In Mark chapter 5 we read the story of a demon possessed man from the country of the Gadarenes. This man lived in the cemetery, seemed to be exceptionally strong because chains could not bind him, and day and night he was yelling and cutting himself. He led a completely uncontrolled and undisciplined life. He lived a lonely life. People tried to help him by binding him with chains but they could not. Satan's power over the man was complete. He even went so far as to harm himself by cutting.
Today we see so many people living similarly. They are lonely, no one seems to be able to help them, they are filled with anger and sadly they often resort to self-harm. They may not all be demon possessed, but they definitely have one thing in common. They lack God.
As soon as the man saw Jesus he ran towards Him. He even acknowledged that Jesus was the Son of God. The demons in Hell know who God is. Acknowledging that Jesus is the Son of God does not make one a Christian. Even running after Jesus does not. It is the Holy Spirit who changes us and makes us one with Christ. This demon possessed man is about to find this out.
The man runs toward Jesus, but then also asks Jesus not to torment him. He is torn between the One who can save him from the demons, who he knows is the Son of God, and serving the one who possesses him. Satan is powerful, but not more powerful than the voice of our Lord. Jesus commands the unclean spirit to "come out of the man". And then Jesus asks the spirit his name, to which the demon possessed man replies, "Legion".
A legion was a Roman military unit consisting usually of about 5200 men. It was well organized, effective and feared. The demonic spirit is trying to intimidate Jesus. Look at us it seems to say, we are too strong for you, too organized and too many. What can you do to us? But the unclean spirit also knows who is in charge now. Jesus has confronted them and they know they will have to give up this body they have inhabited.
The unclean spirit begs Jesus to be sent into the herd of 2,000 pigs nearby. To the people of Israel the pig was an unclean animal. A perfect place for an unclean spirit to want to dwell. The fact that someone was raising pigs in the area is evidence that the man lived among Gentiles. Jesus is about to show people that His ministry was not just to the Jews.
The unclean spirits had no foreknowledge of their impending doom. They did not know that the pigs would be driven crazy and would all rush off of a cliff into the sea. The man was delivered! The demons were gone. His deliverer, his transformer, his Savior was our Lord.
The people that had seen this miracle then went out telling others about the wonderful fact that this man had his life back. That Jesus had saved him from this life of torture, self-loathing and anger, but they also told about the destruction of the swine. The people who heard the story had an odd reaction. They asked Jesus to leave their country. Perhaps they were afraid of what happened, not understanding this power that Jesus had. More likely though, as impressive as the transformed life of the demon possessed man was, they mourned the loss of their income. The pigs were dead. These people apparently placed money before everything. Seeing where their hearts lay, Jesus left.
Where are our hearts? When God asks something hard from us, perhaps something that causes us to lose our financial security, how do we respond? Do we just wish Jesus would go away and quit bothering us? Be careful, because you might get your wish.
The formerly demon possessed man had the opposite reaction. He wanted to stay near to His Savior. He wanted to be in a safe place where He could experience Jesus's love on a daily basis, first hand. What does Jesus say, "No". Why? Because He had a task for the man. In Mark 5: 19(b) Jesus tells him, “Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you.”
Jesus wants the man to spread the good news. He wants him to be a testimony. The man obeys our Lord. It would have been much easier for him to stay with the Lord, but Jesus sends him out into the world to share His story. We are told in Psalm 105: 1-2:
"Oh, give thanks to the Lord! Call upon His name; Make known His deeds among the peoples! Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him; Talk of all His wondrous works!"
The man proceeds to share the compassion of Jesus towards him, and the complete transformation of his life with others. The scripture says he told his story in "Decapolis", literally ten gentile cities in the area. What was the result of this? The people "marveled" at his news. This is the first time in the book of Mark that we see Jesus encouraging someone to share their story of healing and restoration, and it is an area of Gentiles.
Later on in Mark 7 we see Jesus returning to the Decapolis, healing a deaf person and restoring their speech. It then says that they were "astonished beyond measure". No doubt the man's story had spread and people had become more open to the Lord.
"Great multitudes followed Him—from Galilee, and from Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan." Matthew 4: 25
What a magnificent story of victory this man had. His story was instrumental in spreading the word to the gentiles thanks to his obedience to Jesus. What magnificent story of the Lord's compassion do you have that He would have you share?
Comments