Who is Begging Jesus?

Would you send a demon into this pig?
Pig created by Liberty.

When Jesus arrived on the other side of the lake, in the region of the Gadarenes, two men who were possessed by demons met him. They came out of the tombs and were so violent that no one could go through that area. They began screaming at him, "Why are you interfering with us, Son of God? Have you come here to torture us before God's appointed time?" There happened to be a large herd of pigs feeding in the distance. So the demons begged, "If you cast us out, send us into that herd of pigs." "All right, go!" Jesus commanded them. So the demons came out of the men and entered the pigs, and the whole herd plunged down the steep hillside into the lake and drowned in the water. The herdsmen fled to the nearby town, telling everyone what happened to the demon-possessed men. Then the entire town came out to meet Jesus, but they begged him to go away and leave them alone. Matthew 8:28-34 

Meditate. Consider that demons recognized Jesus.

 

The demon-possessed men were screaming at Jesus. They knew who He was. Notice what they said. "Why are you interfering with us, Son of God? Have you come here to torture us before God's appointed time?" God’s appointed time? They knew about God’s plan and timeline. The book of Daniel references appointed time—at the end of time.

Seeking nothing but each other's harm, these kings will plot against each other at the conference table, attempting to deceive each other. But it will make no difference, for the end will come at the appointed time. The king of the north will then return home with great riches. On the way he will set himself against the people of the holy covenant, doing much damage before continuing his journey. Then at the appointed time he will once again invade the south, but this time the result will be different. For warships from western coastlands will scare him off, and he will withdraw and return home. But he will vent his anger against the people of the holy covenant and reward those who forsake the covenant. His army will take over the Temple fortress, pollute the sanctuary, put a stop to the daily sacrifices, and set up the sacrilegious object that causes desecration. He will flatter and win over those who have violated the covenant. But the people who know their God will be strong and will resist him. Wise leaders will give instruction to many, but these teachers will die by fire and sword, or they will be jailed and robbed. During these persecutions, little help will arrive, and many who join them will not be sincere. And some of the wise will fall victim to persecution. In this way, they will be refined and cleansed and made pure until the time of the end, for the appointed time is still to come. Daniel 11:27-35 (Underlined for emphasis.)

The end times are confusing—but God has a plan, and He has given us clues, direction, and specific guidance within the Bible so that if we dig deep, we will be reassured with His answers to understand this mystery. It is a puzzle that we have to piece together. It is not necessarily in chronological order—so we have to get the puzzle pieces upright and match the clues to identify the big picture. Do you like puzzles?

Jesus mercifully sent those demons away from those two men. It is an interesting story since Jesus specifically went to a Gentile area to save those two men. The pigs were a source of income for the farmers there—they ate pork. No Jews lived there—and they don’t eat pork, so it gives this story another noteworthy dimension. Jesus cared about the Gentiles even at this point in His ministry. The story ends with those Gentiles asking Jesus to go away. Begging Him. They recognized His power. Were they afraid?

Are you afraid of letting Jesus have power over your life? What do you learn about Jesus from this focus passage today?

 

Prayer – Lord Jesus, protect us from evil influences in our lives…just as You taught in Your famous Lord’s Prayer…deliver us from evil. Help us to put together the puzzle pieces and clues You have given us to understand the appointed time—the end time.

Verse of Salvation ~  The Lord had Isaiah write, giving us a clue about the end times and His salvation. My mercy and justice are coming soon. My salvation is on the way. My strong arm will bring justice to the nations. All distant lands will look to me and wait in hope for my powerful arm. Look up to the skies above, and gaze down on the earth below. For the skies will disappear like smoke, and the earth will wear out like a piece of clothing. The people of the earth will die like flies, but my salvation lasts forever. My righteous rule will never end! Isaiah 51:5-6

 

Happy Birthday Sweet Lydia!

May God continue to bless you and guide you as you seek and serve Him!

 

© 2026 Text, photos, and illustrations by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved. 

All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted. 

New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. 

Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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