Lord’s Day, Vol. 14 No. 46
A Stronger Than He
Luke 11:21-26 (KJV) When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace: 22 But when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils. 23 He that is not with me is against me: and he that gathereth not with me scattereth. 24 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he saith, I will return unto my house whence I came out. 25 And when he cometh, he findeth it swept and garnished. 26 Then goeth he, and taketh to him seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter in, and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first.
The strong man speaks of the devil, Satan, having dominion in the heart of a fallen man (v21). The stronger man speaks of Christ who destroys the devil and overcome him and taketh from him all is armour (v22). Satan is disarmed, defeated and destroyed by Christ. The heart of man of such a man has become the forever abode of Christ! The soul is saved and secured in the Lord. So our Lord Jesus declares, “He that is not with me is against me and he that gathereth not with me scattereth.” Satan and his dominion is defeated by the blood of Christ that was shed on the cross and His death for the remission of man’s sins.
JC Philpot observed well, “By “the kingdom of God” is meant the same thing as the “kingdom of heaven,” that is, the internal kingdom set up in the heart by the power of the Spirit – that kingdom which shall stand forever and ever, and last when time shall be no more. This the Lord calls a mystery (Mark 4:2) And if it is a mystery, it will have these three marks; it will be beyond nature, sense and reason, will be hidden from the wise and prudent, and will be revealed unto babes. Let us see if we can find these marks belonging to the kingdom of heaven set up in the heart. It is certainly above nature, sense and reason, that God should dwell in a man’s heart, as the Apostle Paul says, “Christ in you, the hope of glory;” and again, “Ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them” (2 Corinthians 6:16). That God should take up abode in a man’s heart; that Christ should be in a man, and the Holy Ghost should make the body of his saints His temple; how can nature, sense and reason understand such a mystery as this?” This is the picture of the stronger man, of Christ, by His Holy Spirit, indwelling the believer – But when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils.
The man who has a profession but no true conversion, may seemed outwardly a Christian (v24). Here is described such a one – When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none…”. The unclean spirit simply leaves at will from the person. There was not struggling, conviction or repentance in that heart. There was no spiritual conflict in that soul. He was a sinner and now appears to be a saint. Coming to church, appears to look like a Christian in all outward piety. The heart is reformed but not renewed nor transformed. There is no true spiritual life. Because the heart is not indwelt by Christ, the unclean spirit re-enters at will into that heart again, “… he saith, I will return unto my house whence I came out. 25 And when he cometh, he findeth it swept and garnished. 26 Then goeth he, and taketh to him seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter in, and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first.” A Demas (2 Timothy 4:10) and a Judas (Matthew 10:4, Luke 22:48) – Luke 22:3 (KJV) Then entered Satan into Judas surnamed Iscariot, being of the number of the twelve.
The professing Christian has his heart swept but not washed. It seemed to be swept clean of all filth but is not washed by the blood of the Lamb. There is no true conversion. Such a one still has affinity with the world, having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof (2 Timothy 3:5), still unregenerated! A frightening awaiting of judgment!
May the Lord search every heart and convict and convert and save by His mercy. Amen.