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Objective

In this lesson, we’ll learn what the Bible teaches about angels and demons, seeing that angels were created to serve and worship God, but some rebelled under Satan’s leadership.

Key Verse

Hebrews 1:14: Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?

Introduction

There is a lot of confusion and false teaching about angels and demons in our world today. Some Christians focus too much on angels, almost worshiping them or claiming special revelations from them. Others focus too much on Satan and demons, becoming fearful or obsessed with spiritual warfare. When we encounter these topics, we must remember to stay focused on Jesus Christ and not go beyond what Scripture clearly teaches us about these spiritual beings.

Hebrews 12:2: Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

The Bible does have much to say about these created beings, and we need to know what God has revealed to us. We should neither ignore what Scripture teaches nor add to it based on human imagination or popular culture. God’s Word gives us everything we need to understand the spiritual realm and our place in it.

Here are the main points we will explore together:

• Angels: God’s faithful servants
• Satan: The great adversary
• Demons: Fallen angels who follow Satan

Angels: God’s Faithful Servants

Angels are spiritual beings created to serve and worship God. Unlike humans, they were not created in God’s image, but they are intelligent, powerful creatures who carry out God’s will throughout the universe.

Revelation 5:11: Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders.

There are different ranks of angels with various roles and responsibilities. The Bible describes seraphim and cherubim who have special roles in worshiping God around His throne. Other angels serve as messengers and servants, carrying out God’s commands throughout creation. Only two angels are actually named in Scripture: Michael the archangel (Jude 1:9) and Gabriel the messenger (Luke 1:19).

Isaiah 6:1-3: In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above it were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.”

Luke 1:26-27: In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.

Angels have witnessed the glory of God’s mighty works throughout history. They were present at creation, singing and rejoicing as God spoke the universe into existence.

Job 38:6-7: On what were its footings set, or who laid its cornerstone—while the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy?

Angels were not created in the image of God as humans were, but they are deeply interested in God’s work of redemption. They watch with wonder as God saves lost sinners and transforms their lives.

1 Peter 1:12: It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things.

Luke 15:10: In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.

Jesus Himself acknowledged that angels are real spiritual beings. Angels ministered to Him when He was tested in the wilderness, and they strengthened Him during His time of greatest trial.

Matthew 18:10: See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.

Mark 1:13: He was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him.

Luke 22:43: An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him.

Angels also serve God by ministering to believers. Scripture shows us many examples of how God has used angels to help, protect, and encourage His people.

1 Kings 19:5-6: Then he lay down under the bush and fell asleep. All at once an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.” He looked around, and there by his head was some bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again.

Hebrews 1:14: Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?

Psalm 91:11-12: For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.

Luke 16:22: The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried.

Acts 5:19: But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out.

The angels will also be present with Christ when He returns to earth at the Second Coming. They will gather God’s people and execute His judgment upon the earth.

2 Thessalonians 1:7: And give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels.

Many people today believe in the idea of “guardian angels”—that each person has a specific angel assigned to watch over them. While the Bible doesn’t specifically teach this concept, we do see clear evidence that angels surround us and minister to us in ways we don’t always recognize. The writer of Hebrews reminds us that we may encounter angels without even knowing it, and Jesus spoke of angels watching over “these little ones” (Matthew 18:10). (Notebook Moment: Have you ever experienced God’s protection in a way that might have involved angelic intervention? How does knowing about God’s angelic provision encourage you in difficult times?)

Hebrews 13:2: Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.

Satan: The Great Adversary

Satan is known by several names in Scripture, each revealing different aspects of his evil character. The name “Satan” means “adversary”—he is the one who opposes God and His people at every turn. The title “Devil” means “accuser”—he constantly accuses believers before God’s throne. Before his fall, he was called “Lucifer,” which means “light-bearer” or “morning star,” reflecting his original position as the highest of God’s created beings. Ironically, he still disguises himself as an “angel of light” to deceive people today.

1 Chronicles 21:1: Satan rose up against Israel and incited David to take a census of Israel.

Revelation 12:10: Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: “Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Messiah. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down.”

2 Corinthians 11:14: And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.

But where did Satan come from? And why does he oppose God with such hatred? Satan is a created being—not an eternal force of evil. He was originally the highest and most beautiful of all the angelic beings that God created. However, his heart became filled with pride, and he rebelled against his Creator.

Many Bible teachers believe that the fall of Lucifer is described in two passages in the Old Testament. These prophecies were originally spoken about real earthly kings, but they seem to describe what happened to Lucifer in the distant past, giving us insight into the original rebellion that brought sin into God’s perfect creation.

Isaiah 14:12-15: How you have fallen from heaven, morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! You said in your heart, “I will ascend to the heavens; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of Mount Zaphon. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.” But you are brought down to the realm of the dead, to the depths of the pit.

Ezekiel 28:13-17: You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone adorned you… You were anointed as a guardian cherub, for so I ordained you. You were on the holy mount of God; you walked among the fiery stones. You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created till wickedness was found in you… Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor. So I threw you to the earth; I made a spectacle of you before kings.

What do we learn from these passages about Satan’s original state and his fall?

• Lucifer was the anointed cherub who covered the throne of God (Ezekiel 28:14)
• He was created without sin and was perfectly beautiful (Ezekiel 28:15)
• He was one who worshiped God in His very presence (Ezekiel 28:13)
• He was present in the Garden of Eden (Ezekiel 28:13)
• He became proud because of his beauty and position (Ezekiel 28:17)
• He wanted to exalt himself above God and become like the Most High (Isaiah 14:13-14)
• He was cast out from his position of honor and authority (Isaiah 14:12)

Satan’s great sin was pride—the desire to exalt himself above God and receive worship that belongs to God alone. This pride lies at the heart of all rebellion against God, whether in Satan’s original fall or in human sin today. Pride makes us think we know better than God and can live independently from His authority. Paul warns that church elders must be mature believers, not recent converts who might fall into the same prideful trap that destroyed Satan.

1 Timothy 3:6: He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil.

Lucifer fell from heaven, but he continues to have access to God’s presence where he accuses believers day and night. This access will finally end when he is cast out of heaven permanently during the end times.

Job 1:6: One day the angels came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came with them.

Zechariah 3:1: Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right side to accuse him.

Revelation 12:9: The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.

From the very beginning, God promised Adam and Eve that Satan would be destroyed one day. Christ is the One who crushes the head of Satan in final judgment, fulfilling this ancient promise.

Genesis 3:15: And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.

Romans 16:20: The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

Paul’s reference to Satan in Romans helps us understand that the serpent in Genesis was indeed Satan himself, though he is not explicitly identified by that name in the original account.

Satan has opposed God’s plan of redemption throughout history. Again and again, he has tried to prevent the Messiah from coming into the world and fulfilling God’s promise of salvation.

• Pharaoh killed the Hebrew children in an attempt to destroy Israel (Exodus 1:15-22)
• Athaliah killed all of David’s descendants except for one to cut off the messianic line (2 Kings 11:1-3)
• Herod killed the infants in Bethlehem trying to destroy the newborn King (Matthew 2:16)

Satan was behind all of these wicked rulers and their evil plans. When he failed to prevent the Messiah from coming into the world, Satan then tried to prevent Christ from fulfilling His mission of salvation.

Luke 4:1-13: Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil…

Luke 22:3: Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the Twelve.

(Notebook Moment: How does knowing about Satan’s long history of opposition to God’s plan help you understand the spiritual battles you face in your own life? What comfort do you find in knowing that Christ has already defeated Satan at the cross?)

How does Satan continue to oppose the work of God today?

• He deceives people about the truth of God’s Word (Genesis 3:1, 2 Corinthians 11:14)
• He seeks to destroy what God has built (1 Peter 5:8)
• He constantly accuses believers before God (Revelation 12:10)

Satan has been given temporary authority to influence this world system (Ephesians 2:2). God has allowed him this limited freedom until the final judgment, when his rebellion will be ended forever.

Satan’s power will be unleashed upon the earth in a final, terrible way during the end times. He will possess the Antichrist and deceive many people into worshiping him. But Satan’s victory will be short-lived—Christ will defeat him completely and punish him forever in the lake of fire.

Revelation 13:4: People worshiped the dragon because he had given authority to the beast, and they also worshiped the beast and asked, “Who is like the beast? Who can wage war against it?”

Revelation 20:10: And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

Demons: Fallen Angels Who Follow Satan

Demons are fallen angels who chose to follow Satan in his rebellion against God. The Bible seems to tell us that a third of the angels joined Satan’s revolt and were cast out of heaven with him.

Revelation 12:4: Its tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth. The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that it might devour her child the moment he was born.

The Bible teaches that some fallen angels are currently bound in spiritual prisons, while others remain free to carry out Satan’s work until the final judgment comes.

Jude 1:6: And the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their proper dwelling—these he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day.

2 Peter 2:4: For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them in chains of darkness to be held for judgment…

Satan and his demons seek to steal worship away from the true God. Throughout history, the worship of false gods has really been the worship of demons. This was true in Old Testament times, and it remains true today in many forms of false religion and occult practices.

Deuteronomy 32:17: They sacrificed to false gods, which are not God—gods they had not known, gods that recently appeared, gods your ancestors did not fear.

1 Corinthians 10:20: No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God, and I do not want you to be participants with demons.

Revelation 9:20: The rest of mankind who were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the work of their hands; they did not stop worshiping demons, and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood—idols that cannot see or hear or walk.

False teaching is called “the doctrine of demons” in Scripture. One of the main ways that Satan opposes God is through the perversion and distortion of God’s truth, leading people away from sound biblical doctrine.

1 Timothy 4:1: The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.

Demons can possess the bodies and minds of unbelievers, exercising terrible control over their victims. Jesus displayed His divine power by casting out demons and setting the captives free.

Mark 1:34: And Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was.

However, a Christian cannot be possessed by a demon. We are the temple of the Holy Spirit, and demons cannot take possession of God’s holy temple. The presence of God’s Spirit within us protects us from demonic control.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20: Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.

John 14:23: Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.”

Conclusion

We do not need to fear Satan’s power or become obsessed with the activities of demons. Through faith in Jesus Christ, we are completely victorious over all the forces of darkness. However, we cannot face Satan in our own strength or wisdom. We must remain alert and prepared for spiritual warfare, understanding the strategies of our enemy while trusting in the superior power of our Savior.

Ephesians 6:11-12: Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

(Notebook Moment: As you think about the reality of spiritual warfare in your own life, what practical steps can you take to stand firm in God’s strength rather than living in fear of Satan’s attacks? How does understanding Christ’s complete victory encourage you to face spiritual battles with confidence?)

The most important truth we must remember is that Christ has already won the victory over Satan, sin, and death. At the cross, Jesus defeated our enemy decisively and permanently. When we trust in Christ, we share in His triumph and can live as conquerors rather than victims.

Colossians 2:15: And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

1 John 4:4: You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.

The angels rejoice over every person who comes to faith in Christ. The demons tremble at the name of Jesus. And we who believe can walk in the confidence that we belong to the King of kings, who has made us more than conquerors through His love.

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