Miracle Man
For amazement had seized him and all his companions because of the catch of fish which they had taken. Luke 5:9 NASB
Seized – Wrapped all around. That’s the sense of periecho, “to seize.” The thambos (amazement) that these men experienced was something that seems to come from every direction at once. There was simply no way of avoiding it. It overwhelmed.
Now think about the actual event, not the emotional response to the event. Yeshua directs Peter and his companions to lower nets into the water of the lake. In spite of the fact that they had been fishing all night without a catch, Peter agrees. Suddenly the nets are filled to the point of breaking. Wonderful! Amazing! We might say, “Wow, how lucky we were to run into a school of fish at just that moment.” In other words, even if we were surprised, we wouldn’t fall to our knees before a miracle-making man. We would offer some “perfectly natural” explanation. But that’s not how Peter saw it.
This incident reminds me of a discussion of termite communication. While on safari, we heard a lecture about how termites communicate with the queen of the mound. Scientists are unsure how this happens since they can find no physical, chemical or electrical means for explaining the fact that when the queen is disturbed, all the termites in the mound, even at great distances, immediately react. Many tests have been performed to explain this phenomenon. Recently scientists have suggested that the communication between the queen and the rest of the mound is psychological, that is, it is more like telepathy than it is like any form of communication that we know or understand. It’s a miracle. Of course, in Western thinking this isn’t possible. There has to be a reasonable, logical cause and effect explanation.
And fish don’t magically appear.
First century Jews did not dismiss the miraculous. It was part of their worldview. The experience of “miraculous” events was expected because they lived in a world where God was actively present. Encountering a miracle might have left them awe-struck but it did not cause them to look for inside-the-box explanations. One must wonder how many times we have missed miracles simply because we don’t expect them. We have been conditioned to find the “scientific” explanation, and as a result, our world is not populated by men of God who perform miraculous events. We are left with a universe without surprise.
Maybe we don’t see miracles today because we don’t know how to see them.
Topical Index: seize, periecho, amazement, thambos, miracle, Luke 5:9
When I was 15 years old I was burned with boiling fat (tried to collect a hair ribbon behind a tin of boiling fat) The tin was so hot it slipped out of my hand and the fat went flying onto my face and right hand. My father and I where in the house. He heard a blood curdling scream. He ran to the kitchen. I had no face just a red raw balloon – no eyes, nose etc., only my mouth open screaming. He grabbed me and began crying out to Yah in agony he begged him to heal me – all the time holding me into his chest and crying out louder and louder. He then released me to look at me as I had quietened. He told me later what had happened. As he released me he said my face was still a red ballon but suddenly he saw my features miraculously re appearing – as if some one had come and pricked the ballon- he watched in utter amazement and began crying again and praising Yah.
I had one tiny mark under my eye for a few days which eventually disappeared. My father took me to the doctor to tell him – he said to my father, “ Captain Hall (he was a pilot) I know your character and I can see that the mark below her eye is from a severe burn; you have witnessed a miracle. Your daughter should have third degree burns and probably be scared for life”.
This event began my own journey with Yah – fraught with trials and difficulties. Two years later my father died in a motorbike accident, left 5 children the youngest 2years old. But his legacy is that each of his children are on a journey with our Heavenly Father through Yeshua.
We know that ..’…all things work together for good…’ …..even when we can’t understand the twist and turns of life. What we do know is that he is faithful and we can believe for miracles in our everyday life that glorify Him. But after the miracle life goes on; one can soon forget the miracle but one never forgets The one who caused it. Today’s post reminded me of this story all those years ago and caused me to give thanks for my life but also cry out for a much needed miracle in my current situation and for that of friends of mine whose lives like mine are at a major crossroad. May we know and trust when we have come to the end of ourselves Yah has an answer, even a miracle.
1 Peter 5:7-11 (these verses are for all who are suffering -may verse 10 be our portion.)
Christine, Thanks for sharing the wonderous miracle from your early life. We are confident that the miracle you need now (in your later life) will be just as amazing, inspiring and life changing. Why?… (you nailed it when you wrote:)”But after the miracle life goes on; one can soon forget the miracle but one never forgets The one who caused it.” Praise Yah.
We will hold onto 1 Peter 5:10 along with you. Love, Michael and Arnella
Many years ago one of the members of our small bible study group’s daughter had a extremely bad reaction to a medical condition that put her into a coma so she could not be treated and she was put on “permanent” life support. Our children’s entire Catholic school prayed for her daily. One day they returned to a joyous school assembly where they were told that she had fully recovered during the night and would be back soon. The parent’s doctors told them the same thing Christine.
Bible study took on a whole new meaning for our group. We will never forget The Miracle Worker either. Praise God we don’t!
Christine, thanks for your amazing story!
Miracles are forever happening all around us. Granted, some are less “magnificent”
than others, but nonetheless all are amazing evidences of His handiwork at work.
I’ve experienced my own amazing and instantaneous deliverance from years of
drug and alcohol abuse; I’ve seen sight returned to blind eyes; I’ve witnessed
a lame man begin to walk and run again after 26 years of suffering; I’ve seen
destitute circumstances returned to good fortune; I’ve seen terribly broken
families remarkably re-united; and perhaps we’ve all seen lost souls we know
harken to the call of God. Just good luck? Some may think so, but my heart
knows better. 1 Peter 5:10 for sure! And verse 11, too. All in His timing!
Each new day is a miracle just take a look at our surroundings, the sky , also each day we wake up is a miracle, when we go to sleep it is as if we are dead, for we haven’t the slightest idea of what is going on!
In our trips to Israel we have often taken a boat cruise out on the Sea of Galilee heading up to Capernahum. Invariably there is the “tossing of the net” by an accomplished fisherman aboard the boat. Over the years I really enjoyed my conversations with Yehuda, the boat captain. I learned so much about fishing practices in ancient and modern times. As an aside Yehuda told me he is familiar with the fishing stories in the New Testament and he believes them all. They were certainly written by fishermen he told me. OK, so what is going on in this story that was so miraculous? I asked Yehuda what type of nets were used in ancient times. He said they were made of natural materials like cotton or linen. But he said the fish can see these nets in the water, and simply swim away. That is why they had to fish AT NIGHT! Also, he told me that the fish tend to gather at the extreme north end of the lake in winter to take advantage of the warmer water coming in from the springs. That is when fishermen cast their nets from shore. But in the summer when it is hot the fish go offshore and down below the surface. So in summer they would fish by night casting nets from the boat. Back now to the story… The disciples report that they have fished ALL NIGHT and caught nothing. Now Jesus tells them to go offshore and drop their nets again. Understand it is now DAYLIGHT when any fish that are around can see the nets. Yet they comply… and are astounded at the catch. There are lots of these little stories Yehuda recounted. About the coin in the mouth of the fish… An amazing story. Also the violent storm. I asked Yehuda about that one. He said in the winter the winds often come down out of the east from the Golan area. They can whip up dreadful waves in short order. He said one time he was taking a group of Baptists from Texas out for a cruise. Before they could get back a violent storm came up with what he estimated were nine foot waves. The boat he was in with a strong diesel engine was being tossed around like a cork. I asked what became of the passengers. He told me they were all on their knees praying for God’s mercy. And what were you doing Yehuda? I was praying right along with them… I thought we were goners! I might as well tell about the coin story. Yehuda told me that there is a fish called the “comb fish” as I recall. He said they act a bit like sardines. When threatened the mother fish take their young fry into their mouths for protection. BUT if the mother is bereft of young it will often substitute with a shiny replacement. He thought the story of the coin was exactly that. Peter would have been delighted to obtain a fish with a small shekel coin, enough to pay the temple tax. I don’t think Yehuda was making all this up. Finally I asked Yehuda about Jesus teaching from the boat in Luke 5. We are going there now he said! We entered close to Capernahum a bay with a large natural amphitheatre. But there is no beach! In order to teach the people it would be necessary to be in a boat a bit offshore. Yehuda said someone can go to the top of the hill and clearly hear every word said. No amplifier was required…. Personally I find these stories amazing confirmations of the Scriptures as passed down to us.