MATTHEW 8:28-34 JUNE 19, 2011
“DISPELLING THE DARKNESS”
C.S. Lewis, the well known author of the Chronicles of Narnia, wrote a book entitled the “Screwtape Letters”. The book contains the satirical and fictional correspondence between a sly older demon giving advice to his younger demonic nephew, Wormwood, on how best to win over the human he has been assigned to torment and bring him over to their master. The following is an excerpt:
My dear Wormwood, I wonder you should ask me whether it is essential to keep the patient in ignorance of your own existence. That question, at least for the present phase of the struggle, has been answered for us by the High Command. Our policy, for the moment, is to conceal ourselves. Of course this has not always been so. We are really faced with a cruel dilemma. When the humans disbelieve in our existence we lose all the pleasing results of direct terrorism and we make no magicians. On the other hand, when they believe in us, we cannot make them materialists and skeptics. …I do not think you will have much difficulty in keeping the patient in the dark. The fact that ‘devils’ are predominantly comic figures in the modern imagination will help you. If any faint suspicion of your existence begins to arise in his mind, suggest to him a picture of something in red tights, and persuade him that since he cannot believe in that (it is an old textbook method of confusing them) he therefore cannot believe in you.
Our culture is currently fascinated with spirits and ghosts. Yet many who are fascinated are blinded to the reality that the spirit world poses. Satan and demons are real and are much more dangerous than the “reality shows” reveal. Demons are always identified in scripture as spiritual beings hostile to God. In this passage in Matthew Jesus encounters two demon-possessed men. The parallel account in Mark 5:1-20 also provides more details. Matthew 8:28 (NIV) “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.”
Jesus traveled to the eastern side of the Sea of Galilee. This portion of the lake is adjacent to a region where Gentiles lived. Remember that Gentiles are all those who are not Jewish. Part of this region is filled with caves that were used as a burial ground. Jews who came in contact with the dead were considered unclean and were unable to participate socially until they went through a ceremonial cleansing conducted by a priest. Thus Jews always sought to avoid contact with anyone who would make them “unclean”. Matthew records that there were two demon possessed men who lived in this region. They were known to attack travelers and they were so strong as to be able to break any chains that bound them. (Mark 5:3-4) The gospel of Mark and Luke only record the presence of the one man, most likely as he was the one most well known. Yet Jesus did not avoid traveling in this region.
The apostle John records the reason why Jesus performed miracles. John 20:30-31 (NIV) “30 Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. 31 But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” Jesus in performing miracles was revealing himself as God so that the people would acknowledge his authority and thus listen to him and come to repentance and be saved. It is not until after the resurrection of Jesus that the disciples came to understand that Jesus truly was God. Scripture records that most people were blinded and deaf in regards to perceiving the identity of Jesus, but not these two. The two men immediately challenge Jesus as they know who he is. Their knowledge came from the demons who possessed them. 29 "What do you want with us, Son of God?" they shouted. "Have you come here to torture us before the appointed time?"
In the encounter that Jesus had with Satan in the desert, Satan from the beginning clearly identified Jesus. Matthew 4:3 (NIV) “3 The tempter came to him and said, "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread." Satan was trying to make Jesus doubt his own identity. Jesus spoke of the coming of the kingdom of God in Matthew 4:17 (NIV) “17 From that time on Jesus began to preach, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near." In a later conversation with the Pharisees Jesus talked about his authority to cast out demons in Matthew 12:28 (NIV) “28 But if I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.” Christians need to understand that the arrival of the kingdom of God was also the defeat of Satan. The spiritual forces of darkness led by Satan know that judgment day is coming and their destruction will be total and complete. Revelation 20:10 (NIV) “10 And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.”
The two men possessed by demons wanted to be free until the appointed time for judgment arrives. 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." The demons had their own agenda, which is to cause pain and suffering to humans or animals. In Matthew 17:14-20 the demon would cause the child to fall into a fire to be injured. A pig was considered an unclean animal according to the Jewish dietary laws in Leviticus.
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. Jesus in healing the two men removed the danger of traveling through that region. Jesus restored these two men providing for them the opportunity to have a decent life. You might think that those who lived nearby would have been thrilled to have these dangerous men no longer able to cause anyone harm? We sometimes forget that not all people are thrilled when someone’s life is changed.
It is interesting to observe the reaction of the Gentiles over the destruction of the herd of pigs from the Gospel of Mark. Mark 5:14-17 (NIV) “14 Those tending the pigs ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened. 15 When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. 16 Those who had seen it told the people what had happened to the demon-possessed man--and told about the pigs as well. 17 Then the people began to plead with Jesus to leave their region.” The people of that region were more afraid of Jesus affecting their financial prosperity than they were pleased of the healing of the two men. As one commentator described, “all down through the ages the world has been refusing Jesus because it prefers the pigs.” (NIV Application Commentary) We should never be surprised when the people of this world react negatively to people repenting and being healed. I have often observed those who make a change in their life struggle with their old friends who want them to return to the darkness. Their so called friends would rather have their friends remain in the dark with them.
For those of us who trust and believe in Jesus Christ, the power of Satan and his demons has been defeated. The poisonous venom of death has been removed as we have eternal life. Yet a wounded animal can still cause great harm if we deny the reality of the spiritual forces of darkness. Someone sent me the story of a huge boa constrictor that had entered into the home of a missionary. One of the locals killed the snake. When the missionary started to reenter the home, the native believer stopped the missionary saying, “The snake is dead, but his body does not know it yet.” We should not fear Satan, as his end is near. Paul warns us to put on our spiritual armor. Ephesians 6:11-13 (NIV) “11 Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.”
Satan desires to trip us up, but do not fear as Jesus has defeated Satan and his demons and they will be cast into the eternal lake of fire. Jesus has won the victory.
Let us pray.
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