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BEASTS/ANIMALS

Definition

Spiritual beings (certain animal names correspond to certain spiritual beasts – definition may be broader)

Animal names have symbolic definitions just like other symbolic words (see Dog, Ox/Donkey, Lion, etc.). It may be that each spiritual being is given the animal’s name that corresponds to its characteristics. For instance, “serpent” is associated with “being shrewd/wise.” Therefore, it’s no coincidence that God calls the type of creature that Satan is “a serpent,” because that type of creature (that Satan is) is very wise/shrewd. (Satan is not the only demon referred to as a serpent).

Scripture

Serpents And Scorpions

  • One of the easiest and most well-known spiritual beasts is the serpent because the Devil is said to be a serpent. The problem is, most people say that the Devil took the “form of a serpent,” although the Bible doesn’t say that. The Bible says that he is, in fact, a serpent – not the physical kind, but the spiritual counterpart. This was not a talking, physical snake, but an angelic being (which should answer the question, “Why would Eve ever converse with the talking snake?” Well, she wasn’t… not a physical one.)

Genesis 3:1 (NKJV) Now the serpent [not form of a serpent] was more cunning than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he [the serpent] said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?”

  • Not only does the Bible say the Devil is a serpent, but God continues to call certain demons “serpents” throughout scripture. Of course, He’s not saying that all these spirits are taking the “form of physical serpents.” He’s calling them “serpent” by name, because that’s what they are.

Luke 10:19 (KJV) Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

  • Here, Satan is called a dragon and a serpent. I’m not sure if he’s calling Satan by two different animal names or if “dragon” and “serpent” are two terms for the same type of spiritual creature. I believe the latter.

Revelation 12:9 (NKJV) So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan…

  • Leviathan is the symbolic name for Satan, and Leviathan is a sea serpent (Isaiah 27:1). This goes unnoticed by most people because Leviathan is described as an animal in Job 41, for instance. Most don’t realize it’s speaking of Satan. It’s possible Leviathan may have been a real, physical animal, but as with the word “serpent” (which is a physical animal) it has a symbolic, spiritual counterpart. If you listen to our “David and Goliath timeline” that will explain more. No surprise, Leviathan is called King of the children of pride (Satan’s original sin – Isaiah 14:14).

Job 41:1, 7, 34  (NKJV) “Can you draw out Leviathan with a hook, Or snare his tongue with a line which you lower? Verse 7)Can you fill his skin with harpoons, Or his head with fishing spears? Verse 34) He beholds every high thing; He is king over all the children of pride.”

  • There is so much more to say about this, but it seems that all the animals that God speaks to Job about (at the end of the book of Job) are spiritual beasts. The entire theme of the book is that Satan and his angels were doing things in the spiritual realm, behind the scenes, that Job did not know about. Therefore, Job jumped to conclusions and accused God of instigating his suffering unjustly. God corrected Job, mostly by describing various animals, telling Job he knew nothing about them. It seems all these animals are spiritual beings, of which God was telling Job, “You’re speaking without understanding. You don’t know anything about these beasts and what they are doing to you behind the scenes.”

See Job 38-41.

  • This may or may not have relevance, depending on the exact meaning of this Greek word, but the Bible even mentions a spirit by the name of “python.”

Acts 16:16 (LSV) And it came to pass in our going on to prayer, a certain maid, having a spirit of Python, met us, who brought much employment to her masters by soothsaying;

Birds/Fowl Of The Air

  • Some demons are referred to as “birds” or “fowl of the air.” It may be that this category of spiritual beings describes those that dwell in the heavens (there are three heavens) rather than the beasts of the field (on the earth) or fish of the sea (under the earth – see “The Sea”).
  • Babylon, a symbolic name for the kingdom of the Devil (Isaiah 14:1) is said to be a dwelling for demons, foul spirits, and every unclean, hated bird. Clearly, this is not talking about physical birds, but a type of demon.

Revelation 18:2 (NKJV) And he cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, “Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird!

  • Here, it says the “birds” (plural) represent “Satan.” Clearly, Satan is not plural. Sometimes, demons broadly are referred to as “Satan” because they work for him (as in Matthew 12:22, 26).

Mark 4:4 (NKJV) …and the birds of the air came and devoured it. Verse 15) And these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown. When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts.

Eagle

  • Knowing that “rock” can refer to heaven (see Cliff/Rock), this implies that “eagles” dwell in the cleft of the rock (heaven) and make their nest “among the stars.” Physical eagles don’t make their nest quite that high!

Obadiah 1:3-4 (KJV) The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee, thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high; that saith in his heart, Who shall bring me down to the ground? 4 Though thou exalt thyself as the eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars, thence will I bring thee down, saith the LORD.

  • This is completely opinion, but knowing that an eagle is a spiritual beast, this may shed some light on scriptures like Psalms 103:5 that says that the Lord will renew our youth “as the eagles.” Youth or youth renewal may be a quality of this spiritual/angelic beast. 

Locusts

  • Revelation refers to locusts that come out of the bottomless pit. These are clearly not physical locusts. These are demons that are coming out of the pit. “The destroyer” (another name for a demon) is even said to be their king. Apparently, the spiritual locust has a tail like unto a scorpion. I’m uncertain as to whether “the tail” is a symbolic term or a literal spiritual tail that it shares in common with spiritual scorpions.

Revelation 9:2-3, 10-11 (KJV) And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit. 3 And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power.
Verse 10) And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months. 11 And they had as king over them the angel of the bottomless pit [the king of the locusts is an angel], whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon, but in Greek he has the name Apollyon.

Various Beasts

  • Once you understand the things written above, it seems highly unlikely that the “wild beasts” mentioned, when Jesus was tempted by Satan, are physical wild beasts. It seems irrelevant to mention that there were animals where Jesus was, that is unless it’s speaking about demons that were there along with Satan.

Mark 1:12-13 (KJV) And immediately the Spirit driveth him into the wilderness. 13 And he was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan; and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered unto him.

  • Knowing that idol worship is actual worship of demons (1 Corinthians 10:20), it is fitting that when Ezekiel sees idolatry in a vision, he also sees every “abominable beast” there.

Ezekiel 8:8-10 (NKJV) Then He said to me, “Son of man, dig into the wall”; and when I dug into the wall, there was a door. 9And He said to me, “Go in, and see the wicked abominations which they are doing there.” 10 So I went in and saw, and there—every sort of creeping thing, abominable beasts, and all the idols of the house of Israel, portrayed all around on the walls. 

  • This portion is completely anecdotal, not proof of anything, but once you know these things and have ever encountered a demon possessed person, it isn’t surprising that many of them hiss, slither, bark like a dog, or make other animal sounds. This is just an observation.
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