“And He arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, ‘Peace, be still.’ And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.” Mark 4:39
In the gospel according to Mark, we find Jesus, and His disciples in several boats, crossing the Sea of Galilee, after ministering to the multitude. Jesus, being tired, laid down to rest, and went to sleep. As He slept, a storm rose up with great bursts of wind, causing the waves to rise and slam against the sides of the boats, several of which were small. So exhausted was the Lord Jesus that He was not awakened by the wind, nor the waves beginning to splash water into the boats, bringing them to the verge of sinking. The disciples, several of whom were sailors, woke up Jesus, saying unto Him, “Master, do you not care that we perish?” (4:38) Then Jesus did something very unusual. He arose, but did not just speak to the wind but rebuke it. Why? There are several other occasions mentioned in the gospel of Mark, when the Lord Jesus rebuked something, or someone. On two of these occasions, it had to do with rebuking demons, or a foul and vile spirit which sought to destroy someone. Since the Lord “rebuked” the enemy of our souls, with regard to delivering imprisoned souls from the control of demons who sought their destruction, most certainly, the same enemy, taking advantage of the fact that Jesus was exhausted, and asleep in the boat, sought to destroy Jesus and his disciples by drowning them. Jesus would not accept this, and because of His power and authority, He rebuked verbally the wind that the enemy was using to achieve his objectives. That which is so very important in this scenario, among the many lessons before us pertaining to faith, is that Jesus Christ is the Lord of PEACE, the giver and maker of peace, even the giver of HIS peace. In one instant, by the authority of His word, His peace takes precedence over the storm, the waves, and wind, everything that the enemy would throw at Him. This Man, Christ Jesus, the Son of God, standing on the deck or the wooden planks for a flooring of that small boat that day, is the same One of whom the Psalmist writes: “He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth,” and the same One who said: “Be still and know that I am God.” (Ps.46:9,10) Why is it so very important to see the Lord Jesus as He IS, the sovereign God over heaven and earth, to whom all power and authority has been given by the Father, and now communicated to the church? One reason is so that every believer might know His PEACE, a peace that “passes understanding,” beyond explanation.
In the gospel according to John, he writes of this matter of peace, declaring the very words of Christ on the subject: “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give unto you; not as the world gives do I give unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” (Jn. 14:27) The Lord Jesus is speaking of a peace here that is from heaven itself, but more specifically, from God Himself. It is HIS peace which He gives and communicates to the heart and soul by the Spirit. This peace does not have its essence in and of this world, and certainly is not derived from sinful man. It is the gift of God to the believer when Christ comes to dwell in the heart of every believer. The measure of one’s experience, and knowledge of this peace, is determined by one’s surrender to Christ, and whole-hearted faith in Him.
The disciples on the sea in the midst of the storm did not have peace, until the Lord Jesus spoke. He is the Master of all circumstances, and the provider of every need in the life by virtue of one’s union with Christ. To know His peace, be led and kept by that peace, is blessedly possible.
Dear Father, Grant us Your peace. In Jesus’ name, Amen.