Good evening. Great is His faithfulness.
Luke 8:26-39
A Demon-Possessed Man Healed
26 Then they sailed to the country of the [a]Gadarenes, which is opposite Galilee. 27 And when He stepped out on the land, there met Him a certain man from the city who had demons [b]for a long time. And he wore no clothes, nor did he live in a house but in the tombs. 28 When he saw Jesus, he cried out, fell down before Him, and with a loud voice said, “What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You, do not torment me!” 29 For He had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For it had often seized him, and he was kept under guard, bound with chains and shackles; and he broke the bonds and was driven by the demon into the wilderness.
30 Jesus asked him, saying, “What is your name?”
And he said, “Legion,” because many demons had entered him. 31 And they begged Him that He would not command them to go out into the abyss.
32 Now a herd of many swine was feeding there on the mountain. So they begged Him that He would permit them to enter them. And He permitted them. 33 Then the demons went out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd ran violently down the steep place into the lake and drowned.
34 When those who fed them saw what had happened, they fled and told it in the city and in the country. 35 Then they went out to see what had happened, and came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid. 36 They also who had seen it told them by what means he who had been demon-possessed was [c]healed. 37 Then the whole multitude of the surrounding region of the [d]Gadarenes asked Him to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear. And He got into the boat and returned.
38 Now the man from whom the demons had departed begged Him that he might be with Him. But Jesus sent him away, saying, 39 “Return to your own house, and tell what great things God has done for you.” And he went his way and proclaimed throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him.
The demons are recognizing Jesus as the Son of God, and are surprised that their power is being terminated before the time their appointed time of the last judgment. The demons can do nothing against the Will of God, and can only enter the swine at Christ's command. With the immediate destruction of the herd shows that the men had been protected by God's care.
v.33: THE SWINE: Some teach that the presence of the swine indicates the Gentile population: However our Lord forbade His disciples to go to Gentiles (Matthew 10:5): and was Himself reluctant to seek out the Gentiles (Matthew 15:24), the Jews most likely engaged in sinful occupation (see, also Matthew 4:15, and notes): THE DESTRUCTION OF THE ENTIRE HERD REVEALS: (1): Animals are a venerable part of creation, man is of far greater value; (2): Christ removes a source of sin, for swine herding was an abomination to the Jews (Dt 14:8); (3): DEMONS: have no power over creation, but are also subject to the will of God- they could only enter the swine at the command and permission of Christ; (4): People are protected under God's providence-otherwise the demon-possessed man would and could have come to the same end as the swine; (5): The magnitude of the economic loss would remain as a sign for the hardhearted people who fled that region (v. 34):
Matthew 10:15: 15 Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!
Matthew 15:24: 24 But He answered and said, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
Matthew 4:15: “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali,
By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan,
Galilee of the Gentiles:
Deuteronomy 14:8: 8 Also the swine is unclean for you, because it has cloven hooves, yet does not chew the cud; you shall not eat their flesh or touch their dead carcasses.
Prayer focus from the devotional
Spend time praising Jesus for who He is, what He's done, and for His powerful and available saving grace. Then ask for courage to remain in His sin exposing light.
Moving Forward questions from the devotional
What parts of your heart or life do you work hard to hide? Today I shared a few struggles see my video.
How do you respond to the light of Jesus? Do you shrink from it when you fail? Are you reluctant to give up the things that don't honor HIM? Do you welcome Him even if it means exposure or change?
I respond to the light of Jesus with joy and a hunger wanting more . Yes when I feel I have failed Him of course I shrink, I shrink because I'm up disappointed with myself. I'm not reluctant to give up anything He is my Redeemer, I'm His. I will always welcome Jesus I'm not ashamed of His ways, He is the truth the way the Light out of darkness. My video has more discussion.
In what ways can you pursue Jesus' presence more today? Stay the course I'm on never stop my teachings and my studies share it all with the world. Witness to Hus greatness.
Numbers 6:24-26
“The Lord bless you and keep you;
25 The Lord make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
26 The Lord [a]lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace.” ’
In Christ love Jared W Campbell
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