Q & A : Angels and Demons

Since today is the last day of Angels and Demons week, I'm going to be answering some questions about angels and demons. The answers are my own personal opinions, which you are free to disagree with. :)

1. Who are Satan, Beelzebub, Malboldge, Belial, Lucifer, and Leviathan? (The same thing or different entities?)

I believe that Satan, Beelzebub, and Lucifer different names for the same entity. Malboldge is a location in Hell (according to Dante’s Inferno.) Belial is a high ranking demon. I’m not completely sure about Leviathan. The literal version of the verses discussing Leviathan make him sound like a large sea creature of some sort but it’s possible the verses are a metaphor for something else.

2. How many archangels are there? Are archangels more powerful than regular angels? What powers do they have?

A lot of people claim that there are three, or even seven, archangels but there’s a lot of debate over which individuals fall on the list, mostly because different faiths use slightly different versions of scripture. I actually came across a pretty compelling argument explaining that there’s only one archangel-Michael. Here’s a link to that discussion. I do believe that archangel(s) are more powerful than the others. I think the title of archangels gives that individual the ability to direct and control the actions of other angels. Archangel actually means cheif angel, so it may be more of a title than anything else.

3. Are some demons more powerful than other demons?

Yes. I believe that there are different types of demons, just as there are different ranks of angels and some have more power than others.

4. Are demons just fallen angels? Or are they something different?

I believe demons are fallen angels.

5. What demons and angels are named specifically in the book of revelation?

I couldn’t find a definitive list anywhere. However, angels and demons are discussed a lot in Revelation. There are also hints throughout the book that as humans get closer to the end times, angelic and demonic activity is going to increase a great amount. If someone wants to research angels or demons, it’s probably the first place to start reading.

6. Why is 666 the number of the beast? Is there something significant about that number?

I’ve heard a lot of different arguments about this. Some people think that 3 is a holy number and the six is a mocking of the trinity. Others think that at some point the number 666 will actually be used as a physical marking to note followers of the antichrist.

7. What does a demon look like?

I think demons are able to take on any form they wish, but ultimately look like angels.

8. Do other religions have demons? If so, how are they different from the Christian concept of demons?

Yes. A lot of religions have demons (or demon-like entities.) There are a wide variety of descriptions of traits depending on the region and belief system. They are often depicted as ugly or frightening and bring harm to humans. Many religions portray them as physical beings as opposed to spiritual ones.

9. Explain what’s going on in Paranormal Activity. I don’t get how demons are different than ghosts in that movie.

You might have to ask the movie makers this one. I think they blended demon and ghost concepts in order to frighten the viewers. Sometimes there’s a fine line between the two.

Weekly News Round-up (Angels and Demons Version)

This week I'm doing something a little different for the news post- I'm going to post older stories-that feature angels and demons. Enjoy!

A girl who was dying in the hospital recovered after a bright light appeared on the monitor. You can read about it (and see a video) here.

A man claims to have seen two angels working to save him after he was crushed by a truck. Here is the video.

A woman from a church in New York discusses being approached by satan and claims he asked her to kill herself. The article is here.

Claire Danes claims she saw demonic creatures as a child, though she chalks it up to an overactive imagination. You can read about it here.

Types of Angels

It is day 2 of Angels and Demons week! Today, I’m talking a little about different types of angels. While various religions have their own spiritual beings, few are as specific about their details as the Bible is about angels.

There are many types of angels listed in the Bible.

The most popular in today’s culture is the Archangel. I think this is because the Bible actually names some of the Archangels, which makes it easier to picture them as individuals.

There are also guardian angels, which are described as protectors of children. Many people believe that they may also protect those children into adulthood.

Slightly less common are the Cherubim (Cherubs.)  These guys aren’t the cute naked babies so common nowadays, but thought to be more like warriors. They are fierce and described as having four faces.

There are also the Seraphim. These angels are thought to be very close to God and are described as having six wings. The Seraphs are the lovers of God.

There are also a few other classification listed in the Bible, but I think these four are probably the most important, as we’re given quite a bit of description about them.

I’ve always wondered if demons have their own classification system, but I haven’t found any specific verses to say one way or the other. What do you think about the different type of angels? Do you think there are different types of demons?

Angels Vs. Demons

Today kicks off Angels and Demons Week. I’ve added a new poll over on the side, so be sure to check it out! I thought I would start out by discussing what angels and demons are (from my perspective.) I also want to give you a little bit of my religious background because it affects how I view both of these things.

I was raised in a pretty conservative Christian home. I grew up learning about heaven, hell, and everything in between. While I’m much less conservative now, I’m still inclined to believe that angels and demons are real beings. I’ve heard literally hundreds of stories over the years about people seeing, talking to, and interacting with these spiritual forces. I also understand that there’s a lot out there that we don’t understand yet. So it isn’t too hard for me to accept that they are real. When I talk about angels or demons on this blog, it will be from a Christian perspective.

Now that you know where I’m coming from, let’s talk a little about them. The story I was always told growing up was fairly simply.

God created angels to assist him.(The term angel actually means messenger.) One angel, Satan, was the most beautiful and powerful angel in heaven, but he started to think that he was better than God. So, he convinced a large number of angels to join him in a rebellion. God was angry, and threw Satan and the other angels to Earth and forbid them from entering heaven. The angels that fell with Satan, are what we call demons. They look and behave as angels do. They have the same powers and problems. The only difference is they no longer follow the will of God.

So when I talk about angels or demons on here, I’m really talking about the same thing.

I actually got curious about the fall of Satan story I was told as a child and decided to look it up, because I couldn’t remember actually reading about it anywhere in the Bible.

I did a bit of research and found that there are only a handful of verses that talk about it.  

Luke 10:18 says “And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.” There are also several verses in Revelation that mention the fall. Revelation 12:9 says “And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world-he was thrown down to the Earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.” Some people believe that the verses about Satan in Revelation are actually predictions about what is going to happen in the future. There’s actually quite a bit of debate about the details of the story.

I think a lot of the little details of Satan’s fall are probably oral traditions that have been expanded on over the years and passed down from generation to generation. Either way, it’s easy to find moral lessons in the story.

Do you think demons are just fallen angels or do you think they are something else? What do you think about the story?

Angels and Demons-coming next week! :)

Thanks to everyone who gave me feedback last week. Looks like everyone agrees, Angels and Demons it. is. I'm going to have to push it to next week because I'm house sitting for a friend this week and their Internet is spotty. I'm really looking forward to blogging about this topic, I hope you are all looking forward to reading about it!