“And He (Jesus) said unto them, ‘I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.'” Luke 10:18,19
When it comes to grasping something of the greatness of the sovereign power and authority of Christ, there is nothing like Christ’s own perspective communicated to men of that power in the physical world. We see this when, upon the lake of Galilee, with a destructive storm bearing down upon a very small boat taking on water because of the overpowering waves, and Jesus asleep during the storm, that the disciples come to Him, wake Him up, and desperately inquire of Him, “Master, carest thou not that we perish?” (Mark 4:38) It is at this moment that a glimpse of the Almighty Christ is revealed. Jesus rises to His feet, decisively rebukes the wind, and speaks to the sea, saying: “Peace, be still.” It is then that the quiet sovereign power of God causes the wind to cease, and the raging sea to become “…a great calm.” Jesus will use this most unusual change of circumstance to address a basic need in the hearts of the disciples, who have not yet realized WHO Christ is, nor WHAT Christ’s motives are in revealing something of His eternal glory. To the first need at hand, the Lord asks the disciples: “Why are ye so fearful?” There is a reason for their fear, for even though Christ is in the boat with them, they are still afraid. Do they not see and know who He truly is? Do they not grasp something of the almighty power of God dwelling in flesh and blood before their very eyes? Are they not like Philip who did not realize who Jesus was? Jesus would then ask Philip: “Have I been so long with you, and yet hast thou not known Me, Philip?” (Jn. 14:9) By a power that is greater than wind and sea, by a rebuke and a command coming from the lips of a man who was just previously asleep on a cushion on a boat, comes the quiet, clear revelation of the Almighty God, whose power and authority are supreme.
There is another matter in this scenario that must be grasped, for though we were not there that day to behold such an event, we are called upon to not respond like the disciples, but to be believing, having faith in the face of the impossible. That which the disciples missed in the revelation of Christ, and the abundance of His teaching, was His motive for being there, coming to men to teach them of God, His saving strength, to forgive, cleanse, and give new, eternal life. They failed to see that the Almighty God had come in Christ to reveal the committed, unwavering, eternal love of God to man. Christ would not let the disciples perish that day because he loved them, His purposes for choosing and saving them, not yet realized for the glory of God. In the brief moment, when chaos became calm, and the Lord Jesus asked, “…how is it that ye have no faith,” the hearts of the disciples discovered that their fear of wind and wave were eclipsed by their fear of the One who stood before them, sovereign in power and authority. It is in awe, being overwhelmed, that they would ask: “What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?” (Mk. 4:41)
There is another glimpse of the almighty, sovereign power of God provided to the disciples, but this time in Christ’s teaching. The disciples had just returned from ministering to the people, and this with great joy, declaring to Jesus: “Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through Thy name.” (Luke 10:17) It is then that the Lord says to them, “I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.” Why does Jesus say this? He is revealing His sovereign, Almighty, and eternal power and authority over the enemy.
Dear Father, Make us see Jesus. IN Jesus’ name, Amen.