15
En Ik zal maken, dat men den schimp der heidenen niet meer over u hore, en gij zult den smaad der natien niet meer dragen; en gij zult uw volken niet meer doen struikelen, spreekt de Heere Heere.
Ezechiël 36:15
Apocalypse Explained #586
586. That they should not adore demons.- That this signifies that they should not worship their own disorderly desires, is evident from the signification of worshipping, and from the signification of demons, as denoting evil desires. The reason why demons denote evil desires, is, that by demons are meant infernal spirits, and all the spirits in the hells are nothing but evil desires. For all the spirits in the hells, and all the angels in the heavens, are from the human race, and every man after death becomes such as the quality of his life was in the world, consequently the quality of his affection, so that after death man is entirely his own affection, a good man the affection for good and truth, and an evil man the affection for evil and falsity. Every man, also, after death, thinks, wills, speaks, and acts, according to his own affection. The affection for evil and falsity, is what is called desire, and is signified by "demon." But what is meant by worshipping demons shall also be briefly explained.
[2] Every man is in association with spirits, for without such association and conjunction no one can live, and the spirits attendant on man are in accordance with the quality of his affections or desires. Therefore when man, in his worship, does not look to the Lord or to his neighbour, but to himself and to the world, that is, when he worships God for the sole end of being exalted to honours, and of gaining wealth, or that he may do injury to others, he worships demons; for the Lord is not then present in his worship, but infernal spirits, who are in association with him. These spirits also are so insane as to believe that they are gods, and to be worshipped. For every spirit, as well as every man, who is in the love of self, seeks to be worshipped as a god, and for this reason men after death, on becoming demon-spirits are possessed with that insane desire; this, therefore, is the signification of adoring demons.
[3] This worship is also understood by sacrificing to demons.
Thus in Moses:
"They provoked him to wrath with strange [gods], with abominations provoked they him to anger. They sacrifice to demons, not to God; to gods whom they knew not" (Deuteronomy 32:16, 17).
Again:
The sons of Israel shall sacrifice at the door of the tent, and "they shall no more offer their sacrifices unto demons, after whom they go awhoring" (Leviticus 17:7).
The sacrifices which were offered at the door of the tent represented the worship of the Lord, because the altar, and also the tabernacle, represented heaven, where the Lord is present; but the sacrifices which they offered elsewhere, represented worship where the Lord was not present, thus the worship of demons; for all things at that time were representative.
[4] So in David:
"They sacrificed their sons and their daughters unto demons" (Psalm 106:37).
This was utterly infernal; but, in the spiritual sense, sacrificing their sons and daughters, signified by means of their evil desires to pervert and destroy the truths and goods of the church; for sons signify the truths of the church, and daughters its goods.
[5] So in Isaiah:
"The tziim shall also meet with the ijim, and the wood demon shall meet his fellow; the bird of night shall also rest there, and find for herself a place of rest" (34:14).
Here the subject treated of is the total devastation of the church through corporeal and purely natural lusts (concupiscentiae), from which flow forth evils and falsities of every kind; these lusts are signified by the tziim, and the ijim, and also by the bird of night and the wood demon, or satyr.
[6] Again, in like manner:
"The tziim shall lie there; and their houses shall be full of ochim; and the daughters of the bird of night shall dwell there, and the wood demons shall dance there" (13:21).
These things are spoken of Babylon. That such merely natural and corporeal lusts (concupiscentiae) are possessed by those meant by Babylon, and constitute the life of their mind, is signified by their houses being filled with such things, and by their dwelling and dancing there. By house is signified the internal or external mind [mens seu animus] of man, with the things contained therein; daughters of the bird of night signify falsities, and wood demons or satyrs, merely corporeal desires.
Similar language is used respecting Babylon in the Apocalypse:
"Babylon is become the habitation of demons, and the hold of every unclean spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird" (18:2).
The demons cast out by the Lord, by which many were at that time obsessed, signify falsities of every kind, with which the church was infested, and from which it was liberated by the Lord (as in Matthew 8:16, 28; 9:32, 33; 10:8; 12:22; 15:22; Mark 1:32-34; Luke 4:33-38, 41; 8:2, 26-40; 9:1, 37-44, 49, 50; 13:32, and elsewhere).
Luke 8
1
It happened soon afterwards, that he went about through cities and villages, preaching and bringing the good news of the Kingdom of God. With him were the twelve,
2
and certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary who was called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out;
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and Joanna, the wife of Chuzas, Herod's steward; Susanna; and many others; who served them from their possessions.
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When a great multitude came together, and people from every city were coming to him, he spoke by a parable.
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"The farmer went out to sow his seed. As he sowed, some fell along the road, and it was trampled under foot, and the birds of the sky devoured it.
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Other seed fell on the rock, and as soon as it grew, it withered away, because it had no moisture.
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Other fell amid the thorns, and the thorns grew with it, and choked it.
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Other fell into the good ground, and grew, and brought forth fruit one hundred times." As he said these things, he called out, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"
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Then his disciples asked him, "What does this parable mean?"
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He said, "To you it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of God, but to the rest in parables; that 'seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.'
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Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.
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Those along the road are those who hear, then the devil comes, and takes away the word from their heart, that they may not believe and be saved.
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Those on the rock are they who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; but these have no root, who believe for a while, then fall away in time of temptation.
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That which fell among the thorns, these are those who have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity.
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That in the good ground, these are such as in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, hold it tightly, and bring forth fruit with patience.
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"No one, when he has lit a lamp, covers it with a container, or puts it under a bed; but puts it on a stand, that those who enter in may see the light.
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For nothing is hidden, that will not be revealed; nor anything secret, that will not be known and come to light.
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Be careful therefore how you hear. For whoever has, to him will be given; and whoever doesn't have, from him will be taken away even that which he thinks he has."
19
His mother and brothers came to him, and they could not come near him for the crowd.
20
It was told him by some saying, "Your mother and your brothers stand outside, desiring to see you."
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But he answered them, "My mother and my brothers are these who hear the word of God, and do it."
22
Now it happened on one of those days, that he entered into a boat, himself and his disciples, and he said to them, "Let's go over to the other side of the lake." So they launched out.
23
But as they sailed, he fell asleep. A wind storm came down on the lake, and they were taking on dangerous amounts of water.
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They came to him, and awoke him, saying, "Master, master, we are dying!" He awoke, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water, and they ceased, and it was calm.
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He said to them, "Where is your faith?" Being afraid they marveled, saying one to another, "Who is this, then, that he commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him?"
26
They arrived at the country of the Gadarenes, which is opposite Galilee.
27
When Jesus stepped ashore, a certain man out of the city who had demons for a long time met him. He wore no clothes, and didn't live in a house, but in the tombs.
28
When he saw Jesus, he cried out, and fell down before him, and with a loud voice said, "What do I have to do with you, Jesus, you Son of the Most High God? I beg you, don't torment me!"
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For Jesus was commanding the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For the unclean spirit had often seized the man. He was kept under guard, and bound with chains and fetters. Breaking the bands apart, he was driven by the demon into the desert.
30
Jesus asked him, "What is your name?" He said, "Legion," for many demons had entered into him.
31
They begged him that he would not command them to go into the abyss.
32
Now there was there a herd of many pigs feeding on the mountain, and they begged him that he would allow them to enter into those. He allowed them.
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The demons came out from the man, and entered into the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake, and were drowned.
34
When those who fed them saw what had happened, they fled, and told it in the city and in the country.
35
People went out to see what had happened. They came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting at Jesus' feet, clothed and in his right mind; and they were afraid.
36
Those who saw it told them how he who had been possessed by demons was healed.
37
All the people of the surrounding country of the Gadarenes asked him to depart from them, for they were very much afraid. He entered into the boat, and returned.
38
But the man from whom the demons had gone out begged him that he might go with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying,
39
"Return to your house, and declare what great things God has done for you." He went his way, proclaiming throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him.
40
It happened, when Jesus returned, that the multitude welcomed him, for they were all waiting for him.
41
Behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue. He fell down at Jesus' feet, and begged him to come into his house,
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for he had an only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she was dying. But as he went, the multitudes pressed against him.
43
A woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years, who had spent all her living on physicians, and could not be healed by any,
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came behind him, and touched the fringe of his cloak, and immediately the flow of her blood stopped.
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Jesus said, "Who touched me?" When all denied it, Peter and those with him said, "Master, the multitudes press and jostle you, and you say, 'Who touched me?'"
46
But Jesus said, "Someone did touch me, for I perceived that power has gone out of me."
47
When the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling, and falling down before him declared to him in the presence of all the people the reason why she had touched him, and how she was healed immediately.
48
He said to her, "Daughter, cheer up. Your faith has made you well. Go in peace."
49
While he still spoke, one from the ruler of the synagogue's house came, saying to him, "Your daughter is dead. Don't trouble the Teacher."
50
But Jesus hearing it, answered him, "Don't be afraid. Only believe, and she will be healed."
51
When he came to the house, he didn't allow anyone to enter in, except Peter, John, James, the father of the child, and her mother.
52
All were weeping and mourning her, but he said, "Don't weep. She isn't dead, but sleeping."
53
They were ridiculing him, knowing that she was dead.
54
But he put them all outside, and taking her by the hand, he called, saying, "Child, arise!"
55
Her spirit returned, and she rose up immediately. He commanded that something be given to her to eat.
56
Her parents were amazed, but he commanded them to tell no one what had been done.
