the rescuer's mission (PART 1)

Bible Texts (Concordant Version of the Old Testament and Concordant Literal New Testament with keywords Concordance (Main text: Mark 4:35-41)

 

And He is saying to them on that day, as evening is coming on, "We may be passing through to the other side."

36 And, leaving the throng, they are taking Him along, as He was, in the ship. And other ships were with Him.

37 And there is occurring a great whirlwind, and the billows dashed into the ship, so that the ship was already filling to the brim.

38 And He was in the stern, drowsing on the cushion. And they are rousing Him and saying to Him, "Teacher! Carest Thou not that we perish?"

39 And, being roused, He rebukes the wind and said to the sea, "Be silent! Be still!" And the wind flags, and there came a great calm.

40 And He said to them, "Why are you so timid? How is it you have no faith?"

41 And they were afraid with a great fear, and said to one another, "Who, consequently, is This, that even the wind and the sea are obeying Him?"

 

It is my hope that this week’s blog illuminates your mind concerning the hidden things not known to many people in this scripture. I have watched many preachers talked about this incidence. I have also read this scripture many times. I have even preached about it too. I used to challenge people to develop faith because I used to think the scenario in this passage focuses more on how to develop our faith. However, when I was having bible studies with my family a couple of weeks ago, this new revelation came up to me from the same scriptures. I was bewildered at this new revelation because I never thought that there was underneath truth in this passage. Well, to the glory of Yahweh, you are about to see why this is not just ordinary.

Here are some truths for you to hold dear to your heart this week:

1.       The book of Isaiah 61:1-3.  Isaiah the prophet had already informed us in his account that Yeshua would help the poor, bind the broken heart, free the prisoners from their darkness and declare the day of vengeance of Elohim Yahweh. Though he had done all, but he had not declared the day of God’s vengeance yet. It is not yet the appointed time. This is futuristic. I hope to discuss on this in the future blog. So, Yeshua was on his mission to rescue the helpless man to fulfill the scriptures.

2.       Yeshua was always on rescue mission during his time on earth. John 10:10 points to us that a thief has no other job than to steal, kill and destroy but Yeshua came to give us life in abundance. The thief according to this passage was Satan. Yeshua saw that there was someone on the other side of the river who needed to be freed from the chains of Satan. This person’s joy, peace, gladness, good health and liberty had been stolen. He could feel the pains this helpless man was going through from a far miles away. His disciples did not understand why he told them that it was time for them to cross over to the other side of the river. He only understood why. He was on his way to rescue the helpless.  Yeshua did the same thing in John 4:4. He had to go through Samaria to help another helpless woman. I also hope to treat this fleshy topic in the nearest future blogs.

3.        While on their way on the river to cross to the other side, Satan was forming a great barricade. He raised the storm to dissuade Yeshua from not helping the man on the other side waiting for deliverance. This storm was not ordinary. There are gods associated with storm and wind. The Greeks believe that gods are attached to nature. They also believe that the Anemoi is attached to the winds (mythologysource.com). Yeshua knew he would be stopped along the way to rescue the helpless man. His disciples did not know what was coming.

4.       I admire the kind of rest of mind Yeshua had while he was in the ship cross to the other side of the river. He was tired of the previous work. He had to rest. He was not bothered about what may happen while he slept. All looked peaceful and calm as the disciples were happily recounting the experiences they witnessed during the last teachings culminated with miracles. Little did they know that Satan was displeased. He devised a way to stop Yeshua. He waited for him in the river! He controls the gods of river and winds. He championed them to face Yeshua. So, he staired up wind and storm when the river supposed to be calm.

5.       The disciples were frightened to the sight of the heavy storm wrapped in the unpleasant winds on the river. There was no alternative route for them on the river. They had no expertise to navigate the voyage from the troubled river. There was no indication of bad weather before they boarded the ships. The sight of this predicament was unpleasant. They needed help.

6.       I could imagine Satan and his folks grinning with menace in their hearts to still the show, drown Yeshua and his disciples in the river, let the fish have a great meal on them, make the resting Yeshua had a terrible day on his way to do good work, make the disciples go into disarray and make them curse their Master for their ordeals.

7.       Yeshua’s disciples called on Yeshua to rescue them and care for their souls. Why would they say these? They understood that Yeshua was a miracle worker but none of them was bold enough to face this challenge. You know why? It was not their fight. They lacked spiritual eyes to see beyond the storm and winds troubling the river. These disciples only acted based on what the saw with their naked eyes. They did not realize that our weapons are not physical (2 Corinthians 10:4). They did not realize that these problems came to dissuade Yeshua from rescuing the oppressed man on the other side of the river.

8.       Yeshua woke up from his rest and rebuked the wind and the storm. He simply spoke to them as if he were speaking to living things. He told them to be silent and be still. He knew that he was not just speaking to the winds and the storms but to the spirits that stirred them up. He could have done more to them, but he knew that it was not yet the time for him to declare the vengeance day of Yahweh! You would see the same incidence in Mark chapter 5. What his disciples only understood was that the winds and storm on the sea obeyed him. That is what they saw. However, it was far more than that.

        So, my dear blog reader, the disciples were challenged to have faith in relative sense but in absolute sense, Yeshua knew that it was not the time for his disciples to exercise faith. He knew that they have not been empowered to perform miracles not to talk of facing such a great spiritual battle. The river was calmed. The road was cleared for Yeshua to go on his rescue mission. I hope to discuss this with you next week by the grace of Yahweh.

May Yahweh remove every obstacle on our ways to do good to others. May we have the spiritual sensitivity to exercise our faith in Yeshua to overcome every obstacle on our way to do good.

 

I hope you have been blessed with this blog.

Shalom!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other credits:

1.       Mark’s Account: https://www.concordant.org/version/read-concordant-new-testament-online/02-mark/

 

2.       The Anemoi: The Greek God of the winds. https://mythologysource.com/anemoi-greek-gods-winds/

 Picture credit:

picture of jesus rebuking the storm - Search Images