Nation of Demons
"The herdsmen fled to the nearby city and the
surrounding countryside, spreading the news as they ran. Everyone rushed out to
see for themselves. A crowd soon gathered around Jesus, but they were
frightened when they saw the man who had been demon possessed, for he was
sitting there fully clothed and perfectly sane. Those who had seen what
happened to the man and to the pigs told everyone about it, and the crowd began
pleading with Jesus to go away and leave them alone" - Mark 5:14-17 (NLT).
Every time I read this, I marvel at the reaction of the Gerasenes to Jesus'
miracle of casting out Legion from the demon-possessed man. You would think
that everyone would be praising God, and rejoicing that such an evil menace had
been disposed of. Instead, the people beg Jesus to go away and leave them
alone.
Amazing? Yes, simply amazing - - that is, until you think it through a little.
The city of Gerasa was famous because of this demon-possessed man. People would
come for miles around to lasciviously worship at the temple of Artemis. Their
worship consisted of sacrifices and sexual intercourse with temple priestesses
or priests. Without knowing it, they were worshiping demons in these immoral
acts. Similarly, Zeus was another demon worshipped as a Greek god.
This would make the man possessed by Legion, a key spiritual player in the city
of Gerasa. Even though the people must have feared him, he had no doubt brought
much attention to the city. In fact, history reveals that everyone in the
region knew about this man. He, no doubt, attracted visitors to the city who
would try to get a glimpse of him.
The demons that inhabited the city had built quite an empire in Gerasa. It was
built around sexual vice, demon worship (though done without knowing it), and
the man with Legion living inside him.
All of this adds up to financial prosperity for the Gerasenes, and spiritual
prosperity for Satan's kingdom. The Evil One had a nice thing going there - -
until Jesus showed up.
Then, Jesus casts out thousands of demons from Gerasa's most famous attraction,
and sparks the spread the good news of salvation to all those in the city who
unknowingly worship demons in the name of pagan gods. No doubt, many others
were also demon-possessed, but surely they were demonized in the sense that
demons controlled their way of life. Now Jesus shows up to ruin all of that.
The Gerasenes see their financial prosperity, their "religious" pleasure, and
their way of life threatened by this Rabbi from Nazareth. No wonder they pled
with Jesus to go away and leave them alone! If they accepted Jesus, they would
have to tell their favorite priestess or priest at the Temple of Artemis that
they can no longer have sex with her or him. If they accept Jesus, their
financial prosperity would be threatened, for who would wish to come to a city
where Artemis was dead, and Legion was gone?
So they ask Jesus to leave.
It is amazing how dark our darkness can be. When we are in bondage to the
forces of darkness through sin and vice and greed, it can be nearly impossible
to see our way out of it. The way of life we have embraced captures our soul
and plunges us into patterns of self-destruction that we actually enjoy. After
all, what can be more pleasurable than sexuality, and more desirable than the
comforts money can buy?
America would do well to remember Gerasa - - for in our country the pursuit of
pleasure increasingly rules. Sexuality is front and center on television, in
magazines, music, books, sports, and even church. Fewer couples marry, but
simply live together without God joining them in a committed union. Now, we
daily hear of homosexuals and lesbians marrying. Such immorality threatens to
consume our great nation as it did Gerasa. Soon, we will be a nation ruled by
the demons we unknowingly worship and Legion will be on our shores, if he is not
there already.
Take care America, for we have erected a Temple to Artemis in many of our acts,
and soon, the demon hoards we worship will plunge us into a dark abyss from
which there will be no return if we do not repent of our sins. Soon, if we are
not careful, we may, as a nation, be asking the King of kings to leave our
shores.
God help us in that day.