Memory Verse: “What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?” Mark 4:41
Most children who have read the Bible or had it read to them have heard of the Sea of Galilee. It is not actually a “sea,” but it is a lake about 13 miles long and 7 miles wide. The River Jordan supplies its water, flowing into the north end and flowing out the south end of the lake on its way to the Dead Sea.
The Sea of Galilee is said to be one of the most beautiful places in the world. It was by this lake and the countryside near it that the Lord Jesus lived and performed many of the wonderful miracles we read about in the Bible.
From His earliest years Jesus was familiar with the lake. Nazareth, the town where the Lord Jesus lived as a boy, was only a few miles away. It was on the hillside overlooking this lake that He fed the five thousand men plus all the women and children (Matt. 14:15-21). It was in this same lake that the two thousand swine drowned after the evil spirits had been commanded to leave the man and they entered the swine (Mark 5:1-20). And it was also here that Jesus found Peter and his brother Andrew fishing and called them to be “fishers of men” (Mark 1:17).
Although the Sea of Galilee is very beautiful when the sun is shining, it is not always calm and quiet. It is a very shallow lake, so that when the wind blows the waves come up quickly. Strong gusts of wind can sweep down from the surrounding mountains and cause waves as high as those on a real sea. There are two storms on this lake recorded in the Bible.
We read about one of these storms in Mark 4. There the Lord Jesus had been teaching many people. When evening came He told His disciples to cross over to the other side of the lake. As they rowed across, the Lord Jesus lay down in the back of the little ship on a pillow and went to sleep.
While they were crossing the lake a big storm came up, quickly blowing the water into huge waves that beat against the little ship. It began to fill with water even though the disciples probably tried to bail it out. In just a short time the boat was full of water. The disciples were sure they would all drown, knowing what had happened to others on this lake during bad storms. And during all this time Jesus was still sleeping in the back part of the ship.
They were so afraid of the ship sinking that they wakened the Lord Jesus and asked, “Master, carest Thou not that we perish?” They had forgotten who He was—that He was the One who had made the wind and the waves. They were soon to learn that not only had He made them, but He had control over them as well.
The Lord Jesus got up and commanded the wind to stop blowing, and then He calmed the waves with these lovely words, “Peace, be still.” Mark 4:39.
Immediately the wind stopped blowing. This was truly amazing. But not only did the wind stop blowing, the waves also disappeared and the water became calm. This was truly a miracle, because waves always continue to roll long after the wind has died down. They gradually become smaller until the water is calm. So the waves on the Sea of Galilee disappearing immediately after the wind stopped blowing was not natural. The Creator had commanded this, and it says in the same verse, “and there was a great calm.” The water had become quiet and smooth.
Turning to His disciples, the Lord Jesus said, “Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?” Mark 4:40. They all were afraid and did not seem to understand who this Person was, because they talked among themselves asking, “What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?” Mark 4:41.
How many of us—boys, girls, men or women—get upset and disturbed like the disciples did when the waves got rough! If we know the Lord Jesus as our Saviour, then we have Him “on board our ship"—He is with us, so shouldn’t we trust Him to work everything out? He has promised, “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” Hebrews 13:5. Remember what He said to the sea that was splashing and pounding all around them— “Peace, be still.” If He can control the waves with just a word, can He not be trusted to take care of all our cares and troubles?
Next week, Lord willing, we will look at the other storm on the Sea of Galilee. It is recorded in Matthew 14. Can you find it?
ML-10/30/1983