Near that place there was a large herd of pigs feeding. The demons begged Jesus, "If you make us leave these men, please send us into that herd of pigs." Jesus said to them, "Go!" So the demons left those men and went into the pigs. Then the whole herd of pigs ran down the hill and into the lake. All the pigs drowned in the water.
- Matthew 8:30-32 (ERV)
THOUGHT:
Two truths are powerfully illustrated by these verses.
1. First, Jesus commands and demons must obey. He is superior to them. They cannot stand against him.
2. Second, the goal of the demonic world is to destroy. The plight of the men possessed -- unclothed, out of their mind, self-destructive, living in the place of the dead, isolated from people -- and the ultimate end of the herd of pigs both remind us that the demonic world, no matter how alluring or seductive or powerful, has as its goal our destruction.
The crucifixion of Jesus, which lies ahead, will be the place that Jesus' superiority will ultimately conflict with the demonic world's desire to destroy. For three days it appears as if the demonic world will win. Jesus' triumphant resurrection is the great reminder that he is Lord. He has the power to defeat every enemy. Our ultimate victory in Jesus is assured just as surely as their ultimate defeat is certain.
PRAYER:
Holy God, please give me wisdom to see through the temptations of Satan and the allure of the demonic world. Don't let me ever forget that Satan's ultimate desire for me is my complete physical, spiritual, and social destruction. Thank you for sending Jesus to absorb the demonic world's blows intended for me and to free me from the power of death forever. In the mighty name of Jesus, your Son and my Savior, I pray. Amen.
Related Scriptures:
Those children are people with physical bodies. So Jesus himself became like those people and had the same experiences people have. Jesus did this so that, by dying, he could destroy the one who has the power of death. That one is the devil. Jesus became like those people and died so that he could free them. They were like slaves all their lives because of their fear of death. - Hebrews 2:14-15
Then I saw heaven open. There before me was a white horse. The rider on the horse is called Faithful and True.
He is right in his judging and in making war.
His eyes are like burning fire.
He has many crowns on his head.
He has a name written on him, but he is the only one who knows the name. No other person knows the name.
He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood. His name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him. They were riding white horses. They were dressed in fine linen, white and clean. A sharp sword comes out of the rider's mouth. He will use this sword to defeat the nations.
He will rule the nations with a rod of iron. He will squeeze {the grapes} in the winepress of the terrible anger of God the All-Powerful. On his robe and on his leg was written this name: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS
Then I saw an angel standing in the sun. The angel said with a loud voice to all the birds flying in the sky, "Come together for the great supper of God. Come together so that you can eat the bodies of rulers and army commanders and famous men. Come to eat the bodies of the horses and their riders and the bodies of all people--free, slave, small, and great."
Then I saw the animal and the rulers of the earth. Their armies were gathered together to make war against the rider on the horse and his army. But the animal was captured. Also the false prophet was captured. This false prophet was the one who did the miracles for the animal. The false prophet had used these miracles to trick the people who had the mark of the animal and worshiped his idol. The false prophet and the animal were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. - Revelation 19:11-20
You died with Christ and were made free from the worthless rules of the world. So why do you act like you still belong to this world? I mean, why do you follow rules like these: - Colossians 2:20
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