Title Acts-77
Contents
Act 77 Days on Melide Island 06.8.23 (Wednesday Prayer Meeting)
Acts 28:1-10
The place where Paul and his companions were shipwrecked was on the island of Melide. The island, called Malta, is a small island 29 km long and 13 km wide, located 100 km south of Sicily, and it is said that only the legendary St. Paul remains.
The people of the island of Melide are translated as toin in the Revised Bible, which means people who do not speak Greek, and the islanders are known as Phoenicians from Calthagos, Africa. In the Revised Version of the Bible, they were called natives.
They stayed on the island of Melide for about 3 months, and in the past, Paul was bitten by a viper, but he was recognized by the islanders as he was unharmed. Starting with what he gave, he cured the disease of the islanders, so he was treated with kindness.
I. It shows that God prepared the island of Melide for them.
“After we were rescued, we found out that the island was called Melide” (verse 1).
1. There were many compassionate people living on the island of Melide.
“When it rained and the day was full, the natives showed special sympathy to us, and made a fire to welcome us all” (verse 2).
If they had reached an uninhabited island or an island inhabited by people hostile to outsiders, they would have been in even greater trouble.
2. On the island of Melide, goods were abundant.
So Paul and his companions were able to spend three months there without much difficulty.
3. There was a ship of Alexandria on the island of Melide.
“After three months we set out on a boat from Alexandria, where it wintered on the island, and the headdress of the boat was a dioscurora” (verse 11).
Even if they landed safely, it would have been a big problem if they could not leave.
All of this is the grace of God who brought them there for them.
Ⅱ. It shows that God caused Paul to be bitten by a viper to introduce Paul to the natives.
“Paul gathered a bundle of wood and put it on the fire, and from the heat a viper came out and bit his hand” (verse 3).
1. Paul was bitten by a viper, but was unharmed.
“Paul threw the beast into the fire, and it was not hurt at all” (verse 5).
1). Paul is a man who faithfully does small things as well as big things.
It is indicated by a snake biting a wooden sheaf while setting it on fire.
It is not right to say that you would not have been bitten by a snake if you stayed still and would not do anything.
God compensates for the damage suffered by doing good deeds.
2). This assures them that they are alive with the help of God.
3). This work shows that some events can cause people to be mis-rated.
“They waited for him to swell or suddenly collapse and die, and when they saw that there was nothing wrong with him after waiting a long time, they turned and thought, ‘He is a god’”
The natives judged Paul to be a murderer when bitten by a snake. So they believed that they were alive at sea, but that they would be judged and died.
However, when Paul was unharmed, he believed Paul was a god this time.
Both are wrong decisions.
As such, it is important to be aware that certain events can lead to a wrong evaluation of the person.
2. The incident where Paul was bitten by a viper was treated by the village chief.
“There was a man named Boblius, the highest man on the island, and there was land near him, and he received us and kindly let us stay for three days” (verse 7).
3. Paul healed the village chief's father and the islanders from diseases with the power of God.
“And while Boblius’ father was lying in bed with a fever and dysentery, Paul went in and prayed, and laid his hands on him, and made him well” (verse 8).
1). The incident of being bitten by a snake must have been an opportunity to cure the village chief's father.
2). As rumors spread that Paul had healed the village chief's father, he also healed other islanders' diseases.
“Therefore, other sick people from the midst of the island came and were healed” (verse 9).
3). This must have been an opportunity for Paul to work freely on the island.
Paul must have preached the word of God there too.
Ⅲ. It shows that God's grace has come to those who serve and give.
God's grace is given unconditionally, but it is given more to those who serve and give.
1. Paul was bitten by a snake because of the wood altar he had put in the fire, but he was unharmed.
The world will become more selfish if those who serve are not rewarded.
Therefore, God helps those who serve.
2. The village chief Boblio was treating Paul and his companions, and he was cured of his father's disease.
Helping God's servants is more assured of God's reward.
3. The kind Melites helped those in distress, so they healed family diseases and also heard the gospel preached by Paul.
Lessons learned and application
A summary of what happened on Melide Island is as follows.
1. God is a preparer.
2. God is a person who naturally promotes work.
So the person of faith and wisdom will come to understand.
3. God's prophecies are fulfilled.
They were caught on the island of Meride as soon as they would be caught on the island.