Prince Of Peace Over The Spirit World Series

The demons know that an appointed time of judgement awaits when they will be permanently removed from God’s people to suffer eternal punishment. Despite their being convinced of who Jesus is, and theologically correct about hell and eternal destiny and even give Him due respect, they are not saved. They even sense the difference between His first and second coming. Their belief surpasses that of many church members.

II. VOLATILE DEMON EXTRACTION, 30-32.

As the demons seek another option we are told of a herd of swine in verse 30. “Now there was a herd of many swine feeding at a distance from them.”

Obviously these regions were largely inhabited by Gentiles for Jews did not raise pigs. The law forbids the eating of pork. The swine doubtlessly belonged to some people in the town. They were at a distance so the enslaved men would not frighten them. Mark says the herd was about 2,000.

In verse 31 the demons requested permission to enter a nearby large herd of pigs. “The demons began to entreat Him, saying, “If You are going to cast us out, send us into the herd of swine.”

Note the absolute powerlessness of the evil spirits to contend against God. The unclean spirits are keenly aware that the Lord of All is present and without His permission they can do nothing.

Why did the demon’s make this request to go into swine? Demons seek a bodily existence (Mt. 12:43-45), either one more pleasurable to antagonize or one that is more useful to them. Perhaps when evil spirits are absent from a physical body they sense frailty and insufficiency (Lk. 11:24). Whatever else is here we learn that demons have location and can only be at one place at a time. Jesus treats the demons as real entities, separate from the men they inhabited. Deep down in the mysterious subliminal consciousness there exists a gate through which spiritual beings may come into contact with human personalities. Through repeated contacts the person slowly turns their will over to these beings power until they can be possessed. Avenues such as seances, other contact with the occult, alcohol, drugs, controlling music, greed, weaken the resistance and help bring the natural barrier down.

In verse 32 Jesus’ finally enters the conversation with the one word reply, “Go!” “And He said to them, “Go!” And they came out and went into the swine, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea and perished in the waters.”

Jesus exercised His authority forcing this legion of demons [Roman legions were 6,000 men] to leave the men, and honoring their request to enter the pigs by not forbidding it. Notice once again the use of Jesus’ Word as the vehicle of authority. Matthew records only a single concise command, Go! That was sufficient for these beings of the spirit world. Such is the authority that Jesus possesses even over beings of great power and number.

[It is important for us to realize that the devil, while his power may excel ours, is not a second god in the world and in no way does his power match that of God’s. Furthermore, whatever the demons are as extensions of the devil’s power or influence, they are not to be feared when we know Christ. In any comparison with Him they are puny, and can be overcome in the name of Christ! [Augsburger, Myron S.; The Preacher's Commentary Series, Vol. 24: Matthew. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc, 1982, S. 18.]