Family of God: [Church_of_Christ] Re: Holy Spirit 3

Nice to hear from you George, ED responding,

Your brother George K. Howsepian to our dear brother ED, Do we have any Scriptural evidence of demon possession prior to the first century? How about Satan speaking to human beings as he did to Eve in Eden as a serpent and later in the first century tempting Jesus? Exorcists? Exorcisms? How about historical evidence of authentic demon possession and exorcism immediately following the destruction of the temple and desolation of Jerusalem? It seems to me the "little while" came and went.

ED: There is the evil spirit God sent to Saul but I doubt this fits. The Greek word "demon" referred to the spirits of the departed dead, good or evil. Belief in demons was widely held among the Greeks. But demon possession is very rarely heard of before the 1st century. Plato said "demoniacs do not use their own dialect" (around 400). Lucian said, "the patient is silent; the demon returns the answer to the question asked." Apollonius spoke of a patient possessed. Demons and possession were a part of Assyrian, Babylonian and Arab beliefs. It is remarkable that with this prevailing thought among peoples who either dominated Israel or rubbed sholders with them, that we do not see it reflected in the OT.
Then when Josephus writes in the 1st century, there is a virtual explosion of constant reference to demons and possession. Furthermore in the uninspired writings there is ready reference to the same (ex Book of Enoch). After the 1st century the matter fades into the background. As for the destruction of Jerusalem, it may very well be the line of demarcation.

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