Are there different types of demons?

The disciples in the house questioned the Lord as to why they were not able to cast out the demon, and were told, "This kind can come forth by nothing but by prayer and fasting." There are therefore different kinds of spirits. However, the connection of this verse and verse 19 shows that we are faithless if we lack prayer and fasting. For prayer expresses dependence on God, while fasting emphasizes self-denial or no confidence in the flesh.

It was indeed a mighty deed: and so it fell to our Gospel above the others to give most details. There are differences in the evil spirits; and only to prayer and fasting did the kind in question yield. The lack in that respect was grievous in the Lord's eyes. The distressed parent did not despair, and turned from the failing disciples to Him Who never fails. How humbling when believers thus dishonour their Lord! "O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I bear with you?" This was the overwhelming fact. That the crowd, that the scribes, should have no faith, was bad enough after such ample witness of the gracious power of God in His Son, servant of all need in man, marked out from the first in doing good and healing all that were oppressed by the devil. Did He not give the twelve, and more than the twelve, authority over the unclean spirits? How was it then that these put shame on His name by failing to draw on Him?

The word "lunatic" is used here in ver. 15. But there was an evidence of satanic power, and it was a very peculiar case. All demons are not alike. There are principalities, and powers, among the wicked spirits in Eph. 6, and there are the same differences among the elect angels in Eph. 3. We must not put them all down as exactly the same. Then there are demons at large, and there are demons who are "reserved in everlasting chains under darkness to the judgment of the great day" (Jude 6). But what numerical power Satan has! A Roman legion was from 3,000 to 6,300, and there was enough power in one man to destroy 2,000 swine It is a solemn consideration that in that which bears the name of Christ, doctrines of demons would be tolerated. Satan has four names. He is the "old serpent," the subtle one; the devil, the false accuser, slanderer; Satan, the adversary; the dragon, the persecutor. These are all brought together in Rev. 20:2.

We read of these, the devil’s angels, (Matt. 25:41; Rev. 12:7). They seem to be of two classes. First, according to 2 Peter 2:4, there are angels who sinned and were delivered into chains of darkness, Jude also alluding to them in the same way. They appear to be strictly confined, until “the judgment of the great day,” and unable to roam about. But there is another very numerous class of fallen angels who have liberty of movement and act under the direction of Satan in his attempts to subvert the work of God.

Of course God never created any being or intelligence sinful. Sinfulness was acquired by self-will. As Satan fell and became the destroyer, Apollyon, so his angels fell and became demons. All through the four Gospels we get constant allusions to demons. These are clearly those fallen angels who are not under everlasting chains.

Ans.—Jude teaches that a certain part of the fallen angels are reserved in chains. We know from the Gospels that another part were allowed to range the earth; and Ephesians speaks of “wicked spirits in heavenly places.” Without doubt, at least two classes of fallen spirits are suggested here, those who are in bondage and those who are free. Cannot divine wisdom be seen in this, as though God would show that neither repression nor liberty have changed their moral character?

Your second question assumes two falls of angels, of which scripture does not speak, though it be very possible. Satan is spoken of as fallen; he "abode not in the truth" - but of his angels we have no account, though we must suppose they are fallen, but not the same as those reserved in chains of darkness. These last are simply kept in chains for the judgment of the great day; nor are they ever called demons that I know of: those are active in evil. So we have "the devil and his angels:" but no further account of them.

72 But other angels fell apart from the devil. Of some scripture says, they are "reserved in everlasting chains, under darkness, unto the judgment of the great day"; whereas Satan roves all about the world now, and others with him, so that they are not in chains under darkness. Jude says, those that "kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day; even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them, in like manner giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire." They, doing evil, are set forth for an example, their condition now being an abiding testimony to their judgment. "In like manner" refers to giving themselves over as the cities did. "The sons of God," in Genesis 6:2, were angels, just as in Job, "the sons of God" presented themselves before God.

Two other things may be indicated. The fallen angels, as we learn from this scripture, and from 2 Peter 2:4, are reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. They are, therefore, a class apart from the devil and the demons of the New Testament, who are so often found engaged in their evil work upon the earth. It is to these fallen angels that Paul may refer in 1 Cor. 6:3. The destruction, moreover, of Sodom and Gomorrah, and of the neighbouring cities, is set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. Those cities lie still under the weight of their doom, swallowed up in the judgment by which they were overtaken; and the Spirit of God appeals to this both as a warning and an example, a warning of the certainty of coming judgment, and as an example of its eternal character. Let all such, therefore, as these corrupters of God's grace, and rebels against the authority of Christ, beware!

From other Scriptures we gather that he carried with him in his revolt an immense number of followers of the angelic hosts. These appear to be: (1) Principalities, powers, the rulers of the darkness of this world (Eph. 6:12). (2) Perhaps the fallen angels “reserved in everlasting chains under darkness to the judgment of the great day” (Jude 6, and 2 Peter 2:4). (3) Fallen angels, called in the Old Testament “familiar spirits,” and in the New Testament “demons.”

Intercourse with such in the Old Testament is sternly forbidden; whilst the activities of demons are outlined in the Gospels as seeking to gain possession of the bodies of men for the destruction of their souls; as bitterly opposed to the Lord Jesus, but yet subject to His commands, whilst the latter-day revival of their activities is prophesied in 1 Timothy 4:1-3, which is clearly seen today in the intensive propaganda of spiritism. Spiritism is purely Satanic and anti-Christian.

It appears there were at least two falls of angels; one was he whom we call Satan — when man was made, Satan tempted man through Eve. Those ordinary evil angels, of which we read in the Bible from Genesis down to Revelation, are not under everlasting chains at all. They are roving about the world continually, and so far from being in chains of darkness, in “tortures” as it is called here, they are allowed access to heaven.