King Canute on the Seashore

  by: James Baldwin, The Book of Virtues

Long ago, England was ruled by a king named Canute. Like many leaders and men of power, Canute was surrounded by people who were always praising him. Every time he walked into a room, the flattery began.
"You are the greatest man that ever lived," one would say.
"O king, there can never be another as mighty as you," another would insist.
"Your highness, there is nothing you cannot do," someone would smile.
"Great Canute, you are the monarch of all," another would sing. "Nothing in this world dares to disobey you."
The king was a man of sense, and he grew tired of hearing such foolish speeches.
One day he was walking by the seashore, and his officers and courtiers were with him, praising him as usual. Canute decided to teach them a lesson.
"So you say I am the greatest man in the world?" he asked them.
"O king," they cried, "there never has been anyone as mighty as you, and there never be anyone so great, ever again!"
"And you say all things obey me?" Canute asked.
"Absolutely!" they said. "The world bows before you, and gives you honour."
"I see," the king answered. "In that case, bring me my chair, and we will go down to the water."
"At once, your majesty!" They scrambled to carry his royal chair over the sands.
"Bring it closer to the sea," Canute called. "Put it right here, right at the water's edge." He sat down and surveyed the ocean before him. "I notice the tide is coming in. Do you think it will stop if I give the command?"
His officers were puzzled, but they did not dare say no. "Give the order, O great king, and it will obey," one of then assured him.
"Very well. Sea," cried Canute, "I command you to come no further! Waves, stop your rolling!. Surf, stop your pounding! Do not dare touch my feet!"
He waited a moment, quietly, and a tiny wave rushed up the sand and lapped at his feet.
"How dare you!" Canute shouted. "Ocean, turn back now! I have ordered you to retreat before me, and now you must obey! Go back!"
And in answer another wave swept forward and curled around the king's feet. The tide came in, just as it always did. The water rose higher and higher. It came up around the king's chair, and wet not only his feet, but also his robe. His officers stood before him, alarmed, and wondering whether he was not mad.
"Well, my friends," Canute said, "it seems I do not have quite so much power as you would have me believe. Perhaps you have learned something today. Perhaps now you will remember there is only one King who is all-powerful, and it is he who rules the sea, and holds the ocean in the hollow of his hand. I suggest you reserve your praises for him."

The royal officers and courtiers hung their heads and looked foolish. And some say Canute took off his crown soon afterward, and never wore it again.

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King Canute ruled England, Denmark, Norway and Sweden 1,000 years ago. “He was exceptionally tall and strong, and the handsomest of men, all except for his nose, that was thin, high-set, and rather hooked. He had a fair complexion none-the-less, and a fine, thick head of hair. His eyes were better than those of other men, both the handsomer and the keener of their sight.” [Knytlinga Saga]

Today, people are saying we can stop the sea rising if we do this and don’t do this. They are giving to man the power that belongs to our Creator God alone. They are as foolish as King Canute’s courtiers.

This morning in church we sang Psalm 30:

The seas He gathers into jars,

puts ocean depths in store.

Let all the earth Jehovah fear,

all people stand in awe.

Canute was right when he told his friends that there is only one King who is all-powerful. He is so great and powerful that he can pour the oceans into jars and store them up in his own secret storehouse. Imagine that!

People show us pictures of the ocean waves coming in and pushing over homes. They make us afraid and say we must use less coal and oil and gas.  These foolish people pretend this will stop the sea rising, though no one has any proof that it will.

Ocean levels have changed through all of history. Sometimes the sea level is higher and sometimes it is lower. And God tells us that he holds the sea back with his hand. What happens with the great flares of fire on the surface of the sun has far more effect on sea levels and melting ice caps, and only God can do something about the sun.

Job was a very great and rich man who got into a lot of trouble. He almost forgot who God is. This is what God said to him out of a whirlwind:

“Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?

"Or who shut in the sea with doors
   when it burst out from the womb,
when I made clouds its garment
   and thick darkness its swaddling band,
and prescribed limits for it
   and set bars and doors,
and said, 'Thus far shall you come, and no farther,
   and here shall your proud waves be stayed'?        [Job 38]

Don’t let us be afraid of what scaremongers say. Let us take heart and listen to what God says. Sometimes we can help other people who are in trouble from storms and floods, but also people everywhere need to look to God and help themselves. There is a lot of technology around today that could help people in places that have too much water. Why, on Saturday night I watched how the people of Hong Kong built a whole island for their new airport.

Fear is a terrible thing that Satan uses to tie people up and make them helpless. Back 2,000 years ago, some people really thought the sky would fall on their heads. Now governments are using the fear of melting ice and rising seas to take more money from their people, to impose higher taxes. Over and over again, God says to us, “Don’t be afraid,” “Fear not,” “Be of good courage!” Let’s listen to Him, and remember He has told the waves, “Thus far you shall come, and no farther!”