The Bible's saddest verse

Soul Snack 127/13 ... The Bible's saddest verse?

A wild and unclothed man dwelt amongst the Gadarene tombs; consumed by a satanic fury he had threatened the living and the dead alike. No human binding was sufficient to contain him, no power of man able to resist him. This self-abuser could no more subdue himself than restrain his violence to others.

Enter Jesus.

This poor dweller amidst the dead knew well the living God - he fell quickly begging before Jesus.

Delivered of demons in a divine instant this man of much distress gained lasting peace.

Now the Gospels (without comment) record the towns-people's earnest response to Jesus:

Then the whole town went out to meet Jesus. And when they saw him, they pleaded with him to leave their region. (Matt 8:34)

But here's my comment:

Surely this must be one of the saddest verses in the Bible, for these folk would live with evil and reject good - unable to discern the two. The towns-people preferred darkness to light as they chose death and sent away life. The rejection of Jesus is always the choice for death.

It is the commands of the mouth that betray the state of the heart.

Today's Soul Snack:

"Man's extremity is indeed God's opportunity." ~ A.W.Pink

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