Lord of heaven and earth
"Then God said, 'Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.'” (Genesis 1:26)
"However, not to give offense to them, go to the sea and cast a hook and take the first fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth you will find a shekel. Take that and give it to them for me and for yourself.” (Matthew 17:27)
July 17, 2025
Dear friends,
Jesus is not only the Lord of heaven -- worshipped by angels, feared by demons -- he is rightful Lord over all the earth. To Adam was given dominion over the earth, including the fish of the sea.
Consider the nature miracles of Jesus in the gospels, where he demonstrates his authority over creation: he changed water to wine; he calmed the stormy sea; he walked on the water; he gave miraculous catches of fish; he multiplied loaves and fishes to feed multitudes; he rode an unbroken donkey into a crowd (farm people know that this is a miracle); and here he provides a shekel from the mouth of the first fish that Peter caught.
That's never happened to me before, and I don't think this is telling us to go fishing rather than to pay our taxes. It is certainly remarkable, and miraculous, and brings a smile to our faces. The disciples must have laughed out loud. We only wish our own bill-paying were so easy!
Here's the context: In chapters 16 and 17 of Matthew's gospel we come to a turning point in the earthly ministry of Jesus. The Apostle Peter gives the great confession, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (16:16) The disciples are beginning to understand who Jesus is, and this is made visually real to three of the disciples on the Mount of Transfiguration (17:1-8; cf 2 Peter 1:16-18) There they get a foretaste of Christ's coming kingdom of glory.
But he has also begun speaking of his suffering and death (16:21; 17:22-23). They begin to travel southward to Jerusalem, to death, and the disciples were certainly disheartened (or at least confused), for they did not believe that rejection, suffering, and death was in the messianic playbook. The Messiah is the King, God's Son, and certainly he will not be so humiliated and put to death. Yet Jesus himself had been teaching them about taking up the cross and being willing to lose their lives for Jesus' sake (16:24-26).
This simple and seemingly random act with the fish was a small but important testimony to them of Messiah's greatness. He was, and is, the Lord of heaven and earth. All creation obeys him, and no plan of his can be thwarted. Even the difficulty and suffering and death his followers would face in this world are under Christ’s authority and will be met with his provision. This is God's wise bestowment, as the hymn says,
"Day by day, and with each passing moment,
Strength I find to meet my trials here;
Trusting in my Father’s wise bestowment,
I’ve no cause for worry or for fear.
He, whose heart is kind beyond all measure,
Gives unto each day what He deems best,
Lovingly its part of pain and pleasure,
Mingling toil with peace and rest."
(Lina Sandell, 1865)
IN OTHER NEWS.
-- Thirty prayers for Christians who can't go home, by Open Doors.
-- "How to Persevere as a Pastor for Over 50 Years," a Crossway interview with John MacArthur (1939--2025).
-- I've found that the 6" x 8" dot grid journals (Artist's Loft) available at Michaels have excellent fountain-pen-friendly pages, normally found in more expensive journals at three times the price. Recommended.
-- Loving this new song: "Help Us See Christ" (Sovereign Grace Music).
-- Just for fun: "Boudica's Revenge" by Clann an drumma. Bagpipes, drums, and swords... this is my Scottish heritage. (That and a propensity to skin cancer!)
FINAL QUOTES.
"We marvel, not that Christ performed miracles, but rather that he performed so few. He who could have stormed the citadels of men with mighty battalions of angels let men spit on him and crucify him." (Oswald Chambers)
"The highest sin and the deepest despair together cannot baffle the power of Jesus." (C. H. Spurgeon)
That’s it for this week!
Sandy
Afterwords is an occasional newsletter on topics of interest to me (Sandy Young) since my retirement from full-time pastoral ministry. Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from The ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.