Demons like to be in things. In this account they were in a man but they didn’t mind being in pigs, but pigs were not their first choice.
Which begs the question, why do demons want to be in people? Is it “fun” for them or do they need the relationship to “exist”?
Demons equated being cast out of a human with being “tormented” (v. 7). They didn’t want to be tormented, although that’s exactly what they were doing to the man… tormenting him. Hypocrites.
Demons can recognize deity. They called Jesus by name and correctly identified him as being the Son of God. I’ve got a feeling that everyone, the saved and the lost, will recognize Jesus on the day of judgment.
Demons have personality. Jesus asked their “name”. They can talk.
Even a demon possessed human can “worship” Jesus (v. 6). Worship does not equal spirituality.
The demons gave the man super human strength… he could break “chains and fetters”.
The “unclean” demons wanted to live in the “unclean” pigs. Demons aren’t very picky.
How many demons were in the man? The scriptures say “many”. I know there were enough to put in 2000 pigs. More if they shared a pig.
Are pigs smarter than humans? I don’t know. The pigs did commit suicide when they were inhabited by the demons (unless the demons caused the pigs to commit suicide so that Jesus would be invited to leave their country). The man just continued to live in misery. Which action is smarter? Would God condemn a man who drowned himself rather than live with a demon? I’ll have to think about that.
There aren’t very many places in the scriptures where Satan or his demons negotiate with Jesus, but one other is where Satan tempted Jesus after the 40 days of fasting. In that case Jesus didn’t do anything Satan wanted him to do. In this case Jesus granted the demons their wish.
Physically, the unclean spirits caused the man great pain. Spiritually, the cause of Satan does the same thing to us today… unless we have God’s “clean” Spirit on our side.
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My feelings are that demons exist in 'us' today in various form. Research has allowed scientist to label just about every possible behavior and the rest of society excepts these labels. The confusion seems to manifest in how one takes responsibility for their 'behavior' by coping or rationalizing their actions. What is a 'sickness' or a condition or a 'demon'? If ones behavior ( let's say a child molester) says he is Inflicted with a demon how do we know if he is or if such behavior was simply an aquired one or possibly a learned behavior? Who is accountable and are all such lude behaviors simply uncontrolable demon possessions? I sure don't know.
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