Let’s dive deep today and explore our Word of God our Sola Scriptura.

The other morning while homeschooling our children, my wife was going through the book of Luke 8:26-39:  

Jesus Heals a Demon-Possessed Man

²⁶ So they arrived in the region of the Gerasenes, across the lake from Galilee. ²⁷ As Jesus was climbing out of the boat, a man who was possessed by demons came out to meet him. For a long time he had been homeless and naked, living in the tombs outside the town.

²⁸ As soon as he saw Jesus, he shrieked and fell down in front of him. Then he screamed, “Why are you interfering with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? Please, I beg you, don’t torture me!” ²⁹ For Jesus had already commanded the evil^[b] spirit to come out of him. This spirit had often taken control of the man. Even when he was placed under guard and put in chains and shackles, he simply broke them and rushed out into the wilderness, completely under the demon’s power.

³⁰ Jesus demanded, “What is your name?”

“Legion,” he replied, for he was filled with many demons. ³¹ The demons kept begging Jesus not to send them into the bottomless pit.

³² There happened to be a large herd of pigs feeding on the hillside nearby, and the demons begged him to let them enter into the pigs.

So Jesus gave them permission. ³³ Then the demons came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the entire herd plunged down the steep hillside into the lake and drowned.

³⁴ When the herdsmen saw it, they fled to the nearby town and the surrounding countryside, spreading the news as they ran. ³⁵ People rushed out to see what had happened. A crowd soon gathered around Jesus, and they saw the man who had been freed from the demons. He was sitting at Jesus’ feet, fully clothed and perfectly sane, and they were all afraid. ³⁶ Then those who had seen what happened told the others how the demon-possessed man had been healed. ³⁷ And all the people in the region of the Gerasenes begged Jesus to go away and leave them alone, for a great wave of fear swept over them.

After reading it they had discussion time and my 13-year-old boy says, “Mom did you notice even the demons are scared to go to hell?”  (Note verse 31 “The demons kept begging Jesus not to send them into the bottomless pit.”)

When I got home from work that day she had told me the story, saying, “Wow! Our son noticed that, isn’t that an amazing thought?”

Then I got to thinking, “Wow!  What an amazing topic to study.  If the demons are so terrified and begged not to go, should we be more so?” 

As we read through this we see here in verse “28 As soon as he saw Jesus, he shrieked and fell down in front of him. Then he screamed, “Why are you interfering with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? Please, I beg you, don’t torture me!”  The demon begs Jesus not to torture him, what do you think he means?  The demon is referring to the bottomless pit, the abyss or as we know it hell.  He’s begging Jesus not to send him there, but to allow him to remain here on the planet and why?  Because hell is torment, constant torment, forever and ever and these demons know this. 

We read in James 2:19 “19 You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror.”

WHAT Jesus is saying is that the Christian life is more than just believing in God, it has to be a life completely obedient to Jesus, Satan and his angels believe in God, and they fall and tremble at His feet.

This statement made by Jesus should terrify us so much that it pushes us into a loving relationship with our Savior.  

Jesus says in Matthew 25:41 41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels”

On that final day, when you stand before your maker, these are not the words you want to here. You should know hell is no place to go especially when the demons are trembling. I would like to read one final scripture; it comes from the book of Ecclesiastes 3:1 “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.”

One of those seasons will be hell, and when that season arrives it will be permanent for those who are not in Christ.  The good news is we’ve been given a second chance to redeem ourselves and that is through our glorious Savior Jesus Christ.  We can be spared additional pain and torment, heartache, and an eternity separated from God.  All we need to do is accept the Lord Jesus as our Savior, repent of our sins, and dedicate our life to wanting to obey and please His commands.  That is how one gets their name written in His Book.  

We read in Revelation 20:15 “And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”  

He refers to the Lamb’s Book of Life, this is God’s book for all His born-again believers who obey His Son, Jesus.  I encourage everyone this day to make that decision to live right.  Don’t let sin keep you captive.  Hell is real and the torment that comes with it.  It really concerns me that the end times are upon us and there is not a lot of time left.  Just look around!  We are living in a modern day Sodom and Gomorra.  

The Bible says in 2 Timothy 3-5 “You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. 2 For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. 3 They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. 4 They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. 5 They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!”

I would not take this too lightly.  Just remember the demons at the beginning of this message, they were trembling and terrified of the bottomless pit “Hell” as should you.  Get yourself in your scriptures and pray continually, secure your name in God’s book and peruse righteousness.  Be all God has called you to be!