In the Old Testament the activity of evil spirits is described a few times, and most of the times the biblical author makes sure to highlight their subordination to God. Though spirits are subordinates of God, they also exercise their influence with humans. I want to draw your attention to a few texts, both Biblical and non-Biblical in order to illustrate the influence demonic spirits have on a personal level.
King Saul and David
The Bible says that King Saul was tormented by an evil spirit and that his advisors believing that music will bring him relief set out to find someone who could play the harp (1Sam 16:14-23). King Saul’s servants discovered the talents of David who was then summoned into the king’s service. David would play the harp whenever the evil spirit afflicted King Saul, the evil spirit would flee, and the King will be relieved. It was this same spirit that promoted King Saul to kill David twice (1 Sam. 18:10-11; 19:9-10).
The Testament of the Twelve Patriarchs
The Testament of the Twelve Patriarchs are a compilation of testaments attributed to each of Joseph’s sons. Written between the first and second century BC, this Jewish text elaborates extensively on the activity of evil spirits. According to this text, the individual must personally struggle against evil spirits of deceit, who are ruled by the devil, or Beliar. These evil spirits exploit people’s drives and frailties to promote their evil ends. Sexual promiscuity is highlighted as one of the most troublesome areas where sinful activity instigated by evil spirits. The Testament of Ruben attributes sexual sin to the plague of Baliar which was inspired by the spirit of promiscuity that resides in the nature of the senses.
The testament of Simeon takes another approach to the influence of evil spirits, it highlights the human tendency of jealousy. Simeon calls these spirits the spirits of error, who entice people to deceit and envy. Simeon urges his sons to flee to the Lord for refuge, only then the evil spirit to quickly depart from them, and their minds will be at ease again.
The Testaments do not give the devil, nor the evil spirits full responsibility for human lapses into sin; they are careful to mention the involvement of the will and senses. In other words, there is no such thing as “the devil made me do it.”
The Qumran Community
The Qumran community referenced to the evil dominion as “the company of darkness.” The War Scroll is probably the most referred Qumran scroll that describes the influence of Satan and evil spirits. In it, the influence of evil spirits is highlighted and conceived to be a supernatural leading of people stray from the revealed will of God. This leading was specifically towards moral impurity.
A lot has been written about Satan and evil spirits; from different kinds or categories of demons to their influence and ways about resisting them. What the examples that I presented illustrate is simply the reality of their influence. They do not explain how is it that evil spirits influence people, nor do they expand on the magnitude of their influence, nor why God allows them to do so. However, there are a few things we can learn from these texts. Evil spirits can torment the elect of God and entice them to do wickedness as was the case of King Saul. Spiritual warfare is something we all struggle with and is up to us to choose God or commune with darkness as the Testament of the Twelve Patriarchs, and the War Scroll suggests. In short, what these texts illustrate is the belief in evil spirits who influence humanity to stray from the will of God and who use every human weakness to do so.
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