Daily Devotion

 

 

We will never begin to understand this story unless we realize that whatever we think about demons, they were intensely real to the people of Gerasa, and to the man whose mind was deranged.  This man was a case of violent insanity.  He was too dangerous to live among people; he lived among the tombs which were believed to be the home, and haunt of demons.  This man's condition demonstrated the reality and horror of demon power.  The demons gave him such superhuman power that no man could bind him.

 

When Jesus asked the man his name, He was not looking for information.  He wanted others to see how pitiable this man's conditions were.  The demons answered, "Legion."  In the Roman Army, a legion was 6,000 men.  The man was but a voice for the demons possessing him. Jesus did not seek to calm the man who acted crazily.  He confronted the demons who were abusing the man.

 

The demons themselves recognized Jesus as the Son of God, and as the One who has power over them. Knowing they would have to leave at Jesus' command, the demons asked that Jesus would not send them "into the deep."  This was the abyss, the underworld, the place of the dead.  The word is translated "bottomless pit" in Revelation 9:1,2, 11; 11:7; 20:1,3.  The evil spirits in this man dreaded to go there before their appointed time.

Jesus did not deal with the man, but with the demons inside him.  The invasion of demons into the bodies of the pigs so terrified them that they "ran violently down a steep place into the lake, and were choked."

 

Look at this deliverance from God's perspective.  Here was a man, created in God's image, who was under the control of evil spirits.  A great war raged inside the man.  He ran, and fell before Jesus, but could not speak for himself.  What a pitiable sight this naked, deranged, and fierce half-animal-half-human must have presented. But Jesus calmly, and confidently "commanded" (verse 29), and "suffered" (verse 32) the release of this crazed demoniac.  As for the loss of the pigs, would not the cure of one who constantly terrorized the city be worth more than a herd of pigs?  Jesus did not send the demons into the pigs.  He merely gave the demons permission to go.  Neither did Jesus send the pigs into the lake; they went there, because of the demons. 

We must look at the reaction oftwo sets of people. 

 

(1^st) There were the Gerasenes.  They asked Jesus to go away.  They hated having the routine of their life disturbed.  Life went peacefully on till there arrived this disturbing Jesus, and they hated Him. More people hate Jesus because He disturbs them than for any other reason. They loved their swine more than they valued the soul of a man.  One of life's supreme dangers is to value things more than a man. Nothing in this world can ever be as important as a person. 

 

(2^nd) There was the man who was cured.  Very naturally he wanted to come with Jesus, but Jesus sent him home.  Jesus told him to go home, and tell people he met every day what Jesus did for him.

What an opportunity the Gadarenes missed!  How much more Jesus could have done for them all if only they had asked Jesus to stay.

 

Life Application: Jesus commissioned the man to be a disciple first to his own family.  Where did you start, and why?  Was it with your family, old friends, people you work with?

 

Praise/Prayer: Dear Father, I am so thankful that You make a complete change of our lives.  There is so much You want us to do right where we live.  Our starting place is sharing Jesus with our family, and friends.  They need to know that there are no demons too powerful for Jesus.  Hallelujah!  You are the great deliverer!

 

Amen!