(6) But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him, (7) And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not. (8) For he said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit.
Before we prosecute this poor creature's history, I must beg the Reader to stop, and remark with me, the sovereignty of CHRIST owned by the devils themselves. Reader! it is worthy your closest observation, in how many instances, during our LORD's ministry upon earth, this was done. Mark 1:23-24; Luke 4:41; Mark 1:34. One might have been led to hope, that such a testimony, evidently constrained as it was by Almighty power, would have stopped the presumptuous reasoning of those, who call themselves Christians, but by a strange misnomer; and yet own not the GODHEAD of our Al mighty LORD. But the cause is explained. See Isaiah 6:9-10. And the awful consequence in another scripture, as blended with the sin. Acts 13:41.
But to return to the case of this man possessed with an evil spirit. As soon as he saw JESUS afar off, he ran and worshipped him. What was there in the appearance of the LORD Jesus, to have induced this effect? Our LORD, to every eye of common sense, appeared only as a poor Jew, consorting with the poorest of the people. And yet this man, whom no fetters could bind, nor reasoning tame, on the first sight of him, ran and worshipped him. And observe the loud cries, and earnest supplications of the devils, to be spared front torment, while as loudly confessing CHRIST's GODHEAD and oneness with the FATHER. Reader! behold from hence with what horror devils tremble at the person of CHRIST, while bowing before him! And Reader! do observe further, how will any and every poor sinner, who hath long been led captive by Satan at his will, when he first sees CHRIST, or hears of CHRIST, and taught who CHRIST is, by the HOLY GHOST, in spite of sin, and Satan, flee to JESUS, and seek deliverance by him, from all his sorrows?
I pray the Reader not to overlook what the devil said, What have I to do with thee JESUS! thou SON of the most high GOD? Devils wish not to have to do with him; but JESUS in our nature hath much to do with them; for his province it is to destroy them. Indeed, the SON of GOD was manifested to destroy the works of the devil. 1 John 3:8. Well might they therefore dread his sovereign presence. But before this cry for forbearance, the word of the LORD had gone forth, for the destruction of Satan's empire over this poor man. JESUS had said, come out of the man, thou unclean spirit. Reader! do not overlook the LORD's mercy, and the LORD's power. Oh! that every poor sinner, whom GOD the FATHER hath given to his SON, and whose redemption CHRIST hath purchased with his blood, may be led by GOD the HOLY GHOST, as this poor captive was, to flee to JESUS, sure as he is, of a spiritual deliverance.