Wednesday, June 14, 2023

Departing to Alexandria - Acts 28:11

Luke the beloved physician wrote how he, Paul, and others with him were shipwrecked and swam to “the island” that “was called Melita”, and they were “In the same quarters were possessions of the chief man of the island, whose name was Publius; who received us, and lodged us three days courteously. And it came to pass, that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and of a bloody flux: to whom Paul entered in, and prayed, and laid his hands on him, and healed him. So when this was done, others also, which had diseases in the island, came, and were healed. Who also honored us with many honors; and when we departed, they laded us with such things as were necessary”, and in chapter twenty-eight and verse eleven of the book of Acts Luke shared, “after three months we departed in a ship of Alexandria” where we read:

And after three months we departed in a ship of Alexandria,

which had wintered in the isle, whose sign was Castor and Pollux.

The verse begins, “And after three months we departed in a ship of Alexandria, ... Luke began with the words, “and after three months” which means “and following three months time of being on the island of Melita” “we departed in a ship” or “we, Luke, Paul and the others on the ship left and went away from the island aboard a sailing vessel or boat” “of Alexandria” which means “from Alexandria which was a city in Egypt”. Luke shared how he, Paul and the others left the island of Melita on a boat from Alexandria after being there for three months time.

The verse goes on to say, “... which had wintered in the isle, whose sign was Castor and Pollux.” Luke continued with the words, “which had wintered in the isle” which means “that spent the winter months upon the island of Melita”, “whose sign was Castor and Pollux” or “that was marked and noted with the image or figure of Dioscuri which was the twin sons of Jupiter and Leda which were regarded as the tutelary divinities of sailors”. Luke shared how the ship from Alexandria spent the winter months on the island of Melita, and the ship was marked with the “twin son gods” named “Castor and Pollux”.

When we consider Luke's words in this verse, we learn how a “ship” came to the island of Melita where he, Paul and the others with them were located. This ship from “Alexandria of Egypt” spent the winter months on the island and was marked with the twin sons of the god Jupiter and Leda whose names were “Castor and Pollux” which were considered to be the gods of the sailors. This would be the ship to carry “Paul” to “Rome”, and because God desired to share His good news through “Paul” with the people in “Rome”, He sent a boat to rescue him and the others. God loves people, and He wants a personal relationship with them through His Son Jesus. Anyone who believes and trusts in His Son Jesus will be forgiven of their sins and granted everlasting life with Him, and those who are wise surrender to His purpose and plan for their lives.

Next time Luke shares, “landing at Syracuse, we tarried there three days”, 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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