The Bible doesn’t say much about the different types of demons. But, over the years, various theological writers have developed various classifications for demons, as well as other information about them. One of the oldest is the pseudepigraphical Testament of Solomon. During the Middle Ages, written works dealing with demons multiplied, and demons were often classified according to the sins they promoted or other activities they engaged in. For example, each of the “seven deadly sins” was said to have a specific demon behind it. .
The Bible is our only reliable source of information about demons, and the information it contains about them is scant. The Bible says nothing directly about classifications or classes of demons. Jesus mentions a unique “kind” of evil spirit in Mark 9:29, but he does not name it. Much of the information we have about demons is simply inferred from biblical passages in which they play a role. Christian ministries that focus on deliverance from demons put more emphasis on them than the Bible.
A detailed but highly speculative demonology has emerged in some religious and charismatic circles. Various evil spirits are nicknamed as “Jezebels”, “Pythons”, “Delilas”, “Mermaids”, “Absalom”, etc. None of this is biblical. The Scriptures give no reason to believe that there are specific classes of demons or that Christians today have the gift of rebuking or exorcising them. Inventing such modern mythology is counterproductive to the cause of Christ.
Perhaps the most extensive passage on spiritual warfare in the New Testament, Ephesians 6:10–18 (on the full armor of God), mentions that “our warfare is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” However, the emphasis here is on the weapons that God provides for victory; techniques to bind or expel evil forces are not mentioned. While some see the beings mentioned (rulers, authorities, powers and spiritual forces) as different classifications of demons, this is simply reading the text more than it tells us.
From the biblical evidence, we infer that demons are fallen angels who followed Satan when he rebelled. Revelation 12 says that the dragon (Satan) swept out a third of the stars in the sky. However, the origin of demons is far from clear, with some questioning the conclusion that they are fallen angels. In Revelation 12:9, we read: “The great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the devil or Satan, who deceives the whole world. he was cast down to earth, and his angels with him.” Likewise, in Matthew 25:41, Jesus says that on Judgment Day He will say to some people: “Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.” This may mean that demons are fallen angels who fell when Satan did, or it could mean that demons are called “angels” in the basic sense that they are Satan’s “messengers” (the literal meaning of the word angels).
With certainty we can say that the demons are the messengers or minions of Satan. The word demon is not used in the Old Testament (although evil spirits are mentioned), but by the time of the New Testament, Jewish theologians had speculated a lot about them. The concept of demons or evil spirits was also common in other religious thought of the time. The gospels seem to assume that much of what was thought about demons at the time is true. We see Jesus casting out demons (eg, Matthew 8:28–33), and we see that they are often responsible for causing physical illnesses, which Jesus healed by casting out the demon (eg, Matthew 9:33). ). Paul tells us that demons are behind the worship of pagan gods and that a sacrifice to an idol is really a sacrifice to a demon ( 1 Corinthians 10:19–20 ).
Whenever there are gaps in our knowledge, it is natural to want to fill them. However, in the case of knowledge of demons, most of the “filler” information is unfounded and sometimes creepy speculation. We know that demons are evil spirits who, according to and following Satan’s directives, wage war against God and mankind. It is probably correct to think of them as counterparts to holy angels who minister to people on behalf of God. We know that they have been defeated in principle by Christ on the cross and that their final destination will be eternal torment in a place prepared for them (Matthew 25:41).