When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he saith, I will return unto my house whence I came out. And when he cometh, he findeth it swept and garnished. Then goeth he, and taketh to him seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter in, and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. (Luke 11:24-26)
God’s desire is to dwell in the midst of his people. But, “…when he came unto his own his own received him not.” (John 1:11). The Nation of Israel from Egyptian slavery to the promise land always struggled with idolatry. God pleaded with His people through His Word and through the mouth of His prophets to turn back to Him from their idols. After centuries of long suffering God had a final cure. The Lord sent His people to the fountainhead of all idolatry, Babylon. In Babylon, Israel became disgusted with their besetting sin. They turned from idols forever. Reformation came to the household of Israel they were “swept and garnished.” Sadly, God was not invited into the vacuum that was created. What filled the void was a devil, “seven times worse.”
“Behold, your house is left unto you desolate!,”(Matt. 23:38) Israel was left un-inhabited by God. The “last state” of the nation was “worse than the first.” Ichabod was written over her door no God no glory: “The glory has departed!”
This empty house is a picture to us of someone who tries moral reform without being indwelt by the Holy Spirit. Reformation without regeneration is disastrous. The parable here teaches that Jesus either takes up residence in your life or else you are inhabited by some other devil. Israel now had the strong demon of “self-righteousness” take up residence in their nation. Worse than idolatry is religion without God, Christless Christianity, or simply put “… a form of godliness but denying the power thereof.” (II Tim. 3:5).
Listen the self-righteous man pray: “Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.” (Luke 18:10-12)
Listen to the sinner pray: “And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.” (Luke 18:13)
The Pharisee declares, “I swept and garnished!” but the publican cries out for God and His mercy. “I tell you, this man (the publican) went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.” (Luke 18:14)
“…Jesus saith unto them (the chief priests and elders of the people), Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.” (Matthew 21:31)
Being moral and religious without Christ is far worse and more dangerous than being immoral and irreligious without Christ. Publicans and sinners sick with sin flocked to the Great Physician, but the self-righteous wanted to kill the Son of God.
Being self-righteous and self-sufficient puts our souls in eternal peril. Many “Swept clean”people deny their need for a Savior and end up in hell. “Swept clean” Christians proud with self-righteousness lose sweet fellowship with the Lord here on earth and also lose rewards in heaven.
Let us declare to the Lord our great need of Him! The good news is “Christ receiveth sinners!” (Luke 15:2) and God’s Himself desires is to inhabit us! “…I will walk among you and be your God, and you shall be my people” (Lev 26:12; II Cor. 6:16). “And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of Godis with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.” (Revelation 21:2-3).