Here’s an excerpt from Stephen M. Miller’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary, coming April Fool’s Day.
Honest.
This is the short entry about exorcism.
The dictionary is an easy-reading, illustrated book for Bible newbies. It’s actually billed as the Bible dictionary for people who hate Bible dictionaries. That should be a fairly vast market, you’d think.
Exorcism
“If I am empowered by Satan, what about your own exorcists? They cast out demons, too.”
Jesus to Pharisees, Luke 11:19
DEMONS ENTERED PEOPLE.
That was a widespread belief throughout the ancient Middle East. These demons caused a world of hurt: physical illnesses, destructive behavior, and lousy luck in general.
Pagans, Jews, and Christians all conducted exorcism rituals. Many how-to records survive.
In one, the exorcist made a figurine of the possessed person, ordered the demon out, and then broke the figurine.
First-century Jewish historian, Josephus, said he watched an exorcist tie a ring to a small root and then put the ring next to the possessed man’s nose.
The exorcist pulled the ring as though pulling the demon out through the man’s nose.
The possessed man collapsed and the exorcist started reciting incantations, ordering the demon to never come back.
The Bible says some Jewish exorcists once tried invoking the name of Jesus and Paul.
But the demon replied, “I know Jesus, and I know Paul, but who are you?” (Acts 19:15).
The possessed man then attacked the would-be exorcists.
What followed was a switcheroo as far as Bible exorcisms are concerned: the demon drove off the exorcists.
Fascinating subject matter. I personally have experienced spiritual attack by the Father of All Lies, but have not been possessed. I do recall several years ago, at an important juncture in my spiritual evolution, when I became instantly convinced, without any doubt, that Satan is real. I felt particularly down one night, just out of hope and peace, and so I went into my room, closed the door, and kneeled down by my bed and began to pray, specifically to Jesus, whom I had yet to believe in as anything other than a wise man. My son was only 5 years old, and was in the bathroom taking his bath. I could hear him singing and playing and talking to himself. I prayed desperately for about 10 minutes, and towards the close of my prayer, began to praise Jesus’ name, out loud, repeatedly. That is when I heard, as though it was just outside of my bedroom door, the most demonic non-human laughing. My heart nearly stopped, my head shot up, and I thought for a second that maybe the sound had come from my son, and I had misheard him. I got up to ask him, and that is when he called out from the bathroom: “Mom? Did you hear that? It sounded like a monster laughing”. The T.V. was not on, nor was the stereo. There were no other people around. I called my then pastor and my sister, and spent the rest of the night sitting on my couch, reading Psalms.
My goodness, Erin. If that would have happened to me, I would have had to add one more thing to the to-do list afterward: change my pants.
This is spooky stuff. And I’ve heard it from others I trust as well. Maybe would should add a one-week study about the demonic to our upcoming Bible study series.