“I am legion, for we are many.” This admission by the demon-possessed man in Mark 5:9 (see also Luke 8) is part of one of the most well-known healing stories in the Bible. “This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain. For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him. Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones.(verses 3-5).
The word “legion” comes from the Latin word, “Legio.” Legion is “a regiment of the Roman army. It originally consisted of three thousand men, but in the time of Christ consisted of six thousand, exclusive of horsemen, who were in number a tenth of the foot-men. The word is used (Matthew 26:53 ; Mark 5:9) to express simply “a great multitude.” Clearly this man was possessed by many demons. The ruler of the multitude of demons, who was the spokesman for all of them, wanted to make sure Jesus knew how powerful they were and what total control they had of the man.
Despite the legion of demons having such power and control over the man, they were powerless in the presence of Christ. The legion of demons begged Jesus not to send them away. Why, exactly, did they do this? Is there a place that they don’t want to go? If so, where?
Matthew 12:43-45 sheds light on this. “When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, but finds none. Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when it comes, it finds the house empty, swept, and put in order. Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there, and the last state of that person is worse than the first. So also will it be with this evil generation.” “Waterless places” refers to desert-like conditions which don’t support life. No one would want to live there. It is a place of banishment and punishment. Instead of going there the demons want a new host – the pigs. Demons want to indwell people. If they can’t, they will indwell animals instead.
When Jesus allowed this, the demons entered the pigs and, sensing the awful evil presence now living in them, they become self-destructive and drowned themselves. Demons bring destruction and self-destruction to whoever is open to them. I wonder if that might account for whales, very advanced mammals, that beach themselves for no known reason.
We learn several truths from this. Obviously demons must obey Jesus, no matter how numerous or powerful they are. Demons are destructive, but God’s people are protected – not from attack but from being overwhelmed by the attack. Satan had to have God’s approval each time he attacked Job (Job 1-2). It’s very reassuring to know all our attacks are Father-filtered. God only allows those which are for our growth and His glory.
We certainly see that in the man who was delivered from this legion of demons. He was immediately and totally freed in the sight of those who knew him. God was glorified. He proclaimed Christ to those in that whole area. A little while later, when Jesus returned to that same place, He found many people open to His message and ready to follow Him (Mark 7:31-37). That hadn’t been the case in other places He went, but here the testimony of the healed man prepared the hearts of the people to respond to Jesus’ message.
Even if a ‘Legion’ of demons are attacking, Jesus is still greater. He will bring victory, maybe not immediately but certainly ultimately. And in the meantime, He promises to not let us face anything we can’t handle with His help (1 Corinthians 10:13) and that His grace will be sufficient to get us through the attack (2 Corinthians 12:9). We are assured all be for our growth (to make us more like Jesus) and for His glory. That’s a winning combination in any situation.
1 John 4:4 You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.
Can you look back on some of the most difficult times you have faced in life, if they were attacks by Satan or not, and see how you grew through them? How was God glorified in them?
Apply that to what you may be going through now in life.
cto Rev. Dr. JERRY SCHMOYER
Christian Training Organization
Jerry@ChristianTrainingOrganization.org
(India, Africa & Spanish Outreach, Spiritual Warfare, Family Ministries, Counseling, World View)
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