What Is The Difference Between Fallen Angels And Evil Spirits?

Name: Jeffrey
Question: Good afternoon,
What is the difference between fallen angels and demons or evil spirits? As I read in the New Testament, Jesus would cast out evil spirits, and they would need a body to be in, either that of a human or animal. I have never heard of a fallen angel needing to be in a human body or animal. Also, in the New Testament it says we may have entertained angels. Do you think fallen angels are among us in the same way?

Answer: Thank you for the question Jeffery.

Great observations.

An evil spirit is just that, a spirit without any physical body. So a Fallen Angel is the being itself, the evil spirit inside of its physical-spiritual body.

Just as we have a spirit, which is inside of our physical-flesh body.

Paul spoke about the differences between the two bodies in 1 Corinthians 15:35-55.

For more on this, please read, “Was Adam Created Mortal Or Immortal?” Specifically, the section on “The Two Bodies”.

A Spirit Needs A Physical Body

As you mentioned, an evil spirit needs a physical body in order to reside in this realm. In Mark 5:8, Jesus ordered an evil spirit out of a man saying,

“Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit.”

Jesus then asked the evil spirit,

“What is thy name?”

Mark 5:9

The evil spirit responded,

“My name is Legion: for we are many.”

Jesus already knew, but He asked so we could benefit from this knowledge.

The man who was possessed, was actually possessed by thousands of evil spirits! When the evil spirit said, “My name is Legion: for we are many.” He was telling Jesus, there are thousands of us inside this man.

Again, Christ knew, but this let’s us know several things…

A Roman Legion consisted of 6,000 men. So there were 6,000 evil spirits inside of a single man. Moreover, this story also lets us know a spirit needs a body to reside in.

That is why,

…All the devils besought him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them.

Mark 5:12

If the evil spirits did not need a body, they would have never made such a request. You also want to remember, swine are unclean creatures. Which makes this story even more interesting.

Since Jesus permitted their request, the evil spirits entered into at least 2,000 swine. Swine who wanted no part of their wickedness, proven as the swine drown themselves in the sea, (Mark 5:13).

So this tells us, evil spirits must have a physical body to reside in.

The Fallen Angels Are Bound In Chains

Now the Fallen Angels from Noah’s day are a different story.

The Fallen Angels were not merely evil spirits roaming the earth. The Fallen Angels left Heaven in their physical-spiritual bodies and came to earth. This was the moment in time when they fell from the grace of God by leaving their habitation of Heaven.

Let’s read about it.

Jude 1:6
And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.

That Scripture proves my point, and also answers your second question.

Fallen Angels do not walk among us today as good Angels can, (Hebrews 13:2).

Instead, Fallen Angels are bound in “everlasting chains”. I would be inclined to say, they are even bound in the bottomless pit awaiting Judgement Day.

Now the great day of Judgement would be the White Throne Judgement, the final Judgement, (Revelation 20:11-15). That will occur during the closing moments of the Millennium. All those who are not found worthy will be cast into the Lake of Fire and destroyed.

One final note, since the Fallen Angels are bound in “everlasting chains,” that means they are not getting out, period.

So the 200 million angels Satan brings with him during the Tribulation are a separate batch of evil, (Revelation 12:9). The death of the Fallen Angels is certain. They are simply waiting for the clock to tick, just like Satan.