 King James Version (KJV) 43When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. 44Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. 45Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation. REFLECTIONS We are being warned that returning to a past bondage from which we were once delivered results in deeper bondage. Jesus’ teaching specifically applies to the emptiness of Judaism in substituting reformation for regeneration. Sometimes unclean spirits is not a topic we want to talk about. It makes us uncomfortable. And uncomfortable as it is, we really do need to talk about them. They exist and not talking about it will not do us any good. The devil in this parable is called the unclean spirit, for he has lost all his purity, and delights in and promotes all manner of impurity among men. Let’s go back to some basic Bible lessons to learn a bit more. Angels are creatures that we cannot usually see. Before Almighty God created human people, He created the angels, and they have lived with God in the heavens for a long time. Angels also sometimes come to earth, and they could be standing right beside you and you wouldn't know it. Most angels are very good and do what God tells them to do. When God wants to tell a person something, He often sends some of these good angels to talk to him or her. Unfortunately, some angels don't obey God, and they listen to a really bad angel named Satan. These bad angels are called demons. Satan is jealous of God's love for us. Sometimes he will send his bad angels to make people sick or make them act crazy.  As believers, we must remember that Jesus is mightier and superior of all the angels. He teaches us how to live in a way that the demons can't control us. He is always nearby so that we can call to Him if we get into trouble. The Bible also tells us that when Jesus was on earth, He sent demons away from many people who were bothered by them. Here in this parable, we learn of Satan possessing men’s bodies: Christ having lately cast out a devil, and they having said he had a devil, gave occasion to show how much they were under the power of Satan. This is a further proof that Christ did not cast out devils by compact with the devil, for then he would soon have returned again; but Christ’s driving out of him was final, and such as barred a re-entry: we find him charging the evil spirit to go out, and enter no more, Mark 9:25. Probably the devil had a habit of tormenting those he had possession of; he would go out, and then return again with more fury; hence the lucid intervals of those in that condition were commonly followed with the more violent fits. When the devil is gone out, he is uneasy, for he sleeps not except he have done mischief (Prov. 4:16); he walks in dry places, like one that is very despondent; he seeks rest but finds none, till he returns again. When Christ cast the legion out of the man, they begged leave to enter into the swine, where they went not long in dry places, but into the lake presently. read text version Let us pray, “Not with standing the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion”.2 Timothy 4:17  Janet ThomasFounder/CEO Bible Stories Theatre of Fine & Performing Arts |
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