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Mark 5:1-8
Jesus calmed the wind and the sea (Mark 4:35-41), and then, as they reached the other side of the sea and had gotten out of the boat, a man with an unclean spirit who had been living in the tombs came to meet Him (Mark 5:1-3a). The Bible describes this man (NKJV) as, “no one could bind him, not even with chains, because he had often been bound with shackles and chains. And the chains had been pulled apart by him, and the shackles broken in pieces; neither could anyone tame him. And always, night and day, he was in the mountains and in the tombs, crying out and cutting himself with stones” (Mark 5:3b-5).
This man was being tormented by an unclean/evil spirit for, what may have been, many years. He cried out day and night in so much pain, in reflection that he could not be contained by man as he broke the chains and shackles that he had been bound in. But an interesting thing takes place in Mark 5:6-8. This man, being tormented day and night by the demons inside him, came to Jesus and worshiped Him. He did not walk slowly in fear of Jesus to Him, but ran to Jesus and then as he met Him, the man worshiped Jesus. This physical man, while being overpowered by the demons inside him, was still yet able to run to Jesus for help. But then, after he pleaded his case with Jesus for help, the demonic forces within him took over and cried out to Jesus in contrast to the physical man’s plea, “What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore You by God that You do not torment me” (Mark 5:7). How is it then, that this man being tormented can cry out to Jesus in a loud voice and implore Jesus by God not to torment him? It is because it is the devil inside him that is speaking now. The demons know Jesus as they too are in the spiritual realm, and they know that Jesus has come to set this man free from them; they know that their time of tormenting this man is about to come to an end; they know that as they are more powerful than this physical man that they are tormenting, Jesus is more powerful than they. The tormentor is about to become the tormented. The tables are about to be turned on the wicked. The wisdom of King Solomon teaches us in Proverbs 10:2-3,
“Treasures of wickedness profit nothing,
But righteousness delivers from death.
The LORD will not allow the righteous
soul to famish,
But He casts away the desire of the
wicked.”
In Mark 5:8 the Bible teaches us why this demonic force was crying out to Jesus in a loud voice: “For He said to him, ‘come out of the man, unclean spirit!’”
This is an example and promise that man cannot overcome the possession of the devil and his army.
This is an example and promise that Jesus has the power to set us free from the chains and shackles of the devil.
Jesus proved His power over nature as He rebuked the wind and commanded the sea, “Peace, be still!” in Mark 4:39. Then, the next thing that Jesus does as they reach the shore, to a place in which we would consider as “safe place” from the sea, the devil attacks, and Jesus proves His power over Satan and his demons by commanding them to come out of a man – a man who came to Jesus crying out for help. And Jesus set him free from the spiritual demonic forces that controlled him. The Bible teaches us in Ephesians 6:10-13, “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” This statement made by the Apostle Paul leads us to Jesus in so many ways as even to the composition of the sentence as the rules of writing would indicate a comma after the word “Therefore”, but this statement is so direct and pointed at putting on the whole armor of God that the comma is left out, indicating no hesitation in the command, but a direct need for immediate action. It is important that we learn the importance of the lessons we study in the Bible. Even the man possessed by a legion of demons (as we will see in the next lesson) knew that He needed the help of a Savior to set him free from the torment he was experiencing – he knew that he needed Jesus, and he came running to Him for help. There is nothing more important in all our lives than that we run to Jesus for help – for salvation – for saving us from the wiles of the devil. Run to Jesus now and He will save you too!
Dear LORD,
Satan attacks us all and indwells us through the sinful nature of man whether we know it or not. Whether we want to admit it or not, the devil is active in this earthly world. Before we can run to You for help we must first come to a realization that we need help. Please help us to see that the torment we are facing in this world can be healed by the ultimate healer Jesus if we will run to Him and cry out for help over the voices that may be telling us not to. Please heal us LORD and save us from the torments of the devil as we put and keep our faith in our Savior Jesus whom You sent to save us from sin (John 3:16-17). In Jesus name I pray, amen.