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40 - The Desire of Ages - Ellen Gould · Sacred Texts Archive

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  A night on the lake. Seated upon the grassy plain in the twilight of
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  the spring evening, the people ate of the food that Christ had provided.
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  The words they had heard that day had come to them as the voice of
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  God. The works of healing they had witnessed were such as only divine power
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  could perform. But the miracles of the loaves appealed to every one in that
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  vast multitude, all were sharers in its benefit. In the days of Moses,
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  God had fed Israel with manna in the desert. And who was this
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  that had fed them that day? But He whom Moses had foretold no human
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  power could create from five barley loaves and two small fishes, food sufficient to
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  feed thousands of hungry people. And they said, one to another, this
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  is of a truth, that prophet that should come into the world all day.
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  The conviction has strengthened. That crowning act is assurance that the long looked
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  for deliver is among them. The hopes of the people rise higher and higher.
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  This is he who will make Judea an earthly paradise, a lay flowing
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  with milk and honey. He can satisfy every desire. He can break the
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  power of the hated Romans. He can deliver Judah and Jerusalem. He can
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  heal the soldiers who are wounded in battle. He can supply whole armies with
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  food. He can conquer the nations and give to Israel the long sought dominion.
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  In their enthusiasm, the people are ready at once to crown him king.
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  They see that he makes no effort to attract attention or secure honor to
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  himself. In this he is essentially different from the priests and rulers, and
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  they fear that he will never urge his claim to David's throne. Consulting together,
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  they agree to take him by force and proclaim him the king of Israel.
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  The disciples unite with the multitude in declaring the throne of David the rightful
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  inheritance of their master. It is the modesty of Christ, they say,
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  that causes him to refuse such honor. Let the people exalt their deliverer.
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  Let the arrogant priests and rulers be forced to honor him who comes clothed with
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  the authority of God. They eagerly arranged to carry out their purpose. But
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  Jesus sees what is on foot and understands as they cannot what would be the
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  result of such a movement. Even now, the priests and rulers are hunting
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  his life. They accuse him of drawing the people away from them. Violence
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  and insurrection would follow an effort to place him on the throne, and the
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  work of the spiritual kingdom would be hindered. Without delay, the movement must
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  be checked. Calling his disciples, Jesus bids him take the boat and return
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  at once to Capernaum, leaving him to dismiss the people. Never before had
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  a command from Christ seemed so impossible of fulfillment. The disciples had long hoped
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  for a popular movement to place Jesus on the throne. They could not endure
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  the thought that all this enthusiasm should come to nothing. The multitudes that were
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  assembling to keep the Passover were anxious to see the new prophet. To his
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  followers, this seemed the golden opportunity to establish their beloved master on the throne
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  of Israel. In the glow of this new ambition, it was hard for
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  them to go away by themselves and leave Jesus alone upon that desolate shore.
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  They protested against the arrangement, but Jesus now spoke with an authority he had
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  never before assumed towards them. They knew that further opposition on their part would
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  be useless, and in silence they turned toward the sea. Jesus now commands
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  a multitude to disperse, and his manner is so decisive that they dare not
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  disobey. The words of praise and exaltation die on their lips in the very
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  act of advancing to seize him. Their steps are strayed, and the glad
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  eager look fades from their countenances. In that throng are men of strong mind
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  in firm determination. But the kingly bearing of Jesus and his few quiet words
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  of command quell the tumult and frustrate their designs. They recognize in him a
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  power above all earthly authority, and without a question they submit. When left
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  alone, Jesus went up into a mountain apart to pray. For hours,
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  he continued pleading with God, not for himself, but for men. Were
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  those prayers he prayed for power to reveal to men the divine character of his
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  mission, that Satan might not blind their understanding and pervert their judgment. The
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  Savior knew that his days of personal ministry on earth were nearly ended, and
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  that few would receive him as a redeemer. In travail and conflict of soul,
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  he prayed for his disciples. They were to be grievously tried. Their
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  long cherished hopes based on a popular delusion, were to be disappointed in a
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  most painful and humiliating manner. In the place of his exaltation to the throne
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  of David, they were to witness his crucifixion. This was to be indeed
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  his true coronation. But they did not discern this, and in consequence strong
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  temptations would come to them, which it would be difficult for them to recognize
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  his temptations. Without the Holy Spirit to enlighten the mind and enlarge a comprehension,
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  the faith of the disciples would fail. It was painful to Jesus that
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  their conceptions of his kingdom were to so great a degree limited to worldly aggrandizement
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  and honor. For them, the burden was heavy upon his heart, and
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  he poured out his supplications with bitter agony and tears. The disciples had not
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  put off immediately from the land, as Jesus directed them. They waited for
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  a time hoping that he would come to them, But as they saw that
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  darkness was fast gathering, they entered into a ship and went over the sea
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  toward Capernaum. They had left Jesus with dissatisfied hearts, more impatient with him
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  than ever before. Since acknowledging him as their lord, they murmured because they
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  had not been permitted to proclaim him king. They blamed themselves for yielding so
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  readily to his command. They reasoned that if they had been more persistent,
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  they might have accomplished their purpose. Unbelief was taking possession of their minds and
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  hearts. Love of honor had blinded them. They knew that Jesus was hated
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  by the Pharisees, and they were eager to see him exalted as they thought
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  he should be. To be united with a teacher who could work mighty miracles,
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  and yet to be reviled as deceivers was a trial they could ill endure.
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  Were they always to be accounted followers of a false prophet? Would Christ
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  never assert his authority as king? Why did not he who possess such power
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  reveal himself in his true character and make their way less painful? Why had
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  he not saved John the Baptist from a violent death. Thus, the disciples
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  reasoned until they brought upon themselves great spiritual darkness. They questioned, could Jesus
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  be an impostor? As the Pharisees asserted, the disciples had that day witnessed
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  the wonderful works of Christ, it had seemed that Heaven had come down to
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  earth. The memory of that precious, glorious day should have filled them with
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  faith and hope. Had they, out of the abundance of their hearts,
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  been conversing together in regard to these things, they would not have entered into
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  temptation. But their disappointment had absorbed their thoughts. The words of Christ gather
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  up the fragments, that thing be lost were unheeded. Those were hours of
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  large blessings to the disciples, but they had forgotten it all. They were
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  in the midst of troubled waters. Their thoughts were stormy and unreasonable, and
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  the Lord gave them something else to afflict their souls and occupy their minds.
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  God often does this when men create burdens and troubles for themselves. The disciples
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  had no need to make trouble. Already danger was fast approaching a violent tempest
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  had been stealing upon them, and they were unprepared for it. It was
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  a sudden contrast, for the day had been perfect, and when the gales
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  struck them, they were afraid. They forgot their disaffection, their unbelief,
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  their impatience. Everyone worked to keep the boat from seeking. It was but
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  a short distance by sea from Besayda to the point where they expected to meet
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  Jesus, and in ordinary weather the journey required but a few hours. But
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  now they were driven farther and farther from the point they sought. Until the
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  fourth watch of the night. They toiled at the oars. Then the weary
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  men gave themselves up for lost in storm and darkness. The sea had taught
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  them their own helplessness, and they longed for the presence of their master.
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  Jesus had not forgotten them. The watcher on the shore saw those fear stricken
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  men battling with the tempest. Not for a moment did he lose sight of
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  his disciples. With deepest solicitude, his eyes followed the storm tossed boat with
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  its precious burden. For these men were to be the light of the world,
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  as a mother in tender love watches her child. So the compassionate Master
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  watched his disciples. When their hearts were subdued, their unholy ambition quelled,
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  and in humility they prayed for help. It was given them. At the
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  moment when they believed themselves lost, a gleam of light reveals a mysterious figure
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  approaching them upon the water. But they know not that it is Jesus,
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  the one who has come for their help. They count as an enemy.
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  Terror overpowers them. The hands that have grasped the oars with muscles like iron
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  let go their hold. The boat rocks with the will of the waves.
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  All eyes are riveted on this vision of a man walking upon the white capped
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  billows of the foaming sea. They think it a phantom that omens their destruction,
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  and they cry out for fear. Jesus advances as if he would pass
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  them, but they recognize him and cry out, entreating his help. Their
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  beloved Master turns. His voice silences their fear. Be a good cheer,
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  it is I be not afraid. As soon as they could credit the wondrous
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  fact, Peter was almost beside himself with joy, as if he could scarcely
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  yet believe. He cried out, Lord, if it be thou bid me
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  come unto thee on the water, and he said, come, looking unto
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  Jesus. Peter walks securely, but as in self satisfaction, he glances back
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  towards his companions in the boat. His eyes are turned from the Savior.
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  The wind is boisterous, the waves roll high and come directly between him and
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  the Master, and he is afraid. For a moment, Christ is hidden
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  from his view, and his faith gives way. He begins to sink,
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  But while the billows talk with death, Peter lifts his eyes from the angry
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  waters, and, fixing them upon Jesus, cries, Lord, save me.
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  Immediately Jesus grasped the outstretched hand, saying, O thou of little faith,
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  wherefore didst thou doubt? Walking side by side Peter's hand in that of
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  his master, they stepped into the boat together, but Peter was now subdued
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  and silent. He had no reason to boast over his fellows, for through
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  unbelief and self exaltation, he had very nearly lost his life. When he
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  turned his eyes from Jesus, his footing was lost, and he sank amid
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  the waves. When trouble comes upon us. How often we are like Peter.
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  We look upon the waves instead of keeping our eyes fixed upon the Savior.
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  Our footsteps slide, and the proud waters go over our souls. Jesus
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  did not bid Peter come to him that he should perish. He does not
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  call us to follow him and then forsake us. Fear not, he says,
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  for I have redeemed THEE. I have called THEE by thy name.
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  Thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with
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  THEE, and through the rivers they shall not overflow THEE. When thou walkest
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  through the fire, thou shalt not be burned. Neither shall the flame kindle
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  upon THEE. For I am the Lord, thy God, the Holy One
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  of Israel, thy Savior Isaiah forty three, one to three. Jesus read
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  the character of his disciples. He knew how sorely their faith was to be
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  tried in this incident on the sea. He desired to reveal to Peter his
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  own weakness, to show that his safety was in constant dependence upon divine power.
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  Amid the storms of temptation. He could walk safely only as in utter
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  self distrust. He should rely upon the Savior. It was on the point
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  where he thought himself strong that Peter was weak, And not until he discerned
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  his weakness could he realize his need of dependence upon Christ. Had he learned
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  the lesson that Jesus sought to teach him in that experience on the sea,
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  he would not have failed when the great tests came upon him. Day by
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  day God instructs his children by the circumstances of the daily life. He is
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  preparing them to act their part upon the wider stage to which His providence has
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  appointed them. It is the issue of the daily test that determines their victory
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  or defeat in life's great crisis. Those who fail to realize their constant dependence
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  upon God will be overcome by temptation. We may now suppose that our feet
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  stand secure, and that we shall never be moved. We may say with
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  confidence, I know in whom I have believed. Nothing can shake my faith
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  in God and his word. But Satan is planning to take advantage of our
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  hereditary and cultivated traits of character, and to blind our eyes to our own
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  necessities and defects. Only through realizing our own weakness and looking steadfastly unto Jesus,
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  can we walk securely? No sooner had Jesus taken his place in the
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  boat than the wind ceased, and immediately the ship was at the land whither
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  they went. The night of horror was succeeded by the light of dawn.
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  The disciples and others who also were on board, bowed at the feet of
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  Jesus with thankful heart, saying of a truth, thou art the son of
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  God. End of Chapter forty