Please explain Matthew 12:43-45, and Luke 11:24-26; also why does Mr. Newberry insert the word, “it”, in his margin for the word, “he”, in Luke 11:24?

Mathew 12:43-45  When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none.  (44)  Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished.  (45)  Then goeth he, and taketh with himself 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. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.

Luke 11:24-26  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.  (25)  And when he cometh, he findeth it swept and garnished.  (26)  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.
 

There are certain important words in this section which, if understood, will enable us to grasp the general meaning of the passage.
The “house” refers, I believe, to the house of Israel. “Generation” refers to the class of people then living, a people hostile to the Lord Jesus. The unclean spirit is, I believe, the spirit of idolatry which once found a resting place in Israel, but of which Israel were cured as the result of their Babylonian captivity. That idolatrous spirit will find no resting place save in apostate Israel, to which house it will later return, leading them to worship a mere man—the Man of Sin—the worst form of idolatry. This will bring upon them a far more severe judgment than ever hitherto they have known and so their last end will be worse than the first.
What has been effected by Christ Who came to that house is that he swept and garnished it, turning out from it things that hitherto occupied it. The spirit of idolatry in full force (with seven other spirits) will return to that house with, as I have said, disastrous consequences. The “generation” will persist until the end. They would not have Him Who came in His Father’s Name: another shall come in his own name and him theywill receive.

W.R.

• Are the demon-possessed responsible for being in that condition?
• Can a believer be possessed by a demon? Can demons attack us?
• Can a believer bind Satan or reprove him?
• Can angels sin?
• Can Satan read the minds of people?
• Can Satan speak to a believer with a physical voice?
• Does Satan cause natural disasters?
• Does the devil still have the power of death?
• Had Satan any history previous to his appearing in the Garden Of Eden?
• Has God lost control of the world to Satan?
• How could the Devil have "the power of death"?
• How could the Lord Jesus and Lucifer both be the Morning Star?
• How does Satan communicate?
• In Ezekiel 28, is the Garden of Eden the same as the home of Adam and Eve
• Is it right to teach that Satan fell first of all in Eden
• Is Satan the Lucifer in Isaiah 14?
• Is the "fear of death" no longer satanic in its origin?
• Is the Devil a real being or just an evil force?
• Is the title, "Morning Star" the same as the "Day Star"?
• Is there a difference between the
• Was Satan in Heaven when he sinned and fell?
• Was the serpent
• What is binding Satan?
• What is Deliverance Ministries
• What is demon possession?
• What is exorcism? Can a believer cast out demons?
• What is the difference between fallen angels, demons, unclean spirits, and familiar spirits?
• What is the meaning of the story of the clean house inhabited by seven evil spirits?
• Why did God create Satan if He knew that Satan would sin?
• Why did Satan attempt to usurp God's throne?
• Why do some versions of the Bible not include the name Lucifer in Isaiah 14:12?