Archives For rajesh

A Grace Story: Stephanie Heimann’s Testimony for Baptism

June 24, 2014

Stephanie Heimann, a friend from my church, recently gave her testimony to be baptized. God blessed me greatly through her testimony. With her permission, I am sharing her testimony so that He can bless many others through it.

A Grace Story

Stephanie Heimann’s testimony for baptism

“Give thanks to the Lord . . .  for He satisfies the thirsty soul . . .” ~Psalm 107

I spent years of my life looking for something to satisfy my soul . . . and I never would have found the One who can (on my own) . . . so He came and found me.

When I was a child, I believed that Jesus died and rose again. So, I thought I was a Christian. I was baptized. There were times when I wanted to read my Bible and pray, but those seasons of devotion did not last. I had a long season of rebellion.

But, God granted me repentance and after He did, I wondered, “Was I really a Christian when I was a child or did God save me when I was an adult?” The latter seemed true, but I could not understand how I could have had affection for God when I was a child if I was not a child of God.

I have been trying to understand this for many years, and recently, the Lord used the testimony of Jonathan Edwards to help me to understand my own.

When Edwards was a child, there were times when he spent a lot of time praying and reading his Bible, but those seasons of devotion did not last. After he became a true Christian, he looked back at his childhood affections for God and said, “I am ready to think [that] many are deceived . . . [by] such affections . . . and mistake it for grace.” That one sentence explained my experience.

I had mistaken my childhood affection for God . . . for grace. And, for a time it may have seemed like I was a Christian, but difficulty was coming and that difficulty would reveal the true condition of my heart.

When I was in 7th grade, my church and Christian school fell apart. One of the pastors was sent to prison. After this, my faith was tested and I failed the test. The testing revealed that my faith was superficial.

I claimed to be a Christian, but I didn’t want to be like Christ. I wanted to be like the world (I John 2:15-16, James 4:4).

I rebelled against my parents. I was a fool (Prov. 15:5). My life would have been so much better had I obeyed them, but I didn’t. I wanted to live the way I wanted to live, and I thought that I would be able to go to heaven no matter what I did (1 Cor.6:9-10, Gal 5:19-21, Rev. 22:15) as long as I believed that Jesus died and rose again (James 2:19). But, I didn’t know that Christianity is a commitment of submission to the King, and becoming a Christian is supernatural act where God changes a person’s heart and gives them a desire to know God and obey Him.

I didn’t want to know God and obey Him. I just wanted to be able to go to heaven. I missed the whole point of the gospel (2 Cor. 5:17-19). I didn’t want to be reconciled to God because I didn’t want Him to tell me how to live.

I thought I would be happy if I went my own way (Isaiah 53:6). But, I was wrong. I pursed emptiness and became empty (Jer. 2:5). I started drinking and going to parties . .  .

I was searching for something to satisfy my restless soul. But nothing in this world could. I felt like something was missing in my life . . . I didn’t know that the thing that was missing was God.

One night I went to the bar with my friends. The next morning I was in an unfamiliar place with unfamiliar people. I was sitting in darkness (Psalm 107:10-11, Is. 9:2). I wasn’t seeking God . . . but He was seeking me.

And, suddenly, I became aware of His presence. He opened my eyes and made me see reality. And, I thought, “What am I doing here?”

Then I had a horrible experience. I realized, “I am here because this is who I am. I am a sinner”. I could see that I was throwing my life away and I knew I was going to die if I kept going my own way . . . and I could see that the pleasures of sin could not satisfy my soul.

I thought, “What is the point of life? There has to be more to life than this.”

Then it was as if God said, “There is . . . there is so much more to life than this . . . if you will follow Me.” Then God gave me a glimpse of hope that the soul-satisfying happiness I was looking for would be found in Him (Psalm 16:11). It was as if Jesus was saying, “Come to me . . ., and I will satisfy your soul” (John 7:37; 6:35; 4:14)  . . .  and I did.

I believed Him because He gave me grace—He delighted in me and gave me a heart that was capable of delighting in Him. I didn’t want my sin anymore. I wanted God.

I started to read the Bible, and I started to know the One who satisfies restless souls—and nothing compares to the joy of knowing Him. He has completely changed my life.

He answered the prayers of my parents.

Tonight, I can say, “Jesus has done everything for me, and I want to follow Him.”

 

Copyright © 2011-2024 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

In Testimony
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Mere Coincidence or Answered Prayer?

June 23, 2014

This evening, I had the very unpleasant experience of learning that I had failed to do what I should have in helping a friend with a simple but vital task—remembering the restrictions passcode for his iphone 4. When he asked me to enter the passcode so that he could add some more restrictions to his use of the phone, I realized that I had not written down the numbers that I had entered a few weeks ago as the passcode.

I frantically tried various number combinations that I thought might work, but none of them would work. I then went online to see if there might be some way to reset the phone even though we did not know the passcode.

My internet search proved to be useless, and I became more disturbed at my carelessness. Finally, I decided to pray and ask God for mercy on me in spite of my irresponsibility.

As soon as I finished praying, the thought came into my mind to try a certain number combination that I had not yet tried. I praise and thank God that He put in my mind the right combination, which I had previously been unable to remember at all for the past 15-20 minutes or more!

For the unbeliever, what I experienced was just mere co-incidence of two unrelated events—my praying and my trying a certain number combination. I, however, have no doubt that what happened was not mere coincidence, but rather it was answered prayer by a living God who chose to have mercy on my friend and me!

Praise God!

Copyright © 2011-2024 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

In Prayer, Testimony
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Beware the Temporary Pleasures of Sin!

June 20, 2014

We as humans often make sinful choices because we wrongly value the temporary pleasures of sin. Scripture warns us against doing so through both negative examples and positive examples.

Negative Examples

1. Adam and Eve

In spite of their knowing the penalty that they would receive, Adam and Eve violated God’s command not to eat of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Gen. 2:16-17). They did so because they valued the immediate pleasures that would be theirs more than their having a right relationship with God (Gen. 3:6).

As Satan did to Eve, he continually seeks to beguile us “through his subtlety, so [that our] minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ” (2 Cor. 11:3). The disastrous choice of Adam and Eve and its horrific consequences warn us all against wrongly valuing the temporary pleasures of sin at the expense of our pleasing God.

2. Amnon

Amnon had a perverse desire to be immoral with his half-sister (2 Sam. 13:1-2). Seeking the temporary pleasures that immorality would bring him, he forced himself upon her (2 Sam. 13:8-14).

As soon as his wicked desire for immediate sensual pleasure had been fulfilled, his “love” for her turned into hatred (2 Sam. 13:15). Through his wicked actions, he not only defiled her (2 Sam. 13:16; 19-20) but also brought ultimate ruin upon himself (2 Sam. 13:22-29; 32).

Positive Examples

1. Joseph

Potiphar’s wife repeatedly attempted to seduce Joseph into enjoying the temporary pleasures that committing adultery would bring him (Gen. 39:7; 10-12a), but Joseph steadfastly refused her wicked attempts (Gen. 39:8-10; 12b). Joseph testified that he valued his relationship with God more than the short-lived sinful pleasures that she was offering him (Gen. 39:9).

For his refusal to choose to enjoy the temporary pleasures of sin, Joseph suffered greatly (Gen. 39:20).

2. Moses

The writer of Hebrews extols Moses for making the right choice to refuse the temporary pleasures of sin:

Heb 11:24 By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; 25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; 26 Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.

Like Joseph before him, Moses suffered affliction for making the right choice not “to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season” (Heb. 11:25). Moreover, like Joseph, Moses’ right choice stemmed from his valuing his relationship with God more than any pleasures sinful choices would bring him (Heb. 11:26).

3. Jesus

For forty days, Satan personally assaulted Jesus with numerous temptations (Mark 1:13; Luke 4:2), including the prospect of His immediately enjoying having power over all the kingdoms of the world and having all their glory as His (Matt. 4:8-9; Luke 4:5-6). Jesus rebuked the devil and refused his offer (Matt. 4:10; Luke 4:8).

Like Joseph and Moses, Jesus suffered greatly in His lifetime for refusing the temporary sinful pleasures that Satan offered Him (cf. Heb. 12:2). Furthermore, like Joseph and Moses, Jesus chose suffering rather than enjoying such sinful pleasures because He valued His relationship with God more than anything else (Matt. 4:10; Luke 4:8).

Conclusion

From both the negative and the positive examples that we have in Scripture of those who made choices concerning enjoying the temporary pleasures of sin versus valuing a right relationship with God more than such pleasures, we should beware making sinful choices because we wrongly value the temporary pleasures of sin. We should also be prepared to suffer for choosing to refuse such pleasures.

Through Jesus’ victory over all such temptations, we who are united with Him can be victorious over similar temptations to choose the temporary pleasures of sinful actions. Jesus is fully willing and able to grant us all the grace and mercy that we need in such times (Heb. 4:15-16) so that we will supremely value our relationship with God and not sin against Him by choosing “to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season”!

Let us beware the temporary pleasures of sin!

 

Copyright © 2011-2024 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

In Discipleship, Exhortation, Theology
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Pray for a Righteous Ruling in the Case Concerning Hobby Lobby and Other Christian Companies

June 18, 2014

God wants all those who are in authority to rule righteously in His fear (Ps. 2, Romans 13, etc.). Believers everywhere should pray for a righteous ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court in the case involving the religious rights of Hobby Lobby and other Christian companies. How this case is decided will have major ramifications for religious freedom in our country as well as elsewhere because of the widespread influence that American political and religious developments have in the world.

Copyright © 2011-2024 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

In Prayer
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The Evangelistic Importance of Testimony about Jesus’ Exorcisms

June 14, 2014

In many ways, the NT highlights the evangelistic importance of testimony about Jesus’ exorcisms. This evidence calls for adjusting our evangelistic strategies so that they properly account for this importance.

The Synoptic Gospels Provide Much Testimony about Jesus’ Exorcisms

The Synoptic Gospels underscore the evangelistic importance of Jesus’ exorcisms by providing multiple accounts of his casting demons out of people. The following list provides in chronological order[1] the passages that record Jesus’ performing exorcisms (parallel passages among the Gospels are indicated by the use of “/” between references):

1. Mk. 1:21-28/ Luke 4:31b-37;

2. Matt. 8:16/ Mk 1:34;

3. Matt. 4:24/ Mk 1:39/ Luke 4:41;

4. Matt. 12:22-37/ Mk. 3:20-30;

5. Matt. 8:28-34/ Mk. 5:1-20/ Luke 8:26-39;

6. Matt. 9:27-34

7. Matt. 15:21-28/ Mk. 7:24-30;

8. Matt. 17:14-21/ Mk. 9:14-29/ Luke 9:37-43a.

9. Luke 11:14-36

The Synoptic Gospels also underscore the evangelistic importance of Jesus’ exorcisms by providing information about other exorcisms that Jesus performed for which the writers of the Synoptic Gospels chose not to give an actual account of His doing so (seven demons cast out from Mary Magdalene [Mk. 16:9]).

This data makes clear that the Holy Spirit viewed including testimony about Jesus’ exorcisms as vital in the writing of these Gospels. Because the Gospels were written to evangelize people, the inclusion of these accounts shows us the importance of evangelistic testimony to Jesus’ exorcisms.

The Synoptic Gospels Record Jesus’ Commands to Testify about His Exorcisms

The Synoptic Gospels further emphasize the evangelistic importance of testimony to Jesus’ exorcisms by recording on at least two occasions that Jesus commanded people to give testimony about His exorcisms:

 Luk 8:38 Now the man out of whom the devils were departed besought him that he might be with him: but Jesus sent him away, saying, 39 Return to thine own house, and shew how great things God hath done unto thee. And he went his way, and published throughout the whole city how great things Jesus had done unto him.

Luk 13:32 And he said unto them, Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to day and to morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected. 

Because the Synoptic Gospels not only provide testimony about Jesus’ exorcisms but also make known that He commanded some people to testify about them, we learn that such testimony has great evangelistic importance.

Acts Records Apostolic Gospel Testimony about Jesus’ Exorcisms

Like the Synoptic Gospels, Acts also shows the evangelistic importance of testimony about Jesus’ exorcisms, but it does so in different ways than the Gospels do. Acts emphasizes such testimony by recording a seminal statement in Peter’s gospel message in Caesarea:

Act 10:38 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.

Luke highlighted testimony to Jesus’ exorcisms in a profound way with this statement because that testimony is the only explicitly recorded information that we have about how Peter testified on this occasion to the miraculous works of Jesus.

Through directing Luke to record this gospel testimony for us, the Holy Spirit also has provided us with a superb model of how we should evangelize people concerning their understanding of the term Christ (for more information about this point, see the brief discussion of Acts 10:38 here).

Acts Highlights the Evangelistic Importance of Testimony to Jesus’ Exorcisms through a Striking Account of Jewish Failure in Exorcism

Acts further emphasizes the evangelistic importance of testimony to Jesus’ exorcisms through a striking account that contrasts apostolic success in exorcising people possessed by demons versus Jewish failure to do so (Acts 19:11-17). While Paul was in Ephesus, God worked special miracles through him, including even the casting out of demons from people through their coming into contact with handkerchiefs or aprons from his body (Acts 19:11-12).

Some Jewish exorcists then attempted to perform an exorcism by invoking the name of Jesus whom Paul preached (Acts 19:13-14). Not only did these men fail to drive out the demon, but also the man who had the demon overpowered them and drove them out “naked and wounded” from the house where they were (Acts 19:15-16).

Through the spreading of news about their striking failure, the name of the Lord Jesus was greatly magnified among all who were in Ephesus (Acts 19:17). Hence, through testimony that dramatically contrasted the successful apostolic exorcisms with the unsuccessful attempt of these Jewish exorcists, many lost people received a powerful evangelistic witness of the power of Jesus’ name.

As the readers of Acts, we thus see that Acts accords with the Synoptic Gospels in emphasizing the evangelistic importance of testimony about Jesus’ exorcisms.

Discussion

Both the Synoptic Gospels and Acts instruct us in various ways about the evangelistic importance of testifying to Jesus’ exorcisms. This evidence is more than sufficient to teach us that we should include such testimony in our evangelism whenever possible.

Some may object to this conclusion by pointing out that explicit testimony to Jesus’ exorcisms is strikingly lacking in the Gospel of John, which has an explicit statement about its evangelistic purpose (John 20:31). Does this seemingly major difference between the Synoptics and the Gospel of John mean that testimony to Jesus’ exorcisms is not an important aspect of proper evangelism?

For several reasons, attaching such determinative significance to this lack of testimony in the Gospel of John is invalid. First, as noted above, the Synoptic Gospels and Acts provide abundant evidence that such testimony is important.

Second, because the Gospel of John was almost certainly written after all the other Gospels and Acts were written, any reader of the Fourth Gospel would need to interpret it in conjunction with all that God had revealed prior to giving this final Gospel.

Third, at the point that John was written, the apostles and other believers had already been evangelizing people for several decades and thus already knew well what was important to include in evangelistic testimony. For that reason, the lack of explicit testimony to Jesus’ exorcisms in John would not have played any important role in changing the thinking of believers about what they should say when they evangelize people.

Finally, although John lacks any explicit accounts of Jesus’ exorcisms, John has implicit teaching that fully accords with that vital aspect of Jesus’ ministry. John writes that Jesus interpreted a voice that thundered from heaven (John 12:28-29) by giving vital testimony concerning what His upcoming death would mean for the devil:

 Joh 12:30 Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes.

 31 Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out (Gk. ekballw).

 32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.

 33 This he said, signifying what death he should die. 

Jesus’ statement that the devil would be cast out (John 12:31) ties at least implicitly to many passages in the Synoptic Gospels about His casting out demons from people because the same verb ekballw is used both in John and in those passages in the Synoptic Gospels.[2] This strong link between John and the Synoptic Gospels further supports the conclusion that lack of explicit testimony in John to Jesus’ exorcisms does not negate the vast evidence in the Synoptic Gospels and Acts about the importance of such testimony.

Conclusion

Profuse testimony in the Synoptic Gospels about Jesus’ exorcisms makes clear that such testimony is of great importance in proper evangelism. Additional evidence in Acts further supports this conclusion.

We should include testimony about Jesus’ exorcisms in our witnessing whenever it is possible to do so. We can provide such testimony by sharing Acts 10:38 with everyone we witness to and explaining that statement to them thoroughly.

 

[1] This chronological listing is based in part on information provided in “An Outline For a Harmony of the Gospels” (Thomas and Gundry, A Harmony of the Gospels, 7-14).

[2] Matt. 8:16, 31; 9:33, 34; 12:24, 26, 27, 28; 17:19; Mk. 1:34, 39; 3:22, 23; 7:26; 16:9; Lk. 11:14, 15, 18, 19, 20; 13:32

Copyright © 2011-2024 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

In Evangelism, Exposition, Gospel, Interpretation
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Spanish Bible Reading Report 6.13.14

June 13, 2014

By day 164 of 2014, I have read 493 total chapters in the Reina Valera this year!

6.13.14 sbrr

  • Books completed – Genesis; Exodus; Psalms; Proverbs; Ecclesiastes; Isaiah; Matthew; John; Galatians; 1 & 2 Thessalonians; James; 1 & 2 & 3 John; Jude (426 total chapters)
  • Other reading – Leviticus 1-7; Job 1-25; Jeremiah 1-5; Mark 1-8; Acts 1-19; 1 Cor. 13-15 (67 total chapters)
  • Chapters read – OT – 386; NT – 107; Total – 493

I praise God for my continuing progress with this project!

Copyright © 2011-2024 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

In Bible reading, Spanish
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“Walking Through the Flames” is a powerful song that glorifies God through both its lyrics and music. After receiving permission from The Wilds Christian Association, Inc., my friend Dr. Yuriy Leonovich and I recently recorded this guitar-cello duet of the song.

Copyright © 2011-2024 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

Posted on June 11, 2014  In Guitar Music, Music
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Why Whether Jesus Was Ever Married Matters

June 9, 2014

Recently, some have claimed that they have found an ancient document that says that Jesus had a wife.[1] Does it make any difference whether Jesus was ever married?

Answering this question properly requires the careful consideration of at least five lines of reasoning based on Scripture. The following treatment of those lines of reasoning provides evidence that sufficiently shows what the right answer to this question is.

No Scriptural Mention of Jesus Being Married

Scripture abounds with statements that God’s providing a man with a godly wife is an exceedingly great divine blessing (Prov. 18:22; 19:14; 31:10-11; 30). Had God the Father provided Jesus with such a priceless blessing, He surely would have made it known to us in Scripture that He did so.

Scripture has no statements, however, that speak of Jesus ever marrying anyone. For those who believe fully in the authority of Scripture, this evidence alone should be enough to convince them that Jesus was never married.

Committing His Mother to John

Shortly before He died, Jesus committed His mother Mary to the care of the apostle John:

Joh 19:26 When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son!

 27 Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.

If Jesus had a wife, why would He have committed His mother to the care of John when His wife would have been living? In fact, Mary Magdalene, whom some have suggested was Jesus’ wife, was present when Jesus did this (John 19:25).

As Ruth cared for Naomi of old, so any woman who would have been married to Jesus certainly would have played a leading role in caring for her mother-in-law after His death. We have no evidence in Scripture, however, that Mary Magdalene or any other woman who was supposedly married to Jesus played a major role in caring for Mary after Jesus had died.

We should conclude that Jesus did not have a wife.

Failure to Provide for His Own

Before His death, Jesus made provision for the care of His mother (John 19:26-27). Scripturally, however, had He been married, His first obligation would have been to provide for His wife (cf. 1 Tim. 5:8).

Scripture provides no indication that Jesus took any steps that would be consistent with caring for a wife who would soon have been a widow. We can be confident, therefore, that He was not married to anyone when He died.

Expecting Greater Commitment from Some of His Disciples Than He Himself Had

Jesus taught that some of His disciples would not marry for the sake of the kingdom (Matt. 19:11). Yet, if He were married, He himself would have not have set Himself apart for the sake of the kingdom to the extent that He taught that these disciples have done.

It is unthinkable that any other human will ever have committed himself to divine service more than Jesus did. For Jesus ever to have been married would be utterly inconsistent with biblical teaching about His unsurpassed setting Himself apart to God.

An Earthly Bride and a Spiritual Bride

Had Jesus been married to anyone prior to His death and resurrection, He would have had an earthly bride. Scripture, however, does not say anything about Him ever being married to an earthly bride.

Furthermore, Scripture speaks explicitly of the Lamb having a spiritual bride (Eph. 5:22-28; Rev. 19:7-9); if He were also to have been married to an earthly bride, He would then have had at least two brides—one earthly and one spiritual. Because no passage in Scripture even remotely suggests that Jesus will have two brides, we can be confident that He was not ever married to Mary Magdalene or any other woman while He lived on the earth.

Conclusion

Based on the five lines of reasoning from Scripture treated above, we have ample biblical basis to reject alleged evidence from some purportedly legitimate extrabiblical source that says that Jesus had a wife. Jesus was never married while He lived on the earth prior to His crucifixion.

 

[1] See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gospel_of_Jesus’_Wife for information about this claim.

Copyright © 2011-2024 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

In Interpretation, Theology
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Deliverance through Prayerful Persistence!

June 7, 2014

A few months ago, I received an outrageous monthly bill from a company that I have been doing business with for many years. My bill was more than double what it was for the same time last year.

As soon as I discovered this problem, I contacted the company to tell them that there had to be some error with the bill. Based on what they told me, I assured them that they had made some major mistake because it was impossible that the bill was correct.

Despite several efforts to have the problem corrected, I was not able to get the company to acknowledge that they had made a serious error. I asked prayer from my church, at work, from friends, and we prayed often about it at home.

Through contact with a lawyer, I learned of a state agency that investigates complaints from people who have had such problems. After their initial investigation, I was disappointed that the regulator was siding with the company against me.

I continued to pray and pondered what to do next. Meanwhile, at my request, the investigator agreed to dig deeper into the possibility of either faulty equipment or a reading error or both being responsible for my outrageous bill.

I received word yesterday that further investigation showed that the company had in fact made a major error with my bill. What’s more, the investigator let me know that my actual bill for that period was even less than what it was for the same period last year.

Instead of having to pay the remainder of that outrageous bill, I have now received a credit for making a partial payment that was still for more than what we actually owed! I praise God for leading us to persist prayerfully in disputing this bill and for His finally delivering us from this problem through that prayerful persistence!

Copyright © 2011-2024 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

In Prayer, Testimony
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The Horrific Destructiveness of Unclean Spirits

June 5, 2014

Scripture records several accounts of the vicious activities of unclean spirits toward humans (Matt. 15:22; Mark 5:2-5; Luke 13:11, 16). The aftermath of Jesus’ dealings with a demon-possessed man in “the country of the Gadarenes” (Mark 5:1) reveals the horrific destructiveness of unclean spirits in a distinctive way that is easily overlooked.

The Deliverance of a Horribly Afflicted Man

Dwelling in tombs, a man possessed by an unclean spirit lived a terrible life of continual misery:

Mar 5:2 And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit,

 3 Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains:

 4 Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him.

 5 And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones.

Through an encounter with Jesus, this man was graciously delivered from his horrible plight (Mark 5:6-13; 15). After Jesus had forced the many demons who had possessed him to come out of him (Mark 5:9, 13), he was “sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind” (Mark. 5:15).

The Horrific Destruction of a Vast Number of Pigs

The many demons that had possessed this man requested permission of Jesus to enter into a large herd of swine that were feeding nearby (Mark. 5:11-12). Receiving that permission, they entered the swine “and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea . . . and were choked in the sea” (Mark 5:13).

These unclean spirits, therefore, caused the violent destruction of “about two thousand” pigs (Mark 5:13). Although these pigs had posed no threat whatever to these unclean spirits, the spirits still viciously attacked them and cruelly led them to a horrific death of being choked in the sea.

Three Accounts of Unwarranted Demonic Cruelty to Animals

Three Gospel writers record the account of these unclean spirits afflicting both this man and these seemingly innocent animals (Matt. 8:32; Mark 5:13; Luke 8:32). These multiple accounts of that event underscore that the malevolence of unclean spirits extends far beyond destructiveness toward humans—they also mercilessly attacked these animals.

Based on this biblical data, we should be mindful of the possibility that similar activity by unclean spirits may be responsible for the horrific destruction of many animals on other occasions in history.

Copyright © 2011-2024 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

In Exposition, Theology
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