Luk 11:20-22 | KingComments | STEP | In the section of the , the Lord answers the question of a sign ( ). First, He speaks about the terrible blasphemy that He casts out demons through satan ( ). He knows what they think. He set before them the logical example of a kingdom divided against itself. In such a case, that kingdom will not stand, but will be laid waste. The same goes for a house that is divided against itself. Such a house falls. Surely it is logical for every right-thinking person that the same applies to satan, isn’t it? Are they so naive to think that He is doing the work of satan when it is so obvious that He is working against satan? If He were busy casting out demons by satan, it would mean the end of satan’s kingdom. But satan does not break down his own kingdom. The Lord refers to their sons who also cast out demons. Do they do so by the ruler of the demons? Of their sons they acknowledge that they do so in the power of God. If they can judge that their sons do so by the power of God, then those sons will act as witnesses against them when they stand before God’s judgment seat, the great white throne. Their assessment of their sons shows that they can properly judge by whom demons are cast out. This establishes their guilt for their false accusation that the Lord Jesus casts out the demons through satan. Instead of being confronted with satan in His Person, the kingdom of God has come to them in His Person. Here is not someone who is working for the kingdom of satan, but for the kingdom of God. It has come to them in the exercising of a power that is undeniable, namely in the casting out of demons. The casting out of demons is a testimony to the power of that kingdom and also a ‘fingermark’ from God. The “finger of God” points to, points out and does something that surprises people, and in which they see God’s power revealed (cf. ; ; ; ; ). The Gospel according to Matthew shows that God’s finger is the Spirit of God ( ). That ‘finger’ brings life, but also judgment, to the world. The kingdom of God came at that time, as a testimony of its power, however not yet as a situation and atmosphere in which everything is public. This presentation of the kingdom here is different from what we find presented in the Gospel according to Matthew in the kingdom of heaven. The kingdom of heaven always suggests a change of dispensation as a result of the Savior taking His place in heaven. He will soon reveal His power on earth, but He has to come from heaven to establish the kingdom of heaven. To establish that kingdom in power and glory in the future, the Son of Man will come with the clouds of heaven. Then He will receive the kingdom and will rule over all the earth.

‏ Luke 11:20-22

The Kingdom of God

In the section of the Lk 11:29-32, the Lord answers the question of a sign (Lk 11:16). First, He speaks about the terrible blasphemy that He casts out demons through satan (Lk 11:15). He knows what they think. He set before them the logical example of a kingdom divided against itself. In such a case, that kingdom will not stand, but will be laid waste. The same goes for a house that is divided against itself. Such a house falls.

Surely it is logical for every right-thinking person that the same applies to satan, isn’t it? Are they so naive to think that He is doing the work of satan when it is so obvious that He is working against satan? If He were busy casting out demons by satan, it would mean the end of satan’s kingdom. But satan does not break down his own kingdom.

The Lord refers to their sons who also cast out demons. Do they do so by the ruler of the demons? Of their sons they acknowledge that they do so in the power of God. If they can judge that their sons do so by the power of God, then those sons will act as witnesses against them when they stand before God’s judgment seat, the great white throne.

Their assessment of their sons shows that they can properly judge by whom demons are cast out. This establishes their guilt for their false accusation that the Lord Jesus casts out the demons through satan. Instead of being confronted with satan in His Person, the kingdom of God has come to them in His Person. Here is not someone who is working for the kingdom of satan, but for the kingdom of God. It has come to them in the exercising of a power that is undeniable, namely in the casting out of demons.

The casting out of demons is a testimony to the power of that kingdom and also a ‘fingermark’ from God. The “finger of God” points to, points out and does something that surprises people, and in which they see God’s power revealed (cf. Exo 8:19 ; Exo 31:18; Psa 8:3; Dan 5:5; Mk 7:33; Jn 8:6). The Gospel according to Matthew shows that God’s finger is the Spirit of God (Mt 12:28). That ‘finger’ brings life, but also judgment, to the world. The kingdom of God came at that time, as a testimony of its power, however not yet as a situation and atmosphere in which everything is public.

This presentation of the kingdom here is different from what we find presented in the Gospel according to Matthew in the kingdom of heaven. The kingdom of heaven always suggests a change of dispensation as a result of the Savior taking His place in heaven. He will soon reveal His power on earth, but He has to come from heaven to establish the kingdom of heaven. To establish that kingdom in power and glory in the future, the Son of Man will come with the clouds of heaven. Then He will receive the kingdom and will rule over all the earth.

Someone Stronger

The strong one is satan. When Christ was not yet on earth, satan had a firm grip on men. The number of demon-possessed people in the days of the Lord Jesus, the number of cases with which He is confronted, shows that. Except for a single exception, like the man in the tombs (Lk 8:27-29), those people did not show that they were demon-possessed. In this way, the man with the unclean spirit could be inconspicuous in the synagogue. The unclean spirit did not reveal itself until Christ came there and he had to reveal himself (Lk 4:33).

Demons cannot remain hidden in the presence of the Lord; but until He is there, demon-possessed people live in the peace of satan. We see that in countries like China and India, where people live in the greatest idolatry without being concerned that they are in the power of satan. The unrest only comes when they come into contact with the gospel.

Then the Lord Jesus comes toward satan. He is stronger than satan. That is what He proved in the temptations in the wilderness (Lk 4:1-13). There He conquered him, and deprived him of his power, and put him out of action. From then on He is busy taking his plunder.

In such an opposition as that between Christ and satan, there is only one choice possible: with Him or against Him. He is the utterly Rejected. This requires a radical choice. This choice must be reflected in doing His work of bringing together what belongs to Him.

The test that the Lord applies here concerns not only everyone’s person, but also everyone’s work. The former applies more particularly to the unconverted and the latter more to the converted who is working in a worldly manner.

It may be that someone has chosen Christ while he imitates the world in his work and pursues his own honor. Such a person could be a popular preacher, for example, but who bind people only to himself and not to Christ. He can also use a certain doctrine as the basis of gathering. This often happens in professing Christianity. This is not gathering with Christ. A major hindrance to gather with Christ is also a spirit of factions and sectarianism that is necessarily hostile to Christ. Gathering Christians with a center other than Christ increases the confusion.