Jesus Preaching and Casting Out Devils - Mark 1:39

Mark wrote how Jesus, “in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed. And Simon and they that were with him followed after him. And when they had found him, they said unto him, All men seek for you. And he said unto them, Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also: for therefore came I forth”, and in chapter one and verse thirty-nine of his book, Mark wrote how Jesus, “preached … and cast out devils” where we read:

And he preached in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and cast out devils.

The verse reads, “And he preached in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, ...” Mark began with the words, “and he preached” which means “and Jesus heralded, declared, proclaimed and published publicly” “in their synagogues” or “within the worship centers and assemblies of Jews formally gathered together to offer prayers and listen to the reading and expositions of the scriptures” “throughout all Galilee” which means “toward each, every, the whole and everyone of the places in the region of northern Palestine, bounded on the north by Syria, on the west by Sidon, Tyre, Ptolemais and their territories and the promontory of Carmel, on the south by Samaria and on the east by the Jordan. It was divided into Upper Galilee and Lower Galilee”. Mark shared how Jesus “proclaimed publicly” in “all” the “region” and “territory” of “Galilee”.

The verse goes on to say, “... and cast out devils.” Mark continued with the words, “and cast out” which means “and drove out, expelled and compelled to depart” “devils” or “demons, evil spirits and ministers of the devil”. Mark shared how Jesus also “drove out” “demons” from the people who surrounded Him.

When we think through Mark's words in this verse, we see how Jesus continued declaring the “gospel” of the Kingdom of God in all the territory of “Galilee”, and as He made His way among the people, He “cast out” demons within some of them. Satan desires to inhabit everyone he can, and many people are influenced, blinded or inhabited by him. Jesus is more powerful than the “devil” and his “demons”, and when He “drives them out”, they leave. Those who are wise will consider this powerful and loving Jesus, and when they hear his message of God's “good news” of “salvation” to mankind, they should yield their lives to Him as their personal “Savior and Lord”.

Next time Mark shares how, “there came a leper to” Jesus, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".