SPECIAL TOPIC: DEMONS (fallen angels) and UFOs

Ancient people
1. Ancient peoples were animists. They attributed human personality traits to forces of nature, animals, and natural objects. Life was explained through the interaction of these spiritual entities with mankind.
2. This personification in time became polytheism (many gods). Usually the demonic (genii) were lesser gods or demigods (good or evil) that impacted individual human lives.
  1. Mesopotamia, chaos and conflict
  2. Egypt, order and function
  3. Canaan, see W. F. Albright's Archaeology and the Religion of Israel, Fifth Edition, pp. 67-92
Hebrew Bible
1. The OT does not dwell on or develop the subject of lesser gods, angels, or demons, probably because of its strict monotheism (see Special Topic: Monotheism, cf. Exod. 8:10; 9:14; 15:11; Deut. 4:35,39; 6:4; 33:26; Ps. 35:10; 71:19; 86:8; Isa. 46:9; Jer. 10:6-7; Micah 7:18). It does mention the false gods of the pagan nations (Shedim, BDB 993, cf. Deut. 32:17; Ps. 106:37) and it does name or personify some of them.
  1. Se'im (satyrs or hairy demons, BDB 972 III, KB 1341 III, cf. Lev. 17:7; 2 Chr. 11:15; Isa. 13:21; 34:14)
  2. Lilith (female, a seducing night demon, BDB 539, KB 528, cf. Isa. 34:14)
  3. Mavet (Hebrew term for death used for Canaanite god of the underworld, Mot, BDB 560, KB560, cf. Isa. 28:15,18; Jer. 9:21; and possibly Deut. 28:22)
  4. Resheph (plague, fire, or hailstones, BDB 958, KB 958, cf. Deut. 32:24; Ps. 78:48; Hab. 3:5)
  5. Dever (pestilence, BDB 184, cf. Ps. 91:5-6; Hab. 3:5)
  6. Az'azel (name uncertain, but possibly a desert demon or place name, BDB 736, KB 736, cf. Lev. 16:8,10,26)
    (These examples are taken from Encyclopaedia Judaica, vol. 5, p. 1523.)
    
    However, there is no dualism or angelic independence from YHWH in the OT. Satan is a servant of YHWH (cf. Job 1-2; Zechariah 3), not an independent, self-directing enemy (cf. A. B. Davidson, A Theology of the Old Testament, pp. 300-306). This changes in the NT.
2. Judaism developed during the Babylonian exile (586-538 B.C.). It was theologically influenced by the Persian personified dualism of Zoroastrianism, a good high god called Mazda or Ormazd and an evil opponent called Ahriman. This allowed within post-exilic Judaism the personified dualism between YHWH and His angels and Satan and his angels or demons.
  Judaism's theology of personified evil is explained and well documented in Alfred Edersheim's The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah, vol. 2, appendix XIII (pp. 749-863) and XVI (pp. 770-776). Judaism personified evil in three ways.
  1. Satan or Sammael (the accuser and tempter)
  2. the evil intent (yetzer hara) within mankind
  3. the Death Angel (see Special Topic: Angels in the Bible), C, #5
    
    Edersheim characterizes these as
    ∗ the "Accuser"
    ∗ the "Tempter"
    ∗ the "Punisher" (vol. 2, p. 756)
    
    There is a marked theological difference between post-exilic Judaism and the NT presentation and explanation of personal evil. This is why it is important not to allow second temple Jewish writings to have an effect on our understandings of NT revelation, especially about angels and demons!
New Testament
1. The NT, especially the Gospels, asserts the existence and opposition of evil spiritual beings to humanity and to YHWH (in the OT, Satan was an enemy to mankind, but not to God; see A. B. Davidson, The Theology of the Old Testament, pp. 300-306). However, in the NT they oppose God's will, rule, and kingdom.
  Jesus confronted and expelled these demonic beings (i.e. Matt. 4:24; 8:16,18,33; 9:32-34; 12:22-29; 15:22), also called
  1. unclean spirits (cf. Luke 4:36; 6:18)
  2. evil spirits (cf. Luke 7:21; 8:2)
    
    Jesus clearly made a distinction between illness (physical and mental) and the demonic. He demonstrated His power and spiritual insight by recognizing and exorcising these evil spirits. They often recognized Him and attempted to address Him, but Jesus rejected their testimony, demanded their silence, and expelled them (i.e. Matt. 8:29; Mark 1:24; 5:9; Luke 4:34; 8:28). Exorcisms are a sign of the defeat of Satan's kingdom (i.e. Matt. 12:22-29; Mark 3:20-27; Luke 11:14-26. Satan's kingdom was devastated in Jesus' first coming and will be removed in His Second Coming).
    There is a surprising lack of information in the NT Apostolic letters on this subject. Exorcism is never listed as a spiritual gift, nor is a methodology or procedure for it given for future generations of ministers or believers.
    
    Special Topic: Exorcism
2. Evil is real; evil is personal; evil is present. Its purpose is never fully revealed in Scripture. The Bible asserted the "goodness" of
  1. God Himself (cf. 1 Chr. 16:34; Ps. 25:8; 34:8; 86:5; 100:5; 106:1; 107:1; 118:1; 119:68; 136:1; 145:9; Jer. 33:11; Matt. 19:17; Mark 10:18; Luke 18:19).
    The Bible also reveals the temptation and fall of mankind and its terrible affects in Gen. 3-11; Rom. 3:10-18,23; 5:12-21!
    The Bible asserts evil's reality and aggressively opposes its influence. There is no ultimate dualism in reality. YHWH is in total control; evil was defeated by Christ and judged and will be removed from creation by Christ's Second Coming.
    Special Topic: Personal Evil
    Special Topic: Eternal Punishment (hell)
  2. God's acts of preparing this planet for human occupancy (cf. Gen. 1:4,10,12,18,21,25, and esp. Gen. 1:31 ("very good"; also note 1 Tim. 4:4).
3. YHWH's people must resist evil (cf. Eph. 6:11; James 4:7; 1 Pet. 5:9). They cannot be controlled by it (cf. 1 John 5:18), but they can be tempted and their witness and influence damaged (cf. Eph. 6:10-18).
  Evil is a revealed part of the Christian's worldview. Modern Christians have no right to redefine evil.
  1. the demythologizing of Rudolf Baltmann
  2. depersonalizing of evil (the social structures of Paul Tillich and possibly Hendrik Berkhof, Christ and the Powers)
  3. attempting to explain it completely in psychological terms (Sigmund Freud).
    
    Its influence is pervasive, but defeated. Believers need to walk in the victory of Christ!
    Special Topic: Spiritual Warfare
The UFO phenomena
1. Strange sightings in the sky are not unique to the modern period. People today ask the question, "Are we alone in the universe?" The biblical answer has always been "No!" I hope the previous discussion and biblical documentation gives ample evidence that there are "spiritual beings" beside the One True God.
  Special Topic: The Heavenly Council of Angelic Beings
  Special Topic: Names for Deity, C.
  Special Topic: Personal Evil
  It must also be clearly stated that all that is seen in the modern era is not angelic, but some may be
  1. military drones
  2. government experimental craft
  3. other options are possible
2. For several reasons, I believe that much of this phenomena is of a spiritual origin.
  1. Ability of some "Disclosure Project" people to use Hindu Vedic hymns/chants to cause the phenomena to appear on cue
  2. Often those involved in alien abductions have a history of occultic activity.
  3. Often alien encounters run through families involved in occultic activity.
  4. The surprising reality that evangelical Christians, for the most part, have not been affected by abduction experiences (see Joseph Jordan, Piercing the Cosmic Veil).
  5. The book by Jacques Vallee, Messengers of Deception, documents the spiritual as well as physical aspects of the UFO phenomena.
3. Darwinism gave those oriented toward "Naturalism" an excuse to discount God's creation and care of this planet and its inhabitants, so too, the alien origin of human development will be used by Satan to trick and confuse modern scientific oriented unbelievers. Fallen humanity will seize any excuse to ridicule or discount the Bible's view of reality.
  Some helpful books on the problems with evolutionary theory:
  1. Phillip E. Johnson, Darwin On Trial
  2. R. Hooykaas, Religion and the Rise of Modern Science
  3. Malcolm A. Jeeves, The Scientific Enterprise and Christian Faith
  4. Bernard Ramm, The Christian View of Science and Scripture
4. The supposed message that aliens bring to humans is a direct antithesis to biblical Christiantiy and not other world religions.
  1. God is not a personal being
  2. Jesus is not the only Savior
  3. the Bible is not God's Word
  4. there is no punishment for sin
  5. there is no resurrection
  6. humans are reincarnated
    1. into other human bodies
    2. from planet to another planet
      
      These messages clearly show the spiritual nature of the alien messengers and their anti-Christian bias! We as Bible believers are warned about this in 2 Cor. 11:14 (i.e. Satan as an angel of knowledge) and Gal. 1:8 (i.e. an angel or messengar from the sky).
      It seems that those who experience these manifestations have
      1. asked for these experiences
      2. opened a door to the spiritual realm through occult and/or paranormal involvment
      3. other family members involved in #2
5. Helpful resources dealing with UFOs
  1. YouTube video by Walter M. Martin (author of Kingdom of the Cults), entitled "UFOs: Friend, Foe, or Fantasy?"
  2. YouTube video by Michael Heiser, entitiled "Aliens and Demons: evidence of an unseen realm"
  3. YouTube video, "Daily Dose of Wisdom," Podcast #19 with Joseph Jordan; also his new book, Piercing the Cosmic Veil
  4. paperback book by William M. Alnor, UFO Cults and the New Millennium
  5. paperback book by William M. Alnor, UFOs in the New Age: Extraterrestial Messages and the Truth of Scripture
  6. book by William M. Alnor, Aliens and Demonology: A study throughout history and Scripture
  7. book by Gary Bates, Alien Instrusion (updated and expanded)
  8. book by D. W. Pasulka, American Cosmic
Conclusion
1. There is more to reality than the physical/material universe! The questions one must ask of biblical revelation are
  1. Does the OT reflect an ANE worldview?
  2. Does the NT reflect a 1^st century Mediterranean worldview?
  3. Does the Bible reveal true reality in ways the OT and NT people could understand?
2. It has been understood by modern believers that God "accommodated" (Calvin) His revelations so that fallen, earth bound humans could understand. I think a good example of this is how little the Bible tells us about the spiritual realm.
  1. the nature of triune monotheism
  2. the purpose of evil
  3. the origin of Satan and demons
  4. the different kinds of angels
  5. a description of humans' future abode
    1. heaven (Rev. 21-22)
    2. recreated earth (2 Pet. 3:12-13)
    3. hell (see Special Topic: Eternal Punishment)
      Special Topic: Hell
3. As I was writing this, a profound thought came to my mind about the demonic. Maybe as God used the serpent in the garden to offer an alternative to faith, trust, devotion to YHWH, the same thing is true today. UFO and alien manifestations are the new forbidden fruit of the tree of knowledge of Good and evil! Part of the evil spiritual realm personalities are in God's plan to create a people who choose to know Him (i.e. Satan as the accuser of mankind)! Earth then becomes a pre-eternal testing ground.
  A knowledge of physical and spiritual reality is not as important (i.e. Job 42) as a personal faith/trust relationship with its Creator through His unique Son, the Messiah! We do not need more knowledge, we need deep personal trust and faith in Him!

Special Topic: Angels in the Bible

Special Topic: Seek the Lord