking shells to live in.
2. We understand the purpose of God’s allowing demon possession during the ministries of the Lord Jesus and His apostles. They showed that what they taught was true because God demonstrated their power over the demons.
3. We understand that demons believe in monotheism and much more. (Matthew 8:29 shows that they believe in Christ’s deity, His soon return, and their eternal judgment.)
4. We know there is no salvation for demons because there are no postmortem conversions.
5. In mythology, we see indications that when Genesis 6 mentions giants who were “mighty men” and “men of renown,” it is talking about beings that were a new type of human.
6. We understand why the Flood became necessary.
7. We know why there are no descendants of those offspring. They all died in the Flood. (After the Flood, Nephilim–giants–were merely big and tall men, not the offspring of women and fallen angels.)
8. We understand why demons that were cast out went to waterless places (Matt 12:43).
9. We understand why the Gadarene demoniac asked to be cast into the herd of swine and why it is ironic that the pigs drowned themselves in the sea.
10. We understand that fallen angels are not merely spirit beings who appear to have bodies. They have actual bodies.
11. We realize that God now chains the offending fallen angels in torment (2 Pet 2:4; Jude 6).
12. We understand why the Gadarene demoniac asked Jesus not to torment them before the time (Matt 8:29). Demons know prophecy and know they will be tormented forever, but not yet.
13. We reasonably speculate that fallen angels cannot die physically. They will likely be like the beast and the false prophet, cast alive into the lake of fire (Rev 19:20). They will experience “the second death” Rev 20:14), but not physical death.

Even if you don’t agree with my points of significance, I hope you agree that understanding and believing what God says is good for us, even if we can’t detail all the reasons. Having “the mind of Christ” (1 Cor 2:16), the renewed mind (Rom 12:2), is vital to sanctification. I find it exciting to gain insights that unlock Scripture I had not understood before.

Keep grace in focus.