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And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country
of the Gadarenes. And when he was come out of the ship, immediately
there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, Who had
his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not
with chains: 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. And
always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs,
crying, and cutting himself with stones. But when he saw Jesus afar
off, he ran and worshipped him, And cried with a loud voice, and
said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high
God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not. For he said
unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit. And he asked
him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion:
for we are many. And he besought him much that he would not send
them away out of the country. Now there was there nigh unto the
mountains a great herd of swine feeding. And all the devils besought
him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them.
And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went
out, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a
steep place into the sea, (they were about two thousand;) and were
choked in the sea. And they that fed the swine fled, and told it in
the city, and in the country. And they went out to see what it was
that was done. And they come to Jesus, and see him that was
possessed with the devil, and had the legion, sitting, and clothed,
and in his right mind: and they were afraid. And they that saw it
told them how it befell to him that was possessed with the devil,
and also concerning the swine. And they began to pray him to depart
out of their coasts. And when he was come into the ship, he that had
been possessed with the devil prayed him that he might be with him.
Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy
friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee,
and hath had compassion on thee. And he departed, and began to
publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him: and
all men did marvel. - Mark 5:1-20
The healing of the demon posessed man in Mark chapter 5 teaches many
aspects about our salvation. Here are but a few of those aspects
which are taught in this parable:
1.) "And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him
out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit" (Mark 5:2).
2.) "Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind
him, no, not with chains" (Mark 5:3).
3.) "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." (Mark 5:4).
4.) The statement in verse 4 that "neither could any man tame him"
points to the fact that no one except Jesus could tame satan; and
wonderfully Christ did this by shedding His precious blood on the
cross:
"And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the
bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on
the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and
bound him a thousand years, And cast him into the bottomless pit,
and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the
nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and
after that he must be loosed a little season." (Revelation 20:1-3).
5.) "And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the
tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones." (Mark 5:5).
"And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven
mountains, on which the woman sitteth. And there are seven kings:
five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when
he cometh, he must continue a short space." (Revelation 17:9,10).
6.) "Now there was there nigh unto the mountains a great herd of
swine feeding." (Mark 5:11).
7.) "And they come to Jesus, and see him that was possessed with the
devil, and had the legion, sitting, and clothed, and in his right
mind: and they were afraid." (Mark 5:15).
These are but a few of the aspects of salvation that shine forth in
this parable, many more could be touched upon, but I must stop at
this point as the clock strikes.
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