simultaneously; in their case, it was not a matter of gradual deterioration.

FLOOD LEGENDS

Such a cataclysm as the Deluge, which washed the whole world of that time out of existence, would never be forgotten by the survivors. They would talk about it to their children and their children’s children. For five hundred years after the Deluge Shem lived on to relate the event to many generations. He died only ten years before the birth of Jacob. Moses preserved the true account in Genesis. Sometime after the Flood, when God-defying people built the Tower of Babel, Jehovah confused their language and scattered them “over all the surface of the earth.” (Gen. 11:9) It was only natural that these people took with them stories of the Flood and passed them on from father to son. The fact that there are more than ninety different stories about that great Deluge, and that such stories are found among the traditions of many primitive races the world over, is a strong proof that all these people had a common origin and that their early forefathers shared that Flood experience in common.

These folklore accounts of the Deluge agree with some major features of the Biblical account: (1) a place of refuge for a few survivors, (2) an otherwise global destruction of life by water, (3) a seed of mankind preserved. The Egyptians, the Greeks, the Chinese, the Druids of Britain, the Polynesians, the Eskimos and Greenlanders, the Africans, the Hindus, the American Indians—all these have their Flood stories. This similarity impressed one traveler who said: “Among the 120 different tribes which I visited in North, South, and Central America, not a tribe exists that has not related to me distinct or vague traditions of such a calamity, in which one, or three, or eight persons were saved above the waters upon the top of a high mountain.”—The International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia, Vol. II, p. 822.

Certain primitive people (in Australia Fiji and Society Islands, Peru, Mexico and other places) have preserved a possible remnant of these traditions about the Flood by observing a festival in November, a ‘feast to ancestors.’ The Hindus celebrate this festival on the seventeenth day of November, the Egyptians on the seventeenth of Athyr, the same day they say the Flood began.

SCRIPTURAL CONFIRMATION

Stronger evidence of the historicalness of the Deluge than the pagan traditions of primitive people is the endorsement other Bible writers gave under inspiration. The only other place where the same Hebrew word (mab·bulʹ, deluge) occurs outside the Genesis account is in David’s melody where he describes Jehovah as seated “upon the deluge.” (Ps. 29:10) However, other writers make reference to and confirm the Genesis account, as, for example, Isaiah. (Isa. 54:9) Ezekiel also endorses the historicity of Noah. (Ezek. 14:14, 18, 20) Peter draws heavily upon the Deluge account in his letters. (1 Pet. 3:20; 2 Pet 2:5; 3:5, 6) Paul testifies to the great faith Noah displayed in constructing the ark for the survival of his household. (Heb. 11:7) Luke lists Noah in the lineage of Messiah’s forebears.—Luke 3:36.

And both Luke and Matthew report what Jesus said about the days of the Deluge. Far more than just a simple endorsement of the veracity of the Deluge account, Jesus’ words show the pictorial and prophetic significance of those ancient events. In answer to the disciples’ question, ‘What will be the sign of your presence and the conclusion of the system of things?’ Jesus said, among other things: “For just as the days of Noah were, so the presence of the Son of man will be. For as they were in those days before the flood, eating and drinking, men marrying and women being given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark; and they took no note until the flood came and swept them all away, so the presence of the Son of man will be.” (Matt. 24:3, 37-39; Luke 17:26, 27) There is, therefore, abundant evidence from the inspired Holy Scriptures themselves to support the authenticity and genuineness of the Deluge account. It does not rest on mere traditions of men, on the folklore of primitive people, or on geological and archaeological findings.

DEMAS

(Deʹmas) [possibly, popular, or, contraction of “Demetrius,” meaning “belonging to Demeter”].

A one-time fellow worker of the apostle Paul. Demas was in Rome with the apostle during his first imprisonment there, his greetings being included in letters to the Colossians and Philemon. (Col. 4:14; Philem. 24) When Paul wrote to Timothy during his second imprisonment, Demas had forsaken the apostle and departed to Thessalonica, perhaps his hometown.—2 Tim. 4:10.

The exact nature and extent of Demas’ forsaking Paul ‘because of his love for the present system of things’ is not disclosed. The apostle does not say Demas became an apostate or opposer. Perhaps Demas’ love for material things and worldly pleasures became stronger than that for spiritual things. Fear of martyrdom with Paul may have caused Demas to seek a safer place and thus preserve his life in the then-existing system of things. In any event, when conditions became unfavorable, Demas failed to use his marvelous opportunity to strengthen his brother Paul.

DEMETRIUS

(De·meʹtri·us) [belonging to Demeter (a Greek goddess of agriculture)] .

1. A silversmith of the city of Ephesus in Asia Minor who stirred up a riot against the apostle Paul and his companions at the close of Paul’s stay of between two and three years in Ephesus (c. 53-55 C.E.), in the course of his third missionary journey. Paul’s preaching had been blessed with signal success, many turning from the practice of magic and burning their books. Demetrius, who conducted a flourishing business of making silver shrines of the pagan goddess Artemis, becoming alarmed at the prospect of loss of income through Paul’s success in making disciples of Christianity, roused the craftsmen and others. With a twofold argument of threatened loss of business and the danger of disrepute to the temple of Artemis, he succeeded in causing the entire city to be thrown into confusion.

After about two hours the city recorder managed to quell the disturbance, pointing out that if Demetrius and the craftsmen had a charge against Paul and his companions, there were courts to handle the matter legally, but that this disorderly demonstration made the city liable to a charge of sedition by the Roman government. The crowd then quieted down, releasing Paul’s fellow workers and leaving the theater, the scene of the disgraceful riot. Shortly afterward Paul set forth for Macedonia.—Acts 19:18, 19, 23-41; 20:1.

2. A Christian mentioned favorably by the apostle John in a letter to Gaius, about 98 C.E. Demetrius may have delivered the letter to Gaius. John’s recommendation of Demetrius may have been to encourage hospitality on the part of Gaius, as it seems to have been a custom of the congregations to assist in providing food and lodging for the faithful brothers who traveled in behalf of the good news.—3 John 1, 12.

DEMON

An invisible wicked spirit creature, sometimes called a ‘fallen angel,’ having superhuman powers. The demons as such were not created by God. The first to make himself one was Satan the Devil (see SATAN), who became the ruler of other angelic sons of God who also made themselves demons. (Matt. 12:24, 26) In Noah’s day these disobedient angels materialized, married women, fathered a hybrid generation known as Nephilim (see NEPHILIM), and then dematerialized when the Flood came. (Gen. 6:1-4) However, upon returning to the spirit realm they did not regain their lofty original position, for Jude 6 says: “The angels that did not keep their original position but forsook their own proper dwelling place he has reserved with eternal bonds under dense darkness for the judgment of the great day.” (1 Pet. 3:19, 20) So it is in this condition of dense spiritual darkness that they must now confine their operations. (2 Pet. 2:4) Though evidently restrained from materializing, they still have great power and influence over the minds and lives of men, even having the ability to enter into and possess humans and animals, as well as to use inanimate things such as houses, fetishes, charms, and so forth.—Matt. 12:43-45; Luke 8:27-33; see DEMON POSSESSION.

The purpose of all such demonic activity is to turn people against Jehovah and the pure worship of God. Jehovah’s law, therefore, strictly forbade demonism in any form. (Deut. 18:10-12) However, wayward Israel went so far astray as to sacrifice their sons and daughters to the demons. (Ps. 106:37; Deut. 32:17; 2 Chron. 11:15) When Jesus was on earth demon influence was very prevalent, and some of his greatest miracles consisted of expelling them from victimized persons. (Matt. 8:31, 32; 9:33, 34; Mark 1:39; 7:26-30; Luke 8:2; 13:32) Jesus gave this same power to his twelve apostles and to the seventy that he sent out, so that in the name of Jesus they too could cast out the demons.—Matt. 10:8; Mark 3:14, 15; 6:13; Luke 9:1; 10:17.

Demon influence in human affairs is no less manifest today. That “the things which the nations sacrifice they sacrifice to the demons” is still true. (1 Cor. 10:20) In the last book of the Bible, the “revelation by Jesus Christ, which God gave him, to show his slaves the things that must shortly take place,” prophetic warning is given concerning accelerated demon activity on the earth. (Rev. 1:1) “Down the great dragon was hurled, the original serpent, the one called Devil and Satan, who is misleading the entire inhabited earth; he was hurled down to the earth, and his angels [demons] were hurled down with him. On this account . . . Woe for the earth and for the sea, because the Devil has come down to you, having great anger, knowing he has a short period of time.” (Rev. 12:9, 12) Unclean froglike expressions “are, in fact, expressions inspired by demons and perform signs, and they go forth to the kings of the entire inhabited earth, to gather them together to the war of the great day of God the Almighty.”—Rev. 16:13, 14.

Christians must, therefore, put up a hard fight against these unseen wicked spirits. James, in arguing that belief alone is not sufficient, says: “You believe there is one God, do you? You are doing quite well. And yet the demons believe and shudder.” (Jas. 2:19) “In later periods of time,” warned Paul, “some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to misleading inspired utterances and teachings of demons.” (1 Tim. 4:1) One cannot eat of Jehovah’s table and at the same time feed from the table of demons. (1 Cor. 10:21) The faithful, therefore, must put up a hard fight against the Devil and his demons, “against the world rulers of this darkness, against the wicked spirit forces in the heavenly places.”—Eph. 6:12.

This use of the word “demon” is narrow and specific compared with the notions of ancient philosophers and the way the word was used in classical Greek. Says The Encyclopedia Britannica (Ninth Edition, Vol. VII, page 54): “The earlier and wider notion of demons includes the whole class of such spirits, who may be friendly or hostile, good or evil, persecuting and tormenting man or acting as his protecting and informing patron-spirits.” (See Acts 17:22, 1950 ed., ftn.) So it was that Socrates called the genius or spirit that dwelt in him a demon.

DEMON POSSESSION

The captive control and influence of a person by an invisible wicked spirit. In Bible times demonized persons were afflicted in various ways: some were dumb, some blind, some acted like lunatics and some possessed superhuman strength. All were woefully mistreated by these invisible bullies. (Matt. 9:32; 12:22; 17:15; Mark 5:3-5; Luke 8:29; 9:42; 11:14; Acts 19:16) Men, women and children were their victims. (Matt. 15:22; Mark 5:2) Sometimes the agony was compounded when many demons gained possession of a person at the same time. (Luke 8:2, 30) When the demon was expelled, the person returned to a normal, sane state of mind. There is a difference between demon possession and ordinary physical sickness and disease, for Jesus cured both types of disorder.—Matt. 8:16; 17:18; Mark 1:32, 34.

Some of Jesus’ greatest miracles were the setting of possessed persons free from captivity to the demons. They were powerless against him. But not everyone was happy with his demon-expelling work. The Pharisees accused him of being in league with the ruler of the demons, Beelzebub, whereas in reality, Jesus pointed out, they themselves were the offspring of the Devil. (Matt. 9:34; 12:24; Mark 3:22; Luke 11:15; John 7:20; 8:44, 48-52) Jesus knew from where his mastery of the demons originated, and he openly confessed that it was by Jehovah’s power and holy spirit. (Matt. 12:28; Luke 8:39; 11:20) The demons themselves recognized Jesus’ identity and addressed him as the “Son of God,” “the Holy One of God” and “Jesus, Son of the Most High God.” (Matt. 8:29; Mark 1:24; 3:11; 5:7; Luke 4:34, 41; Acts 19:15; Jas. 2:19) However, at no time would Jesus allow them to witness in his behalf. (Mark 3:12) On the other hand, a man who was set free from the power of the demons was encouraged to publish to his relatives “all the things Jehovah has done for you.”—Mark 5:18-20.

Jesus also gave authority over the demons to his twelve apostles, and later to the seventy that he sent out, so that in the name of Jesus they too were able to cure the demon-possessed. (Matt. 10:8; Mark 3:15; 6:13; Luke 9:1; 10:17) Even one not an immediate associate of Jesus or his apostles was able to exorcise a demon on the basis of Jesus’ name. (Mark 9:38-40; Luke 9:49, 50) After the death of Jesus, the apostles continued to have this power. Paul dispossessed a “demon of divination” from a slave girl much to the anger of her money-loving owners. (Acts 16:16-19) But when certain impostors, the seven sons of priest Sceva, attempted to do this in the name of “Jesus whom Paul preaches,” the demon-possessed man seized and severely mauled and stripped the seven of them naked.—Acts 19:13-16.

Often the wild and uncontrolled conduct of mentally unbalanced persons is due to direct obsession by these invisible minions of Satan. It is noted that sometimes spirit mediums are reported as casting these demons out, calling to mind what Jesus said: “Many will say to me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not . . . expel demons in your name. . . ?’ And yet then I will confess to them: I never knew you!” (Matt. 7:22, 23) Compelling reasons, then, for heeding the counsel, “Be watchful,” and, “Put on the complete suit of armor from God that you may be able to stand firm against the machinations of the Devil” and his demons.—1 Pet. 5:8; Eph. 6:11.

DENARIUS

A Roman silver coin about the size of an American dime. The denarius weighed about .124 ounce troy (3.85 grams) and hence would have a modern value of approximately 16c. It bore a likeness of the head of Caesar and was the “head tax coin” exacted by the Romans from the Jews. (Matt. 22:19-21) In the days of Jesus’ earthly ministry, agricultural laborers commonly received a denarius for a twelve-hour workday. (Matt. 20:2) Hence, Revelation 6:6