My Name is Legion!

My name is Legion

Then He asked him, “What is your name?” And he answered, saying, “My name is Legion; for we are many.” (Mark 5: 9)

This is a very interesting incident recorded in Matthew, Mark and Luke, although with slight variations. There are many commentaries already available on this. But this is from a different perspective.

Jesus and his disciples went to the country of Gadarenes. As soon as they came out of the boat, they met a man in a terrible state possessed by an evil spirit.

People of Gadarenes' View:

The people living around him knew quite a bit about him, so had informed Jesus and his disciples about him as recorded in Mark 5: 3, 4 &5

1)     He had his dwelling among the tombs

2)     No one could bind him

3)    not even with chains

4)    because he had often been bound with shackles and chains. And the chains had been pulled apart by him, and the shackles broken in pieces

5)    neither could anyone tame him

6)     And always, night and day, he was in the mountains and in the tombs,

7)    crying out

8)    cutting himself with stones.

Jesus View:

But Jesus was not alarmed by any of these information. No one had to tell him for he knew what was in each man (John 2: 25). So, Jesus already knew what was inside of this man. That’s why he had said, ‘Come out of the man, unclean Spirit’. Jesus knew exactly what was there inside! 

After Jesus ordered the unclean spirit to leave the man, something happened that made Jesus to ask a question, "What is your name?". So what happened when Jesus ordered the evil spirit to come out of that man? 

1)    The evil spirit inside of that man made the man to run towards Jesus and worship him. Perhaps the evil spirit thought if he worshiped Jesus, he will be satisfied enough to leave him alone.

2)    Then the evil spirit used God’s name to manipulate Jesus not to harm him (verse 5:7)

What is your name?

When the evil spirit asked Jesus not to harm him, Jesus asked the evil spirit what his name was. Most of the commentators say that this question was directed towards that man, but I am convinced it is towards the evil spirit. Till Jesus drove the evil spirit out of that man, the evil spirit was in full possession of the man and all his physical senses were under the control of the evil spirit. So he wouldn't have been able to utter his name even if he wanted to. Jesus would have definitely known that. This is proved by the fact that the man never gave his name when Jesus asked for the name. Instead it was the evil spirit who gave the answer.

The Bible clearly says that Jesus knew what was inside each man. If Jesus had seen a legion of devils inside, he wouldn't have taken the pain to ask for a legion of names either.

In the old testament, when God asked Jacob what his name was (Genesis 32:27), it’s not because God didn’t know Jacob’s name. It’s because once Jacob had tried to hide his name and identity and he used his brother’s name for his own gain (Genesis 27:19). So God gave Jacob an opportunity to accept his true identity, to accept who he was when God asked Jacob his name.

Even here Jesus was testing the evil spirit with the same question. The evil spirit answered and said, “My name is Legion; for we are many.” But there is no indication that Jesus saw any “many” or “legion” there inside. Jesus definitely knew singular and plural forms. The real reason why the devil called himself "legion" could be what we know already about the devil from the Holy Bible, “for he is a liar and the father of it” (John 8:44)

The evil spirit had already convinced the Gadarenes people of his legion strength. So he wanted to convince Jesus too of his legion strength. The Gadarenes people had tried to physically restrain something that was spiritually binding. So the evil spirit had managed to convince the people of Gadarenes that it possessed great power and nothing could stop it.  Now it wanted to try its luck with Jesus. But just the presence of Jesus was tormenting it. 

When the evil spirit found that he couldn’t get his way with Jesus, he made the last bargain “Send us to the swine, that we may enter them.” This time Jesus accepted the evil spirit’s request, since his only concern was that the man has to be freed. He didn’t care where the evil spirit went as long as his children are let alone. The devil's pretentious strength didn't last long in front of Jesus and it was good enough only to send those poor unsuspecting swines into the sea! As children of the Most High God, we also need to identify these pretentious legions and drive them where they belong!

•  We have to note that even though it is mentioned as demons and in plural forms by the Gospel recorders, Jesus never mentioned it as a legion or in the plural form, he just addressed it as the evil spirit. When we read the gospel we can see that the writers of the Gospel have tried to sincerely record everything as they saw and understood it. We are a privileged generation, blessed enough to hold the Holy Bible in its entirety, getting to understand its wholesome message which the Old Testament and New Testament saints did not get to have.
• There are commentators who have tried to infer the number of devils from the number of swines killed. But in the old testament in I Kings 22, when the false prophets prophesied to King Ahab, a single spirit spoke from the mouths of 400 men (verse 6, 21 - 23). Human limitations may not apply in the spirit world. The evil spirit may manifest itself in different forms such as spirit of lies, spirit of confusion. But it is the same spirit manifesting in multiple ways.

 

 

“You made them equal to us!”

“YOU MADE THEM EQUAL TO US!” 

Bible Verse for Devotion: Matthew 20:11,12

 And when they had received it, they complained against the landowner, saying, ‘These last men have worked only one hour, and you made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day.’

This devotion is based on Jesus Christ’s parable of the “Workers in the Vineyard” (Matthew 20: 1-16)

THE PARABLE – WORKERS IN THE VINEYARD:

Jesus Christ said that the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard (The hours here are measured starting at about 6:00 AM, so early morning would have been around 5 am). The workers were poor men working as temporary farm workers during the harvest season. The landowner found some workers and agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard.

About nine in the morning (3^rd hour) he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. He told them, "You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right." So they went. He went out again about noon (6^th hour) and about three in the afternoon (9^th hour) and did the same thing. About five in the afternoon (eleventh hour) he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, "Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?" "Because no one has hired us," they answered. He said to them, "You also go and work in my vineyard”.

Pay for the Day:

At the end of the day, the land owner told the manager to call the laborers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and then going to the first. Those hired at the eleventh hour were given an entire day's wage of one denarius, even though they only worked for few hours. Likewise, those hired at 3 o'clock in the afternoon, noon, and 9 o'clock in the morning were all given the full daily wage for a worker, even though none of them worked the entire day. Finally, those hired at the beginning of the day were also given the same amount as their daily wage, which they had agreed to at the beginning of the day.

The Generous Landlord: 

However, the early workers who had worked the whole day were upset because they thought they should get more since the other workers didn't work the whole day and still received the full daily wage. The landowner replied to them, saying, "Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?" (Matthew 20:13-15)

LESSONS FROM THE PARABLE

There are many lessons that could be learnt from this parable but I want to focus on patience and what we could learn from these workers

 Lessons from the Eleventh-Hour Workers:

The eleventh-hour workers were the last to be employed but the ones to receive maximum pay when compared to their amount of work. Though it seems unjust and unfair at the outset we could learn many lessons from them

Lesson 1 – They were not lazy. They also had got up early, got ready for work, left their home early in the morning along with other workers (some of whom were employed at the first instance). We could understand this because of the question asked by the land owner in verse 6.

Lesson 2 – They were persistent. Even though they were not employed at the first, second, third or the fourth time still they did not go back home.

Lesson 3 – They endured hardship. They endured both physical hardship and mental agony. They stood under the scorching desert sun even without any assurance that they will be chosen for work. Waiting without having work till the eleventh hour would have caused them mental agony because most of the daily wage earners depended on it to feed their family.

Lesson 4 – They were humble and did not complain. The question asked by the landowner to those workers was surprising. He had seen them standing there all day. He did not take them for work along with others. He was a landowner; he would have definitely known that they were not standing there idle. They were desperate for work. Yet he asked them a provocative question, “Why have you been standing here idle all day?” Their answer was neither a complaint nor an accusation. But just the statement of fact "Because no one hired us”.

Lesson 5- They did not demand. When the land owner told them to go with him for work, they did not bargain. They went trusting in the land-owner who said “whatever is right you will receive”. They could have been denied what was promised, they could have ended up getting more or less than promised, but they went believing his word. 

Lessons from the Early Workers:

The early workers left their homes along with the eleventh-hour workers but were the first to be employed.

Lesson 1 – They refused to acknowledge others’ hardship. They would have seen the eleventh hour workers leaving their homes early in the morning or they would have met them on their way to the waiting station or at the waiting station or at least they would have known that these people would have been waiting for a long time to get some work to earn money for their livelihood. The early workers highlighted their own suffering “us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day” but failed to acknowledge the suffering of others. Our God is not influenced by exaggerations or convincing words. Sometimes people think of getting God to work for them by telling "their story". God knew "their story" and God knew "the other story" too!

Lesson 2- They were not concerned about others. If those labourers who got the work at the eleventh hour did not get their full day’s wage, they may not have been able to meet their family’s needs. But those who got the work early were more concerned about their selfish interests than the needs of others.

Lesson 3 – They had bargained their pay. They had bargained with the land owner, made a deal, settled their pay and went to work. They went to work with the land owner because they thought they had made a fair deal with the land owner. Fair bargains may not always lead to advantageous position.

The Reward for Patience:

The workers who arrived at the eleventh hour, received their reward because of their patience and persistence. The time of their waiting was not a wasted time, it was also considered equal to work. The workers who were employed at the eleventh hour was made equal to the ones who arrived early for work. They may not have received their wage if they had retreated and returned home. Because of their endurance they received their reward just as mentioned in Hebrews 10: 36, “For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise”.

God is not a hard task-master. He is generous with his riches and gifts. But while we are waiting patience does its perfect work in us. James 1:3,4 says “Knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing”. 

 

Prayer - The seventh weapon

PRAYER - THE SEVENTH WEAPON

Bible Verse for Meditation: Ephesians 6: 18, 19, 20 

18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; 19 And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

From Pastors to Sunday School teachers, "The Armor of God" given in Ephesians 6:11- 18, is a favorite theme. The practical message and the completeness of the passage adds to its familiarity. But most of the time we hear about the first six armors or weapons explained in detail. In any drawing of the "armor of God" we can see the first six armors beautifully portrayed. But there is a seventh weapon mentioned in the passage that is also very important i.e. the weapon of prayer. 

Christians As Soldiers:

In the passage about the armor of God, Apostle Paul compares Christians to soldiers. Our enemy is not in flesh and blood, but he is an invisible enemy, the devil. Therefore, Apostle Paul encourages us to always be ready wearing the full armor of God. The armor of God mentioned in Ephesians 6 and commonly discussed are the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, feet fitted with the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit i.e the word of God. These are the weapons a soldier would be carrying or wearing physically. But wearing and carrying all these armor will be of no use, if the soldier does not have the mental strength, courage or the boldness to face the enemy or war. A soldier needs tenacity, perseverance and boldness and that could be obtained only through prayer.

Prayer - The Weapon of Boldness (Explanation):

When we read the Bible verses in two languages - sometimes they give the exact same meaning, sometimes they compliment each other but other times they lead me to more deeper study to understand the verse better. Ephesians 6: 18 was one such verse. In my native language Tamil, the verse goes on like this "எந்தச் சமயத்திலும் சகலவிதமான வேண்டுதலோடும் விண்ணப்பத்தோடும் ஆவியினாலே ஜெபம்பண்ணி, அதன்பொருட்டு மிகுந்த மனஉறுதியோடும் சகல பரிசுத்தவான்களுக்காகவும் பண்ணும் வேண்டுதலோடும் விழித்துக்கொண்டிருங்கள் (எபேசியர் 6: 18)". Just like English language, the Holy Bible in Tamil language was also translated from Greek language. So Tamil translations are also not to be taken lightly. 

Ephesians 6:18 in Tamil language can be divided into three phrases

 First - எந்தச் சமயத்திலும் சகலவிதமான வேண்டுதலோடும் விண்ணப்பத்தோடும் ஆவியினாலே ஜெபம்பண்ணி

Second - அதன்பொருட்டு மிகுந்த மனஉறுதியோடும்

Third - சகல பரிசுத்தவான்களுக்காகவும் பண்ணும் வேண்டுதலோடும் விழித்துக்கொண்டிருங்கள்

Ephesians 6:18

The first phrase, "எந்தச் சமயத்திலும் சகலவிதமான வேண்டுதலோடும் விண்ணப்பத்தோடும் ஆவியினாலே ஜெபம்பண்ணி" is the same as in English language - Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit

However the second phrase, " அதன்பொருட்டு மிகுந்த மனஉறுதியோடும்" is translated as "thereunto with all perseverance" in English language. 

There is a difference in meaning in these translations. In Tamil translation the meaning of Ephesians 6:18 is conveyed as "Pray always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit and with the mental strength (it could be tenacity, the ability to endure, boldness or courage also) you have obtained through that, keep a watch with supplication for all saints. This translation seems more plausible also because of the following verses (verses 19 & 20) where Apostle Paul requests for prayer, so that he could be emboldened while he was in chains for the sake of the Gospel. It is not only about persevering in prayer, but about "receiving the ability to persevere" through prayer.

When you pray always with all kinds of prayer, you receive the tenacity, the boldness and the courage to face the attack of the enemy. Not only that, through the courage received, you can present your supplications for other saints also to have boldness and courage when they are engaged in warfare against the enemy. This can be easily understood from the 19th and the 20th verses where Apostle Paul requests the Ephesians to pray for him for boldness to carry out the work effectively.

The Full Armor of God:

Apostle Paul exhorts us to put on the whole armor of God. Prayer makes the armor complete. Prayer which helps us to persevere and be courageous while enduring various hardships is very important. The exhortation of Apostle Paul in Ephesians 6:10 saying "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might" before he starts on with the armor of God gets completed with the prayer for boldness in verses 18, 19 and 20. 

Praying With All Prayer:

The Bible encourages us to pray with all types of prayer to receive the boldness. There are many types of prayer given in the Bible. Some of them are

1) Numbers 12: 13 - Pleading in Prayer (in Tamil கெஞ்சினான்)

2) Numbers 27:5 - Bringing people's case before the Lord)

3) Numbers 9: 25; Joshua 7:6 - Prostrating before the Lord

4) Numbers 10: 12 - Speaking to the Lord

5) Judges 20: 27; I Samuel 23:2 - Inquiring of the Lord

6) I Samuel 1: 15; Psalm 62:8 - Pouring out our soul before the Lord

7) Psalm 27:4 - Desiring of the Lord

8) Psalm 32:5 - Confession

9) Psalm 33:20; 40:1 - Waiting for the Lord in our soul

10) Psalm 42:1 - Panting for the Lord

11) Psalm 42:2 - Thirsting for God

12) Nehemiah 1:11 - Mourning, fasting and praying

13) Psalm 34 - This Psalm was sung during one of David's desperate moments, this psalm is filled with so many types of prayer, David was using to fight his battle. Blessing the Lord and praising (Verse 1), boasting in the Lord (verse 2), magnifying the Lord and exalting His name (verse 3), seeking the Lord (verse 4), looking to His face (verse 5), crying out (verse 6).

14) Colossians 4:2 - Being vigilant in prayer with thanksgiving

15) Colossians 4:12 - Laboring fervently in prayer

The list seems unending, so let me stop here. We can learn from these men and women of God on how to call upon our God during adversity and overcome it.

Being Emboldened in Our Soul:

Undoubtedly, these are days of crisis and turmoil. Everywhere we turn, we can see pain, loss, burden and desperation. But the Bible warns us "If you faint in the day of adversity, Your strength is small. (Proverbs 24:10). We need perseverance and tenacity to endure these hardships, not only for our sake but also for the sake of those whom we minister to. As King David says in Psalm 138: 3, "In the day when I cried out, You answered me, And made me bold with strength in my soul". The weapon of prayer is available for us to receive this strength and boldness during these days.