Thank you very much Randi, and let's go to our callers. First up - and again the number
to dial, 888-ASK-HANK. Thomas, a Canadian listener in Toronto, Ontario
Canada. Hi Thomas.
Oh hi Hank, how're you doing tonight?
I'm doing great, thanks.
Great. I just had a question about demons. And
specifically it's related to how the word demon is used in the Old Testament
in reference to idol, and then how it's used in the New Testament and we're all
like everyone's aware we know how Jesus references to demons but Paul also
references sacrificing to demons, and in revelation 18:2 it talks about demons
that were inhabiting Babylon.
Yeah. Babylon the Great, the haunt of demons as
John puts it in the book of Revelation, and this is really an indication
that what the biblical narrative includes is the reality that we not only
struggle against the world and the flesh, but we also struggle against
principalities and powers in high places. And that is precisely why we are called
to put on the full armor of God so that we can take our stand, and after we have
done everything to stand, as I've said on the Bible Answer Man broadcast many times
Thomas, I don't think it is our place, it is our prerogative, to figure out where
the temptations are coming from.
But it is to fortify ourselves by putting on
the covering that is provided for us in Ephesians 6:10 through 20. But Babylon
was emblematic of a city that was the haunt of demons. Emblematic, and that's
why John uses this very illustration
of a city that had gone astray. A city that had led its inhabitants into the
worship of the Prince of Darkness and his minions, as opposed to responding to
the light that they had been given.
Yeah I understand that, but when I look at
the kind of-- I think Revelation 18:2 is making a reference to a parallel
judgement that God was about to bring upon the actual nation of Babylon in
Isaiah 21:9. I mean Isaiah is filled with the
prophecies against Babylon right? Especially the king of Babylon, but in that
Isaiah 21:9, Hank, it says it's specifically talking about the "gods," the
"images" and the broken things that'll fall down on the ground. Right? Similar
idea - there's a passage that talks about an idol that basically has
appeared like it has trembled and fell to the ground, similar to how Jesus
speaks about "demons tremble" in the New Testament. And all I'm just suggesting is
isn't it man that's created these gods? Rather than we're saying that there's
evil angels that are putting these gods in the minds of men?
Well both is true,
both are true, and that's a brilliant point on your part. I mean it's
true to say that we have created images and idols that cannot speak or
hear or do anything for us. It is also true that Satan - as it were - sits on our
shoulder and whispers into our ear. The whisper cannot be heard with the
physical ear, but it does penetrate the ear of the mind. Both are true, and if you
look at what Paul says in in 1st Corinthians chapter 10 where he says,
"Consider the people of Israel." - and now he's talking about the people to whom
God had revealed himself. "Do not those who eat the sacrifices participate in
the altar? Do I mean then, that a sacrifice
offered to an idol is anything? Or that an idol is anything? No. But the
sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons.
So there you see the correlation
of the two things that I think that you so brilliantly pointed out in the
prologue to your question.