And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was then taken away. (21) But after long abstinence Paul stood forth in the midst of them, and said, Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have loosed from Crete, and to have gained this harm and loss. (22) And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man's life among you, but of the ship. (23) For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve, (24) Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee. (25) Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me. (26) Howbeit we must be cast upon a certain island.
The description here given of the heavenly bodies affording so obscure a light, and the tempest of the sea raging so furiously, must have rendered the state of this ship's company very deplorable indeed. But, though all hope of being saved by human means was over, yet Paul knew the resource he had in the Lord. His confidence, therefore, so far front abating, gained strength, and his affectionate address to the crew, accompanied with a declaration of the message he had received from the Lord, had a very blessed effect, as it appears, upon the minds of the people. His foretelling that they should be cast upon a certain island, was no doubt intended as a proof, that when the event took place, they might put the greater confidence in what he had told them of the Lord.
I must not suffer the Reader to pass on, without observing, that a beautiful instruction of a spiritual nature ariseth from hence, which the believer in Christ would do well to keep in view. In the voyage to the city of the living God, the Church, and every individual of the Church, more or less, meet with storms and tempests, threatening shipwreck. And not unfrequently, while suffering the fury of the waves of the sea, the heavenly bodies seem to suspend their light. No Sun of righteousness for many days can they discover, neither do they find light from the ministers of Jesus, as the stars he holds in his right hand. And, while these things are so, unless great grace, like that given to the Apostle, be given to the Lord's people, all hopes of being saved, are for the time lost. They indeed, who like him, can bless a taking God, as well as a giving God, can, and do, live upon the Lord, when all other resources dry up.