Demons, Pigs, Restoration, And Rejection

Demons, Pigs, Restoration, and Rejection

Scripture presents demons not as mythological creatures, but as real beings involved in historical and future events. Jesus encountered many of them during His earthly ministry, and in His encounters, He healed the persons whom the demon or demons had taken residence.

Demons are fallen angels who joined with Satan when he rebelled against God after the creation events in Genesis. The Bible does not tell us of their origin, but it does allude to them being created somewhere in the creation of the heavens and earth, and how some were imprisoned in an abyss to be released later to torment unrepentant mankind during the Great Tribulation.

In today’s message we are going to look at the story of the demon possessed men in Matthew 8:28-34. This story can also be found in Mark 5:1-14 and Luke.8:26-39, each one carrying some other details because they are from different viewpoints but conveying the same meaning and application. So, using the story from Matthew, which I will break into three sections, and in each section, we will get an understanding of the situation, then applying it to you and me.

When He had come to the other side, to the country of the Gergesenes, there met Him two demon-possessed men, coming out of the tombs, exceedingly fierce, so that no one could pass that way. And suddenly they cried out, saying, “What have we to do with You, Jesus, You Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?”

Matthew 8:28-29

This story picks up in the morning after Jesus had healed multitudes of people of their afflictions’ and shortly after He calmed the seas for their trip across the lake. In our scripture here it says that they met two demon possessed men, while in Mark and Luke it says He met one man. Don’t let this difference raise doubt to the bible, as some would see this as a contradiction, but remember that this story is being conveyed by three different people who concentrated so some different items. In all three stories there was two men who were possessed. While Matthew put the two men into view, Mark and Luke only concentrated on the one who did the talking. Besides, where one person is more remarkable, it is not uncommon to mention that one person alone. One could say, “I met John downtown today,” and later in telling the account mention that his family was with him. This would not be considered contradictions or poor reporting.

When we combine all the details from Matthew, Mark, and Luke about these men it gives an understanding that these men are a superman. Consider the description of Mark and Luke about him: First, he is super strong because he can break all the iron chains that bind him and no one can tie him (Mark 5:3, 4) also he has a unique habit where he likes to hit himself with a stone and apparently not feel any pain (Mark 5:5). Second, he is super brave because day and night he roams between the cemetery and the hills screaming (Mark 5:5). Third, he was super smelly, because he lived in a cemetery, among decomposed corpses (Mark 5:2). Fourth, he was super fierce and scary, so much so that no one dared to take that path to the lake because of him. Fifth, he was super naked, because Luke wrote that he did not wear any clothes (Luke 8:27), so he ran naked to Jesus. An extraordinary sight for the disciples.

These men lived alone in a cemetery with the most despicable circumstances. They lived alienated from social life. Their life habits which allowed the demon entrance into their lives has quarantined there to an isolated part of the city. People keep their distance from them and don't want to be in touch with them because they were terrified of them. Them lived like animals because they were dominated by demons.

Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Philippians 2:9-11

Upon seeing Jesus, even the demons run towards them worshipping Jesus, and at the same time crying out, “What have we to do with You, Jesus, You Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?” So, what do these possessed men mean by this? It shows that the demons within them understand that at some point in the future they will face their punishment for rebelling against. What they are saying to Jesus is they did not think that time was now and was wondering if Jesus did indeed come to punish them for their rebellion. It also shows that unlike a lot of us, they recognized who Jesus was and the authority given to Him.