He’s Already in the Next Storm

The boat was already a long distance from the land, battered by the waves; for the wind was contrary. And in the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea… Peter said to Him, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You upon the water.” And He said, “Come!” And Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But seeing the wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him, and said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” (Matt. 14:22-33)

This is one of the great dramatic events recorded in the gospel accounts. Jesus, the great I AM, the author and sustainer of all life, the Creator, goes for a stroll across the lake. But He doesn’t do it in the middle of the day for thousands of roaring fans. He does it in the middle of the night in front of a few of his closest friends. Oh, and it’s during a raging storm, which makes the whole thing so much cooler.

Why did His disciples freak out? Why didn’t they start jumping up and down, cheering for joy when they saw Jesus doing this impossible thing?

For starters, they were superstitious.

Ancient near-eastern cultures (and indeed many other ancient cultures) believed that people who died at sea were cursed. Their spirits would then haunt the waters in search of a final resting place. As with all good superstitions, the effect was amplified at night, leading to many (and I mean many!) stories from people who claimed to see this or that ghost walking along the surface of the water (at night). Jesus walked on the water in the middle of the night as if to confront this superstition head-on. “No, it’s not a ghost. It’s Me.”

But superstition wasn’t the disciples only hurdle to overcome. They lived in a culture heavily influenced by the major national religions and mythos of the Greeks and the Romans and the Babylonians and the Egyptians, and yes, even the myriads of smaller nations and tribes (Hittites, Amorites, Amalekites, Philistines, and so on). One thing these nations all had in common was a polytheistic religion, wherein each culture or group worshipped a pantheon of spirits or “gods” who were in charge of this or that aspect of creation. While it is a fascinating read (perhaps I’ll do a deeper dive in a future blog), the one I want to mention right now is Rahab. Rahab was the personification of chaos and destruction, specifically pertaining to the sea and its deep places. Rahab is sometimes described as a dragon. I like to think of it as a very nasty version of Poseidon.

Curiously, Rahab shows up several times in the Old Testament, and depending on your favorite commentator’s or theologian’s perspective, they might also use “Rahab” interchangeably with “the destroyer” in Exodus, or even “the dragon” in Revelation. Others view this as a name for Satan.

But that’s neither here nor there. What matters is that the ancient Israelites (and every other ancient culture) greatly revered the sea, and any other large body of water, thinking of these as the domain of such and such god or spirit or destructive force. So when God parted the Red Sea in Exodus, it was a bold statement about His authority and power. “What’s that? You’re afraid of Rahab? Watch this.”

I suspect Jesus’ decision to walk on the water was a direct callback to the parting of the Red Sea. Why else would He have chosen to take His leisurely stroll when there was a raging storm afoot? Jesus wanted to prove to His disciples that He – God – was greater than Rahab. Not only Rahab of the peaceful waters, but also Rahab of the raging storm! 

How cool that Peter got to join Him in this “victory lap” over the forces of darkness and destruction (it reminds me a bit of Job, now that I think about it). He does, of course, take his eyes off Jesus, and immediately begins to sink, and I’m sure we’ve all heard dozens of wonderful sermons about that. But one thing that’s always stood out to me about this passage, which I’ve never heard a sermon on, is that Jesus was walking in the storm long before Peter ever joined him.

Let that sink in.

Every storm we’ve ever faced, every trial we’ve ever suffered, every affliction we’ve ever endured… Jesus was there long before we were!

It makes me wonder what storms lie in wait for us, what trials are just around the corner. Whatever they are, we can find confidence in this fact: we don’t have to go through them alone. Jesus is already there, celebrating victory over our next storm.

Like this article? You might enjoy these as well:

• He’s Already in the Next Storm
• Here I Am, Lord
• Wisdom and Mysteries
• When a Thrill of Hope becomes Hope Deferred
• Finishing Well

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