A Demon on a Bridge

 

      Late one afternoon I was traveling a road I have ridden over many times during the past thirty-five years. Most of those trips have been pleasant. But, on that afternoon I saw something horrifying. I saw a demon on a bridge!

 

      As I drove down a hill which I have both jogged and driven up and down many times I saw a demon on a bridge. It was a sad and heart breaking sight.

 

      The bridge is over a beautiful little, boulder filled creek. On one side of the bridge is the "Circle B Ranch." Whoever named this little spot has a wonderful sense of humor. The "Circle B Ranch" is a mobile home with a very nice porch. There are no more than two acres of open pasture. There is also some woodland in­side the fence. On the "Circle B" there are two dogs, about six calves and maybe a dozen goats. Just beyond the "Circle B Ranch" I saw a demon on a bridge. It was a sickening sight.

 

      Approaching the bridge I saw a car which had obviously just crossed the bridge. It was stopped. Two women were standing on the bridge looking at the damage done by the demon. In addition to those two women there was a man on the bridge. He was lying on the pavement near the center of the bridge. Sadly, he was totally under the control of this demon.

 

      My first thought was that the man had been hit by the car, possibly driven by one of those women. Instead, I found out something far worse. The man on the bridge was under the control of a horrible demon.

 

      One of the women was, indeed, the driver of the car. She had just stopped to assist the second woman. The second woman was the wife of the demon possessed man. Her heart was breaking. Her eyes were filled with tears because of the havoc brought to her husband and family by this terrible demon.

 

      As I tried to assist then the demon possessed man tried to hit me with his fist. This demon had the man completely.

 

      Solomon described the problem in Proverbs 23:29-35. "Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions? Who has complaints? Who has wounds without cause? Who has redness of eyes? Those who linger long at the wine, Those who go in search of mixed wine. Do not look on the wine when it is red, When it sparkles in the cup, When it swirls around smoothly; At the last it bites like a serpent, And stings like a viper. Your eyes will see strange things, And your heart will utter perverse things. Yes, you will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea, Or like one who lies at the top of the mast, saying: They have struck me, but I was not hurt; They have beaten me, but I did not feel it. When shall I awake, that I may seek another drink?"

 

      This demon causes woes and sorrows. Solomon said, "Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions? Who has complaints? Who has wounds without cause? Who has redness of eyes? Those who linger long at the wine, Those who go in search of mixed wine." (Proverbs 23:29-30.) There is the woe of many physical consequences. Drunkenness causes liver disease, kills brain cells, weakens the heart and leads to an early grave. While under the power of alcohol the person is mentally deranged. This demon brings a man and his family to crumbs and rags. Drunkenness has many evil companions: (1) sexual sins, (2) lies, (3) wrath and many others. Those under the power of this demon are unreliable and ready to fight even their best friend.

 

      This demon has a wicked bite and sting. Solomon said, "At the last it bites like a serpent, And stings like a viper." (Proverbs 23:32.) Alcohol is an addictive drug, very dangerous and habit forming. It destroys self-control, ruins health and corrupts character. It enslaves multiplied millions. Alcohol weakens and profanes our body which is the temple of the Holy Spirit. "Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's." (I Corinthians 6:19-20.) Being possessed by this demon is both costly and harmful. It bites and stings physically, economically, mentally, morally, socially, and especially spiritually.

 

      This demon causes eyes to see strange things and hearts to utter perverseness. Solo­mon said, "Your eyes will see strange things, And your heart will utter perverse things." (Proverbs 23:33.) As I was trying to help the woman get her husband off the bridge and back in their house he was speaking all kind of nonsense and he even took a swing at me. His eyes were seeing staring things. His heart was full of perverse things. No words can describe the deplorable condition of those under the control of this demon.

 

      This demon causes one to feel as if he was lying in the midst of the sea. Solomon wrote, "Yes, you will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea, Or like one who lies at the top of the mast, saying." (Proverbs 23:34.) Those controlled by this demon go back and forth, unable to control themselves. In a physical sense they do lie down in dangerous places. This demon possessed man was lying in the middle of a bridge on a paved road. Alcoholic beverages are brewed in hell, sold out of covetousness and consumed in sin and much misery. This demon has damned and destroyed many precious souls.

 

      This demon so controls that a person seeks it again. Some of the saddest words of this text say, "They have struck me, but I was not hurt; they have beaten me, but I did not feel it. When shall I awake, that I may seek another drink?" (Proverbs 23:35.) I found out that the demon possessed man lived two houses up from the bridge. A few weeks passed after that day on the bridge and I saw the man again under the control of the demon. He was in his own yard, lying prostrate on a bank. You could tell the demon was controlling him. No other practice in history has wrecked more homes and ruined more good people than this demon. A Christian can have nothing to do with alcoholic beverages.

 

      Drunkards will not inherit the kingdom of God. (I Corinthians 6:10.) Drunkenness is a work of the flesh. (Galatians 5:21.) Paul warned, "And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit." (Ephesians 5:18.) Whoever delivers his soul over to the power of alcohol is responsible for the result. "Wine is a mocker, Strong drink is a brawler, And whoever is led astray by it is not wise." (Proverbs 20:1.) The strong are those who resist this demon. "For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation." (I Thessalonians 5:7-8.)

 

By Charles Box, Walnut Street Church of Christ, P.O. Box 551 Greenville, Alabama 36037 USA

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