Tag: Evil

Signs of the Dark Kingdom

~ Jeff Crippen ~ Leave a comment

I have often, as you have guessed if you have read many articles on this blog, thought that abuse is demonic to one extent or another, varying most likely from case to case.  Thinking about this brought to mind the following Scripture.  Let’s read it and then see what characteristics we can find here that point to the kingdom of darkness being involved:

Mark 5:1-9, They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes. (2) And when Jesus had stepped out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit. (3) He lived among the tombs. And no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain, (4) for he had often been bound with shackles and chains, but he wrenched the chains apart, and he broke the shackles in pieces. No one had the strength to subdue him. (5) Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always crying out and cutting himself with stones. (6) And when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and fell down before him. (7) And crying out with a loud voice, he said, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me.” (8) For he was saying to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!” (9) And Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” He replied, “My name is Legion, for we are many.”

Luke adds –

Luke 8:26-29, “Then they sailed to the country of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee. (27) When Jesus had stepped out on land, there met him a man from the city who had demons. For a long time he had worn no clothes, and he had not lived in a house but among the tombs. (28) When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell down before him and said with a loud voice, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, do not torment me.” (29) For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. (For many a time it had seized him. He was kept under guard and bound with chains and shackles, but he would break the bonds and be driven by the demon into the desert.)”

Ok, let’s see what we can derive from this account (other than the fact that this, as you may know, was the origin of deviled ham.  Really!  My old Sunday School teacher told me so.  The pigs, you know).   What are the evidences here of the devil being involved –

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The Secrecy of Evil

~ Jeff Crippen ~ 1 Comment

Act 26:16-18  But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you,  (17)  delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles—to whom I am sending you  (18)  to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’

Satan’s kingdom is very often depicted in the Bible as “darkness.” A place where people are blind and lost. The realm of death. Satan is in the business of keeping people blind to the glory of Christ (see 2 Cor 4:3-4).

And with this darkness comes secrecy. The darkness covers up. It hides things. It lies and deceives to keep its secrets. And evil is highly successful at all this secrecy business. For now anyway:

Luk 8:17  For nothing is hidden that will not be made manifest, nor is anything secret that will not be known and come to light.

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God Curses the Wicked

~ Jeff Crippen ~ 1 Comment

Galatians 1:8-9 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. (9) As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.

Deuteronomy 27:15-19 “‘Cursed be the man who makes a carved or cast metal image, an abomination to the LORD, a thing made by the hands of a craftsman, and sets it up in secret.’ And all the people shall answer and say, ‘Amen.’ (16) “‘Cursed be anyone who dishonors his father or his mother.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’ (17) “‘Cursed be anyone who moves his neighbor’s landmark.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’ (18) “‘Cursed be anyone who misleads a blind man on the road.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’ (19) “‘Cursed be anyone who perverts the justice due to the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

God does a whole lot of cursing.  Read Deuteronomy 27 if you don’t believe it.  In fact, God started cursing right off the get-go of creation when Adam and Eve sinned.  Of course, He does a whole lot of blessing too.  And it’s a good thing for us.  He has called us blessed in Christ.  Poured out every blessing heaven has to offer, in Christ (Ephesians 1).  But He still curses. The Apostle Paul knew this and that is why he pronounced preachers of false gospels “anathema.”  Set apart for God’s destruction.  Damned by God.

Peter knew it too.  We recently considered the reprobate in 2 Peter 2.  Listen to these curse words again:

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