In Mark 5 we see the story of the demoniac, who has 6,000 demons (Mark 5:1-20), and they ask to be sent into a herd of pigs. I’ve always felt another layer of revelation was to be seen in this passage of scripture. Let’s dig in a bit!
Why 2,000 pigs? If you study the scripture you will find that 2,000 represents the time from Jesus first coming to His second coming. After Jesus permits the demons to enter the pigs they run down the hill into the sea and drown. Please catch this, when something sinks in water all you eventually can see is the water.
What does scripture reveal the sea as? "Then he said to me, “The waters which you saw, where the harlot sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues." (Revelation 17:15)
So the waters/sea being people, and these pigs drown in the sea of them, this means they blend in and appear like their surroundings! So these pigs run into the sea (which represent people) and drown (blend in and bring death).
Who are the pigs? In 2 Peter chapter 2 we see false prophets and teachers compared to dogs and pigs (v. 22). Jesus even teaches don’t give what is holy to the dogs and don’t cast pearls before swine (Matt. 7:6). There is a revelation to be found here as well, pray and seek!
So 6,000 demons go into 2,000 pigs. That’s three demons per pig if we do simple math. Where are three unclean spirits given together? Revelation 16:13 says, “And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.” This is the unholy trinity!
So these false prophets and teachers, who are actually in covenant with the unholy trinity, will be in the sea of humanity, blending in and bringing death, until the second coming of Jesus Christ!
Now in 2 Peter 2:13 it says, “…they [false teachers] are spots and blemishes” and in Ephesians 5:27 it says this about the church, “that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.”
No false prophetic and no false teachings!!!
In 2 Peter 2:17 it says, “These are wells without water”. If we look throughout scripture water/rain is symbolic of revelation. False prophets and teachers bring no true revelation of Jesus or His Word. They may be full of information and human wisdom, but lack the true wisdom of God, His knowledge and His understanding!
Now in this story the pigs were sent where? Into the sea. Let’s look in Revelation chapter 13 and see if there is anything that comes from the sea..
“Then I stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name. Now the beast which I saw was like a leopard, his feet were like the feet of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority. And I saw one of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded, and his deadly wound was healed. And all the world marveled and followed the beast. So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?” (Revelation 13:1-4)
What does scripture reveal a beast as? “I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts.” (Ecclesiastes 3:18)
We know the dragon is Satan, which is where this beast gets its power from. Who is Satan ruler of?
“Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.” (2 Corinthians 4:4)
“wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:” (Ephesians 2:2)
Notice this beast has spots like a leopard? What did we see spots reveal? False teaching! It has paws like a bear, and what does scripture say about animals with paws? “Of the animals that walk on all fours, those that have paws are unclean. If you touch the carcass of such an animal, you will be defiled until evening.” (Leviticus 11:27)
Mouth like a lion… sound familiar? “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8)
This is the beast of self! All who rule and reign their own heart, and who worship themselves. Notice it says “all the world” marveled and followed the beast. Anyone not following Jesus is following themselves! They are the god of themselves, and this is empowered by the dragon and the kingdom of darkness. Their father is the devil, again does this sound familiar? Jesus says, "You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it." (John 8:44)
This beast comes right out of the sea of humanity where these swine have been hidden and teaching falsely! Their teaching does not reveal and exalt Jesus, His Word, His Kingdom, and His righteousness. It exalts self, religious works, and self righteousness…
The Passion translation of Proverbs 19:2 says, “The best way to live is with revelation-knowledge, for without it, you’ll grow impatient and run right into error.” That word error also means sin, which at the root is unbelief. The enemy doesn’t want us to believe in Jesus Christ, but to believe in ourselves…
This is why it is crucial that every child of God spend time in scripture and prayer. Without a personal relationship with the Holy Spirit in the Word of God a person can be easily deceived and led into sin.
Again, please hear me that unbelief is the sin that causes all other wrong behaviors. People do things because they do not know who they really are. They do not believe the Truth, as many do not know it. They do not know Jesus Christ personally, and how can you believe what someone says (their words), when you don’t know the person? Apart from really knowing Jesus we will never know who we are. Why? Because we were made in His image and likeness!
John 6:29 says, “Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.” John 14:26 says, “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.” John 17:3 says, “And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.”
I pray the Holy Spirit imparts a deep hunger and thirst for Jesus in every person who reads this! You can only spot the counterfeit when you truly know the real!!!