We are continuing our series examining all the supernatural acts of Jesus during His time among us. Today, we focus on Christ’s miraculous control over the wind and the waves:
22One day Jesus said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side of the lake.” So they got into a boat and set out. 23As they sailed, he fell asleep. A squall came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger. 24The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!” He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. 25“Where is your faith?” he asked his disciples. In fear and amazement they asked one another, “Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him” (Luke 8:22-25).
The Sea of Galilee is over six hundred feet below sea level and is known for its sudden storms. In 1978, I lived in Israel for several months. As a fisherman from England, I had the chance to join local fishermen on their diesel-powered fishing boat. I found this experience fascinating, and the fishermen were glad to have me accompany them, share Turkish coffee, and compare fishing techniques. Although they had modern electronic devices to locate the fish, we caught very little. The weather was calm, but they warned me it could become dangerous when it worsened. Still, I am certain that the occasional winds these men experienced were nothing compared to the storm that the disciples faced in the account above.
It is possible that the storm was not of natural origin. In Ephesians 2:2, Satan is referred to as "the prince of the power of the air." In another passage, he is called the “prince of this world” (John 12:31). Does Satan possess the ability to manipulate the weather? When Satan tempted Job, God responded by saying, “Everything he has is in your power, but on the man himself do not lay a finger” (Job 1:12). After receiving permission, we read that fire fell from the sky, consuming the sheep and the servants, followed by a fierce wind that struck the house where his sons and daughters were eating, resulting in their deaths. I am uncertain if the incident we are examining today was of satanic origin, but we should not underestimate our adversary. He does have power; however, the Holy Spirit within us is greater than the one in this world (1 John 4:4). I propose that Satan used the storm to hinder the Lord Jesus' mission of casting out the Legion demon on the other side of Galilee, as seen in the following passage of Scripture.
To support the idea that the storm was demonically inspired, consider the use of the Greek word "epitimao," translated as "rebuked," in verse 24. Jesus rebuked the wind and the waters. Doesn't it seem strange to speak to the wind? Epitimao encompasses meanings such as "to blame, censure, chide, rebuke, warn, or berate." It reflects an abrupt, curt, and biting charge that pointedly expresses disapproval and conveys a sharp or harsh tone. In Mark 1:25, the same term is used in the context of casting out a demon in Capernaum: “But Jesus rebuked the spirit and said, “Be silent! Come out of him!'" This word also appears when Jesus expels a demon from a boy: “Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out; the boy was healed from that moment” (Matthew 17:18). The Lord was not gentle with demons. He addressed them with commanding authority, and as unusual as it may seem, He spoke to the wind and the waves in the same manner. A remarkable event unfolded when He spoke decisively to the wind and waves; the wind ceased, and a profound calm enveloped the sea.
As someone who has spent many years at sea as a commercial fisherman, I can tell you this is unnatural. A strong wind takes time to lose its strength and doesn’t just stop blowing suddenly. Moreover, I have never witnessed a complete calm settle over the sea when the wind ceases. Even if the wind were of natural origin, waves can’t become calm in just seconds. The swell of the waves continues for quite a while after the wind dies down. The seasoned fishermen on the boat had never encountered anything like this. Luke tells us they were filled with fear and amazement (v. 25), saying, “Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him.” If He can calm the storms on the Sea of Galilee, He can also bring peace to the storms in your life. Keith Thomas
This meditation is a shortened version of the more in-depth study found in The Gospel of Luke, study 17, Jesus Meets the Legion Demon.
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