Demons want to destroy people
The war against the souls of men was illustrated by our Lord in His teaching about the worthlessness of self-reformation (Matt. 12:43–45). The believer is in a constant spiritual warfare, his enemies being Satan and his demons (Eph. 6:12). Notice that this verse teaches the organization and ranking of demons and “their world-wide way over the present … spiritual and moral darkness.”59
In the Tribulation period, the destructive power of demons apparently will reach a climax. The judgment called “the first woe” seems to be inflicted by demon-insects (Rev. 9:1–12). Their origin is from the “pit of the abyss” (vv. 1–2, ASV), which, according to Luke 8:31, is the abode of the demons. The description of the locusts that ascend out of the smoke from the abyss is certainly not one of ordinary locusts. Indeed, they should be described as demons who take the form of these unique locusts (see also Rev. 9:11).
The work of these demon-locust creatures is to torment the bodies of men living at that time with a bite like that of a scorpion. The agony will be so great that men will attempt to destroy their bodies completely through suicide, but God will not permit it (v. 6).
The judgment that follows involves an army of horsemen numbering 200 million (Rev. 9:13–21). This may be an army of human beings, or it may be made up of demons. The weapons that destroy one-third of the remaining population of the earth are the elements of hell: fire, smoke, and brimstone (v. 17). Whatever be the agency of judgment, the result is a continued unrepentant attitude on the part of those who escape. Their activities include demon worship, idol worship, murders, sorceries, fornication, and thefts (vv. 20–21). The word sorceries means magic potions and drugs. Thus demon worship results in demon ethics that destroy life itself (murders), the bodies of men (drugs), marriage (fornication), and the sanctity of property (thefts). People and society will become the special targets of the destructive activities of demons in the coming days.
THEY PROMOTE DELUSION
Satan’s thrust is that of deception (Rev 12:9), and his emissaries, the demons, carry out that purpose. This activity seems to be related most specifically to deceiving the governments of the world. The curtain is drawn back in Daniel 10:13, 20. Leupold says:
Bad angels, called demons in the New Testament, are without a doubt, referred to here. In the course of time, these demonic powers gained a very strong influence over certain nations and the government of these nations. They became the controlling power. They used whatever resources they could muster to hamper God’s word and to thwart His purposes.… We get a rare glimpse behind the scene of world history. These are spiritual forces at work that are far in excess of what men who disregard revelation would suppose. They struggle behind the struggles that are written on the pages of history.60
In the Tribulation days, demons will be active in this respect again (Rev. 16:13–14, 16). They will be employed by Satan, the beast (Antichrist), and the false prophet to spread deception to the kings of this world so that the nations will gather together at Armageddon. Leaders of these nations will probably think they are doing the correct thing, though actually they will be acting under the strong deception of demonic activity.
This particular activity of demons seems to span all of history. Thus we would have to conclude that they are working in this way today among the nations of the world. (One must be careful not to attribute demonic influence only to “enemy” nations or opposite political parties!)
