As I looked to the text of Mark 5, and Jesus’ dealing with a man so dehumanized by his demonic possessors that the text classified him as an animal, unable to be tamed, the Spirit began to teach me something new. It’s a glimpse into the incorruptible power of God’s sovereign, electing grace.
Mark’s gospel tells us that this man “lived among the tombs. And no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain, 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. Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always crying out and cutting himself with stones.” (Mark 5:3-5) This is clearly a man of a debased mind, totally depraved, a man who was placed out of reach of the rest of men, and viewed as out of reach of anything good. The demons raged within him, seeking to do that which is their utmost desire to do; destroy that which God has made. They worked, tirelessly, to destroy every facet of this man, torturing him. He cuts himself, living in desolate and debauched conditions. Doubtless he lives as he does having had many try to kill him, either out of hate, or compassion to end his suffering. So the question must be asked: why was he not dead?
Why hadn’t the man been killed? Why hadn’t the demons been able to destroy him to completion? I think the answer is this: Jesus’ words in John 6:37-39 “All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day.”
This man, though possessed by demonic forces which describe themselves as “Legion”, is of those whom the Father has given the Son before the foundation of the earth. In eternity past, this man is named among those whom Jesus would save. His deliverance from the torment of his possession was secured long before his possession began. He is among those to whom Jesus promises, “You will be delivered up even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and some of you they will put to death. You will be hated by all for my name's sake. But not a hair of your head will perish. By your endurance you will gain your lives.” (Luke 21:16-19)
Why do I believe this to be the case? What makes me think that this text is showing us an example of the truth of unconditional election in eternity past? Really it’s because of what the man does at the sight of Jesus. Mark relays to us that “when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and fell down before him.” (Mark 5:6) This act sounds a whole lot to me like a sheep recognizing it’s shepherd and coming to him. At first read, this strikes me as the demons carry the man to Jesus, and that could be the case. Or it could also be that, despite the demonic forces destroying nearly all this man is, they could not fully extinguish that part of him that recognizes his Christ. When Jesus chooses to step out and reveal himself in the sight of this man, the man runs to him and falls before him. The man, and his demons, are brought low in submission to the supremacy of Jesus. Jesus then casts the demons out and heals the man.
Jesus revealed himself, made himself visible to the tormented, hopeless eyes of the demoniac. The renewed sight of the man captured a glimpse of the glory. The man ran to and threw himself down in front of Jesus. And Jesus cast out the legion, causing the man to stand anew.
Those who had seen the scene unfold, and those who gathered after hearing what had happened stood paralyzed by fear. They begged Jesus to leave. They are those living in and loving the darkness, fearing the light. But the man who had been healed did not fear the light, but loved it. He approached Jesus, begging that he could go with Him. Instead, Jesus commissioned him to a task. "Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you." (Mark 5:19) Mark records that this is just what the man did, go so far as to tell us that when the people heard of the love and mercy of Jesus, many marveled.
With this reading and understanding of these events in hand. We are able to see the glory and application of this text for us today. We can trust and believe that IF a legion of demons, bent on utter destruction cannot derail the saving grace, mercy, and plan of God, that we needn’t fear anything this world can throw at us. Those whom the Father gave to the Son to be raised up on the last day, WILL be raised. The destructive forces of Satan do not have ultimate dominion, they are restricted, controlled, and utilized by God to accomplish His ultimate plan. God will and does use everything under His ownership to emit and declare His own glory. Though this world will seek to destroy every last vestige of the image of it’s Creator, it cannot snuff out the redemptive plan of God. We can trust that, in the fullness of time, God will reveal Himself by the Spirit, in the person of Jesus, and that this revelation will not return void, but will be perfectly effective to raise the dead to life. We can trust that upon the beauty of this work, the light will cause cowering among the children of destruction, but joy in those to whom love and mercy will be manifest. And to those of us who have been freed of our demons, we are sent out to a mission of proclamation. This pattern is repeated throughout Jesus’ ministry with refrains of the mighty works of sovereign grace, forgiveness, and redemption. We are called likewise, to go to those who are as we once were and speak deliverance with the promise that some might marvel at our words, seeing the dazzling beauty of Christ for the first time.
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