JEHOVAH-M’KADDESH
February 11, 2006
“They . . . found the man . . . , sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind.†Luke 8:35
Few of us have ever met anyone as wild and violent as the man Jesus encountered in Gadara (Luke 8:26-39). He was obviously under the control of a banal presence that ripped him from polite society and rendered him a violent, screaming demoniac. Jesus instantly delivered the hapless man from Satan’s control, however, and returned him to society–sane and respectable—to their amazement. He became for that man, Jehovah-M’kaddesh : “The Lord Who Sanctifies (reserves or makes holy)” referenced in Leviticus 20:8. He made the man whole, set apart for God’s use. In short, Jesus put the man aside from his misery, instead placing him in the role of decision-maker—and this man, realizing how Jesus had set him aside for God, remained at Jesus’ feet. He knew what the Lord had done, and had no desire to go anywhere without him. He knew whose mark he wore.
Scripture plainly shows us that Satan, who is all about control, undoubtedly uses demon possession to express his hatred for God and the center of His creation, mankind, although he usually does so in less spectacular ways. For example, Satan convinces people to believe that we are nothing more than chance products of blind evolution–an idea that works very well for him today. Such a belief is attractive to many because it promises an illusion of freedom from moral restraints and offers immediate gratification. But multitudes who start down the road of permissiveness are soon trapped in a lifestyle of enslaving addictions and shameless practices that rob them of self-respect, satisfaction, and hope. Like the demoniac, Satan has them in his power. He cleverly allows deceit to manipulate human will power to do just what he wants—while allowing them an illusion of control over their lives. The reality is just the opposite—they are slaves to the God of This World—and are not sitting at Jesus’ feet.
The obvious solution, then, for all those trapped in Satan’s web is to call on our Lord, who still delivers all who turn to Him. Like the demoniac, we, too, are all decision-makers—who, after receiving His grace and deliverance that set us aside for God, should, sensibly choose to sit at the His feet, and go nowhere without Him. If we do, our lives will trumpet that He is truly Jehovah-M’kaddesh—the Lord who sanctifies us.
Under the Blood and in the Spirit,
Chip+
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