Jesus casts out a devil - stock illustration

Engraving by Gustave Dore (1832 1883) illustration was published in 1875 Jesus casts out the devil from a possessed man. This man didn’t just have one demon, he had many, possibly thousands. He was completely controlled. When Jesus asked his name, he answered, “My name is Legion, for we are many.” A legion referred to the largest unit in the Roman army with between three thousand and six thousand soldiers. The man had sometimes been chained hand and foot but the demons caused him to break the chains and run away. His life had been completely wrecked. He would not wear clothes and had been living among the tombs where he would cry out night and day and cut himself with stones. Demons know who Jesus is, even if they don’t worship Him and they know His power over them. They begged Him not to throw them into the Abyss, a place of torment where Satan will one day be confined. These demons begged Jesus to send them into a herd of pigs that was grazing nearby. With His permission, they came out of the man and went into the pigs. The herd of about 2000 went crazy and ran down the bank into the lake and drowned. luka 4:36