When he arrived at the other side in the region of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men coming from the tombs met him. They were so violent that no one could pass that way. What do you want with us, Son of God? they shouted. Have you come here to torture us before the appointed time?

Some distance from them a large herd of pigs was feeding. The demons begged Jesus, If you drive us out, send us into the herd of pigs.

He said to them, Go! So they came out and went into the pigs, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and died in the water. Those tending the pigs ran off, went into the town and reported all this, including what had happened to the demon-possessed men. Then the whole town went out to meet Jesus. And when they saw him, they pleaded with him to leave their region.

Matthew 8:28-34

What is regarded as one of the most demonized men in the New Testament, the “Gaderene Demoniac”, was filled with a thousand demons.  While one Gospel records only one man, there is no contradiction, as Matthew records both, and the other only records the one with the most dealing.  Whether this man was actually the most demonized man in the New Testament is also hypothesis, as the number of demons in various people who were never converted is conjecture.  Also of note is that the phrase “demon-possessed” is a most unfortunate rendition of the single-word in the Greek, “daimonizomai”, meaning “demonized” or “under the influence of a demon”.  The English translation has the connotation of ownership in our version, which is not a part of the Greek whatsoever.  No matter how “daimonizomai” someone is, it is never a Biblical term to call them possessed or owned by a demon.  Even this man, in other accounts, fell at Jesus’ feet and worshipped, not the demons.  As afflicted, tormented, and affected as he was, He still had a sense of the truth.

Yet, for all that was on Him, for the legion of demons that had entered the man, they all left with a single word.  ”Go!”.

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Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

Matthew 5:6

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the Earth (Genesis 1:1).  He created it good, and filled it with things that He declared good.

He planned from the beginning there to be a man, and that he would rule over the Earth and subdue it.  He would walk through the lands, fields, valleys, forests, and hills, and be its master.  He would bring the natural Earth into the pattern of the garden.

This failed, when the man ate from the fruit.  It is said that the woman was deceived, and the man chose to disobey willingly, so as not to be separated from the woman.  Genesis 3:6 indicates that the man was not somewhere far away when the woman sinned, but was “with her”.

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A pupil is not above his teacher; but everyone, after he has been fully trained, will be like his teacher.

Luke 6:40

There is exactly one reason why we do not see miracles on the order of Jesus.  We have not understood and applied His teachings.

This is not to question anyone’s authenticity in the Gospel, nor their sincerity, but the truth remains, that we as a church as a whole have fallen far short of the Gospel Jesus preached.

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Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,

Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Matthew 6:9-10 (portion)

His Kingdom is an Eternal Kingdom.  As He is never changing, neither is His Kingdom.  Jesus’ prayer for His disciples was that it would be on the Earth here even as it is there, in the Heavens.

When we pray for His Kingdom, we are not praying for a kingdom some day to show upon the Earth and rule physically in the world, although that may be a portion of its manifestation some day.  But, as the Holy Ghost is invisible, and He is like the wind which is here but you don’t know where it comes from or where it goes, so is the Kingdom by His power.

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