By Evangelist John BJ Hall
A young friend asked me a question about Matthew 8:28-34 this week. His concern focused on verse thirty-four “And behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus; and when they saw Him, they entreated Him to depart from their region.”
He asked “Why did they ask Jesus to leave the region after he drove the demons into the pigs.” The answer to that question is that it showed what the people valued.
Gadara was a city not far from the lake Gennesareth; one of the ten cities that were called Decapolis. Matthew 4:25. Gergesa was a city about twelve miles to the south-east of Gadara, and about twenty miles to the east of the Jordan. Gergesa was more likely a village. The area would have been known by the larger more predominate city. Neither city was inside Israel. It is likely that both Jews and Gentiles populated the area. The owners of the heard of swine could have been Jew or Gentile. If Jewish they were in disobedience of the law.
The problem presented was that Christ cast out the demons from the men who were possessed. It is important that we note that the Demons requested to be sent to the pigs. Jesus simply said “Go.”
The people of the city came out and were more concerned about the loss of income from the swine than the freedom from possession for the men.
As I studied this passage it became apparent to me that what the people valued was NOT what our Lord valued. They valued the pigs over the lives of two who were set free from demon possession. But further, they valued the pigs over anyone from their towns, who may have been healed, given sight to the blind or raised from the dead.
Doesn’t that sound like our modern world? We want to make our own choices even if it means innocent lives are lost in the womb. The world wants freedom from religion instead of the freedom of religion.
We have turned our hearts into garbage heaps in the name of entertainment. We worship the creature more than the Creator. Paul spoke of these things in Romans chapter one verses 18-32. “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. 21 For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God, or give thanks; but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures. 24 Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, that their bodies might be dishonored among them. 25 For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
“26 For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, 27 and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error. 28 And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips, 30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31 without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful; 32 and, although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.
What do YOU value today?