SHARING BREAD
28 When he arrived at the other side in the region of the
Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men coming from the tombs met him. They were so
violent that no one could pass that way. 29 "What do you want with us, Son of God?" they
shouted. "Have you come here to torture us before the appointed
time?"
30 Some distance from them a large herd of pigs was feeding. 31 The demons begged Jesus, "If you drive us out, send us into the herd of pigs."
32 He said to them, "Go!" So they came out and went into the pigs, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and died in the water. 33 Those tending the pigs ran off, went into the town and reported all this, including what had happened to the demon-possessed men. 34 Then the whole town went out to meet Jesus. And when they saw him, they pleaded with him to leave their region.
30 Some distance from them a large herd of pigs was feeding. 31 The demons begged Jesus, "If you drive us out, send us into the herd of pigs."
32 He said to them, "Go!" So they came out and went into the pigs, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and died in the water. 33 Those tending the pigs ran off, went into the town and reported all this, including what had happened to the demon-possessed men. 34 Then the whole town went out to meet Jesus. And when they saw him, they pleaded with him to leave their region.
Matt
8:28-34 (NIV)
The divine power of Christ is yet again made crystal clear to
us through our verses for today. Jesus
not only possesses all power in heaven and on earth but under the earth as well
– the keys of hell are His property. In
the Great Commission Jesus announces:
18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.”
Matt 28:18 (NIV)
Paul also tells us in Philippians:
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven
and on earth and under the earth, 11
and
every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Phil 2:10-11 (NIV)
Here, we see also, the Prince of Peace – the restorer of our
souls – bringing restoration to the souls of those sans peace. The devil had taken captive these poor
creatures to do his bidding. They were
so afflicted with demonic possession that no fleshly chains could hold them - violently
destructive to themselves; violently destructive to others. The devil hurries flesh into sin and hurries
flesh into ruin as well. That’s what
Satan seeks to accomplish – bearing malice upon mankind, making flesh as unfit
for human society as they are unworthy of it – seeking to make creatures the
likes of him. But God, the all-powerful
One, Whom the devil must answer to – provides unbreakable chains that can hold Satan’s
minions work when the chains of man are powerless to help. Be aware, flesh is no match against the
dreadful dealings of the devil. But be
aware as well, Satan is no match for God – “One little Word shall fell him”.
There seems to be no limit to the depth of depravity of the
human heart apart from the saving work of Christ on the cross. The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond
cure apart from the Lord Jesus. Flesh remains
in a continuous battle with Satan, self and the world. Before Christ we were all spiritually
insensible – the windows of our souls walled with darkest darkness. How dark is a soul apart from Christ! But thanks be to God for His indescribable
gift of Christ Jesus, our Lord, Who came to restore us and set us free. He not only restores us, but is able to make
up for the years “the locusts have eaten”.
It is His desire to make us whole and complete spiritually lacking
nothing. Remember, no good thing does He
withhold from those whose walk is blameless.
3 he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of
righteousness for his name's sake. Psalms
23:3 (NIV)
I find it extremely interesting that the demons knew exactly
Who Jesus was as well as possessed full knowledge of their subjection to
Him. Though they spoke both defiantly
and disrespectfully to the Master, they were aware He held authority over
them. They knew Him, yet hated Him and
were filled with enmity against Him having no desire for His rule over
them. It is possible for men to call Jesus
God’s Son and yet have nothing to do with Him.
This should red flag us as the demons knew for certain Christ to be both
the Son of God and all powerful yet they are demons still and not saints. James warningly tells us:
14 What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have
faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? 15 Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and
daily food. 16 If
one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well
fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not
accompanied by action, is dead. 18 But
someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith
without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. 19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the
demons believe that--and shudder. James
2:14-19 (NIV)
“Even the demons know, and believe, and confess Christ to be
the Son of God, and yet they are demons still.
It is not knowledge, but love, that distinguishes saints from demons.”
Matthew Henry
Lastly, we are told that the Lord Jesus allowed the demons to
enter the pigs. These swine promptly
rushed off the steep bank into the lake and drowned. If they could not destroy the man, they would
seek to destroy his goods. As God
allowed Satan to inflict Job, so He here allows these 2,000 or so demons to
inflict this herd of pigs. What an
industrious enemy of God the devil is who loses no time in doing harm to God’s
people. Oh that the children of God
would lose no time in seeking to do what is good and right. Be assured, child of God, Satan is not
allowed to do anything that will not eventually work for the believer’s good no
matter how heinous the deed. There is
always purpose in the pain allowed in the life of the child of God. The cross of Christ ever serves as our
example of this.
“God does often, for wise and holy ends, permit the efforts
of Satan’s rage, and allow him to do the harm he would.” Matthew
Henry
28 And we know that in all things God works for the good
of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans
8:28 (NIV)
What I glean from this:
· I am no
match for Satan. Satan is no match for
God.
· There is
no limit to the depth of depravity in the human heart apart from Jesus.
· The demons
had and have full knowledge of Who Jesus was and is yet remain demons.
