Heathen writers used the word “demon” with considerable latitude. In Homer’s writings, where gods are but supernatural men, the word “daimon” ( Greek) is used interchangeably with “theos” (Greek word, translated “God”). Afterwards Hesiod used it to denote intermediate beings — messengers of the gods to men. This became its general meaning, although in poetry and in philosophy “to daimonion” was sometimes used as equivalent to “to theion” for any superhuman nature. Aristotle applies the term to Divinity, Providence. Plato used the word in the distinctly limited sense. It was also believed that the “daimonia” became tutelary deities of individuals, hence “daimonion” was often used in the sense of “fate” or “destiny” of a man. McClintock Strong states:
In the Septuagint the word is employed to render different Hebrew words, generally in reference to idols in heathen worship, (Psalms 95:3). Also it is found in Deuteronomy 32:17 for “lords,” in Isaiah 65:11 for “Gad, the goddess of fortune,” and sometimes for avenging spirits, or evil spirits, as in Psalms 91:6 for “pestilence,” and in Isaiah 13:21 for “hairy” and Isaiah 34:14 for “dwellers in the desert” in the sense in which the King James renders “satyrs.”
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Author: Jerry C. Ray
Keywords: Devils, Lunatics, Demons, Casting out, Casting out devils, Casting out demons, Evil spirit, Mental illness, Demonology, Wicked spirits, Demoniac
Bible reference(s): Acts 19:15-16, Acts 8:7, Luke 10:17, Luke 11:14, Luke 11:15, Luke 11:18, Luke 11:19, Luke 11:20, Luke 11:24, Luke 13:11, Luke 13:32, Luke 4:33, Luke 4:35, Luke 4:41, Luke 8:2, Luke 8:27, Luke 8:29, Luke 8:30, Luke 8:33, Luke 8:35, Luke 8:36, Luke 8:38, Luke 9:1, Luke 9:42, Luke 9:49, Mark 1:23, Mark 1:26, Mark 1:32, Mark 1:34, Mark 1:39, Mark 16:17, Mark 16:9, Mark 3:15, Mark 3:22, Mark 3:30, Mark 5:18, Mark 5:2, Mark 5:8, Mark 6:13, Mark 7:25, Mark 7:26, Mark 7:29, Mark 7:30, Mark 9:25, Mark 9:38, Matthew 10:8, Matthew 11:18, Matthew 12:24, Matthew 12:27-28, Matthew 12:43, Matthew 15:22, Matthew 17:18, Matthew 7:22, Matthew 8:16, Matthew 8:31, Matthew 9:33, Matthew 9:34
Source: “Demonology,” Truth Magazine, VI: 6, pp. 19-21, March 1962.
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