Title: Greece conquering demons/Matthew 8:28-34
Content The word ghost seems to be related to people as an object of fear as a child and an interest through fear as an adult.
And there are so many different types of ghosts that people have experienced. There are maiden ghosts that I saw in the Cheonbul-dong valley of Seoraksan on a rainy day, there are ghosts that haunt drivers and lose their minds, and there are so many ghosts that I can't even count the number of ghosts and egg ghosts.
In today's generation, the structure of the human head has been tamed by scientific thinking and is unwilling to believe in the unseen, so ghosts are treated in soap operas and in ghost movies as a way to cool off a hot summer with horror. However, if you look at the Bible, you can see that demons exist, and that these demons are tormenting humans, unlike what we normally know.
I have also seen many people possessed by demons throughout my life of faith. A pitiful and pitiful figure who has completely lost human dignity, such as an attitude of no shame, red eyes, terrifying power, and a distressed expression. This is the figure of a person possessed by a ghost.
This demon doesn't listen to people. If the shaman makes a fuss, he leaves, and then he comes in again. It is the identity of a ghost that, if persistently tormented, destroys it.
However, in the Bible, we see demons trembling and unable to move at the words of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ commands the demons as a commander gives orders to his subordinates, and we see the demons obeying.
Today's Bible looks at the figure of Jesus Christ conquering demons. I hope the word will be a blessing.
I. Confessions of a Ghost
28-29 . And when Jesus went to the other side of the country of Garada, two demon-possessed men came out of the tombs and met Jesus, and they were so fierce that no one could pass by that road. Then they cried out, saying, What have you to do with us, Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the hour is come?
A. A person possessed by a demon in the Garada region
There are several roads leading to the beach in the Garada region, and the ending point of the road leads to a mountain. The area has a steep hill facing the lake, and ancient tombs are scattered around it. Among these tombs, there are small rooms or caves carved out of the rock walls of the cliff, and it is speculated that some of these tombs were used as dwellings for those who had been abandoned by the people.
This demon-possessed man is a maniac, who often likes to dwell in tombs and possesses fanatical powers. These symptoms are one of the symptoms of severe psychosis from a modern medical point of view.
Even today, demon-possessed people are medically helpless. The madness of this madman in the Bible is a chronic disease that cannot be defeated by any power, and only Jesus Christ can control it with his power.
B. ‘Son of God!’
The demons knew that Jesus was the Son of God. The Son of God refers to the divinity of Jesus, and is used as a nickname for the Messiah along with the Son of Man in the New Testament.
This is because the demons have clearly understood who Jesus is, and this confession is full of hatred and fear for Jesus.
The demons knew that Jesus was the Son of God before they even witnessed His power, which tells us that although they are demons, they have a spiritual eye.
C. Before the time comes
The ‘time’ spoken of by the demon-possessed person refers to the end of the world, and at that time Christ will return to judge the devil and cast him into the lake of fire.
Revelation 20:10 - And the devil who deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also, and they will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
At that time, not only the unbelievers, but also the disciples did not yet know the identity and work of Jesus, so this knowledge of the devil is only surprising.
But this simple knowledge is not faith. This demon's second confession reveals that the time of eternal destruction is coming and proves most perfectly that Jesus will be the Judge in the end times and that he is the Son of God.
II. devil's supplication
31-32 - The demons begged Jesus, saying, If you take us out, let us go into the herd of pigs.
A. Demon's supplication
The demons begged Jesus to bring them into the herd before He judged them. The demons had already been driven out and were going to be punished, so they tried to enter the beast.
For demons, living outside the body, whether human or beast, seems to have been a great pain.
In any case, we need to pay attention to what the devil prayed to Jesus. This shows that the devil's activities are ultimately under the sovereignty of God, and it proves that even the devil acknowledged the authority of Jesus. The purpose of the demons' supplication is to enter the herd of pigs out of hatred of God's creation and cause the death of the animals. By destroying the herd of pigs, the precious property of the local people, they hate and reject Jesus in the hearts of those people. It was meant to arouse thought.
As such, the supplications of demons belonging to evil spirits are selfish and destructive.
In the end, the evil person only plans evil things and produces only evil results. The saints also offer many supplications before God. However, if that request is human and worldly, it is no different from that of a demon.
Therefore, God's people must become people of the Holy Spirit, people of precious faith who offer only good petitions to God that are in line with God's will and produce beautiful results. The prayers of the saints must be a beautiful sacrifice and fragrance that God can incense. It is God's will for us.
B. Jesus' permission
Also, it is visible evidence that the demons actually went out of the person, and it is implied with the intention of confirming the faith of the two men who were healed. As the Son of God, Jesus rules the world of all evil spirits.
III. ghost's end
32-34- He said to them to go, and the demons came out and entered the pigs. The whole herd ran down the slope into the sea and was drowned in the water. But the strikers fled and entered the brook and reported all these things and of the man possessed by demons. The whole brook went out to meet Jesus, saw him, and begged him to leave the country.
A. The extinction of the herd of pigs
The end of the demons resulted in the destruction of other people's property. It is unclear whether the owner of the pig was a Jew or a Gentile. Jews did not eat unclean meat, including pork. And the Decapolis was remarkably inhabited by Gentiles. So, the owner of the pig is most likely a Gentile, or maybe a Jew who is greedy for raising pigs to sell to strangers.
In any case, it is true that he did not do anything wrong in the person of Jesus Christ. Also, God's work is often incomprehensible by human standards.
This miracle is the miracle that Jesus subdued the storm in the sea and then healed the storm in man. The extinction of the herd of pigs is a sure sign that the ghost has departed from the man, and he learns that the two of them are worth more than many pigs.
If the owner was a Jew, this could be seen as a punishment for his anti-legal behavior. In any case, this event originated from and fulfilled the good intentions of Jesus Christ.
Through this work, Jesus Christ saved a life that is more precious than the world.
B. Asking Jesus to Leave
The people of the land were afraid of this and asked Jesus to leave their country. They were afraid of the power of Jesus. The pig herders were frightened of Jesus' power and at the loss of the pig's death, so they fled, went into the city, and told the people about this, and also told the owner of the pig.
They were afraid of the divine power of Jesus, and they were afraid that they would cause any further loss, so they begged him to leave. Surely they couldn't bear Jesus. Those who live only on material victories and on superstitious beliefs are not truly worthy of the Savior.
They only regretted the death of the pigs they owned, not interested in healing the demon-possessed. They were blinded by the riches in front of them and did not realize at all the wonderful work of salvation that Jesus performed.
Saints should know that bathing in water can lead to eternal death.