These are my thoughts on the subject, not any formal doctrine that I am putting forth. With that in mind I would like you to share what you think should be added, taken away or modified to make our "discussion" resemble the truth as much as we are able to in this environment.

From the story of daniel, when he was praying, the angel Michael told him that he was detained by the prince of persia, and then later he says that the prince of Persia is going to get help from the prince of Greece. Knowing that Michael is an angel, I think we can resonably infer that it was not a mortal prince but some form of demonic principality or demonic authority on earth that detained him, and also that the prince of Greece is another form of demonic authority on earth.

From this I think we can say that there are demonic princedoms, various of them not just Persia and Greece.

In Ephesians it is stated that our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against authorities, principalites and spiritual forces in the heavenly realms. We can gather from this that there is an order if not a ranking.

It makes sense that Satans kingdom would have order so that he may spread his evil influence.

Are there not also spirits of temptation, which govern over specific sins or vices? Spirits which are too powerful to be released so much that they are not forbidden to leave hell or the abyss? Spirits which possess and oppress, divining spirits and much more? Can some here tell us more of these with insights from scripture?

I would now like to open the floor to comments. If you have an additional verse that may give deeper insight into the demonic structure that very well exists please share it. If you'd like to add a thought please give a supporting reason for it. I look forward to your comments.

Quote: › Spirits which are too powerful to be released so much that they are not forbidden to leave hell or the abyss?

I'm afraid I don't understand this part of your post Khis, could you elaborate? Did you mean to say that they ARE forbidden to leave hell or the abyss because they are too powerfull...and what's the source of this idea?
Also...I assume you know that Satan and the demons do not reside in hell.

This should be an interesting topic, too often our concept of Satan, Demons, hell etc. have more in common with Hollywood or Dante's "Inferno" than what scripture actually teaches. I look forward to peoples input.

I knew someone was going to ask that question. I have the verse in mind in vague form, but I have to look it up. If they do not reside in hell, then where do they reside? I know in Job we see that Satan can roam the earth, can you elaborate more?

Trusting just posted these verses which I feel also adhere to this:

12 Meanwhile, the messenger who went to get Micaiah whispered, ?Micaiah, all the prophets have good news for Ahab. Now go and say the same thing.?
13 ?I?ll say whatever the living Lord my God tells me to say,? Micaiah replied.
14 Then Micaiah went up to Ahab, who asked, ?Micaiah, should we attack Ramoth??
?Yes!? Micaiah answered. ?The Lord will help you capture the city.?
15 Ahab shouted, ?Micaiah, I?ve told you over and over to tell me the truth! What does the Lord really say??
16 Micaiah answered, ?In a vision I saw Israelite soldiers wandering around, lost in the hills like sheep without a shepherd. The Lord said, ?These troops have no leader. They should go home and not fight.? ?
17 Ahab turned to Jehoshaphat and said, ?I told you he would bring me bad news!?
18 Micaiah replied:
I then saw the Lord seated on his throne with every creature in heaven gathered around him. 19 The Lord asked, ?Who can trick Ahab and make him go to Ramoth where he will be killed??
They talked about it for a while, 20 then finally a spirit came forward and said to the Lord, ?I can trick Ahab.?
?How?? the Lord asked.
21 ?I?ll make Ahab?s prophets lie to him.?
?Good!? the Lord replied. ?Now go and do it. You will be successful.?
22 Ahab, this is exactly what has happened. The Lord made all your prophets lie to you, and he knows you will soon be destroyed.
23 Zedekiah walked over and slapped Micaiah on the face. Then he asked, ?Do you really think the Lord would speak to you and not to me??

Well I do have a littel information about the structure of the hirearcy. (allthough I am not sure how dependable my source realy is.)

From top to bottom

Satin, for lack of a beter term, kind of all of hell

Bellsabub, prince of hell

Astroth, kepper of the book of the damnd

Thats about all I know as for structure.

As for the other thing yes I would say "the prince of Greece would have to be a demonic precence" Manily becouse becpouse Greece never had a monarcy, the majior factions or rule in acent Greece wher demacratic (Athens)

And millatira councal. Forgot the name of the terratoy there lol

I keep meaning to get back to this thread...I will start off slow, am boning up on demonology as it's been a while since I studied it.

"Where demons reside" is a good place to start...since I never got around to responding...sorry Khis. First thing I guess is to make note of where they don't reside. They cannot reside in Hell or the abyss (yet).
Hades is described as a temporary state for those who died pre-crucifixion, and having both a pleasent and tormented side...most vivdly described by Jesus account of Lazarus and the rich man. Some see this as a parable, but I dissagree. Jesus parables are consistant in scripture in that He say's it's a parable, and it's always followed by an explanation...though usually in private to the disciples. None of these factors or other litterary devices present in His parrables are present in this account, therefore I believe it is factual. Either way, Hades is described as accomodating humans, and on Lazarus side an angel. There is no mention of the presence of demons...but I suppose they could have access to the tormented side while not being restricted to it. I assume unbelievers still go to hades while believers to the immediate presence of God.
Demons cannot be in Gehenna though (what we usually mean by hell), since the final judgement has not yet taken place and no one is there yet.
The demons that Jesus allowed to go into the pigs spoke in fear of being cast into the abyss, before the appointed time...so obviously they aren't there either...if it is a seperate place from Gehenna or Hades. From the references I've examined so far I think the pit or abyss is another reference to gehenna since it usually appears in passages using gehenna, and the pit as a secondary descriptor of the same thing

It seems to me that demons are relegated to roaming the earth looking for a physical body to inhabit or possess. One theory even suggests that they are the dissembodied spirits of those who died in Noahs' flood. There is the interpretation of Angels having offspring with human women in Genesis (have to look up the reference). This is apparently the older and more traditional interpretation than the "line of Seth" explanation.

No where does the Bible teach that Satan and or Demons dwell in or are in charge of hell, rather it is a state to which they will ultimately be relegated as punishment. Job describes Satan as going to and fro on the earth, although he had access to the throne of God as an accuser....at least at that point in time.
More later...hopefully others will have scriptural insights to add to my hasty offering so far.

Ok well I understand most of that.

Wheat disturbes me the most is youre refrence Hades sence I have never heard this work spoken of in scripture. So All I realy know of it is what comes from Greek Mytholagy.

I am sure demons do rome the earth as you say, but if they don't have a spicifac place to go then why are there not a lot more reported caces of huntings or even possenions now a days.

ummmmm ok lol

Actually I think there are a lot of cases of possessions and such, but the modern mind does not accept it as such. We know so little about the human mind, I have serious doubts about much of what psycology has to say about many mental illnesses. Furthermore, demons have been around for thousands of years, they aren't stupid, they know when it will only hinder their agenda to manifest their presence in an obvious manner.

Lightning, if you want to get a clearer view of the difference between hades and gehenna, use the e-sword plus kjv with strongs numbers to do a word study on hell, the pit, the abyss etc. and you will see what actual greek and Hebrew words were used. The english translations are unfortunately vague and often use the word hell for very different words in the original languages. This is a study I am currently trying to do myself..time permitting.

I allready have it seeking.

But to tell you the truth trying to use the program for anneything more than looking at passages I know how to find myself, get confuseing and often annoying espicealy when everything comes up blank. lol

Pluse just haveing it on my comp slowes everything down allthough it is only 3 mags alltogether.

I curently have both strong and with out

Hey, I though computers were supposed to simplify our lives not make them more complicated LOL.
If I ever get it finshed in a form I can export I will make a copy available for anyone interested. Even just having a printout of relevent verses, str #'s and definitions saves a lot of page turning.

Becides if I where to go and learn the entire achent Greek, Armeic, and even latin just to be safe (sence most if not all of the original copys of the old testment are in latin. Just so I can read diffrent translations of the Bible.

Wouldent that seem to make me more of a Bible worshiper rathyer that a God worshiper?

This is true, as it is demons that set up the abomination that causes desolation .

sorry that link didn't seem to work here it is again http://jesus-survival.com/Abomination-desolation.htm