HOPE in the midst of CHAOS
“33 Until the day was about to dawn, Paul was encouraging them all to take some food, saying, “Today is the fourteenth day that you have been constantly watching and going without eating, having taken nothing. 34 Therefore I encourage you to take some food, for this is for your preservation, for not a hair from the head of any of you will perish.” 35 Having said this, he took bread and gave thanks to God in the presence of all, and he broke it and began to eat. 36 All of them were encouraged and they themselves also took food.” - Acts 27:33-36 (NASB)
Before I jump into the text let me make a brief recap of Acts 27 as I following the Apostle Paul's missionary journeys:
A) Paul was arrested in Judea
B) While being tried before a judge, Paul makes a personal appeal to have Caesar hear the case on the basis of his Roman citizenship.
C) Paul’s request is granted and he is transported as a prisoner to Rome.
Next, let’s take a look at things from the standpoint of historical evidence, the account found in the book of Acts recording Paul's voyage and shipwreck is supported by a wealth of detail. It’s here that history provides us with a striking meteorological and nautical confirmation of the biblical record.
Okay what about the accuracy of Luke sailing records? "Luke records that the ship drifted for fourteen days in the gale and then shipwrecked on the island of Malta, halfway across the Mediterranean. This account of a fourteen day gale, followed by a shipwreck on a remote island, reads like a tall tale!
However, the meteorological and nautical evidence demonstrates, in rather spectacular fashion, that these events must have occurred just as Luke records them. The most important piece of evidence is the compass bearing of the gale. This bearing can be established by means of three separate calculations.
First, Luke states that Euraquilo struck shortly after they left Fair Havens. In other words, the ship must have been less than halfway to their intended destination at Phoenix. This would put it somewhere between Cape Matala and a point seventeen miles W.N.W. of the Cape when the gale struck.
Second, there is the relation of the island of Clauda (or Cauda) to this start point. Cape Matala is on a bearing of east 7 degrees north from the eastern edge of Clauda, while the halfway point to Phoenix is east 40 degrees north. For the ship to get behind Clauda, Euraquilo must have been blowing from a point somewhere between these two bearings. The point midway between these two figures is east 25 degrees north (or E.N.E. 1/4 N.). This cannot be more than a point and a half off the actual direction of the wind.
Third, Luke states that when they got behind Clauda, the sailors were afraid that they would be blown onto the Syrtis sandbanks of the north Africa coast. However, for them to have been blown onto those banks from Clauda, Euraquilo would have had to have been blowing from a point somewhere between east 18 degrees north and east 37 degrees north. The point midway between these figures is east 27 degrees north. This figure is only 1/4 point off the mean figure of the previous calculation. These three calculations establish that the direction from which the wind was blowing could not have been more than a point off the designation E.N.E. 1/2 N. This brings us to a another dramatic piece of evidence. As the ship drifted west from Clauda, it would have been pointed due north. We know this because it could not have been pointed directly into the wind without capsizing. In other words, it had to have been pointed just off the direction from which the wind was blowing. Using this information, we can calculate with some precision both the direction and rate of the ship’s drift to the west. Ancient records reveal that Egyptian grain ships were the largest vessels of the time, being about the size of an early nineteenth century sailing vessel. This size is implicitly confirmed by Luke’s statement that there were 276 people on board. Since their ship was pointed due north, while the wind was from the northeast, we can roughly calculate the direction of ship’s lateral - or sideways - drift. The azimuth, or direction, of the ship’s drift from Clauda would have been approximately west eight degrees north. The island of Malta is not directly west of Clauda. Instead, Malta’s bearing from Clauda is exactly west eight degrees north.
This brings us to yet another piece of evidence. Luke states that it took them fourteen days to drift to Malta. The distance from Clauda to the easternmost point of Malta is 476.6 miles. To calculate the westward rate of drift of their ship, it is necessary to know two things: the size of the ship and the force of the gale. We know the approximate size of the ship and it is possible to establish the mean intensity of the gale. We can then calculate an average rate of drift for Paul’s vessel. This calculation reveals an average westward drift of one and one half miles per hour. Thus it would take Paul’s ship about fourteen days to drift to Malta.
Let’s pull things to Acts 27:39-44. According to Luke, the front of the ship went aground, but did not break up. It remained intact while the rear gradually disintegrated under the force of the waves. The passengers made their way ashore either by swimming or by floating on pieces of the vessel. Miraculously, there was no loss of life. This is a very unusual event. For a wooden ship to embed itself in a sandbar without breaking apart, it must run into a mud that will slow it down, then its hull must lodge in a clay tenacious enough to hold it in place. As previously noted, St. Paul’s Bay possesses a clay capable of this. However, it is unusual to find mud at the depth of a ship’s hull close to a shore. Mud can be found where a creek empties into the sea, but even then it is usually carried away by the current. Only under certain conditions is the water close to shore calm enough for a deposit to form at hull level. As it happens, St. Paul’s Bay contains two creeks, as well as the necessary conditions for mud to form near the shoreline."
*These notes were taken from a Wikipedia recommended historical reference titled, “Evidence and Paul's Journeys” by Jefferson White and can be purchase at Amazon.com.
Let’s go Acts 27:33-36. It’s here I see Paul take a monumental stance in the midst of his circumstances by holding fast to what he knew to be true and moving forward in reality. Paul does not stop to check in and see if he’s right with God. Paul isn’t found in a state of panic in the midst of chaos and possible death but one of trust. Paul’s not question God or if he himself is in God’s will. WHY?
At some point Paul came to understand a foundational truth - ‘daily life is bigger than any person.‘ Paul’s trust is in God and not in what he could accomplish.... LOL.... In my feeble attempts to control the smallest aspects of life - life itself reviles how little I’m truly in control. Example: My daily schedule. No matter how much I plan or how diligent I am to stay true to my plans miscellaneous unforeseen events occur: Accidents, extended red lights, shortage of coffee, bathroom breaks, weather, computer issues, etc...
Let’s back things back to the text, “33 Until the day was about to dawn, Paul was encouraging them all to take some food, saying, “Today is the fourteenth day that you have been constantly watching and going without eating, having taken nothing. 34 Therefore I encourage you to take some food, for this is for your preservation, for not a hair from the head of any of you will perish.” 35 Having said this, he took bread and gave thanks to God in the presence of all, and he broke it and began to eat. 36 All of them were encouraged and they themselves also took food.” - Acts 27:33-36 (NASB)
My Personal APPLICATION =MPA:
MPA-Take note of my circumstances and care for myself: physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritual.
MPA-Take courage and know God is faithful even when circumstances are beyond my control.
MPA-Encourage others to come along me with small practical steps of faith in the midst of reality (Care for others).
MPA-Faith and hope in the midst of reality are contagious - *(don’t bring hype bring HOPE.)
Help me correctly place my HOPE / TRUST in YOU: in both chaotic & great times - by faith in the midst of reality. God once again I’m reminded of Proverbs 3:5-6. LOL... This is the third time in a row.... Help me “TRUST in YOU with all my heart and NOT lean on my own understanding. In all my ways HELP me acknowledge YOU, (TRUSTING) YOU will make your paths straight.”- Trevor
