Lord’s Day, Vol. 14 No. 45
The Kingdom of God Is Come Upon You
Luke 11:14-20 (KJV) And he was casting out a devil, and it was dumb. And it came to pass, when the devil was gone out, the dumb spake; and the people wondered. 15 But some of them said, He casteth out devils through Beelzebub the chief of the devils. 16 And others, tempting him, sought of him a sign from heaven. 17 But he, knowing their thoughts, said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and a house divided against a house falleth. 18 If Satan also be divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand? because ye say that I cast out devils through Beelzebub. 19 And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your sons cast them out? therefore shall they be your judges. 20 But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you.
Jesus’ power to cast out the devil was by the very finger of God. Just as the magicians in Pharaoh’s court acknowledged when they could not duplicate the plague of lice that came upon men and beast in Egypt in Exodus 8:19 (KJV) Then the magicians said unto Pharaoh, This is the finger of God: and Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said.
The kingdom of God is surely come. The devil could not resist the power of Jesus Christ. The Name Jesus attested to His humanity and Christ to His Deity. That He is the God-man, fully God and fully man in one person.
The accusation was that Jesus cast out the devil by power of Beelzebub (v15), the chief of the devils. This is far from the truth. Jesus is the Son of God, and His power is from God! The healing was immediate. Once the devil was cast out, the dumb man would speak. If Jesus’ power had been deficient, it would not have been possible for the man to be healed. But, the truth is that, this man was healed!
Jesus has spoilt Satan’s dominion upon the man. The devil had to leave! As the Apostle Paul rightly testified in Colossians 2:15 (KJV) And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
The deliverance was complete and the devil had to flee – Colossians 1:13 (KJV) Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
Why did those others tempting hum sought a sign from heaven? In fact, the heavenly sign was the healed man! This is the heart of unbelief that plagued the hearts of these, very sadly! – 2 Corinthians 4:4 (KJV) In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
But for the dumb man who was healed, he was also gloriously saved. There were many other instances of such healing (Matthew 9:32-33, 22:-23) that Jesus wrought which the people looking testified as the wondered at the power of God which they beheld! This is indeed the work of God – Ephesians 1:18-22 (KJV) The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, 19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, 20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, 21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: 22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church. Amen.