Naked and ashamed

In his letters to the Romans, Paul told his readers that not all Israel was Israel. We have a perfect example of this with the seven sons of Sceva. Their dad was a Jewish high priest, who certainly knew all of the Jewish customs and practices which he had set himself apart to do unto God.

They watched Dad’s life, his duty and position throughout their entire childhood and most likely, his life became apart of their every day routine. His lifestyle literally should have had become the fabric of who they were going to be, but as we read, it was just the opposite.

These sons of Sceva were no different than the two sons of Eli, the high priest in the book of Samuel.

They all grew up having an outward appearance of a relationship with God, but knew Him not.

These “magnificent seven gunslingers” thought they had the know withal to cast out demons, and they were quick to the draw. But on this day, it had backfired on them. Not only did this demon leap upon all seven of Sceva’s boys, but it overpowered them and forced them to tap out naked. What a funny sight this may have been to witness as it literally ripped off all of their outward cloths of righteousness and left them running down the street with only their holsters on.

Talk about getting spurred in the old keaster.
One man calls this smoking tennis shoes!!

We can have all the signs of Christianity adorned in our lives. The right speech, Christian hair, a professing mouth, and still not be saved.

Had these boys been truly regenerated, they would have known better to never be involved with private exorcisms, because God calls us to preach the Word , not wrestle with demons, (even though our battle is not against flesh and blood), for a hobby.

Who’s to blame? Perhaps Sceva. Like Eli, he too gave up the influence of the Lord to his sons who eventually decided to go and run a muck.

Religion before relationship, will have this effect every time.

I love what John Piper once tweeted. he said this,
“no parents have the luxury of teaching their children nothing, while they wait for their regeneration”

In Sceva’s case, his boys went down into history as the seven moons over Miami..

The good new was that God had used this event to clean house, and we read that the people burned their books of magic and sorcery and astrology, and the Lord continued to increase the disciples.