Essential Bible Studies

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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The Ancient Serpent

In the book of Revelation chapter 12:9, the great red dragon, the ancient serpent is called the devil and Satan. Stephen and Tim seek to understand what this means by studying the symbology of a serpent in the Bible. Join us as we go from Genesis to Revelation discovering the keys to understanding more about this difficult passage.
For more background, listen to episode 43 on The Curse of the Serpent.
Key Verse:
"And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him." Revelation 12:9
Outline:
Introduction
Reading Rev. 12 and symbology
Did the Satan become or serpent or did the serpent become a Satan?
Incidents involving serpents
The crafty serpent (Gen. 3:1) that the Lord God made
Key words in the curse on the serpent (Gen. 3:13-15) – Lies, eat the dust, crush the head, treading under foot
Moses’ rod turning into a serpent (Exodus 4:1-9) represents Pharoah and Egypt (Ezek. 29:3)
Fiery serpents in the wilderness (Num. 21:5-9)
How were people saved?
Why a serpent on a pole? Brass a symbol of sin.
Jesus relates it to the cross (John 3:14)
The Serpent Symbol
The serpent symbol in relation to men (Deut. 32:32-33; Job 20:12-16; 58:3-5; Psa. 140:1-3; Isa. 59:4-5; Rom. 3:10-13; James 3:7-8)
The seed of the serpent (Matt. 3:7; 12:34; 23:33)
The Serpent Subdued
Kingdom pictures (Isa. 11:8; 65:25)
Bible echoes (Psa. 72:9; Isa. 49:23; Micah 7:16-20)
Conclusion
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The Devil Destroyed

Having completed our study on the word Satan, Tim and Darryl continue by discussing how the term "devil" as used in Scripture. One of the most fascinating passages talks about how Jesus destroyed the devil. Listen in as several Bible passages weave together to complete the connection between the devil and sin which Jesus overcame in his death and resurrection.
Key Verse:
“Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil.” (Heb. 2:14)
Outline:
Introduction
The word “devil” defined
Where the word is translated (1 Tim. 3:11,6-7; 2 Tim. 3:3; Titus 2:3) or not (John 6:70)
Key verse Heb. 2:14
Reading Heb. 2:14 in context and bringing out the details
What did Jesus accomplish in his death (Heb. 9:28)
Comparing with 1 John 3:5,8 where “take away our sins” = “destroy the works of the devil”
Is sin personified as the devil in Heb. 2:14?
Personification in Romans 5-8
Destroyed the body of sin (Rom. 6:6) so that we might be free from bondage (Rom. 6:8 cp. Heb. 2:15)
Personification of sin reigning in Rom. 6:12-22
Sin has the power of death (Rom. 6:23)
Personification in 1 Cor. 15
Death by man (1 Cor. 15:21-22)
Death destroyed (1 Cor. 15:24-28)
The power of sin (1 Cor. 15:55-57)
Conclusion
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Job, Satan and the Sons of God

Last week, we saw that many of the passages that use the word "satan" refer to human beings as adversaries. Is Satan in the book of Job another instance of this? Many people conclude that Satan is an angel? We are very pleased to have Dev Ramcharan with us to help identify the adversary of Job. Listen in and weigh the evidence for yourself.
Key Verse:
“Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them.” (Job 1:6)
Outline:
Introduction
Review of last podcast on Satan
Background of Job
Who are the sons of God?
Humans in 1 John 3:1; John 1:12; Deut. 14:1
What about angels in Job 38:7?
Who are the sons of God in Genesis 6:4
Is this in heaven or on earth?
The word “heaven” is not used
“Present themselves before the Lord” (Josh 24:1; 1 Sam. 10:19; Judges 20:2; Deut. 31:14)
Who is the Satan?
Is Satan a name?
The discourse of God and Satan and what he’s allowed to do (1:12-19; 2:3)
Job attributed the evil to God (1:21; 2:10; 19:21; 42:11)
Conclusion
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Satan the Adversary

Our study of Satan begins as a word study. Join Jacob and Tim in this lively conversation as they find out the definition of the Hebrew word "satan" and some surprising ways it is translated. By the end, there is a good foundation for carefully considering the context in which Satan is mentioned and who or what it could be. You'll never look at this word Satan the same way again.
Reference Material:
The Englishman's Concordance listing mentioned in the podcast providing every occurrence of the word satan and diabolos can be download from these links for Hebrew and Greek.
Key Verse:
“And Peter took [Jesus] aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.” But [Jesus] turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” (Matt. 16:22-23)
Outline:
Introduction
Review of concordances
The word “satan” and its definition
The need to study this word systematically and carefully
Satan in the OT
Num. 22:22,32 – The first occurrence that of the angel of Yahweh
The next six occurrences are all human (1 Sam. 29:4; 2 Sam. 19:22; 1 Kings 5:4; 11:14,23,25).
Psalms examples (Psa. 109:6 individual; Psa. 38:20 group)
The curious case of comparing 1 Chr. 21:1 with 2 Sam. 24:1
Deferring for another episode Job and Zech 3:1-2
Satan in the NT (Examples of the same)
Individuals who set their minds on the things of men in opposition to God
Matt. 16:21-23 – Peter “set his mind” (ESV)
Acts 5:1-5 – Annanias and Sapphira contrived in their hearts
Collectively those opposed to the truth
1 Thess. 2:14-18, the satan of v. 18 defined in v. 14-16
Rev. 2:9-10,13 (cp. 3:9) – The opposition of Jewish and Roman authorities
Rev. 20:2,7 Understanding the Satan as the kingdoms of men in opposition to God’s kingdom (Rev. 11:15)
Conclusion
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The Origins of Evil

In this episode Wayne and Tim dive into the perplexing question of the source of evil. What does the Bible tell us about its origins? Does it come from angels, men and/or God? The answers uncovered in scriptural examples challenge the conventional understanding of good versus evil. Join in the conversation as we establish an important foundation for our future studies concerning Satan, the Devil and Demons.
Key Verse:
“I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.”  (Isaiah 45:7)
Previous Podcasts:
Sin Entered the World
The Work of the Angels
Outline:
Introduction
Definition and Types of Evil – Moral and Natural (Jer. 26:3)
What is the cause? An angel, men or God?
God
God a source of natural evil (Isa. 45:5-7; Deut. 32:39; Job 2:10; 42:11). The false notion of God is good, Satan is evil.
God the only source of power (Psa. 62:11; Lam. 3:37-38; John 19:10-11; Rom. 13:1)
Only one God (John 17:3; Isa. 43:10-11; 44:8; 1 Thess. 1:9)
Mankind
The source of moral evil. Where does temptation come from (James 1:13-16; Mark 7:20-23; Rom. 7:18-21; Ecc. 9:3)
Man’s freewill, the knowledge of good and evil (Gen. 2:16-17)
The natural state of the hearts of men (Gen. 6:5; Jer. 17:9-10)
Angels
God is in control of the angels (Dan. 4:35; Psa. 103:20-21; Heb. 1:13-14).
They do his will whether it be good or natural evil (Psa. 78:49; 1 Sam. 24:15-17; 1 Kings 22:19-23; Judges 9:23; 1 Sam. 16:14)
Reading a quote that raises deeper questions. Can angels be a source of moral evil? Do angels have free will? Are they tempted like men?
Conclusion – Future episodes covering this topic
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The Apostasy

Tim and Jay follow up on a question from last season about the church and the holy spirit gifts. The answer leads on a fascinating study of the prophecies concerning a falling away from Apostolic teaching. Prophecies that surprisingly came to pass in the Apostle's day and are still with us.
Key Verse:
"Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths." 2 Timothy 4:2-4
Outline:
Introduction
Review of “perfect” (1 Cor. 13:8-10; Eph. 4:13-14) in the Ages of the Spirit episode and the question
The body of Christ vs the Apostasy
Define Apostasy
The Lord knows who are his (2 Tim. 2:19)
Apostasy Foretold
Acts 20:28-32 (ref. Matt. 7:15-20)
From without and within
The warning to be alert (Rom. 16:17-19)
Signs of the Apostasy
1 Tim. 4:1-3 – Doctrines of demons, forbidding to marry, abstinence from foods
2 Tim. 4:2-4 – Wander into myths
2 Pet. 2:1-3 – Emphasis on greed and sensuality
Apostasy Started
Jude 1:3-4 – Fulfillment of 2 Peter passage
1 John 2:18-19 – The beginning of the antichrist
1 John 4:1-6 – Testing the spirits of truth and error
2 Thess. 2:1-12
The rebellion comes first and was already at work
Would last to the coming of Christ
Conclusion
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Rightly Handling the Word of Truth

For the kick off of Season 7, we are very pleased to have Jason Hensley joining us. Jason shares the awkward moment that challenged how he read the Bible. This drove him to write a book called "The Bible in Context". We review the important points of his book and undergo some paradigm shifts along the way. The result is a whole new way of reading the Bible in context.
Key Verse:
“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.” (2 Tim. 2:15)
Outline:
Introduction
Determining Intent
The challenges of interpreting the Bible
The importance of context and the author’s intent (2 Peter 3:15-16 cp. 2 Tim. 2:15) and God’s intent
Recognizing bias and the importance of learning in a community
Historical Content
Cultural, contemporary, geographical
Example of Psa. 121:1
Determining historical context
Literary Content
The immediate verses (Example of Lucifer Isa. 14:12)
Context of a book
The Biblical Content and Divine Intent
Example of demons
Meaning beyond the author (1 Peter1:11)
Principles and Applications
Study and application
Principles defined
Example of Satan vs God’s Sovereignty
Conclusion
Jason Hensley links
Webpage: https://www.jasonhensley.net/
Get the book on Amazon: The Bible in Context
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Season 7 Trailer

The Essential Bible Studies podcast season seven premiers on January 13th, 2025!
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