Hebrews 9:27 And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment
Revelation 14:13 "And I heard a voice from heaven, saying, “Write, ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on!’” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “so that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow with them.”
Introduction:
The George Gallop Institute reports that 70% of all Americans believe in Heaven and 53% believe in Hell. I invite the reader to click first on the following link, which features a simulation of every person being born or dying on earth in real time: http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2013/10/a-real-time-map-of-births-and-deaths/280609/
In today's blog we are going to be featuring the first in a periodic series of what I am calling "Next big things". These are particular events that will impact every human being who has either lived or who is living today. Whether rich or poor, Christian or none Christian, the Bible spells out for us in big "bill-board style" what the next big things are up and coming. There is an event that for either this blogger or you the reader or someone you know that could happen when you least expect. The next big thing to which I refer is: "Death, Hell or Heaven". There is only One way in which you can be sure you're ready for when that "next big thing" may occur - that of course is by grace through faith alone trusting in Christ alone.
All human beings occupy one of three states
Many theologians and Bible teachers have pointed out that in the Bible we can understand human beings as occupying one of three states: There is a living state, followed by an intermediate state that begins at death and concludes at resurrection (resurrection of the righteous for believers and a second, separate resurrection of the wicked for unbelievers). These first two states proceed the third and lasting state, the eternal state, that entails the New heavens and earth for believers and Lake of fire for unbelievers following the Great White throne judgment in Revelation 20. Only in this current living state do we have the opportunity to hear the Gospel and by Grace through faith believe, repent of our sins and be saved from the wrath to come.
What follows then is understanding the next big thing of death, and recognizing that there are two places spoken of in scripture wherein a person will occupy: Heaven or hell. Two men will aid us in understanding what this next big thing is all about so that you can be sure you are ready once it happens to you. The first man is the rich man in Luke 16 and the second man will be the thief on the cross in Luke 23. In looking at both of these men, we can note two general truths about death, Hell or Heaven. I will simply give the reader the headings and then explain them as we go:
1. Those who go to hell are born once and die twice
2. Those who go to heaven are born twice and die once
So let us note the first man, the rich man in Luke 16, and see how he portrays....
Those who go to hell are born once and die twice
All who are born into this world are described as having been born in Adam, in sin and in death. (Psalm 51:5, Romans 5:19) One preacher has illustrated this by noting that man's birth is like a dot, with an arrow proceeding infinitely ahead of him, representing the fact that he is an everlasting soul. (.--------------------------------------->)
The Rich man in Luke 16:19-31 was undoubtedly born, and lived as we see in Luke 16:25. Then like every man, the Rich Man died as seen in Luke 19:22. That Rich man had been born, lived and now died physically. Where did he go? His living state on this earth was done, and now the intermediate state of his soul began. The Bible says that this Rich man, in Hades (or Hell) lifted up his eyes in torments. We can note some traits of this first man who died and went to hell:
1. He was unexpected by many to die and go to hell. Lk 16:14
The reader must understand that for Jesus' listeners, this would had been a shocking development. The Rich man would had been the last guy you would had expected to end up in Hell. Rich people were often thought to had done the right things in the sight of God and man to obtain their level of wealth. Earlier in Luke 16:14 even the Pharisees, the self-righteous religionists of their day, were noted for their opulence. Nevertheless Jesus' teaching is quite clear, the Rich man had been born, lived and died in his sins. Sadly a person don't have to do one thing to die and go to hell. This rich man had his heaven on earth and did not want God in his life. Some people are going to end up in Hell that we would never expect, but notice also...
2. He was unrepentant. Luke 16:24
The rich man was in agony in the flames. He wanted comfort, like he had in his living state here on earth. (Luke 16:19) Like the people who will be under the wrath of God on this earth in the great tribulation recorded in Revelation 16:9,11,21, the Rich Man evidences no repentance, only rebellion against God.
3. He was un-forgetful Luke 16:30
Father Abraham reminds the rich man: "remember during your life". The rich man begs Abraham to send Lazarus to "his father's house, for he has five brothers". The rich man's perpective on Lazarus as the "begger at his gate" had not changed. In hell, the person refuses to change. Ironically, the rich man is now the beggar and Lazarus is in comfort. (Luke 16:25)
4. He remained unconvinced of the scriptures. Luke 16:30
According to Luke 16:29-30, after father Abraham tells this rich man that his brothers have the law and the prophets to guide them to the saving knowledge that will spare them from the flames, the Rich man flatly says: "No Father Abraham." A person in hell is still convinced they have a better way and plan. Sadly, whatever state an unbeliever leaves this world, they will continue in a downward and increasingly inward spiral of sinfulness and opposition to the Lord and His book.
Hebrews 9:27 tells us that it is appointed unto man once to die, and after this the judgment. We've noted that the Rich man had been born once, lived, and died a physical death, ending up in hell to await judgment. The second death will occur according to Revelation 20:14-15 when death and hades, that is to say every unbeliever whose name had never been recorded in the lambs book of life, is cast into the lake of fire. More will be spoken about the Great White Throne judgment in later posts. However for now we can say this where we get the idea of "the second death" and hence the sad reality of hell for those who are "born once and die twice." The Rich man describes such a person. But now let us turn to another man, the thief on the cross, who represents....
Those who go to heaven are born twice and die once
The scene is Golgotha in Luke 23:39-43. As is often the case in Biblical discussions about death, heaven and hell, we can be surprised to learn who ends up in both places. For this thief on the cross, he would had been the last guy you would expect to end up in heaven. To go to hell, there is sadly nothing you have to do. To claim neutrality on the issue of salvation and Jesus Christ is to declare your rejection of Him. (John 3:36) However in order to get to heaven, there is nothing you can do to contribute. In short order we can note the following about the thief on the cross and his being born twice and only having to die once:
1. He received God's Word. Luke 23:38-39
2. He repented Luke 23:40-41
3. He relied on Jesus Luke 23:41-42
4. He was regarded justified. Luke 23:43
Clearly the Holy Spirit was doing a work of grace on this man's heart, for he experienced what Jesus had described in John 3:3 as the New birth. He was born again by the Spirit of God because of God's Sovereign Spirit working forth for him to act and embrace Jesus Christ by faith. (Ephesians 2:8-9) Though the remainder of the New Testament explains such realities in more detail, we can say that the thief on the cross was, in a sense foreshadowing the New Testament reality of the new birth - born again, and only had to die once. He by grace through faith embraced the Lord presented to Him by the Spirit. Thus like that thief, you have to be born physically and then spiritually in order to be assured that when you die physically, you will be "absent from the body but present with the Lord". (2 Corinthians 5:6) The promise to all true Christians is that when they die right now, blessings will attend them (Revelation 14:13); a rich entryway will be supplied (2 Peter 1:11-12) and Jesus Himself will be there to receive them. (Acts 7:55)
This is why death, Hell or Heaven is the next big thing. My prayer is dear friend is that you are ready for it. Would it be that you would be born twice, and only have to die once. Would it be that by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone that we could be in His presence in the intermediate state that lies between death and resurrection, and then the eternal state that follows for world without end.
Luke 23:33 When they came to the place called The Skull, there they crucified Him and the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left.
The last guy you would expect to see going to Heaven
Yesterday we looked closely at the doctrine of hell. We noted "The Rich Man" in Luke 16 as being the last guy anyone in Jesus' time would had expected to go to hell. The Rich Man was wealthy and would had been considered by all human standards to be blessed by God due to his opulence. Today we are going to consider a second man, the thief on the cross who hung beside Jesus, who in many ways is a contrast to the rich man. The point of this post is to consider why the doctrine of Heaven is so crucial for the Christian. Before getting to the thief on the cross, we will first briefly survey the Bible's teaching on heaven.
What Jesus and the Bible teaches on Heaven
As we travel through Genesis, we see 30 or so mentions of the word "heaven" with most references to either the first heaven (sky) or second heaven (universe). In Genesis 28:12 we read: "And he (Jacob) dreamed, and behold, a ladder was set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to the heavens. And behold, angels of God ascended and descended upon it." Jacob's incredible experience shows the activity of the third heaven touching down here on earth. According to John 1:51, what Jacob saw was none other than an Old Testament appearance of Jesus Christ. It is in 2 Corinthians 12 that the Apostle Paul refers to this realm as the "third heaven" (hence the reason for terming the first two realms of the sky as "1st heaven" and the universe as "2nd heaven").
According to Strong's Exhaustive Concordance, the third heaven or "current abode of the redeemed" is described as a place of:
1. Joy. Luke 15:7,10
2. Rest. Revelation 14:13
3. Peace. Luke 16:19-25
4. Righteousness. 2 Peter 3:13
5. Service. Revelation 7:15
6. Reward. Matthew 5:11,12
7. Inheritance. 1 Peter 1:4
8. Glory. Romans 8:17,18
Further reflection upon heaven demonstrates it to be literally:
1. Place - John 14:1-3
2. Prioritizing Jesus - Acts 7:55
3. More beautiful than the natural mind can comprehend - 1 Cor 2:9; 2 Cor 12:2
4. Palatial entryway for every Christian. 2 Peter 1:11
With that brief survey of the believer's destination that is called by the name "heaven" or "paradise" in the scriptures, now we are going to meet the thief on the cross.
The last guy anyone would had expected to had died and gone to heaven
To all people witnessing the crucifixion, many would had assumed that the thief on the cross was soon going to die and go to hell. Luke gives us this touching portrait of God's grace working that day in the life of a man that would have no chance of ever giving back. Crucifixion was reserved for the most vile offenders. Yet the thief gives us a portrait of a man who avoided hell.
Without a doubt he is a contrast to the rich man in Luke 16.
The rich man was a man of influence, and was considered by some to have had some measure of righteousness based upon his wealth. Even though he was considered to be most likely to die and go to heaven, instead he died and went to hell. The thief on the other hand, who had neither wealth nor influence, was afforded access into Heaven. Why? Whenever you compare him to the rich man in yesterday's post, you find two completely different hearts:
1. The thief believed God's Word Luke 23:38-39
Unlike the rich man, who was unconvinced by God's Word (Lk 16:30), the thief on the cross was convinced, evidencing the Spirit's work of saving grace in His heart.
What had they written on the board above Jesus' head? "THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS". By fulfilling prophetic scripture, Jesus Christ indeed was the crucified King. The soldiers mocking and the other thief's taunts were in response to the words written. The Jews had begged Pilate earlier to take it down, but Pilate told them in John 19:22 "what I have written, I have written". The repentant thief had a quite different response. In seeing and hearing those words, which undoubtedly were to become part of sacred scripture, the thief's attitude was changed from one of ridicule to repentance.
2. The thief was repentant Luke 23:40-41
Unlike the rich man who died unrepentant and remained so in hell (Luke 16:24), the thief states in Luke 23:41 "And we indeed are suffering justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong." Only God's Sovereign grace could show this thief the awfulness of his own sin and the awesomeness of Jesus Christ. (2 Timothy 2:25-26) This thief repented, ignored the crowd and the other thief, and chose to look to Jesus.
3. The thief relied on Jesus. Luke 23:41-42
Sadly the rich man remained unchanged in hell, ever relying more on his own abilities. He still though of himself as the master and Lazarus as the begger.
What did the thief come to believe about Jesus and himself? That Jesus was without sin (Luke 23:41), The King (23:42) & Savior (23:42). Meanwhile the thief saw himself deserving his punishment and being a beggar in need of the Master's touch.
4. Thief was regarded justified by faith, thus gaining entry Luke 23:43
The declaration of Jesus: Today you will be with me in paradise" would not had been stated to a man who was still remaining guilty in the sight of God. By grace through faith and repentance this man was declared fit to have entryway into heaven or paradise! He avoided Hell by believing on Jesus for the forgiveness of his sins.
Why the Doctrine of Heaven is crucial for the Christian
Much like yesterday's post, we see similar benefits for the Christian in considering more closely the reality of heaven:
1. Eternal perspective. It puts into sharp focus eternity and the need to trust in Christ. It should raise the burden to get the gospel to as many people as possible.
2. Emphasizes the need for Grace. For the Christian, Heaven has the positive benefit of helping us praise God for His grace and to rely ever more on such grace.
3. Emphasizes Christ's righteousness, not my own. Only through Christ can I have confidence before the Just and Holy God. The thief on the cross evidenced the Spirit's saving work through his faith and repentance in Jesus Christ.
4. Emboldens perseverance. The wonderful truth about Heaven emboldens perseverance. Peter writes in 2 Peter 1:11-12 "for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you.
12 Therefore, I will always be ready to remind you of these things, even though you already know them, and have been established in the truth which is present with you."
Luke 16:19-23 19“Now there was a rich man, and he habitually dressed in purple and fine linen, joyously living in splendor every day. 20“And a poor man named Lazarus was laid at his gate, covered with sores, 21and longing to be fed with the crumbs which were falling from the rich man’s table; besides, even the dogs were coming and licking his sores. 22“Now the poor man died and was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s bosom; and the rich man also died and was buried. 23“In Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far away and Lazarus in his bosom.
Introduction:
Today we meet a man who is simply called by Jesus "a rich man" who is described being in hell. Before we come to his story, let us first consider the New Testament teaching on Hell.
Jesus' Teaching on HellAccording to Dr. John MacArthur, Jesus teaches more on the subject of hell than the prophets, apostles and evangelists of scripture put together. (Ashamed of the Gospel, page 64). In my own study of Jesus' teachings on various subjects, it is surprising to see how often he mentions "Hell" in comparison to other topics:
1. Heaven = 34 times
2. Salvation = 21 times
3. Hell = 17 times
4. Love = 17 times
5. Money = 12 times
6. Prediction of his crucifixion = around 10 times
7. Not judging people = 3 times
Further study reveals Jesus' description of hell, which matches the Old Testament understanding but with far more detail:
1. Unquenchable Fire Mark 9:43 compare Num 16:25; Ps106:17,18
2. Everlasting Fire Matthew 18:18
3. Outer Darkness Matthew 25:46
4. Gates of Hell Matthew 16:18 compare Ps 9:13; Is 38:10
5. Place of conscious existence. Luke 16:25-28
6. Place of wailing, weeping and gnashing of teeth. Mt 8:12; 13:42, 50; 22:13; 24:51; 25:30; Luke 13:28
7. Place of constant burning and stench. Matt 5:22, 29-30; 10:28; Matt 18:9; 23:15,33; Mark 9:43,45,47; Luke 12:5
The Rich man in hell
With the full background of Jesus' teaching on Hell, we now come to Luke 16, which represents the fullest treatment on the physical sights and sounds of "hades", "sheol" or as the KJV renders "hell".
In the Jewish culture, particularly the Pharisees to whom Jesus' was speaking, wealth was taken to be a sign that someone was right with God. In fact, Luke 16:14 tells us that the Pharisees loved money, since it not only fit their desires but also was a big part of their theology of works righteousness. To have a rich person in hell would had been offensive to the listener of Jesus' day. We reading the text may not be as surprised, since the Rich Man is described as living for himself and his pleasures, not evidencing any sign of ever having repented or believed on the Lord for His salvation. Nonetheless, if we would had been listening to Jesus, knowing what we know of that culture, we would not had expected it as much. It goes to show that only by grace through faith in Christ is a person saved from wrath, rather than one's social standing or supposed reputation among men.
Notice now the following traits of this rich man in hell, and how he sadly, but truly, represents all those who die in their sins.
1. The rich man was unrepentant. Luke 16:24, 30
This rich man was in agony in the flames of hell. He wanted comfort. Just as he had lived his entire life in "joyous splendor everyday" (16:19). He was chiefly concerned about escaping the pain. Contrary to what many may think, hell is not a place full of people regetting their rebellion against God.
In Revelation 16:9,11 and 21 we see God pouring out final wrath upon this earth, a "literal hell on earth" prior to Christ's return. Unbelievers left on this planet actually curse God all the more, giving us insight into the fact that whatever the condition of unbelief in this life, it is only magnified in hell.
2. The rich man was un-forgetful. Luke 16:25,28
Father Abraham reminds the rich man: "remember during your life". The rich man begs Abraham to send Lazarus to "his father's house, for he has five brothers". The rich man's perpective on Lazarus as the "begger at his gate" had not changed. In hell, the person refuses to change. Ironically, the rich man is now the beggar and Lazarus is in comfort. (Luke 16:25)
3. The rich man is unconvinced about God's Word. Luke 16:30
As the rich man and Abraham continue to exchange words "across the gulf" fixed between them, the rich man begs Abraham to send warning to his brothers about the awfulness of hell. Abraham states in Luke 16:29 “But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ What does the rich man say? Luke 16:30 tells us -“But he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent!’" Notice how the rich man still believes his way to be better than God's Word. Furthermore, someone else needs to repent, however the rich man never expresses remorse over his unrepentance. Sad indeed!
Why the doctrine of Hell is crucial for the Christian
As you read on into Luke 17, Jesus gives further warnings about being on our guard in our faithwalk and not stumbling. In Luke 17:5 we read - "The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!”
Hell is admittedly a disturbing doctrine, however for the Christian the doctrine of Hell is beneficial in the following ways:
1. Eternal perspective. It puts into sharp focus eternity and the need to trust in Christ. It should raise the burden to get the gospel to as many people as possible.
2. Emphasizes the need for Grace. For the Christian, the doctrine of Hell has the positive benefit of helping us praise God for His grace and to rely ever more on such grace. His grace is what calls us to Himself in salvation, is what keeps us persevering in sanctification and guarantees the believer's eternity with Jesus in glorification.
3. Emphasizes Christ's righteousness, not my own. I'm sure when the disciples heard this teaching they lost confidence in their own self-righteousness and leaned more on Christ their righteousness. Only through Christ can I have confidence before the Just and Holy God.
4. Emboldens perseverance. Only in Christ can I have the increased faith needed to overcome adversity and fear. 1 John 4:17 states - "By this, love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as He is, so also are we in this world."
Jonah 1:9 "He said to them, “I am a Hebrew, and I fear the Lord God of heaven who made the sea and the dry land.”
Introduction: What Christians can learn from a reluctant prophet regarding the subject of origins and creation
In reading through the opening chapters of the Book of Jonah, one discovers a statement made by the reluctant prophet Jonah in the middle of a great storm. The text sets the scene of a ship full of men on a storm tossed monstrosity of water. God is the one orchestrating the Providential scene to get Jonah's attention, but instead the pagan sailors are quaking in their shoes. After crying out helplessly to their mythological deities, the men arouse a sleeping Jonah to divulge to them the cause of the storm. Lots had been cast and the sailors discovered that Jonah had been fleeing from God. The first words recorded to have come from Jonah's lips was an affirmation of God's Sovereignty and creation of the dry sea and land in Jonah 1:9.
What would you had told those sailors in the heat of such a moment? They all worshipped various deities whom they believed could be manipulated or who had jurisdiction over local areas. They had denied what the creation around them had told them of the Sovereign and creative power of God in exchange for deities of their own manufacture. (compare Romans 1:18-25) Jonah's affirmation came deep from a heart that though in rebellion at the time, still affirmed by faith what he knew to be the case. Jonah 1 reminds us that the God who created all things on both the dry land and sea is God of Heaven and earth. Such an affirmation is crucial to communicating to people the fact that He is the One to whom all creatures are accountable.
Furthermore, the fact that Jonah proclaims the name of "LORD" or "Yahweh" reminds us that this One God is the Only Savior. He is God of creation and the Lord of redemption. Following the men's casting of Jonah in to the angry waves, we discover that the storm ceases and Jonah ends up spending three-days and nights in the belly of the great fish in Jonah 1:17. Such an event truly took place due to the fact that Jesus uses it to point to what would be the event of His death, burial and resurrection in Matthew 12:40 & 16:4. In reflecting on this first chapter of the Book of Jonah, I believe we can come away with the following principles to guide us in knowing what to affirm about creation and origins of the universe, life and humanity:
1. Affirm your Christian identity.
In Jonah 1:9 we read Jonah saying: "He said to them, “I am a Hebrew....". Jonah was affirming his identity as a covenant believer in the God of Israel, which includes affirmation in the revelation of the scriptures, God's salvation promises and exclusivity of hope in God and God alone. As Christians, we must not apologize for who we are. We affirm and adhere not merely to a set of worldview commitments, but commitment to the One who frames our worldview - Jesus Christ, and the book that is Divinely inspired and discloses the truth about Him - the Bible.
2. Affirm the Divine origin of the universe, the earth and life
As we move on in Jonah 1:9 we see Jonah stating "I fear the Lord God of heaven....". Theologian and author R.C Sproul has summed up quite nicely that there are only three options when it comes to the subject of origins: either the universe is eternal, the universe created itself or God created the heavens and the earth. Amazingly when one surveys the current catalogue of secular and religious viewpoints on origins today, all positions fall under one of those three categories. A Biblical view of origins must affirm without question the Divine origin of the universe, earth and life. Furthermore, the particular God we claim to be behind all things is a specific God that has a unique identity. To affirm anything less is to swear allegiance to something else other than Biblical view of origins. So we need to affirm our Christian identity and the Divine origin of all things, but notice the third major principle we learn from Jonah and the scriptures about what we should affirm in the origins discussion....
3. Affirm the historicity of God's creation of all things
This last point comes from how Jesus Himself came to treat the book of Jonah and the event of Jonah being swallowed by the great fish. If Jonah's circumstances were nothing more than a myth or moral tale meant to impart some well-meaning lessons, then we must conclude that Jesus' own mission and identity fits in the same category. However when you consider Jesus referring to His impending death, burial and resurrection as the "sign of Jonah" in Matthew 16:4, we see that everything that occurs in Jonah's record must be regarded as historical fact.
Do we include such theological statements as Jonah's affirmation of Biblical creationism? Absolutely! Why? Because Jonah's subsequent actions and the calming of the sea are framed within the context of that affirmation. God's creation of the heavens and the earth and continuing providential maintenance of all things is a pivotal part of the account. Unless God is the Creator, he cannot be the One who is also the Source of salvation, as states later in Jonah 2:9-10.
This affirmation of the historicity of the creation event includes taking at face value the six-day creation week spelled out in Genesis 1 and the other details surrounding what God did in that week found throughout the dozens of other scriptures in both the Old and New Testaments.
To deny the historicity of the creation of the universe, the earth and life is to affirm less than what the scripture clearly reveals. Only a consistent historical belief in a literal creation can be the proper foundation for affirming belief in a literal and historical salvation once and for all accomplished by God in human flesh - Jesus Christ. As Jonah 2:9 states - But I will sacrifice to You with the voice of thanksgiving. That which I have vowed I will pay. Salvation is from the Lord.”
Luke 11:19-21 "And if I by Beelzebul cast out demons, by whom do your sons cast them out? So they will be your judges. 20 But if I cast out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. 21 When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are undisturbed."
Acts 10:38 "You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him."
Introduction:
We find in the Gospel records nearly ten episodes recorded of Jesus performing exorcisms on various people. Clearly such activity was a crucial part of Jesus' ministry. The question is: "Why?" Today's post will attempt to explore the texts in the Gospel records that record the instances of Jesus performing exorcisms and offer reasons behind why He did them:
1. Demonstration of His Authority
2. Delegation of His Authority
3. Deliverance from bondage
So why are the exorcisms recorded in the Gospel records so vital to understanding the ministry of Jesus Christ? Notice first of all that they....
Demonstrated His authority
Jesus Himself states in Luke 11:19 "But if I cast out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you." That phrase "finger of God" is found throughout the Old Testament and refers to the authority or judgment of God, Yahweh Himself. In Exodus 8:19 the Egyptian magicians told Pharoah that the severity of the plagues was due to the "finger of God". In Exodus 31:19 and Deuteronomy 9:10 we see Yahweh inscribing upon the tablets of stone with His own finger - i.e the "finger of God". Clearly Jesus' statement in Luke is Him making a reference to His Divine authority. Mind you Jesus is not merely saying He casts out demons with delegated authority as an emissary of Yahweh, rather He is asserting that He Himself does so as God in human flesh!
The reader must take note that until Jesus walked this earth, no recorded incident of exorcism had ever taken place. Not even in the Old Testament do we see such a demonstration of power. Clearly the Son's incarnation into time and human flesh signified an alteration in both history and the cosmic realms. He evidenced Supreme authority in both the human and angelic realms - an authority that only God Himself can claim.
It is no wonder that in Matthew 4:24 that we see news spreading quickly about His authority over such beings. Matthew 8:16 tells us He cast out demons with just a word. In Matthew 8:29 and Mark 1:23-24 the demons thought it was the final judgment due to the fact that God in human flesh was taking authority over them as an act of judgment. We could cite several other scriptures but the point is made: Jesus cast out demons to demonstrate His authority. But notice secondly, Jesus cast out demons to delegate authority.
Delegation of authority
When Jesus called his disciples, one of His main goals was to train them and delegate to them the authority they would need to preach and lead the early church. Matthew 10:1 plainly says: "Jesus summoned His twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every kind of disease and every kind of sickness." As the disciples gained ministry experience, it was clear that at times they were unsuccessful and required further instruction by Jesus. (Mark 9:38) According to Luke 10:17 Jesus had also delegated authority to 70 others.
Such patterns of delegated authority were going to be vital once Jesus ascended unto heaven and the Apostles took up the reigns of leadership in the early church. To act in Jesus' name meant they were doing His bidding with the same Holy Spirit with which He did. (Luke 4:18) Without delegated authority, the apostles and the church could not be the continuation and extension of Jesus ministry. (Acts 16:18) And so Jesus performed exorcisms to demonstrate His authority, as well as to delegate it, but notice thirdly....
Deliverance from bondage
It was quite obvious that Jesus' exorcisms served to deliver people from bondage and tyranny of affliction. In Mark 9:17ff we see a lad afflicted with a spirit that needed casted out. Only Jesus direct intervention could remedy the young man's plight. According to Mark 16:9 "Now after He had risen early on the first day of the week, He first appeared to Mary Magdalene, from whom He had cast out seven demons." Peter states in Acts 10:38 "You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him."
This point is important in understanding part of why the Son became incarnate. Hebrews 2:14 and 1 John 3:8 both remind us that He came to destroy the Devil's works and to set people free from bondage to fear. According to Colossians 2:14-15, such activity by Jesus in His earthly ministry set a pattern for what He would accomplish on the cross by triumphing over the demonic realm. Jesus victory over the cosmic powers was part of the multifaceted reasons behind the meaning of His atoning work. The work of delivering people from bondage was necessary, being that Satan and his forces are ever at work blinding people to the truth. Only Christ through the power of the Gospel can break people free of physical, chemical, relational and any other sort of bondage that is influenced by the Kingdom of darkness. (Acts 26:18)
Conclusion:
Today we explored why Jesus did exorcisms. Such acts were a major part of His overall ministry. We identified three primary reasons: demonstration of His authority, delegation of His authority and deliverance of people from bondage.
