A kingdom divided

In Matthew 12:22 Jesus cast a demon out of a blind and mute man, and then healed him. Amazed at this display of the power of God, the crowds began to wonder if Jesus was the “Son of David” – a common euphemism for the Messiah. Upon hearing the people make such comments, the Pharisees became indignant and began telling the people that Jesus was casting out demons through the power of Satan. Verse 25 tells us that, having heard these comments, Jesus made the following statements: “Any kingdom divided against itself is laid waste; and any city or house divided against itself will not stand. If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself; how then will his kingdom stand?” The implications of statement are far-reaching and powerful. Even though Jesus was speaking specifically about the kingdom of Satan, he also made it clear that his statement applied equally to “Any kingdom.” The truth is, as we look at the principle Jesus was establishing in this passage, we will discover that it has a direct application to many areas of our lives.

The essence of these statements is the fact that division brings destruction. Essentially Jesus was conveying the same idea expressed in the phrase “divide and conquer” – an ancient maxim and strategy that has been employed by military and political leaders throughout the ages. To divide ones enemy is the surest way to conquer them, and ultimately rule them. The logic of this principle is irrefutable; if you are able to cause your enemies to fight against themselves you have not only weakened your enemy, you have in a sense increased the power of your own army as well.

We can also see the incredible power of this principle in the opposite principle – the power of union. A number of verses in the Bible that refer to this power. In Leviticus 26:8 God told Israel, “Five of you will chase a hundred, and a hundred of you will chase ten thousand.” And Deuteronomy 32:30 tells us that where one can put 1,000 enemies to flight, two can put 10,000 to flight. Jesus hinted at the incredible power of union as well in Matthew 18:19 when he said, “If two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.” Ultimately bringing division causes this incredible power of union to work in reverse.

Perhaps nowhere is it easier to see how division leads to destruction than in a civil war, where a nation can literally destroy itself. But Jesus made it clear that his statements in this passage did not just apply to spiritual kingdoms or nations, but to “kingdoms” of all types and sizes (“any city or house…”). Churches, families and friendships are all vulnerable. Because of this Satan is always trying to somehow “stir up dissension” (Proverbs 6:19) among the members of any group – especially among Christians. It was for this reason that Paul admonished us in Ephesians 4:3 to “be diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit” and be “united in spirit, intent on one purpose.” (Philippians 2:2)

There is another, less obvious “kingdom” that cannot stand if it is divided against itself – it is our own selves. A number of New Testament passages make it clear that there is a type of “civil war” going on inside of each one of us. (1^st Peter 2:21) – a war between the offspring of our “old man” and the “new man.” And the only way to win this war, and keep not allow internal division to destroy us is to allow the “leaven” of God’s Holy Spirit to restore us from within, bringing unity and harmony to the “kingdom” within us. (See “Living by the Spirit” and “Salvation of the Soul”)