Revelation and Prophecy :: EschatologyAntichrist and False Prophetemons Incarnate? :: FP and ac: Demon possessed or just silly...FP and ac: Demon possessed or just silly... Yes. Before, you asked me if I thought that the false prophet and the beast were both thrown into the lake of fire with their human spirits, and I think that's the only straightforward interpretation of the passage. This places them in an "elite" group of people, if you know what I mean. In the quote above, you asked a more specific question about the characteristics of demon possession now as opposed to "then." I do not think that demon possession is always characterized by violence or other immediately apparent manifestation. Not even in the extreme past, i.e. Old Testament. Saul may be an example, though it could be argued that his was a case of obsession, and not possession. Pharaoh was said to be an incarnation of a god, and therefore is suspect as a demoniac. In each of these cases, episodes of violence were only intermittent, and in Pharaoh's case, he was much more effective at cold calculation. I am also aware that I do not have clear Scripture to back up this assertion. In the New Testament, the slave girl of Acts Ch. 16, vv.16-18 is clearly identified as being demonically possessed, yet her only recorded characteristics were an ability to tell fortunes and to annoyingly follow Paul and Silas around, proclaiming their mission like spam in an e-mail account. To say that she may have had other characteristics is impossible; it is as likely she did not and either case is an argument from silence. The usual cases cited from the Gospels such as the Gaddarene (Mt. 9) and the dumb spirit are characterized by bizarre violence, of course. We do not know about Mary Magdalene's case. However, John tells us that in this age, as in your query, the spirit of antichrist is already at work. (1Jn2:18 and also vv.22,23) We also are warned that in the last days there will be those who pay attention to the doctrines of demons and deceiving spirits, (1Tm.4.1-3) (which seem to me to be one and the same thing, but perhaps...not. ) So my answer is, yes, false teachers will arise, have arisen in the past, and are now functioning in demonic inspiration and power. Some will be possessed; others just " good listeners." |
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