Bible Lesson: Miracles Of Jesus; Demoniac Of Gadara Cured.
Bible Location: Gergesa (East side of Galilee.)
(Most of this story has already been covered under the blog: Demoniacs Of Gadara be sure to go and read it.
Bible Text: Mark (Preface: 4:35-41)5:1-20 KJV (Matthew 8:28-34/ Luke 8:26-40 KJV)
1 And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes.
2 And when He was come out of the ship, immediately there met Him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit,
3 Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains:
4 Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him.
5 And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones.
6 But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshiped him,
7 And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the Most High God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not.
8 For He said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit.
9 And He asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, my name is Legion: for we are many.
10 And he besought Him much that He would not send them away out of the country.
11 Now there was there nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine feeding.
12 And all the devils besought Him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them.
13 And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, (they were about two thousand;) and were choked in the sea.
14 And they that fed the swine fled, and told it in the city, and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that was done.
15 And they come to Jesus, and see him that was possessed with the devil, and had the legion, sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid.
16 And they that saw it told them how it befell to him that was possessed with the devil, and also concerning the swine.
17 And they began to pray Him to depart out of their coasts.
18 And when He was come into the ship, he that had been possessed with the devil prayed Him that he might be with Him.
19 Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee.
20 And he departed, and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men did marvel.
Mark 4:35-41 (if you have not read this happening just before our Lord's arriving at Gadara, stop and read this first.) Look for this story under Miracles Of Jesus-Tempest Calmed .
Mark 5:1 KJV
And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes.
Satan, had done his best to capsize our Lord and His disciples, midst the sea of Galilee. He knew only to well what a testimony the Gadarene, would have, once delivered.
Dear Christian friend, when God has called you to do something, and the evil one comes out against you, how flattering to know by his actions, that your potential to do good for the Kingdom of God is great, so much so that he has come out against you, to dissuade you!
Mark 4:39 KJV
And He arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.
Have faith in God, and He will do the same for you!
Mark 5:2-5 KJV
2 And when He was come out of the ship, immediately there met Him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit,
3 Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains:
4 Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him.
5 And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones.
First of all, let us make an interesting observation.
There are some 17 references to the unclean spirit being one, and again, some 4 as being many (as many as a legion, which was a subdivision of the Roman army, which could be as many as 6,ooo soldiers, we later learn in this case, 2,000 unclean spirits (Mark 5:13),
possessing this man.)
Marks of the possessed man:
* Possessed with a legion of unclean spirits.
* Lived among the tombs/ A melancholy spirit that savored the things of sadness, depression,
and death.
* Could not be bound, not even with chains, super human strength. Ask any law enforcement
officer who has been on the job for awhile, he will tell you, the super human strength of some
criminals.
* Day and night, this man knew “no,” rest.
* Day and night among the tombs with the preoccupation of death.
* Day and night, crying, and why? Answer, Mark 5:7, facing coming judgment.
* Day and night cutting himself, Why? Satan hates mankind, every time Satan looks at man, he
sees God, for mankind, though fallen, has been created in the image of God.
The wicked, know no rest:
Isaiah 48:22 KJV
There is no peace, saith the LORD, unto the wicked.
Isaiah 57:20,21 KJV
20 But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt.
21 There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.
Jude 13 KJV
Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.
This pastor can't help but read this definition, and think of some of the rock and roll groups in this world today. Body piercing and tattooing their bodies , all one would have to do is to take this description and read it when looking at their pictures, or listen to their wailing laments of their chains of sin.
Oh, if only the liberated demoniac of Gadra, could but come and speak!
Mark 5:6-8 KJV
6 But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshiped him,
7 And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the Most High God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not.
8 For He said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit.
The possessed man, ran to meet Jesus.
James 2:19 KJV
Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
Evil spirits, may be evil, but they are not idiots, they knew only too well that Jesus is God's Son.
And they begged Jesus, for His mercy, not to be sent to their punishment before their time.
Only evil man, has no fear of judgment, refusing to bow and confess that Jesus is the Christ, the very eternal Son of God.
Mark 5:9-13 KJV
9 And He asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, my name is Legion: for we are many.
10 And he besought Him much that He would not send them away out of the country.
11 Now there was there nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine feeding.
12 And all the devils besought Him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them.
13 And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, (they were about two thousand;) and were choked in the sea.
The unclean spirits being many (Only one of Satan's many, many armies), yet spoke with one voice.
They begged to be sent into the nearby herd of swine.
Would Jesus, condescend to a host of evil, albeit beseeching spirits? …......
Yes.
These spirits already had reserved for them a time and place at God's Great White Throne Judgment.
Condemned already, as being evil, and yet, Jesus the merciful God that He is, permitted the spirits to go into the swine. Better the death of swine than men.
Psalm 108:4 KJV
For thy mercy is great above the heavens: and thy truth reacheth unto the clouds.
The unclean spirits having possessed the swine, drove them down into the sea, and drown them.
John 8:44 KJV (Jesus told the unbelieving Jews.)
Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
John 10:10 KJV (Jesus said.)
The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
Mark 5:14-17 KJV
14 And they that fed the swine fled, and told it in the city, and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that was done.
15 And they come to Jesus, and see him that was possessed with the devil, and had the legion, sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid.
16 And they that saw it told them how it befell to him that was possessed with the devil, and also concerning the swine.
17 And they began to pray Him to depart out of their coasts.
A person liberated from possessing evil spirits, knows peace, modesty, and sanity!
The swine owners, were both frightened, and angry, “leave our coasts,” they reprimanded Jesus, considering the lost swine of more valuable, than the delivered demoniac, or the Lord of Glory.
And the heart of lost men today, is certainly no less evil.
Mark 5:18-20 KJV
18 And when He was come into the ship, he that had been possessed with the devil prayed Him that he might be with Him.
19 Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee.
20 And he departed, and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men did marvel.
After Jesus had entered the ship with His disciples to leave, the former demoniac/ Legion, begged the Lord, to be able to go with Him, in essence, become one of His disciples.
Jesus' reply was no, and the reason was, he was to tell his story to all his former friends, who would behold a miracle in the flesh.
And the good news of the gospel dear friend, is that our Lord still delivers from the yoke of the enemy today!
Isaiah 42:6,7 KJV
6 I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee...
7 To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.
Isaiah 58:6-9 KJV
6 Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?
7 Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?
8 Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the Glory of the LORD shall be thy reward.
9 Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and He shall say, Here I am...
Isaiah 61:1 KJV
The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me; because the LORD hath anointed Me to preach good tidings unto the meek; He hath sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;
Mark 16:18 KJV
They...shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
Luke 4:18 KJV
The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He hath anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He hath sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
Luke 10:19 KJV
Behold, I give unto you power...over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
