Matthew 12:43-45

Matthew 12:43-45

[43] When  the unclean  spirit  is gone  out of  a man,  he walketh  through  dry  places,  seeking  rest,  and  findeth  none.  [44] Then  he saith,  I will return  into  house  from whence  I came out;  and  when he is come,  he findeth  it empty,  swept,  and  garnished.  [45] Then  goeth he,  and  taketh  with  himself  seven  other  spirits  than himself,  and  they enter in  and dwell  there:  and  the last  state of that  man  is  worse than  the first.  Even so  also  wicked  generation. 

What does Matthew 12:43-45 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

The point of these verses that describe demon possession goes back to Jesus" warning about the peril of being neutral toward Him ( Matthew 12:30). A demon cast out of a person initially goes through arid places seeking rest. This statement affirms the Jewish belief that demons prefer dry places ( Tobit 8:3; cf. Revelation 18:2). [1] Eventually they seek to inhabit human bodies through which they can do more damage.
Jesus implied the possibility of demonic repossession ( Matthew 12:44). The demon"s house is a human body in Jesus" story. The demon returns to the person it had left discovering that he or she is still receptive to the demon"s presence because no superior power occupies that person. Consequently the demon invites seven other demons, a full complement, and they take up residence in the person.
Jesus compared the unbelieving Jews of His day to the demon-possessed person. John the Baptist and Jesus had purified the lives of many in Galilee by calling them to repentance, but not all of them had embraced Jesus in faith. Jesus had cast demons out of many people, but they did not all believe that He was the Messiah. This neutral condition left them vulnerable to an even worse invasion from Satan to say nothing about judgment from God. These neutral individuals represented the nation as a whole.
Many Christians believe that Jesus" teaching here gives evidence that demons cannot possess a true believer. That may be Song of Solomon , but demons can afflict believers greatly. Believers are no more immune against attack from Satan and his demons than we are from attacks from the world and the flesh. The line between demon possession and demon affliction is a thin one that is very hard to identify.