From Trials to Triumph

Disaster to the Ship

Taking advantage of a lull in the tempest, Paul stood on deck and said: “I now bid you take heart; for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. For this very night there stood by 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 lo, 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 shall have to run on some island.” TT 234.2

At these words, passengers and crew roused from their apathy. Every effort within their power must be put forth to avert destruction. TT 234.3

On the fourteenth night of tossing on the heaving billows, about midnight the sailors heard the sound of breakers. “And fearing,” Luke writes, “that we might run on the rocks, they let out four anchors from the stern, and prayed for day to come.” TT 234.4

At break of day the outlines of the stormy coast were dimly visible, but so gloomy was the outlook that the heathen sailors, losing all courage, “were seeking to escape from the ship.” Feigning to cast “out anchors from the bow,” they had let down the lifeboat, when Paul, perceiving their base design, said to the centurion and the soldiers, “Unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot be saved.” The soldiers immediately “cut away the ropes of the boat, and let it go” into the sea. TT 234.5

The most critical hour was still before them. The apostle again spoke words of encouragement and entreated both sailors and passengers to eat something. “Today is the fourteenth day that you have continued in suspense and without food, having taken nothing. Therefore I urge you to take some food; it will give you strength, since not a hair is to perish from the head of any of you.” TT 235.1

“When he had said this, he took bread, and giving thanks to God in the presence of all he broke it and began to eat.” Then that worn and discouraged company of 275 souls, who but for Paul would have become desperate, joined the apostle in partaking of food. “And when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, throwing out the wheat into the sea.” TT 235.2

Daylight had now come. “They noticed a bay with a beach, on which they planned if possible to bring the ship ashore. So they cast off the anchors and left them in the sea, at the same time loosening the ropes that tied the rudders; then hoisting the foresail to the wind they made for the beach. But striking a shoal they ran the vessel aground; the bow stuck and remained immovable, and the stern was broken up by the surf.” TT 235.3