Matthew 12:45

Seven other spirits. Seven, the symbolic number designating completeness, indicates complete demon possession.

Last state. Too often those who have been healed of the disease of sin suffer a relapse, as it were, and thereby become weaker spiritually than they were at first. Not realizing how careful they must be to avoid temptation and to surround themselves with influences for good, they expose themselves unnecessarily to the allurements of the world — often with fatal results (see DA 256). Thus it was with Saul, who, though at one time under the power and influence of the Holy Spirit (see 1 Sam. 10:9-13), did not submit himself fully and completely to God, and as a result was exposed to the control of an evil spirit (see 1 Sam. 16:14; 18:10; 19:9) that finally drove him to suicide. Thus it was also with Judas, who at first was susceptible to the softening influence of Christ, but who did not submit his life exclusively to that influence (DA 294, 717). See on Matt. 13:7.

This wicked generation. See v. 39; see on chs. 11:16; 23:36. The leaders of Israel were in the process of rejecting the light that had come to them.