When we step into Mark 5, especially verses 1–20, we
are not just observing a dramatic deliverance. We are peering into an ancient
conflict that stretches from the tombs of Gadara to the lake of fire in
Revelation. This is not just the story of a man possessed—it is the unveiling
of the spiritual realm, the boundaries of divine justice, and the merciful,
measured power of Yeshua HaMashiach.
The man Yeshua meets in the region of the Gadarenes is
described in graphic terms:
"He had his dwelling among the tombs; and no
one could bind him, not even with chains, 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; neither could anyone tame him." (Mark 5:3–4)
"And always, night and day, he was in the mountains
and in the tombs, crying out and cutting himself with stones." (Mark 5:5)
His condition isn't simply medical—it's spiritual. He is
overtaken by a multitude of demons who name themselves Legion, a
Roman military term, hinting at both number and violence. But how did this come
to be?
The region itself gives us the first clue. Gadara,
part of the Decapolis—a cluster of ten Hellenized cities—was known for its
Greco-Roman influence, its disregard for Torah, and its blend of pagan rituals.
This was not Israelite land steeped in covenant; this was a spiritually defiled
territory. That pigs—unclean animals under Torah—were being raised here shows
the cultural compromise. In ancient times, necromancy, divination, and rituals
seeking the aid of the dead or otherworldly forces were common in such regions.
“Who sit among the graves, and spend the night in
the tombs; who eat swine’s flesh, and the broth of abominable things is in
their vessels.”
(Isaiah 65:4)
Whether the man was personally involved or a victim of
his environment, spiritual doors had been opened—and Legion had walked in.
Yeshua’s arrival is not subtle. The man runs to Him
and bows, but the voice that cries out is not his own.
"And he cried out with a loud voice and said,
'What have I to do with You, Yeshua, Son of the Most High God? I implore You by
God that You do not torment me!'" (Mark 5:7)
This cry reveals both fear and theology. The demons
know who He is. They know His authority. And they know the prophetic timeline.
“And suddenly they cried out, saying, ‘What have we
to do with You, Yeshua, Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the
time?’” (Matthew 8:29)
That “time” refers to the appointed judgment of the
wicked—not just humans, but of fallen angels and demons:
“For if God did not spare the angels who sinned,
but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be
reserved for judgment...” (2 Peter 2:4)
“And the angels who did not keep their proper
domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under
darkness for the judgment of the great day.” (Jude 1:6)
“The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the
lake of fire and brimstone... and they will be tormented day and night forever
and ever.” (Revelation 20:10)
“Then he begged Him that He would not command them
to go out into the abyss.” (Luke 8:31)
So why did Yeshua grant their request to enter the pigs? Not
because He honored their rebellion, but because He was honoring the Father’s
appointed times. It was not yet the time of their judgment. And in permitting
them to enter the pigs, He allowed a profound spiritual truth to be
revealed—the nature of the demonic is always destruction.
“And at once Yeshua gave them permission. Then the
unclean spirits went out and entered the swine... and the herd ran violently
down the steep place into the sea, and drowned in the sea.” (Mark 5:13)
The demons did not save them—they destroyed them. What was
previously hidden in a tormented man was now visible in nature.
And yet the town responded not with awe, but with
fear.
“Then they came to Yeshua, and saw the one who had
been demon-possessed and had the legion, sitting and clothed and in his right
mind. And they were afraid... Then they began to plead with Him to depart from
their region.” (Mark 5:15,17)
Deliverance had disrupted their economy. Truth had
disturbed their comfort. But Yeshua didn’t leave them without hope:
“Go home to your friends, and tell them what great
things the Master has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you.”
(Mark 5:19)
This encounter also opens our eyes to how demons
operate when disembodied.
“When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes
through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none. Then he says, ‘I will return
to my house from which I came.’ And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept,
and put in order... and the last state of that man is worse than the first.”
(Matthew 12:43–45)
Disembodied spirits are limited but not
powerless. They tempt, lie, and stir unrest. But they prefer to dwell in a
host, where they can fully express their influence.
Can this happen to believers? Scripture warns that
willful, unrepentant sin can open doors—even for those who claim faith:
“Nor give place to the devil.” (Ephesians 4:27)
“For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins.” (Hebrews 10:26)
“For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Master and Savior Yeshua Messiah, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning.” (2 Peter 2:20)
So what does it mean when Yeshua says:
“Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” (Matthew 18:18)
It means we have been given delegated authority. While we cannot cast demons into hell—that is YHVH’s role at the final judgment—we can bind them (restrict their influence), cast them out (remove them from lives), and loose the truth, healing, and Spirit of God. But casting out is only the beginning. The soul must be filled—with worship, truth, obedience—or it become an empty house ready for reentry.
Even Isaiah foresaw this pattern:
“It shall come to pass in that day that YHVH will punish on high the host of exalted ones... They will be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and will be shut up in the prison; after many days they will be punished.” (Isaiah 24:21–22)
This aligns with Revelation 20. Demons dread this timeline—they recognize the weight of the mo’edim (God's appointed Times) and the justice that is coming.
In the end, Mark 5 is not just about the man who was set free. It’s about Yeshua confronting spiritual corruption with kingly authority. It’s about exposing what hides in tombs and in shadows. It’s about the mercy that meets even the most broken soul, and the judgment that waits for all rebellion.
May we walk in sobriety. May we guard every gate to our soul. May we live filled with the Ruach (Spirit). And may we be like the man once known only by his torment—now clothed, whole, and testifying of the One who sets captives free.