Word to the Wise
Thursday, March 11, 2010 - Thursday in the Third Week of Lent
[Jeremiah 7:23-28 and Luke 11:14-23]But, if it is by the finger of God that I drive out demons, then the Kingdom of God has come upon you.
The culture in which Jesus' lived is one that accepts the presence of many kinds of "demons" and mischievous spirits. It was much easier for the crowds to believe that Jesus operated within the world of those demons than that he would be more powerful than them. All other exorcists operated by a power greater than themselves! But Jesus worked by HIS OWN power and points out that Satan wouldn't be hiring HIM! Thus, Jesus identifies himself with Moses in his use of the phrase, "the finger of God," since it was by the finger of God that Moses brought the famous plagues on Egypt! [cf. Exodus 8:15] Jesus points out that it is not enough simply to get rid of the demon(s) in oneself. One must take preventive measures which in this matter means inviting Jesus in. Otherwise the demons will return in greater force. We are not self-sufficient against those powers. Either we "gather" with Jesus, or we shall be "scattered" and left to our "demons." AMEN