No one compares to God. Certainly not Satan. God is to Satan like a gentle, soaking, life-giving rain to a raging flood that destroys everything in its path. Like summer sunshine on a cloudless day to midnight blackness during a violent thunderstorm. Like a crystal clear spring tumbling over a bed of jewels to a foul-smelling, scum-covered, stagnant pond. One day as I read the story in Luke of Jesus sending demons into a herd of pigs (Luke 8:26-39), I noticed several other contrasts. [Two other gospel authors also wrote of this event (Matthew 8:28-34; Mark 5:1-20).]
Jesus had just sailed across the lake and stepped onto shore when he encountered a demon-possessed man who had been living in the tombs for a long time. Jesus commanded the demons to leave the man. At their request, he sent them into a herd of pigs feeding on the hillside. The herd then ran down the bank into the lake and drowned. This story illustrates several clear distinctions between God and our enemy.
The enemy acts powerful, but God holds all the power.
The demon-possessed man was so violent that people had often chained his hands and feet and set guards to watch him around the clock. A man could not escape such a situation in his own strength. However, the power of the demons in this man always broke every one of the shackles and gave him the ability to fight his way through the guards. When Jesus met him, he could no longer be caught and bound. But where did that power really come from?
In Job 1:6-12, we are told that God put a hedge of protection around Job. Not until God gave Satan permission was he able to wreak his destruction in Job’s life. And he could do no more than what God specified. Satan has no power except what God allows.
As soon as Jesus appeared and ordered the demons out of the man, they cowered before him and begged him not to torture them. Even though demons take their orders from Satan, they know who really has the power. They know Jesus is the one who holds their fate in his hands. And they crumble at his name.
The enemy acts like he’s in charge, but God sits in the seat of authority.
The demons were in their element working their destruction in this man’s life. No one could stop them. That is, until Jesus came. In his presence, they lost their footing at the top of the ego ladder and bump-bump-bumped down every rung, landing in a quivering ball at Jesus’ feet where they repeatedly begged him not to send them into the Abyss.
The Abyss is written of in Revelation. It is a bottomless pit, a place of confinement where Satan and all his angels will be sealed off for a thousand years. Demons know this fate that awaits them. They also know Jesus has the power to send them anywhere he wants at any time, and these feared being sent to an early judgment. “As the devils have no other object than to prowl among men, like lions in search of prey, they are grieved at being plunged into the deep, where they will have no opportunity of injuring and ruining men” (Calvin’s Commentaries).
Not wanting to be deprived of their opportunities of destruction, they begged Jesus to let them go into a nearby herd of pigs. They didn’t seek help from their master, Satan. Instead they asked Jesus for permission. Demons recognize who sits in the seat of authority.
Jesus did grant their request. It’s comical to me. Jesus knew it wasn’t yet time for the demons to be sent to the Abyss, so he had no intention of doing that. I wonder if he pretended to think on it a bit before saying something like, “OK, have it your way.” Did they actually think they had put something over on him?
Regardless of how tough Satan and his demons may act, they are never in charge.
The enemy distorts our thinking, but God restores our mind.
The demon-possessed man was a madman. When he escaped his chains, he ran around wearing only undergarments in the tombs and hills where the demons had driven him. All day long, he shrieked in inarticulate cries and cut himself with stones. He no longer had control of his body or mind. Then Jesus commanded the demons to leave him. When people from town came to see what had happened, they found the man dressed and in his right mind, sitting at Jesus’ feet.
Today the enemy continues to influence our mind. By his lies, he enslaves us in fear (Hebrews 2:14-15) and tempts us away from what we know is right (1 Thessalonians 3:5). He steals the Word from us so we can’t align our mind with truth (Luke 8:12). The enemy will do anything to steer our thoughts contrary to God. He “has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God” (2 Corinthians 4:4).
“But we have the mind of Christ” (1 Corinthians 2:16) if we are believers, because we have received the Spirit of God. With the Spirit of God, we are able to know the thoughts of God (1 Corinthians 2:11). However, we are responsible for renewing our mind (Romans 12:2) by replacing the lies of the enemy with truth from God’s Word. As we do that, God can restore our mind.
The enemy isolates us, but God leads us into community.
After the demons empowered the possessed man to break free of his chains, they drove him “into solitary places.” The man “lived in the tombs,” cut off from contact with his family and former community. He had no one to talk with, no one to help him.
God created us for relationship, the most important one being with him. He wanted a people for himself whom he could live with and enjoy, and who would share in his work in this world. He chose the Israelites and said to them, “11I will put my dwelling place among you . . . 12I will walk among you and be your God, and you will be my people” (Leviticus 26:12).
God also created us to be in relationship with each other. During Creation “the Lord God said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him’” (Genesis 2:18). Together people can accomplish more, help each other through tough times, and protect each other (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12). God never meant for us to live life alone.
That’s why the enemy loves to isolate us. It can happen even if we are around people, when we don’t open ourselves up to meaningful relationships beyond “Hi, how you doin’?” We need a community of people who will encourage us, speak truth to us, and “spur one another on toward love and good deeds” (Hebrews 10:24). When the enemy isolates us, he separates us from the voices of truth and righteousness, making us vulnerable to his lies.
After Jesus freed the demon-possessed man from his bondage to the enemy, he sent him back to his home. There he rejoined community and was able to do the work he was created for, telling everyone in town what God had done for him.
This event from Jesus’ life illustrates sharp contrasts between God and Satan. The enemy has no power or authority of his own; God possesses it all. Also, while the enemy uses all of his resources to keep us from knowing God, God uses all of his resources to help us experience a healthy relationship with him.
Scripture quotations are from NIV.
Commentary notes are from Bible Hub. See Resources.
Brenda Murphy
March 29, 2022Wow, that’s powerful to be reminded of. Terry once said that satan hates us so much he’d strike us dead instantly if we didn’t walk in such powerful protection from God. I loved where you said this: “They didn’t seek help from their master, Satan. Instead they asked Jesus for permission. Demons recognize who sits in the seat of authority.” Ooh, that’s good!
bspencer
March 29, 2022Thank you, Brenda. Yes, satan would do anything to stop us from worshiping God.
I do love that the Gospel writers told us the demons begged Jesus for permission. It says so much about the demons and the one they serve.