Walking On Water ?
Let’s break down the miraculous event described in Matthew 14:22-32 and John 6:21 line by line.
Scripture (verse 22): After feeding the multitudes, YAHUSHA urged his disciples to get into a ship and go before Him to the other side of the sea.
Message: YAHUSHA’s disciples were sent on their journey to their destination which is the kingdom or the Promised Land. YAHUSHA indicated that He would come to them later representing the Second Coming of the Master.
Scripture (verse 23): After sending the multitudes away, YAHUSHA went up into a mountain to pray. When evening was come, He was there alone.
Message: “Up into a mountain” symbolizes His ascension into to the right hand of YAHUAH in heaven. He went there to pray indicating His status as our Great High Priest after the order of Melchisedek who makes intercession for us. His being there alone at evening indicates that He is the firstborn of many brethren. He is the first to overcome; he alone had overcome at that spiritual time of evening. Currently, we know from the signs of the times that spiritual evening has past, and the night is far spent.
Scripture (verse 24): The ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves for the wind was contrary.
Message: The “ship” that the disciples were in was like a place of safety even though the circumstances looked bleak; just think of Noah’s ark. The sea symbolizes people in scriptures. Isaiah 57:20 states that the wicked are like the troubled sea; Jude 4-13 and Revelation 17:15 also confirm the definition. I believe the adversary or satan makes his appearance when the verse describes the ship being “tossed with waves for the wind was contrary.” We cannot see satan just as we cannot see an ill wind. However, we can see the results of his works in the actions of the people he uses. These people symbolize the waves. (Note: Luke 21:25 gives a description of the end times by stating, “And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;”)
Scripture (verse 25): In the fourth watch of the night, YAHUSHA went unto them, walking on the sea.
Message: To me this means that the Father is going to send YAHUSHA back to save us at the time right before daybreak. The fourth watch of the night is the last watch of the night before dawn of a new day. It’s also interesting that YAHUSHA stated that no man knows the day or the hour but for us to watch. The verse depicting the coming of YAHUSHA on the water indicates that we may know the “watch;” the fourth watch includes the 10th, 11th, and 12th hours.
When the verse stated that YAHUSHA came “walking on the sea,” it does not mean that His mission is to step on people! However, the Father said that all of his enemies would be put under his feet; the Father told the Son to “come sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool” (Psalm 110:1). Also, the ship represented the place of safety for the disciples; all those not in the ship would be considered enemies.
Revelation 21:1 describes the new heaven and the new earth. The statement given within that verse, “…and there was no more sea” probably does not pertain to an actual body of water. It most likely represents the sea of humanity (individuals and kingdoms) that have made themselves enemies of YAHUAH through rebellion and sin. Remember the political beast that arose from the sea in Revelation 13:1?
Scripture (verse 26): The disciples were fearful when they saw him walking on the sea; they thought it was a spirit.
Message: The disciples were aware of the spirit realm just as we are now. We know that there are many counterfeits but only one YAHUSHA so it stands to reason that we would be wary of false spiritual activity. Some of us are even fearful about the coming anti-messiah and must be reminded that the gates of hell will not prevail against YAHUSHA’s Assembly.
Scripture (verse 27): YAHUSHA identifies Himself right away and tells His disciples not to be afraid.
Message: He said that my sheep hear my voice; I know them and they follow Me (John 10:27). He will identify Himself to His believers at His coming. Every eye will see Him (Revelation 1:7).
Scripture (verse 28): Peter asks to join the Master on the water.
Message: Peter knew that if it was the Master walking on the water, the Master would ask Peter to follow Him; YAHUSHA said that His sheep follow Him (John 10:27).This demonstrated faith and leadership abilities within Peter. If it had been some other spirit approaching them, the disciples in the ship would know the imposter, but Peter probably would have physically perished! However, Peter knew the Master’s voice because he had cultivated a close relationship with Him.
Scripture (verse 29): YAHUSHA tells Peter to come to Him, and Peter walked on the water toward Him.
Message: YAHUSHA said that He would come back but asked if He would find faith on the earth (Luke 18:8). He knows that we can only please the Father by faith. YAHUSHA approved of the test to which Peter put Him. The answer is that there will be faith on the earth upon YAHUSHA’s return! This account of Peter indicates that some end time disciple(s) is going to get out of the boat at risk of his or her temporal life to meet the Master at His coming by faith.
Scripture (verse 30): Peter saw the effects of the wind and began to be afraid; he cried out to the Master when he began to sink.
Message: Peter took his eyes off of YAHUSHA and focused in on the works of the enemy all around him just as we tend to focus on some of the horrific “signs” of YAHUSHA’s return. The key for anyone who steps out of the ship is to always keep the focus on YAHUSHA and not on the satanic attacks. We walk by faith and not by sight. When Peter looked with his natural eyes, he started to sink. All he could see with his natural eyes were the troublous waves.
Scripture (verse 31): YAHUSHA was right there to save Peter.
Message: This verse shows the expectation and the perfection of the Master. He was pleased to have Peter demonstrate the faith to step out of the boat, but He reproved Peter for doubting afterwards. He said that Peter had “little faith.” (Note: To most people, if they had walked on water for only a few seconds, you couldn’t tell them anything. They would think that they were all that and two bags of chips!!) YAHUSHA wouldn’t let Peter perish either. He knew just when to stretch out His hand to save. He will do the same for all of His disciples who put their trust in Him.
Scripture (verse 32): When YAHUSHA and Peter came into the ship, the wind ceased.
Message: Only at the appointed time of YAHUSHA’s return will satan be silenced. YAHUSHA could have chosen to rebuke the wind early as He had on a previous occasion with the disciples, but I believe He didn’t because he wanted his actions to symbolize the end time triumphant entry of the King of Yisrael. The miraculous event was not only for the original 12 disciples, but it was a special message for us.
Scripture (John 6:21): When YAHUSHA was willingly received into the ship by the disciples, the ship was immediately at the land wither they went.
Message: The account in John states that the ship was immediately at its destination when YAHUSHA was welcomed on board. We are in a journey to the Promised Land. When YAHUSHA returns, we will be gathered together and immediately given glorified bodies. We will have reached the Promised Land which is eternal life. YAHUSHA did say that the kingdom of heaven is within you (Luke 17:21).
The account of YAHUSHA and Peter walking on water is a reminder to us to keep our attention on the Savior and not the signs as we approach the Promised Land. HalleluYah!!!!
