“So the captain came to him, and said to him, ‘What do you mean, sleeper? Arise, call on your God; perhaps your God will consider us, so that we may not perish.'” (Jonah 1:6 NKJV)
In the Old Testament there is a ship story concerning Jonah. He was a runaway. He ran from God’s instructions. He didn’t want to preach to the people of Ninevah because they were so evil. He felt that they were unworthy of God’s mercy and love, so he disobeyed God’s instructions. As he ran from God’s plan, he jumped from the frying pan into the fire, as the ship he was on was rocked terribly by a terrible storm. The crew discovered Jonah was the cause of the disturbance, and threw him overboard. The storm stopped! All worked out well in the end, for Jonah and the crew members. (read the book of Jonah to discover details!)
In the New Testament, there is a ship story about Paul. As a prisoner, he was sailing the Mediterranean Sea – destination: Rome. The ocean became very rough, and the entire crew was very scared. They tried variety of methods to rescue the ship and themselves, but the terrible storm raged on unabated for many days. One night an angel of God came to Paul and said, “Do not be afraid, Paul; you must be brought before Caesar; and indeed God has granted you all those who sail with you.” (Acts 27:24 NKJV) The ship will go down, but the crew and prisoners (276 in all) would be shipwrecked on an island. This is exactly what transpired. None of them drowned.
Jonah was disobedient to God, and had to leave the ship. Then the storm calmed. Because of this, the men on the ship stood in awe before Jehovah, and vowed to serve Him. (Jonah 1: 16) But in Paul’s case, God sent an angel with a calming message that none on board would die.
Isn’t it amazing how God used two men, two different destinations, two ships, many years apart to touch the lives of others?
It is wonderful to have the opportunity to read both the Old and New Testament and see how God works. Why don’t you try it today?
Marion Smith
Comments and feedback welcome