The Demoniac of the Tombs

We come to an interesting account recorded for us in 3 out of the four gospels. It is this account of a demon possessed man. I struggled how much time to give to the subject of demons due to the main point of this passage is to show Jesus is superior to the power of darkness. Yet there seems to be so much wrong teaching and or as the case in most baptist churches almost no teaching on the subject of demons that I thought it prudent to dive briefly into the subject in order that you many have a better understanding of spiritual warfare.

Lets look at a few things from this account. The word “demon” is used 63 x in the new testament. It is defined as

Demon - (δαιμόνιον, daimonion). A supernatural being: a spirit, a divine force, a semi-divine being, an evil spirit, or a malevolent force.

Seal, D. (2016). Demon. In J. D. Barry, D. Bomar, D. R. Brown, R. Klippenstein, D. Mangum, C. Sinclair Wolcott, L. Wentz, E. Ritzema, & W. Widder (Eds.), The Lexham Bible Dictionary. Lexham Press.

They seemed to be subservient spirits to a even more powerful entity known as Beelzebul. This word comes from Canaanite Baal worship. He was the leader of baals or spirits. 2 Kings 1:2-3, Matthew 12:24-27

Several places in scripture we see reference to other powerful evil entities such as the Prince of Persia (Daniel 10:7-21) was able to delay the angel of the Lord for 21 days until Micheal came and supported him. It is also mentioned in this text that none of the other angels had the courage to support him except Michael. We see other references as well In Revelation 9 to Abaddon or Apollyon, the destroyer.

We see that these false gods or evil entities had real power as mentioned in the account of Moses. They had the power to turn the priests of Egypts rods into snakes.

For what ever reason over time there seems to be an association of demons to fallen angels, yet biblically its hard to argue that position.

We see through out scripture that angels are described as having one form or another.

While demons seem to be formless, yet often seeking to possess a form. We see this example in this account. The demons wanted to go from one body to another. Even preferring the bodies of pigs to the abyss.

The word “angel” means messenger while the Greek word “demon” seems to mean bodiless spirit.

We see in scripture that demons can cause illness and disease and mental disorders in those they possess.

There are two wrong extremes that often occur when approaching this subject. That all sickness and mental illness is a result of the demonic world. I would say many of our pentecostal/charismatic brothers struggle with this extreme

But we can easily see in scripture that not all of those Jesus healed had a demon.

The other extreme is just as dangerous when we believe that none of these maladies are caused by the demonic and we simply ignore the supernatural as a possibility.

We can get into the possible origins of demons another time , when we tackle the book of Genesis.

The point of me giving you all of this information is because western Christianity has by in large lost its ability to see the scripture in the way that it was intended through a supernatural lens.

When we approach a passage like this one we are often left unaffected because we think this is something that exist primarily in horror movies.

So does the demonic world exist today? Well Paul was sure certain about the reality of this realm in its opposition to Yahweh’s people.

Ephesians 6:12 CSB

12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this darkness, against evil, spiritual forces in the heavens.

Paul talked about these rulers and authorities that were not mere flesh and blood. The same type mentioned in Daniel with the prince of Persia and Revelation with Abbadon or Appolyon.

Don’t be fooled or lulled to sleep by the entertainment industry. These things are real. The fantasy genre, wizardry and witchcraft, vampires and lichen, and others have lulled american Christians into being comfortable with the occult.

Before you hang me for attacking a series most people love. I want to ask you this question.

If you were Satan, the deceiver , and you wanted to present the occult in a positive light in the minds of children and adults, and encourage their interest in it. How would you do it?

These things desensitize and change our perspective into believing the world of witchcraft, spirits, and demons is just make believe or worse yet encourage an interest in it. Either way the enemy wins.

Through out the Old Testament we see that God’s command was to drive out witchcraft form their land.

So with that understanding can you honestly say you believe that God is honored by our children’s heroes being those who practice sorcery and witchcraft? These things are darkness.

As we approach this passage of scripture today, I hope you can sense a darkness that is involved here. This is not a lighthearted passage of scripture, but rather gives us a very real account of the work of demons and a Savior that even they tremble before. This passage of scripture really is still answering the question from last week, “What manner of man is this?”

I. A Description of the Demon possessed man.

The three gospel accounts Matthew, Mark, and Luke give us different characteristics of the Demon- possessed man.

A. An obsession with death- all three accounts give us this picture that these demons preferred to live around the dead.

B. They were violent - Matthew 8:28

Matthew 8:28 CSB

28 When he had come to the other side, to the region of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men met him as they came out of the tombs. They were so violent that no one could pass that way.

C. Superhuman Strength Mark 5:4

Mark 5:4 CSB

4 because he often had been bound with shackles and chains, but had torn the chains apart and smashed the shackles. No one was strong enough to subdue him.

D. He was in absolute torment and self -destructive. Mark 5:5

Mark 5:5 CSB

5 Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains, he was always crying out and cutting himself with stones.

So these demons manifested their power over this man through violence, strength, crying out and cutting himself.

How often today do we hear about violent angry miserable people cutting themselves. It’s everywhere. I am not suggesting that each one is demon-possessed but rather many maybe influenced by these same type demonic spirits.

We are seeing the rise of demonic activity in our world today.

II. The Reactions of Jesus and the demons

Luke 8:28 CSB

28 When he saw Jesus, he cried out, fell down before him, and said in a loud voice, “What do you have to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, don’t torment me!”

A. He fell down before him.

This doesn’t seem to be out of reverence, but out of necessity..

Remember these are evil spirits who hate man and the work of Christ.

Have you ever seen a dog role over on its back and growl when in conflict with a bigger dog.

The dog does it not because he wants to but because he recognizes the dominance of the author dog.

In this way this demon-possessed man bows down but growls...

B. Look at the questions he asks Jesus

“What do you have to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?”

He is not asking Jesus how he might serve him, but rather stating the exact opposite. The demon spirits recognize the power of Jesus but hates him.

Picture a king from an enemy nation coming into your territory, For the moment you will obey to spare your life but your loyalty remains elsewhere. This is the situation we see in this passage.

C. We see they beg him not to throw them into the “Abyss”

This word “Abyss” is used several times in scripture. It is the abode of the dead. More specifically the abode of the condemned evil spirits. Revelation 9:1-2

Revelation 9:1–2 CSB

1 The fifth angel blew his trumpet, and I saw a star that had fallen from heaven to earth. The key for the shaft to the abyss was given to him. 2 He opened the shaft to the abyss, and smoke came up out of the shaft like smoke from a great furnace so that the sun and the air were darkened by the smoke from the shaft.

Revelation 9:11 CSB

11 They had as their king the angel of the abyss; his name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek he has the name Apollyon.

It is also most likely the place of torment mention in Jude 5-7

Jude 5–7 CSB

5 Now I want to remind you, although you came to know all these things once and for all, that Jesus saved a people out of Egypt and later destroyed those who did not believe; 6 and the angels who did not keep their own position but abandoned their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains in deep darkness for the judgment on the great day. 7 Likewise, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns committed sexual immorality and perversions, and serve as an example by undergoing the punishment of eternal fire.

Th demons begged Christ not to send them before the final judgement into the abyss with the angels who had commited sexual atrocities like Sodom and Gomorrah.

For whatever reason these demons have been allowed for a time to inhabit the earth and to continue afflict mankind.

So Jesus cast them out of this man into this herd of two-thousand pigs. These pigs run and jump into the sea. I believe these spirits were trying to hide from the presence of Christ.

III. The reaction of the village to the work of God

Luke 8:34–37 CSB

34 When the men who tended them saw what had happened, they ran off and reported it in the town and in the countryside. 35 Then people went out to see what had happened. They came to Jesus and found the man the demons had departed from, sitting at Jesus’s feet, dressed and in his right mind. And they were afraid. 36 Meanwhile, the eyewitnesses reported to them how the demon-possessed man was delivered. 37 Then all the people of the Gerasene region asked him to leave them, because they were gripped by great fear. So getting into the boat, he returned.

IV. The Reaction of the redeemed

Luke 8:38–39 CSB

38 The man from whom the demons had departed begged him earnestly to be with him. But he sent him away and said, 39 “Go back to your home, and tell all that God has done for you.” And off he went, proclaiming throughout the town how much Jesus had done for him.