Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1889-02-08
THE FIERCE DEMONIAC.
LESSON VI, FIRST QUARTER, INTER
NATIONAL SERIES, FEB. 10.
Text of The Lesson, Mark v, 1-2o---Com-
nit Verses Golden Text Mark
v, documentary by the
Rev, ID. NJ. Stearns.

After speaking the seven parallels which
are fully recorded in Matt. xiii, one of which,
as given by Mark, was our lesson week
ago, He went the same day at evening into
boat to cross the sea of Galiee to the other
side and as they sailed He fol asleep, but
great storm arising, they awolie Him, and
with word, peace, be still,n lie rebuked
the winds and the sea- and there was great
calm He also said to the disciples, 'Why
are ye so fearfull How is it that ye have no
faithq' Now, if the spirit of Christ Is in us,
why, indeed, is it that we are so often fear
full instead of peaceful, and seem to know so
little Of His poweri The question comes to
us with all the moro pertinence since we have
now the Holy Spirit, as they had not at that
time. Is it due entirely to our lack OF taltht
Let each one answer.
l. "And they came over unto the other
side of the sea, into the country of the Cad
arenes." The ruins of the city of Gadara
are about two miles in circumference; II was
on the east of the sea Of Galilee, sixteen miles
from Liberals, and was captured by Nespa-
sian on the first outbreak of the war with the
Jews, its inhabitants masSacred and the town
reduced to ashes The most interesting re-
mains of Gadara are its tombs, which dot
the cliffs for q considerable distance round
the city. (Soe Smiths Bible Dictionary
The Saviour certainly knew what lie was
crossing the sea for, and inasmuch as this
fierce demoniac seems to have been the only
one directly benefited, He must have gone
there to rescue him as a trophy of his power
over the adversary We do well to remember
that this great enemy, the devil, is as active
as ever today in seeking TO destroy both souls
and bodies, and that the Son of Man lis the
only one who can deliver from him.
.. Immediately there met Him out of the
kOrnhS a m with IN uuplpon C11irlt y The
prince Of the power of the air had withstood
Him on the sea and meets Him on the
land, but "the Lamb shall overcome Mat
thew says there were two possessed with
devils who met Him. it may be that Mark
and Luke speak only of the worst of the
two. We have read Of the uncean spirit in
the synagogue who knew Jesus and cried
LET US alone" also of others who when they
saw Him fell down before Him and cried,
saying Thou art the Son of God" CHAP. i,
"A; iii, IL; but this seems to be the worst
case of demonism on record, and yet Jesus
was victor.
3-5. Here is a description of the man, his
dwelling place and his conduct.
8. "When he saw Jesus afar Off, he ran
and worshipped Him" The man in his aiIlic-
ton seems TO know that here is help for him,
and he runs to seek it and not in vain. Many
afflicted ones who are troubled by spirit Of
anger, or envy, or unrest, or lust, and are
being consumed and destroyed thereby yet
longing in vain to be delivered, would soon
be healed and delivered if they would only
run to Jesus.
2, 8. "What have I to do with Thee, Jesus,
Son of the Most High God?" The man ran to
Jesus, but the spirit in him cried out against
Him. 1t is often the case, perhaps in some
measure always, that when one would come
to Jesus for salvation, or deliverance from
besetting sin, the evil spirit within cries out
against it and still says II will not have to do
with jesus
u ALLURE Thee by God that Thou torment
me not Matt. viii, -, says, Cart Thou
come hither to torment rs before the timer
They are reserved unto judgment I'll Pet ii,
a: Jude VII and they seem to know it.
.. My name is Legion, for we are many"
A legion in the Roman army numbered, at
its full complement, SIX thousand; tho word
here evidently signifies very large number
II a legion possessed this one man, how many
must there be altogether Babylon of the
last days will be full of them. (2ov. xviii, -
10. He besought Him much that He
would not send them away ont of the coun-
try" Luke viii, 81, says that He would not
command them to 90 out into the deep"
Now, if by the deep they meant the Sea of
Galilee, their request and after conduct would
seem strange indeed; but the Revised Yer
sion helps US by TRANSMITTING abyss instead
of the deep The word Is used seven times
in Revelation Rev tx. Ia Il: xi. XVII. <.
Xxx, !, 81 and in Lukev iii. 81; Rom. \. : I'm
the r. V j. is in all these places translated
abyss" in the a. V. it is everywhere in
Revelation "bootumless pit, and in tho other
two places the deep The request OF the
demons, then, was that Jesus would not shut
them I'D in the abvss or bottomless pit.
IL, a. IAN the devils besoucbt Him. sov-
ing, Send Us into the swine They urefer q
human residence to a bestial. but n bestial
rather than tic abyss.
13 "Aud forthwith Jesus gave thom
leave" Matt viii. -, saws that lie said INTO
them GO" Luke vii, 81, saws that Gle
suffered them The devil and al his de-
mons are only servants after all: they cannot
move without permission. and must obey
when Jesus speaks.
H. EAnd they that fed the swine fed
and ,old itr Tha,, ware now or+ of e, ioI