2. Jesus heals the demoniac Mark chapter5vv1-20
"Go home to thy friends and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee"
So said Jesus to the poor tormented man whose body had been invaded by demons. If ever there was an impossible case it was this one. No doubt modern psychologists would have an alternative explanation for his condition. Dwelling among tombs and in the mountains, crying day and night, and cutting himself with stones, he could not be tamed, a wild man totally out of control and beyond any human help. He was a menace to the people of Gadara, who had tried to contain him with chains, but, such was his brute strength, he broke the fetters. Jesus the master healer knew the reason for this man's condition was supernatural and commanded the unclean spirit to vacate his body. We consider this remarkable real life story,which throws up some huge spiritual issues we need to be aware of even today.
- The reality of demon spirits in the world. Demon possession is very real, and is still present today. This is when unseen demon spirits enter a human body and controls it using the functions of the body to express themselves. A lot of what passes for madness, portrayed in grossly unnatural behaviour, is the result of such an invasion of the body. Because we cannot explain the phenomenon does not mean it does not exist. When Jesus was here this was common because wherever God is working the devil will be active. Like it or not, demons affect all of us; the bible speaks of "the doctrines of demons and seducing spirits"; it speaks of them "blinding the minds of them that believe not"; they are called "the rulers of the darkness of this age" and "spiritual powers of wickedness." Concerning believers in Christ it says "your adversary the devil as a roaring lion walks about seeking whom he may devour." there are dark forces at work in this world. Here is an extreme case where multiple(thousands) of them had inhabited his body and he was a constant torment to himself and to his community.
- They know exactly who Jesus is and they fear Him. Listen to their words as they made mock homage to Him, they know who He is, they know His power, they know that one day He will cast them out forever; perhaps they thought by publicly honouring Him He would be lenient. They greeted Him "Jesus thou Son of the most high God...." using a title "EL-ELYON" first used in Genesis 14 in the context of the "possessor of heaven and earth"; they knew He could do with them whatever He wished, since they had violated their proper place by taking possession of this man causing misery. They had the audacity to bring the Son of God under judicial oath since they knew the ultimate plans of the living God but the time of their torment was not yet. Jesus asked the name, not because He didn't know but He wanted them to identify themselves in the oath against the crime they had committed. They prayed for mercy; this is another feature of this chapter. In the chapters before there has been a raft of criticism against Him, here many are praying to Him including demons!!(see verses 10, 12, 17, 18, 23).
- Jesus value on one human soul This human soul was tormented with thousands of demons, at least 2000, for in the exorcism that took place, that number of swine ran headlong into the sea. To save this man Jesus was prepared to sacrifice the swine. We cannot possibly know the reasons why the demons preferred to enter these animal bodies, than be put back into the air, but we learn the value of a soul to Jesus. Later in this gospel we shall find in chapter 8vv36-37 that one human soul is of more value than all the possessions in the world "For what shall it profit a man if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul, or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" This turns the entire world value system on it's head, and the sacrifice of 2000 pigs is as nothing compared to the whole world. The businessmen in the area couldn't agree and earnestly besought Jesus to leave their borders for their value was in this world and cared little for the man who had become a source of trouble to them. The result was amazing....they saw the demoniac"sitting, clothed and in his right mind!" Total transformation.... sitting(instead of running amok), clothed(instead of naked), in his right mind(instead of crying out). A great menace to their society was healed in mind as well as body, the pigs could be replaced(thousands would be slaughtered for consumption every month). One human soul saved, and life changed, this is the value of heaven. Are we in tune with the value heaven places on the human soul?
- The effect of one converted man in a whole community The businessmen wanted Jesus to go, and He did go..."when He was come into the ship".... Jesus will not linger where He is not wanted, He will not force Himself on anyone. The man, seeing He was about to leave, prayed that he might go with the Lord. Jesus said no, sometimes the answer is no! Go home, tell your friends how great things the Lord has done for you. He would be a more effective testimony in his own country where once he had terrified them now he comforts them, a powerful living reality of the power of Jesus to change a human being. He accepted the Lord's desire for him and courageously testified in Decapolis, a large area of ten cities. He would be avoided by the merchants who had lost business, but he published in all the territory and all did marvel. In any locality today one person transformed by Christ can make a difference.
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