Talking about demons usually goes to two extremes. Some people think there’s “a demon behind every door,” as the old saying goes. Others deny that demons exist at all.
Jesus didn’t take the reality of demons lightly. He confronted them and conquered them through the power of the Holy Spirit. The account of one of His many exorcisms provides us with excellent insight into demons and God’s power.
Ministry to the Gentiles
The Gospel of Matthew reveals God’s love for all of humanity in many ways. The healing of the Roman centurion’s servant is a good illustration, and now we find another example of healing in Gentile territory.
When he came to the other side, to the region of the Gadarenes, two men possessed by demons came out of the tombs and met him. They were so fierce that no one could pass that way.
Suddenly they shouted, “What have you to do with us, Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?” (Matthew 8:28-29).
The devil and his demons are unable to injure God. The way they attempt to harm God is by making life miserable for humans. The two men who were controlled by the demons made life difficult for an entire region.
Peter Baker is a well-respected journalist. He reported this week that the average life span of a new Russian recruit is under an hour once they reach the front line. There are around 40,000 Russian casualties each month in a war that seems unwinnable.
Is it possible that demons are controlling Putin, who is being used as a tool to bring great harm upon the nation he is entrusted to serve? Look around the world and witness the horrors that are being committed by warring nations. Is it possible that men who dress in suits and sound so convincing on TV are actually agents of demons, bringing harm to entire nations?
Whether you answer “yes,” “no,” or “I don’t know” to these questions, demons are real, and their intent is to kill, steal, and destroy humans (John 10:10).
It is ironic that the demons who caused such distress to two men and a community didn’t want to suffer themselves. Isn’t that the nature of evil men and evil powers? They don’t mind hurting others, but do everything in their power to escape pain themselves.
Pigs Don’t Like Demons
The demons, who had no mercy on the two men or the community they terrorized, wanted mercy for themselves. Jesus gave them their wish, but with a different outcome than the demons assumed.
Now a large herd of swine was feeding at some distance from them. The demons begged him, “If you cast us out, send us into the herd of swine.”
And he said to them, “Go!” So they came out and entered the swine, and suddenly, the whole herd stampeded down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the water (Matthew 8:30-32).
One of my friends worked in Poland and used that opportunity to tour historic places. He took his dog to one of Hitler’s bunkers. As they approached, the dog became very agitated and refused to enter the bunker. His dog, like the pigs, sensed evil and responded accordingly.
Pigs and dogs have something to teach humans about the demonic. We would do well to follow their example and refrain from any activity that may put us under their influence.
The First Missionaries
The good people of the Gadarenes cared more about their pigs than the fact that Jesus had healed two men who disturbed the entire region. They acted accordingly.
The swineherds ran off, and, going into the town, they told the whole story about what had happened to the men possessed by demons.
Then the whole town came out to meet Jesus, and when they saw him they begged him to leave their region (Matthew 8:33-34).
The Gospel of Mark has an interesting conclusion to this account. Once set free from demons, the man wanted to go with Jesus. Jesus didn’t let him come with the other disciples, but sent him off as the first missionary.
As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed by demons begged him that he might be with him.
But Jesus refused and said to him, “Go home to your own people, and tell them how much the Lord has done for you and what mercy he has shown you” (Mark 5:18-19).
Scholars discuss why Matthew had two demonized men and Mark recorded only one. I am not able to solve that discussion, but I rejoice with you that the power of God turns humans captured by evil and evil powers into His servants.
Praise God! Many people who once terrorized communities become proclaimers of God’s love, power, and grace.
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross, Bruce Kirby, and I discussed this passage on YouTube today.
Real Voices 