11 Now there was a large herd of swine feeding nearby on the mountain. 12 The demons implored Him, saying, “Send us into the swine so that we may enter them.” 13 Jesus gave them permission. And coming out, the unclean spirits entered the swine; and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea, about two thousand of them; and they were drowned in the sea.
Message: Legion Destroys some Swine
Time: Mark's personal connection with Peter gave him the source material for this book. This book was composed probably between AD 57 and AD 59. It's a book that is on the move, leading to the cross. 39 times is the word 'immediately' used. Mark reveals Jesus as God's servant, reaching into the lives of people and effecting physical and circumstantial change.
What the Lord is Saying:
I continue these lessons on Jesus and his encounter with Legion, one of the demons. And Legion's encounter with Jesus. Legion wants nothing to do with Jesus. He know that Jesus is the Son of the Most High God. He knows that Jesus has control over where Legion is allowed to be. Legion is not interested in submitting, naturally, to Jesus so he doesn't want to be tormented by Jesus. He wants to keep his freedom to go wherever and doesn't want to have to go outside of where they are now. It is also noteworthy to realize that Legion inhabits a person. And yet, the person rarely is speaking in this account. I wonder, are there people that we deal with frequently where the demon in them is what is speaking most of the time. I'm speaking to a man right now in Greece regularly, by email, and I notice that rational reasoning is not what he is interested in. He is defending his behavior, stating that it is based upon feeling, not a standard of the Word of God and he is imploring me to be guided by my feelings instead of my faith in God. He is not interested in submitting to a God if that God would have him live in a different way than he is living. Am I really speaking to this man or rather a demon inside of him? There is another man I've spoken to in London and despite all attempts to reason with this man, his feet are almost like in cement and he will not consider anything beyond what he wants to understand.
It simply makes me wonder at times, do I consider that people have perhaps been inhabited by a demon. I believe the Spirit of God is in me. Jesus said that the Spirit would come to dwell in me, in his followers. There are definitely many times that my responses are not selfish, but instead glorifying to my creator. That is the Spirit in me. That is not my natural self speaking. Thus, there is a contrast in life - one lives by the Spirit, one lives by a demon.
In verse 9, Jesus takes the unclean, demon out of the man. But where did Legion and his other demons end up?
On the scene, in this passage is a large herd of swine feeding nearby on the mountain. For the Jews, pigs are unclean. In Leviticus 11:7-8 it says, the pig does not chew cud, it is unclean to you. You shall not eat of their flesh nor touch their carcasses; they are unclean to you. Thus, no Jewish farmer would keep swine. And here, per verse 13, states there are about two thousand.
It is here where the demons implored Jesus to send them saying, "Send us into the swine so that we may enter them." Jesus gave them permission. And coming out of the man, the unclean spirits entered the swine and the herd of swine rushed down the steep bank into the sea and they were drowned in the sea.
The mission of Legion and his dominion was death and destruction. Perhaps Jesus wanted the people to see this. Demons are not something to mess around with. In our world, people have become very friendly to creatures similar to demons - vampires, zombies, pirates -- many creatures of death and destruction. We have TV shows and movies that mirror sorcery and magic. Are we dancing with danger? We call it all harmless but are we allowing this evil in subtle ways into our lives because we love entertainment? I wonder. There is so much good in life, but instead we like to walk on the wild side.
Also, there was an exchange of life here. The demon came out of the man and entered the swine and the swine perished. One man lived and two thousand swine died. Perhaps Jesus also wants to show us that there is value in each person. people are more important than animals. Human life is supremely more powerful. This doesn't mean we don't have to care for animals, but in the long run, the human is more important. One lost person saved is worth the death of many animals.
Promise: Scripture exhorts us to care for animals and not to be cruel to them. Yet, their worth, per the Bible is not on the same level as humanity. We "are of more value than many sparrows" Matthew 10:31.
Prayer: Lord, you remind me once again the importance of human life. You also remind me that we need to be people of God and choose righteous ways and living. We have a myriad of choices in our life for how we spend our time. Lord, help me to spend it wisely and on things that honor you. Thank you for the wholesome entertainment I do have at my disposal, when I do need a rest. Help the people of God to not dance with danger. Instead center us on your Word Lord and help us to voice it in our lives as we engage with people. I want people to see the real me. I want to be the same person inside my home as I am outside my home. Draw people to You Lord.
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