Possessed by God
When I hear the word “possession” in a spiritual context, my thoughts immediately jump towards “demonic possession.” My mind flashes to Netflix-style portrayals of demonic possession with rolled-back eyes that are accompanied by a deep, scary, un-human voice.
Yet as I was paraphrasing Exodus for the Simple Bible project, I came across a verse where Moses asks God to “possess” Israel.
Moses tells God, “If I’ve found favor in your Your sight, O Lord, please accompany us as we travel to the Promised Land, and possess us as your own.”
—Exodus 34:9 (simplified)
Although Moses’s request for God to “possess” Israel has a different feel than demonic possession, when I read this verse, my mind immediately compared it with demonic possession.
For some reason, when Moses asks God to possess Israel as his own, my mind pictures a cute relationship where God holds on tight to Israel and treasures them forever. Yet when the Bible talks about demons possessing people, my mind jumps to the scary Netflix-style scene.
Yet the words “possess” and “possession” are the same in each of those contexts. Maybe there are some parallels between the two?
Maybe when a demon possess someone, that demon wants to hold on tight to that person and never let go like how God wants to do with his people.
And maybe when someone becomes God’s possession, God’s spirit actually lives inside of that person and takes him over in the same way that demonic possessions work.
What does it mean to possess?
Ultimately, the word “possess” means “to have.”
Whether if I become God’s possession or possessed by a demon, I would become “had” by that spiritual being. If a spiritual being (God or demon) possesses me, I would then belong to that spiritual being. That spiritual being would become my owner and master. That spiritual being would have the right to use me for his own purposes in the same way that I use my personal possessions (like my phone and my car) for my own purposes.
Possessed by God
My girlfriend and I sometimes use possessive language with each other. We tell each other things like:
“I want to have you.”
“I want to keep you.”
“I want you to have me.”
It would be really scary to hear these phrases in the context of demonic possession, but because my girlfriend and I use them in a dating context, they become sweet and romantic. I want her to be mine, and I want her to belong to me instead of belonging to anyone else.
When Moses asks God to “possess Israel as his own,” I also view that as a romantic thing to say.
Moses is longing to be had by God. He desires for Israel to belong to God, and he knows that God will keep them and cherish them.
In the same way that my girlfriend and I feel safe with each other and surrender ourselves to each other, it’s safe, good, and beautiful for God’s people to surrender themselves to God.