GADARA - Blackmar Kaleb

Gadara: The Story of the Gadarene Demoniac is a work of fiction based on the true biblical account. Jesus cast a multitude of demons from a man into a vast herd of swine. The story attempts to bring this to life, as well as many other events.

The demonic 'Legion' is a hideous beast until totally transformed by Jesus. The local people saw what had happened and demanded that Jesus depart out of fear. The swine had run into the Sea of Galilee and drowned. 'Jason' is the original name of the former demoniac and wants to go with Jesus, but he forbids him and tells him to go and tell what good things God had done for him. It is a mission that Jason takes very seriously, for he becomes a man of incredible faith.

And so, the fictional account of Jason, the former Gadarene demoniac begins early in the book. My story interacts with the Bible, but in no way re-interprets it. Jason discovers that he has the authority to heal the sick and cast out demons in the name of Jesus; no different than the disciples of Jesus before and after the crucifixion. He affects the lives of many and soon has a reputation; both good and bad. Many had not forgotten his previous life. Jesus returned to the Decapolis months later and was well received. This 'Jason' must have done something to change the hearts and minds of the people deeply entrenched in their cultural beliefs and traditions.

Although Jason is delivered and restored in every way, his body remains covered with scars from years of cutting himself with stones. His challenges are relentless. Despite this, he makes friends and meets the love of his life, which doesn't begin well. The story is a roller coaster ride with some good teaching along the way. I wrote the book to be enjoyed. It is an epic novel with action, adventure, romance, and emotion with a touch of humor. The story offers a slightly different point of view: Pagan Greeks confronted with the word of God by one of their own; a strong, fearless, lovable, scarred former demoniac with a mission...and a past.

There are many scriptures from the King James Bible used in the book, where appropriate, and all are referenced. All of the words of Jesus are his actual words. The beliefs in the book are basic biblical concepts, as well as the apocryphal book of Enoch to describe the origin of the demons. This was a widely accepted concept in the first century, but it may make the book a bit controversial. I hope so. The demonic activity depicted in the book is also a result of years of interest in the subject of real demonic possession. It was intended to be realistic.

This story was also written through compassion for the lost. Jesus came to seek and save that which was lost. It's not flesh and blood we fight against, but spiritual wickedness in high places, which is what this work is really about. Therefore, this book is dedicated to Jesus, and to the lost.