Bible Studies
The Destiny of Demons, Chapter 5
Whether demons are fallen angels, or lesser spirits of a different origin, they will evidently share the final destiny of their master, Satan. Jesus said that the everlasting fire, into which the ‘goats’ will be thrown, was prepared for the Devil and his angels: “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels’” (Matt. 25:41). Even if demons are not the same as angels, they may still be included in their number. The word for angel in Greek, angelos, means messenger, and may include all of Satan’s ‘messengers” (II Cor. 12:7).
Presently demons and evil angels are free to operate in the earth and air “in the heavenlies.” But the time will come when they will be bound, so that they can no longer deceive the nations. One class of rebellious angels, possibly those mentioned in Genesis chapter 6, are not free, but are kept bound unto judgment in a place called Tartaros in Greek.
II Pet. 2:4: “...God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell [Gk. Tartaros], putting them into gloomy dungeons to be held for judgment...” (See also Jude 6)
But Satan and the rest of his servants are quite free to deceive the nations and to work all kinds of evil until the return of Christ, when they will be bound for a thousand years.
Rev. 20:1-3: “And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the Devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations any more until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time.”
I understand how difficult it is to give a definitive interpretation of the images in Revelation. But however one views Revelation chapter 20 and the thousand years, it would be very hard to make the case that Satan is bound now, or that he and his demons are no longer deceiving the nations. With a fourth of the world living under Chinese communism, multiple millions enslaved by the demonic religion of Islam, a billion more practicing the demonic religions of India and Africa, and with America herself sliding into lawlessness and secularism, who could possibly believe that the Devil and his servants are presently bound in the Abyss?
We have seen how Biblical writers speak of God as the primary agent without referring to His servants and agents. Likewise they speak of Satan without specific reference to his angels and demons. So we can reasonably assume that, when Satan is bound in the Abyss, his agents are bound also. After all, it is through his demons and demonic ‘principalities and powers’ that he deceives the nations.
This conclusion is supported by the following scriptures:
Luke 8:30-31: “Jesus asked him, ‘What is your name?’ ‘Legion,’ he replied, because many demons had gone into him. And they begged him repeatedly not to order them to go into the Abyss.”
Mt. 8:29: “What do you want with us, Son of God?” they shouted. “Have you come here to torture us before the appointed time?”
These scriptures imply that the demons know that they will one day be thrown into the Abyss and that they will someday be tormented. As long as Satan is bound his demons are bound also.
We saw above that the Devil, and presumably his demons, are released for a little time after the thousand years. He again deceives the nations and makes war on God’s people.
Rev. 20:7-9: “When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison [the Abyss] and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth — Gog and Magog — to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore. They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God’s people, the city he loves. But fire came down from heaven and devoured them.”
And finally:
Rev. 20:10: “And the Devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulphur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.”
Though it may be implied that demons accompany the Devil into the “lake of burning sulphur” where they “will be tormented day and night forever and ever,” John does not say so. If demons are fallen angels, we know that Hell was prepared for them (Matt. 25:41). If they are not angels, but are fallen creatures of a different origin, we may still assume that they are included in this number and share in Satan’s torment. Remember that long ago they anticipated this torment: “‘What do you want with us, Son of God?’ they shouted. ‘Have you come here to torture us before the appointed time?’”
Chapter 6, Doctrines of Demons