Jesus said that generation was like a man who
had been delivered from an evil spirit; failing to
keep his life open to God's presence and blessings,
he became prey to the demon when it returned.
It then found the house 'empty, swept and garn-
ished.'

So the devil took seven more, more wicked than
himself and entered into the man, so that his last
state was worse than the first.

"Even so shall it be also unto this wicked gener-
ation"
Matthew 12:45

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The sign Jesus was speaking of was His death
and resurrection. It was the greatest sign He
could give mankind. In fact, it was a miracle
that has not stopped affecting His followers
even today.

But it didn't convince the Jews.

They would pay the soldiers to have them say
that Jesus' disciples had stolen His body.
(Matthew 28:11-15)

"an evil and adulterous generation seeketh after
a sign" Jesus said. But He did tell them that they
would be given a sign. "Destroy this temple and
in three days I will raise it up" John 2:19

Matthew 12:40 (in different words) "For as Jonas
was three days and three nights in the whale's
belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and
three nights in the heart of the earth"

These Pharisees were influenced by the chief
priests. They had asked Jesus for a sign or proof
of being the Messiah. They would try to under-
mine His ministry by demanding a sign from
heaven.

He wouldn't be able to change their hearts with
a sign, they would explain it away. They had
seen enough miracles by this time that it would
be foolish to give into them any further.

Jesus had a strong hold on the people and the
religious leaders of Capernaum. He had healed
a centurion's servant and He raised the dead
daughter of Jairus, who was a ruler of the
synagogue.

The local Pharisees were confident in Jesus but
wanted to respond with loyalty to those from
Jerusalem who charged Him of being a disciple
of Beelzebub.

These men had chosen a course so terrible because
of their hypocracy and incorrigible anger. Their sin
was eternal.

They were willing to follow their course no matter
what the consequences. They became victims of
their own delusion.

These men in their reckless anger to destroy
Jesus had gone too far when they blasphemed
the Holy Spirit. Now they were abandoned by
God and there was no means by which they
could ever be forgiven.

Their hearts were hopelessly hardened. Where
there is no repentance there can be no forgiveness.

Jesus told them that all kinds of sin would be
forgiven, even sins against Himself. But here
a great miracle had happened and they knew
that only God could have done it.

But they had given themselves into their hatred
of Him because they felt He had threatened all
they had. Now they had gone too far and had
claimed that the work of the Holy Spirit was
those of Beelzebub's instead.

"Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and
blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the
blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be
forgiven unto men.
And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son
of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever
speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be
forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the
world to come."

Then Jesus brought a charge against the Pharisees.
He spoke to them about a sin that was unpardonable.
One that would not be forgiven neither in this world
nor in the world to come.

Casting out devils is a warfare where the stronger
overcomes the weaker. Jesus said, the devil must
be bound before He is willing to come out. They
do not respect anything other than force.

Demons are spiritual beings. Physical force has no
power over them. Drugs may act on the nerves
they effect but not over the spirits themselves.

It is the action of God's spirit through faith that
can have victory over them. So Jesus said, "But if I
cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the king-
dom of God is come unto you" Matthew 12:28

"If Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against
himself; how shall then his kingdom stand?"
Jesus told them that any kingdom divided against
itself could not stand. He showed that His power
was superior and opposite to Satan's.

He asked them by whom did they cast out devils
if He was casting them out by Beelzebub. Surely
that made them look ridiculous. They had claimed
to be authorities on casting out devils.