Today’s lesson takes us to a topic which may make you uncomfortable. We will be talking about Satan and his demons. It is a scary topic, but one that Christians should understand. Spiritual warfare is very real, Satan does not want God’s work to succeed, and he has his own army of helpers. Before we get into the story of our text for today, let’s look at what we do know about Satan and his demons.
The first place we will look is in Ezek 28: 11-17. Ezekiel 28 contains a prophecy against the King of an ancient city called Tyre. In this text, we must remember that literary devices are being used. The king of Tyre, spoken of here, is actually a personification of the city itself. This prophecy speaks of God’s judgment against the city of Tyre. In verses 11-17, we see what reads almost like a eulogy of the king. Most Bible scholars agree that this eulogy is allegorical and is alluding to the story of Satan himself. Read this eulogy and think of how it describes what occurred in Heaven with Satan. What do we learn about him?
- Who was he originally (vs 14)?
- How can he be described (vs 12-13)?
- Where do we first encounter him in the Bible (vs 13)?
- Why was he cast out of Heaven and down to earth (vs 15-17)?
In Isaiah 14:11-15 we see another passage which allegorically alludes to Satan. What was it Satan wanted which caused his sinful fall? In Rev 12:1-9, we are prophetically told of a spiritual battle which occurred in Heaven. A woman was giving birth to a son (the Messiah). A red dragon (Satan) appears and sweeps a third of the stars out of heaven, flinging them to the earth. Most scholars agree that the one third of the stars represent the angels who joined Satan in the battle and became his demons. The great archangel Michael and his angels fought against the dragon and his demons. The dragon fought back but was not strong enough resulting in him and his demons losing their place in Heaven and being hurled to earth.
What can we learn about Satan from John 8:44?
Read today’s text from either Luke 4:31-37 or Mark 1:21-28. Jesus had now gone on to the Galilean city of Capernaum. It was the Sabbath day (Saturday) and Jesus was teaching in the synagogue. The Bible tells us that the people there were amazed at His teaching because His teaching had such authority. Many teachers come and teach. They have the authority to do so delegated to them. You may do a task for your boss or for God, and the authority to accomplish that certain task is delegated to you. But there is something we must understand about Jesus’ authority. It is not a ‘delegated’ authority. Jesus has all authority already. He is God.
While Jesus was there teaching in the synagogue, a man showed up who was possessed by a demon. There are many people who do not believe in actual demon possession. They think that demon possession is just another word for severe mental illness (schizophrenia, for example) and that when Jesus cast out demons, He was simply healing folks of their mental illness. This is not what the Bible teaches at all. Demons are real and they are the enemies of our Lord. Satan does not have as much power and ability as God. He cannot be in all places at one time, for example. He must send His demons to help accomplish his purposes.
Here are some things that today’s text teaches us about demons:
- They show up in places where God’s work is being done in order to try and prevent success.
- They seek attention and are disruptive.
- They know exactly who Jesus is.
- They are afraid of our Lord.
- They seek to distort truth.
Compare the story told here in our text with another time when the Apostle Paul has a run in with a demon possessed person (Acts 16:16-18). You will see all of the same demon characteristics.
After the demon taunted Him, Jesus ordered the demon to be quiet and come out of the man. We see then that the demon obeyed Jesus and came out. Luke, the physician, tells us one more fact in his account that is not mentioned in the Gospel of Mark. When the demon came out, the man was NOT injured even though the demon threw him down.
In today’s text, Jesus ordered the demon and in the account of Acts 16:16-18, Paul ordered the demon in the name of Jesus. God’s power and authority are far stronger than that of Satan and his demons. They must obey Him. Do not be afraid to invoke the name of Jesus when you find yourself engaged in spiritual warfare of any type.
Once again, we are told at the end of the passage that the people were amazed at His authority. He not only taught with authority, but He also had authority over demons. He is God.
One last thought concerning Jesus having all authority as God… without that authority, His death would have been powerless and without meaning. Don't hesitate to put your faith in His death and resurrection. He can save you.
Responding to God: Worship God as Sovereign of the universe. Praise the power of His Holy name. Acknowledge His ultimate power and authority over everything and everyone. Pray for His protection from the enemy.
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