Acts 27 – 28
Verse 27:10 is Paul’s vision or common sense:
saying, “Sirs, I perceive that the voyage will be with injury and much loss, not only of the cargo and the ship, but also of our lives.”
It’s unclear if this was just plain common sense or a vision Paul had,but as you read on you see they ignore his warning. They set sail for Rome and end up losing the cargo and being shipwrecked on an island. Verse 27:24 does have an angel talk to Paul about the storm:
and he said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar. And behold, God has granted you all those who sail with you.’
They were all safe but shipwrecked and all seemed fine until verse 28:3 when Paul was feeding the fire:
When Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and put them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened on his hand.
This was apparently a deadly one since the locals were concerned. Put Paul just shook it off and “suffered no harm”. Crazy when you think about this and how something that is deadly caused no harm. The viper could also be an illustration of Satan and his deadly grip. The only end result is death when he latches on to you, unless you are protected by the power of Jesus Christ.
Verse 28:23 had Paul proving Jesus through the Holy texts:
When they had appointed a day for him, they came to him at his lodging in greater numbers. From morning till evening he expounded to them, testifying to the kingdom of God and trying to convince them about Jesus both from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets.
This is where I can’t stress enough the power and importance of reading the Bible. Not just the New Testament, but the whole thing. Don’t stop once, but keep reading it over and over. Over my life I could not tell you how many times I have tried and read a bunch, but after three complete reads I find something new or something that finally makes sense each time I read. Don’t fall back on the Sunday church service to give you what you need, learn and read the scripture.
I pray one day to be like my friend Harold, he is my living Bible app. Any subject and any situation he turns right to the applicable scripture in his well-used Bible. The notes and highlights so great insight and devotion to reading. This is not a set on a bookshelf for reference or a read once book, it’s an everyday book to read over and over.