Luke the beloved physician wrote how he, Paul, and others with him were sailing toward Rome, “and they ran the ship aground; and the forepart stuck fast, and remained unmoveable, but the hinder part was broken with the violence of the waves. And the soldiers' counsel was to kill the prisoners, lest any of them should swim out, and escape. But the centurion, willing to save Paul, kept them from their purpose; and commanded that they which could swim should cast themselves first into the sea, and get to land. And the rest, some on boards, and some on broken pieces of the ship. And so it came to pass, that they escaped all safe to land”, and in chapter twenty-eight and verse one of the book of Acts Luke shared, “when they were escaped, then they knew that the island was called Melita.” where we read:
And when they were escaped, then they knew that the island was called Melita.
The verse begins, “And when they were escaped, ...” Luke began with the words, “and when” which means “and at the time and moment” “they were escaped” or “the men aboard the ship were saved and rescued” the following occurred. Luke shared how the following happened after the men aboard the ship were safe upon the seashore.
The verse goes on to say, “... then they knew that the island was called Melita” Luke continued with the words, “then they knew” which means “at that time the men aboard the ship understood, perceived and recognized” “that the island” or “that the islet or land surrounded completely by water” “was called Melita” which means “was known as and named Melita which means honey and was the name of an island in the Mediterranean, lying between Africa and Sicily, now called Malta”. Luke shared how the men aboard the ship recognized the “island” upon which they were saved was named “Melita” or “Malta”.
When we think through Luke's words in this verse, we learn how the men who were saved from the crashing waves, tempestuous winds and storm landed on an “island” which they discovered was called “Malita” or “Malta”. We shall learn about the people who lived there in our next verse, but for now let us be mindful that this was another step of the process for sending “Paul” to “Rome”. God told “Paul” through an angel that He would send him to “Rome” to bear witness of Him and His gospel, and the “island of Melita” was along the way. God loves people around the world, and He sent His Son Jesus to die for the sins of all mankind. Anyone who believes and trusts in Jesus will be forgiven of their sins and granted everlasting life with God, and those who are wise will see the beauty of God's love and grace not only in the preservation of “Paul”, but also in everyone who comes to Him.
Next time Luke shares how, “the barbarous people shewed us no little kindness”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
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