Acts 27:39-44--The Shipwreck

Acts 27:39-44
English Standard Version
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The Shipwreck
39 Now when it was day, they did not recognize the land, but they noticed a bay with a beach, on which they planned if possible to run the ship ashore. 40 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. 41 But striking a reef, they ran the vessel aground. The bow stuck and remained immovable, and the stern was being broken up by the surf. 42 The soldiers' plan was to kill the prisoners, lest any should swim away and escape. 43 But the centurion, wishing to save Paul, kept them from carrying out their plan. He ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and make for the land, 44 and the rest on planks or on pieces of the ship. And so it was that all were brought safely to land.

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Things begin to unfold exactly as Paul said they would because God is the one who told Paul what would happen and God is both omniscient (knowing all things) and sovereign (in control of all things).  He is also the one who is omnipotent (all-powerful) and controls things that we would consider to just be random or forces of nature like the weather.  God has already used the weather to delay the trip and driven them to this place because He is getting Paul to Rome in His way and in His time--this is certainly not the way any of us would have planned out the trip for ourselves if we were the apostle Paul or any of his companions.

The sailors who were familiar with these seas who had not been able to see sun, moon, or stars for weeks now can finally see land, but they don't recognize the landmarks and are still completely lost.  They do however see a bay where they might be able to land the ship, but to do so they will have to cut away the anchors, loosen the restraints on the rudders and hoist the sails so that they have some ability to steer the ship towards where they want it to go.

However, they hit an obstacle that they could not see--a reef of some kind, and the ship ran aground on the reef well before reaching the shoreline that they were trying to get to.  Because the bow of the ship (the front) was immobilized on the reef and the stern of the ship (the rear) was still moving freely with the waves and tides, they ship got torn apart as it was broken up by the surf.

The soldiers wanted to kill the prisoners so that none of them would escape, but the centurion stopped them because he wished to save Paul's life.  He had seen and heard enough to know that Paul was a man of God that he should protect.  Those who could swim were ordered to jump overboard and swim for land and those that could not swim were to grab onto driftwood and let the waves and tide take them ashore (though it's just as feasible that they could have gotten caught in a current that would have pulled them out to sea, but God is in control of the waves and the currents of the ocean and brought them safely to shore through means that may not appear to have been directed, but He definitely made sure that the wind and the waves obeyed Him just like when He spoke and called the storm and the disciples marveled saying, "Who is this that even winds and water obey Him?" (Luke 8:25) and they bowed down and worship Him.)  So then even when things looked to be out of control, God is still sovereign and is directing and orchestrating events according to His will, His good pleasure, and to bring glory unto His great Name.  For the Christian there is no such thing as fate or chance like these pagans believed in.  God intentionally took the ship to Malta (for that is the island they shipwrecked on) so that Paul might share the gospel with one last people group before being taken to Rome, and everyone else on that ship--the centurion, soldiers, sailors, prisoners, and Paul's travelling companions would be amazed to see who God used the winds and the waves and storm and gale to keep the ship away from Italy (where they were trying to go) because He had another destination in mind for them.