Month: March 2025

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Testimony and Reflections Season 7

George had a good life in Trinidad until one night in a drunken stupor he killed someone. Sentenced to death, he turned to the Bible for answers and God called him from his prison cell. Thirty-two and half years later George joins us to reflect on his life, give thanks and offer advice for young people.

Key Verse:

“Those who heard it said, “Then who can be saved?” But he said, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.”” (Luke 18:26-27)

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Casting Out Demons

This is the second part of our study on demons. The Gospel records of Matthew, Mark and Luke are filled with stories of Jesus casting out demons. This is in contrast with the rest of the Bible where it is not mentioned. Richard joins Tim to discuss the history between the Testaments and why this should be. They then turn their attention to the parables of Jesus and show how he made the demon-idol connection in his parables and healings. As an example, we consider the case of the Gadarene demoniac Legion and how he reflected the nation of Israel.

The first part of our demon study is here https://essentialbiblestudies.podbean.com/e/demons-idols-and-superstition/

Key Verse:

“And they came to Jesus and saw the demon-possessed man, the one who had had the legion, sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid.” (Mark 5:15)

Outline:

Introduction

  • Review of last podcast: the idol-demon connection
  • But why the sudden demonology of the Synoptic Gospels?

A short history of the time between the testaments

Demon miracles as parables

  • Jesus’ ministry of parables (Matt. 13:34-35; Mark 3:22-23)
  • The parable of the seven evil spirits (Matt. 12:43-45) is about that “evil generation”
  • The Gadarene demoniac as a parable of Israel (Mark 5)
    • Among the tombs eating swine’s flesh (Isa. 65:2-5)
    • Always in the mountains crying and cutting himself (1 Kings 18:28)
    • Bound with fetters and chains like Israel’s captivity (e.g. 2 Kings 25:7)
    • Pigs (unclean animal) drowned in the depths (Micah 7:19) and then sitting in his right mind (the final healing of Israel Zech 13:2)
  • The language of casting out demons the same used of natural illness (Luke 4:35,38)

Conclusion – God is more powerful than demons

Cover Art:

Old Babylonian plaque showing seven demons and Lamashtu, a feared female demon.

https://collections.louvre.fr/en/ark:/53355/cl010120468

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Demons, Idols and Superstition

We begin a two-part study on demons by making the key discovery of the connection between demons and idols. The Bible frequently states that an idol is  nothing and cannot do either good or bad. Does this mean that demons are nothing, that it is mere superstition, and that God is truly sovereign? Join Richard and Tim as they delve into this essential Bible study.

Key Verse:

“They stirred him to jealousy with strange gods; with abominations they provoked him to anger. They sacrificed to demons that were no gods, to gods they had never known, to new gods that had come recently, whom your fathers had never dreaded.” (Deu 32:16-17)

Outline:

Introduction

  • Online debate (1997) with Anthony Buzzard / COGAF
  • Claims of modern-day demon experiences but what does the Bible teach?
  • Words for demons (Gk. diamonia – Heb. shed meaning destroyer and satyr meaning goat idol)

Demons in the Old Testament

  • Psalms106:34-38 there is a connection between demons and idols
  • Idols are nothing (Psa. 135:15-18; 96:4-5; Isa. 65:3 LXX)
  • Deut. 32:16-17, 39 (Lev. 17:7). God is in charge of everything which they associated with demons (Deut. 28:27-28, 58-61).
  • Because of this we are not to be afraid, they cannot do evil (Jer. 10:2-6, 14-15)

The Demon Idol Connection in the New Testament

  • 1 Cor. 10:18-22 (cp. 8:4-6) Paul’s association of idols with demons and their being nothing
  • Acts 17 – Paul’s tour of Athens
    • V. 18 foreign divinities = daimonion
    • V. 22 very religious = Deisidaimoni = fear of demons
    • V. 24-26 God is sovereign

Conclusion on Superstition

Cover Art:

Statue of the demon Pazuzu (about 934-610 B.C.) at the Louvre Museum.

https://collections.louvre.fr/en/ark:/53355/cl010120489

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Jesus Tempted by the Devil

Right after his baptism, Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. Join us in this fascinating study into the language of the wilderness temptation where it becomes clear why Jesus experienced this challenge.

Key Verse:

“Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.” (Matthew 4:1)

Outline:

Introduction

  • Popular view and review of some key principles we’ve learned from previous episodes
  • Overview of the baptism of Jesus and the three temptations (Matt. 4:1-11; Mark 1:12-13; Luke 4:1-13)
    • After a period of forty days and nights without food or water Jesus is tempted to turn stones into bread.
    • Taken to the “holy city” Jerusalem at the pinnacle of the temple tempted to throw himself down and be saved by the angels.
    • Taken to an “exceeding high mountain” where he sees the kingdoms of men “in a moment of time” (Luke 4:5) and tempted to become king immediately.

Why is he led or driving of the Spirit into the wilderness?

  • Where else is this terminology used? (Ezek. 8:3; 37:1; 40:2; Rev. 17:3; 21:10)
  • Is the temptation in the wilderness a vision? What is a vision?

The Satan of Zechariah

  • The visions of Zechariah (Zech. 3:1-5)
  • The historical background (Ezra 4:1-6; 5:1)

The Purpose of the Jesus’ Wilderness Vision

  • When and how was Jesus tempted throughout his life?
    • Matt. 16:1 – Seeking a sign
    • John 6:15 – make bread and become king
    • Luke 4:29 – attempt to throw him off a cliff
    • Luke 11:53-54 – catch him in his words to accuse him
  • The wilderness temptation was foreshadowing the temptations to come (Luke 22:28).
  • Who then does the Satan represent in the vision?

 

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Lucifer’s Fall From Heaven

This is part 2 of our study into the symbology of Revelation 12 as it relates to the devil and Satan. This time Stephen and Tim look at the concept of falling from heaven. They discover other places where this phrase is use in the Bible is some surprising contexts that help decipher it’s usage in Revelation 12. Finally, they come to some conclusions as to what it all means.

Listen to part 1 on The Ancient Serpent.

Key Verse:

“How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of Dawn! How you are cut down to the ground, you who laid the nations low!” (Isaiah 14:12)

Outline:

Introduction

  • Review of last podcast on the Ancient Serpent
  • What about this fall from heaven?

Isaiah 14 and its context

  • The king of Babylon (v. 3-4)
  • Symbolic language
  • Lucifer means the day star
  • The language used to describe Lucifer as a man (v. 11, 13, 16, 20)

Other falls from Heaven

  • Lamentations 2:1
  • Ezekiel 28:1,8-9
  • Matthew 11:23

Back to Rev. 12

  • When does this take place?
  • What is literal and what is symbolic?
  • Conclusion this cannot be about a literal fallen angel in rebellion against God. Language taken form OT about kingdoms of men.

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