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"The last state of that man is worse than the first." "Even so, shall it be also unto this wicked generation." |
A frightening warning but few take heed.
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Luke 11
24 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a
man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he saith, I
will return unto my house whence I came out.
25 And when he cometh, he findeth it swept
and garnished.
26 Then goeth he, and taketh to him seven
other spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter in, and dwell there: and
the last state of that man is worse than the first.
Leongsy
Sir, how would you interpret these verses?
sing
The parallel passage in Matthew reads thus.
Matt 12
43 ¶When the unclean spirit is gone out of a
man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none.
44 Then he saith, I will return into my house
from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and
garnished.
45 Then goeth he, and taketh with himself
seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell
there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it
be also unto this wicked generation.
Take careful note of the last sentence; it
tells us what Jesus is saying.
Leongsy
But why can the house which has been swept clean
of the Evil spirits be reoccupied with 7 other more wicked spirits? And
this wicked generation is limited to the Pharisees and Sadducees and Scribes?
sing
It's
cleansed of ONE evil spirit; not plural spirits.
The house which had been swept clean of the
evil spirit was left EMPTY... it's an open invitation to be reoccupied. That's
why!
The cleansed house did not receive the gospel
of the kingdom of heaven - preached by
Christ and His Apostles - to dwell in it.
In context, the house speaks of Israel of
that generation. Christ's ministry "cleansed" the house of the evil
spirit of lies, traditions and errors, etc... but the house did not receive the
truths taught by Christ, i.e. it's left EMPTY; it is not filled with and
occupied by the truths taught by Christ.
Possessed by one evil spirit is fearful
enough; their rejection of the Messiah made it far far worse, likened as
possessed by an ADDITIONAL 7 other more wicked spirits.
The context is about that devil-possessed
generation which rejected the Messiah... and ended up far worse than before...
making it ripe for the 70 AD judgement - the end of the so-called everlasting
theocratic Israel. God obliterated it at His appointed time.
An application/lesson:
It's dangerous to hear the truths but don't
let them dwell in us and renew and transform our life.
Matthew 13:12 KJT — For whosoever hath, to
him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not,
from him shall be taken away even that he hath.
Hearing the truth and not embracing it makes
a man worse off.
God's truth demands reception and
allegiance.
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LeongsyNoted with many thanks.
