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The Origin of Demons

22 August 2021 by Brent

I’m aware of two theories for the origin of Demons:

  • They are the spirits of a race that existed before Adam was created (pre-Adamite)
  • They are the spirits of the offspring of angels and humans from the days of Enoch (Nephilim)

The Bible doesn’t clearly teach on the origins of Demons.  i.e., I can’t point you to a chapter that describes their origins in detail – not like the Creation story.  The answers are driven by extra-biblical sources.

The Bible uses separate words for fallen angels and demons, indicating a difference in nature.

The pre-Adamite theory

The pre-Adamite theory builds upon the conjecture that there was a race before Adam that was so evil, they were wiped out and their restless souls left to roam the Earth.  This is supported by evolutionism’s claims of humans existing for a million years, which is quite contrary to the biblical timeline where Adam was created about 6,000 years ago.

Genesis 1:28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth…

The word “replenish” from the King James Bible is provided as evidence for this theory.

The pre-Adamite theory depends on the Creation Gap Theory, which sees a gap between verses one and two of Genesis 1, or between verses two and three:

Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. 2And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. 3And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. 4And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.

The rest of the creation story is interpreted to describe a revealing of what was already created as the clouds clear after the destruction of the old world. 

Other verses used to support this theory are:

Isaiah 14:12 How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning!  How you are cut down to the ground, you who weakened the nations!

Ezekiel 28:13 You were in Eden, the garden of God; Every precious stone was your covering: The sardius, topaz, and diamond, Beryl, onyx, and jasper, Sapphire, turquoise, and emerald with gold.  The workmanship of your timbrels and pipes was prepared for you on the day you were created.
14“You were the anointed cherub who covers; I established you; You were on the holy mountain of God; You walked back and forth in the midst of fiery stones. 15You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, till iniquity was found in you.

The Nephilim theory

The Nephilim theory builds upon

Genesis 6:2 That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.
4There were giants on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown.

The word “giants” appears in the NIV as “Nephilim”, from the original Hebrew word.

The Book of Enoch covers this period extensively but is rejected in confusion with additional gnostic books claiming the same author.  However, Peter and Jude’s quotes from it show it was respected by the apostles.

The roots of pre-Adamism

The pre-Adamite theory uses the philosophy of evolutionism to re-interpret the Bible.  Evolutionism is rooted in the Hindu idea of cycles of creation and re-creation, and the ancient Greek philosophy called epicureanism, which explains origins without the direction of gods, as opposed to the Stoics who believed in creation by the gods.

The modern theory of evolution philosophically explains origins assuming only natural causes and rejects any notion of supernatural influences.  Any academic who even accidentally uses the word “creation” is severely chastised by their peers.  In my book, Why I believe the Bible is True, I summarize arguments, particularly from creation scientists, that expose how evolutionism contradicts scientific laws and historic evidences.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pre-Adamite claims St Augustine dismissed pre-Adamism as of pagan origin from the Greeks and Egyptians.

Unfortunately, many theologians have re-interpreted the Bible to accommodate evolutionism, since they don’t understand the science behind it.  They then build other theories upon this pagan belief while rejecting ancient rabbinical sources such as the Book of Enoch as providing some insight and context to scripture.

In Geneses 1:28, “replenish” adopted its modern meaning a few hundred years after the KJV was written, which then simply meant to fill as we see in modern translations and Strong’s Concordance.

The context of Isaiah 14:12 talks of the fall of Babylon, with “Lucifer” being an unclear transliteration of the Latin word otherwise translated as morning star.

Ezekiel 28:13 shows that Satan was righteous in Eden, which God created for Adam.  So, he’d not fallen before Adam’s creation.  This supports

Romans 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned

The Nephilim Origin of Demons

There is little Biblical support for this either.  The Book of Enoch describes these times extensively, as do other ancient works that were respected by the apostles, ancient church fathers, rabbis, and were preserved with the Dead Sea Scrolls.  You can read for yourself to see that this theory fits within the biblical timeline and can be read into the situation in Genesis 6 that led to the destruction of Noah’s flood, without twisting the plain reading.

The Book of Enoch describes 200 angels called the Watchers, who were appointed to educate people in all manner of things for survival.  Genesis 4 lists nomadic herdsmen, the first musical instruments and metal working.  These Watchers made a pact to abandon their assignment and to take human brides to produce offspring.  In Enoch 10:11-12, we read their punishment was to watch as their children mutually annihilate each other in the “Nephilim Civil War”.  They were then imprisoned for seventy generations until their judgement – that is until Jesus according to Luke 3:23-38.

In Jubilees 10:1-9, Noah prays that God would bind up the demons who were influencing his children after the flood.  But their chief rebutted that he needed their help to test people.  So, God bound nine tenths of them and left one tenth under Satan’s rule.  Some see the “locusts” of Revelation 9 being the release of these demons.

2 Peter 2:4 If God didn’t spare the angels that sinned, but threw them into Hell, and imprisoned them in chains of darkness to be kept for judgement;

Jude 1:6 The angels who abandoned their assigned post, and left their own quarters, he’s kept in everlasting chains under darkness until the judgment of the great day.

Conclusion

These two theories of Demonic origins depend on extra-biblical evidence.  Pre-Adamism depends on pagan philosophies that stand against God and require scripture to be twisted to fit.  The Nephilim theory is presented by numerous ancient Jewish sources that are compatible with scripture.

Ironically, the pre-Adamite theory for the origin of demons is built upon doctrines from demons.  Teaching this supports evolutionism and its rejection of the Bible as the authoritative Word of God.

See also https://bretanark.com/blog/2019/03/02/the-creation-gap-theory/

I pray this this provides some clarity and becomes a blessing to you as you re-examine scripture to investigate this for yourself.

– Brent

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Brent Clark

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About Brent

As the son of life-long pastors of the Salvation Army, I grew up surrounded by God and solid Bible teaching. Although a professional software engineer, I’ve always been a church musician and am preoccupied with contemplating God and understanding and defending the integrity of the Bible. Brent presents an unusual, provocative perspective.

I hope to leave you with more questions than answers and a desire to seek God.

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