David Bahn – Reflections

Mark 5:10-13

And [the demon] begged [Jesus] earnestly not to send them out of the country. ¹¹ Now a great herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, ¹² and they begged him, saying, “Send us to the pigs; let us enter them.” ¹³ So he gave them permission. And the unclean spirits came out and entered the pigs; and the herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the sea.

Jesus has just calmed the storm at sea and arrived on the other side, the country of the Gerasenes. Now met by a demon-possessed man he casts out the demon whose name was Legion. In a fit of demonic rage the demon(s) beg to be sent into a herd of pigs which rushes into the sea and drowns. It’s pretty clear that the demons did not make a good choice.

Evil always believes it knows better than God. That was true from the beginning. In the garden the serpent told Eve that God was holding out on her and Adam; that if they took the forbidden fruit they would be like God. Satan told them they would know good and evil – the sad assumption being that such knowledge was good. They determined to go a different path than obedient trust in God and sadly followed the deceptive path of Satan.

God’s ways and calling are eternally and essentially better. He sends us, shapes us, and calls us to places of favor and blessing. This is always true, but especially so in regard to Jesus’ healing and demon-freeing touch of the once demon-possessed man. Where are you willing to go these days? Will you follow where God leads you, or are you intent on finding your own willful path that leads only to destruction?

The choices in this encounter with Jesus are far more limited for the demons. But for us who know Jesus’ love and redemption the opportunities and choices before us lead in many directions. Putting ourselves into Jesus’ hands and going where he leads is always the best choice. For he leads to freedom, peace, and life.

Mark 5:1-13

They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes. ² And when Jesus had stepped out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit. ³ He lived among the tombs. And no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain, ⁴ for he had often been bound with shackles and chains, but he wrenched the chains apart, and he broke the shackles in pieces. No one had the strength to subdue him. ⁵ Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always crying out and cutting himself with stones. ⁶ And when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and fell down before him. ⁷ And crying out with a loud voice, he said, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me.” ⁸ For he was saying to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!” ⁹ And Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” He replied, “My name is Legion, for we are many.” ¹⁰ And he begged him earnestly not to send them out of the country. ¹¹ Now a great herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, ¹² and they begged him, saying, “Send us to the pigs; let us enter them.” ¹³ So he gave them permission. And the unclean spirits came out and entered the pigs; and the herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the sea.