. The great controversy between Christ and Satan during the Christian dispensation . at with whichhe was dealing, and he recognized the direct presence andagency of evil spirits. A striking example of their number, power, and malignity,and also of the power and mercy of Christ, is given in theScripture account of the healing of the demoniacs at wretched maniacs, spurning all restraint, writhing,foaming, raging, were filling the air with their cries, doingviolence to themselves, and endangering all who shouldapproach them. Their bleeding and disfigured bodies anddistracted minds pr
. The great controversy between Christ and Satan during the Christian dispensation . at with whichhe was dealing, and he recognized the direct presence andagency of evil spirits. A striking example of their number, power, and malignity,and also of the power and mercy of Christ, is given in theScripture account of the healing of the demoniacs at wretched maniacs, spurning all restraint, writhing,foaming, raging, were filling the air with their cries, doingviolence to themselves, and endangering all who shouldapproach them. Their bleeding and disfigured bodies anddistracted minds presented a spectacle well-pleasing to theprince of darkness. One of the demons controlling the suf-ferers declared, My name is Legion; for we are the Roman army a legion consisted of from three to Satans hosts also are marshaled in com-panies, and the single company to which these demons be-longed numbered no less than a legion. At the command of Jesus, the evil spirits departed fromtheir victims, leaving them calmly sitting at the Saviours 1 Mark o ; CHRIST HEALING THE DEMONIAC. AGENCY OF EVIL SPIRITS. 515 feet, subdued, intelligent, and gentle. But the demons werepermitted to sweep a herd of swine into the sea; and to thedwellers of Gadara the loss of these outweighed the blessingswhich Christ had bestowed, and the divine Healer was en-treated to depart. This was the result which Satan designedto secure. By casting the blame of their loss upon Jesus,he aroused the selfish fears of the people, and preventedthem from listening to his words. Satan is constantly ac-cusing Christians as the cause of loss, misfortune, and suf-fering, instead of allowing the reproach to fall where it be-longs, upon himself and his agents. But the purposes of Christ were not thwarted. He allowedthe evil spirits to destroy the herd of swine as a rebuke tothose Jews who wTere raising these unclean beasts for thesake of gain. Had not Christ restrained the demons, theywould
Size: 1255px × 1992px
Photo credit: © Reading Room 2020 / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1880, bookidgreatcontrov, bookyear1888
