Then they came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gadarenes. And when He had come out of the boat, immediately there met Him out of the tombs a man [or two demon-possessed men*] with an unclean spirit, who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no one could bind him, not even with chains, because he had often been bound with shackles and chains. And the chains had been pulled apart by him, and the shackles broken in pieces; neither could anyone tame him. And always, night and day, he was in the mountains and in the tombs, crying out and cutting himself with stones. (Mark 5:1-5; Matthew 8:28*; Luke 8:26-27)
What a hopeless and sad condition to be in, not having any control over your body and actions! But with Jesus, no situation is helpless. When he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and worshiped Him. And he cried out with a loud voice and said, “What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore You by God that You do not torment me.” (Mark 5:6-7; Matthew 8:29; Luke 8:28) Interesting that God uses the words worshiped Him, referring to how the demon who possessed the man addressed Jesus. Worship means a feeling or expression of reverence and adoration for a deity. Well, the demon may not have felt adoration, but he sure was showing Jesus reverence, by referring to Him as Jesus, Son of the Most High God. As we've studied in a previous lesson, Even the demons believe—and tremble! (James 2:19)
For He said to him, “Come out of the man, unclean spirit!” Then He asked him, “What is your name?”
And he answered, saying, “My name is Legion; for we are many.” Also he begged Him earnestly that He would not send them out of the country [to go out into the abyss*]. (Mark 5:8-10; Luke 8:29-31*) When the demon tells Jesus, I implore You by God that You do not torment me, Matthew elaborates by stating, “What have we to do with You, Jesus, You Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?” (Matthew 8:29) The demon is alluding to the fact that it's not time for satan or his demons to be ...cast into the bottomless pit, and shut up,... (Revelations 20:3) We must remember and never forget that there is a real devil, named satan, with real fallen angels (Jude 1:6; seeTHE GOSPEL: Even Demons Obey)
And one day, the devil and all his agents, just like each of us, will be judged by God. But the demons knew that this particular time wasn't that time: Now a large herd of swine was feeding there near the mountains. So all the demons begged Him, saying, “Send us to the swine, that we may enter them.” And at once Jesus gave them permission. Then the unclean spirits went out and entered the swine (there were about two thousand); and the herd ran violently down the steep place into the sea, and drowned in the sea. (Mark 5:11-13; Matthew 8:30-32; Luke 8:32-33) The swine or pigs drowned, but the demons didn't. The swine were just collateral damage. The demons time had not yet come, but it will!
We must notice throughout this whole exchange that Jesus never once spoke to the man who was possessed, but rather to the legion of demons that possessed him. Jesus knew he had to help the man by solving his problem, before He could teach the man the truth. So those who fed the swine fled, and they told it in the city and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that had happened. Then they came to Jesus, and saw the one who had been demon-possessed and had the legion, sitting and clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid. And those who saw it told them how it happened to him who had been demon-possessed, and about the swine. Then they began to plead with Him to depart from their region. (Mark 5:14-17; Matthew 8:33-34; Luke 8:34-37) Jesus performed a great miracle in this man's life. No longer was he in the mountains and in the tombs, crying out and cutting himself with stones; but now he's sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind. Jesus desires to do this for each of us, for He ...gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father... (Galatians 1:4) For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,... (II Corinthians 10:4)
But instead of the people being glad for the man, that he had been delivered from such a horrible existence, ...the whole multitude of the surrounding region of the Gadarenes asked Him to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear. And when He got into the boat, he who had been demon-possessed begged Him that he might be with Him. However, Jesus did not permit him, but said to him, “Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you.” And he departed and began to proclaim in Decapolis all that Jesus had done for him; and all marveled. (Mark 5:18-20; Luke 8:37-39) Yet again, when God blesses us and does something in our lives that we know NO ONE else but God could have done, we should be, just as the Apostle Paul was, ...compelled by the Spirit, and testify... that Jesus is the Christ! (Acts 18:5)
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