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Acts 27:21–26
“This very night there stood before me an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I worship, and he said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar. And behold, God has granted you all those who sail with you.’ So take heart, men, for I have faith in God that it will be exactly as I have been told. But we must run aground on some island” (vv. 23–26).
As the boat that carried Paul and other prisoners was tossed about by the stormy sea, even the most seasoned of the ship’s crew members lost hope. They knew that few made it out of the winter tempest in that part of the Mediterranean alive, and they believed that their end was at hand (Acts 27:1–20). All was not lost, however, for in today’s passage we see how God spoke to Paul to tell him that there would be no death on that trip.
Luke comments in Acts 27:21 that the men “had been without food for a long time” just before Paul spoke to the passengers and crew of the ship. It was not that there was no food on board, for we know that the ship was carrying wheat (see v. 38). Instead, they had voluntarily abstained from food, possibly because their fear and the rocking of the boat had caused them to lose their appetites. Seeing the distress of the people on the ship, Paul stood to reassure them.
First, the Apostle observed that they should have listened to him and not set sail from Fair Havens (v. 21). Paul’s supposition that the trip would be filled with danger had proved correct (see v. 10). The Apostle’s words served not so much as an “I told you so” moment as they did proof of his wisdom and an encouragement for the men to listen to him now. Essentially, by reminding the men on the boat that his warning had been well placed, Paul was indicating that they should follow his counsel. He had a good grasp of the situation and could be trusted to indicate the best way forward.
Paul then reassured the men that none of them would die on that voyage; rather, only the ship would be lost. The Apostle could give such assurance because an angel had appeared to him and told him that since God had ordained for Paul to go to Rome, he would certainly get there alive and all the men with him would likewise survive. They would not die, but they would run aground on an island (vv. 22–26). Paul’s warning of the possibility of death as recorded in Acts 27:10 was a sound observation based on his general experience, but it was not a sure statement of fact. His counsel once the ship entered the storm, on the other hand, provided real assurance because it had been divinely revealed by God through His angel. The preservation of the men speaks to the Lord’s sovereignty. He had determined that all would survive, and not even the worst of nature could keep His will from being fulfilled (see Job 42:2).
Coram Deo Living before the face of God
Scripture tells us that God has numbered each of our days, so it is impossible for anyone to die before the day that God has appointed (Ps. 139:16). This does not mean that we should avoid measures to keep ourselves healthy and even prolong our earthly lives, but it does mean that we should not fear that we could ever die before God’s purpose for our lives has been fulfilled.
For further study
- Deuteronomy 32:39
- Job 14:1–5
- Daniel 5
- Revelation 1:17–18
The bible in a year
- Daniel 7–8
- 1 John 5