Our Front Row Seat To Divine Deliverance

*William McDonald pointed out that "the Lord has often been criticized for causing the destruction of these pigs." (4)

*But John Gill explained that "if the owners were Jews, and these creatures were brought up by them for food, it was a just punishment of their breaking the law of God." And if the owners were Gentiles, it was to show "the malice of the evil spirits, who would have done the same thing to the owners if they could." It was also to show the power of Christ to cast out the demons, and it could have helped spread the fame of this miracle." (5)

*I really like the way William McDonald summed this issue up. He said: "If we knew as much as Jesus knew, -- we would have acted exactly the same way He did." (4)

[2] But the Lord is mysterious. And He is miraculous.

*Do you think Jesus was afraid of those demons? -- Not for a second. Did Jesus have to go into training to work up the courage and strength to cast them out? -- Of course not. He is Lord of all! So in vs. 8, Jesus firmly said: "Come out of the man, unclean spirit!''

*And in vs. 13, after the demons begged Jesus to send them into the swine, "Jesus gave them permission." They couldn't make a single move without His permission. He is Lord of all!

[3] Jesus is miraculous. And He is merciful.

*Understand that this demon-possessed man had a big part in his own possession. By worshiping the false gods of other religions, he was worshiping demons.

*Listen to the way Paul explained this in 1 Corinthians 10:19-20. Paul was speaking to Christians, and began with a question:

19. What am I saying then? That an idol is anything, or what is offered to idols is anything?

20. But I say that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to demons and not to God, and I do not want you to have fellowship with demons.

*David Yarbrough pointed out that this demon-possessed man "didn't just wake up one morning and say: 'Hey, I'm demon possessed.' This wasn't something he was born with. -- Or something that he just came down with (like the flu or a cold). Somewhere in this man's life, he made a conscious decision that he wanted to be free. He wanted to be free of God's influence. He wanted to be free from the restrictions and responsibilities of life. He wanted to be free to do what HE wanted to do.

*And now, (in a way), he is free. No shackle can bind him. No chain can hold him. He's no longer bound by social conventions that tell him how to dress and how to behave. He has no responsibilities to society, because society no longer wants him. He has become free. . ." (1)

*Tragically, the freedom he sought led him to the worst kind of slavery. But Jesus Christ is full of mercy and compassion! Jesus saved that man who could never have saved Himself. But Christian, the same is true for you, for me, and for everyone who believes in the Lord Jesus Christ!

*Hebrews 7 tells us that Jesus:

25. . . is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He ever lives to make intercession for them.

26. For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens;