Act 27:34 | KingComments | STEP | As the day is about to dawn, Paul encourages all to take food. Paul has an eye for the physical efforts all have made. Spiritual leadership has an eye for the whole human being. He has counted the days when they have not eaten (cf. ). For him it is not the fourteenth night ( ), but the fourteenth day. He proves himself as someone who is of the day ( ). Also spiritually the exhortation to take food is important. More than ever, believers in spiritual darkness need to read God’s Word as food for their souls. King Saul forbade the taking of food in battle. According to Jonathan, this was a foolish prohibition ( ). The food of the Word gives strength to salvation ( ). The word “preservation” or “salvation” is a key word in this history. Opposite expressions such as ‘to be lost’ or ‘perish’ and ‘not to be saved’ also occur here several times. God could have saved them in their weakened condition even without them eating, but He preserves by taking food. He acts the way He wants. We cannot press God’s actions into schedules. He acts sovereignly and saves here in a natural way. They need strength to be able to swim later on. Not perishing one hair from one’s head indicates a new period in church history, namely the period of the revival in the eighteenth and nineteenth century. It is the period that follows the revival in the Reformation, where access to the Word of God has been reopened. It is a movement of Bible study, reading the Bible in its context, especially concerning the future of Israel and the coming of the Lord. The Word becomes real food. Many bible commentaries are written as well. Spiritual growth and discipleship is taking place. Earlier it is that no life will be lost ( ), now Paul says that not one hair from the head will perish. This is reflected in the increasing extent to which the believer discovers what certainty he has in Christ. This development also takes place in the life of the individual believer who studies Scripture. Paul’s encouragement to take this food is undiminished for today. Also as a church we must always take to heart the encouragement to read God’s Word together and to be nourished by it. We all need it. We need to stir each other up to go to meetings where the Word is taught. Paul himself sets a good example. After he has encouraged all, he takes bread himself, thanks God for it in the presence of all, breaks off a piece and begins to eat. We have here a practical example of how we should do when we have a meal in a public place ( ). From this also passes a testimony. Paul is not ashamed to do it aloud. Such a thing is done by a man who has spiritual strength. Paul’s words and example is stimulating them all. It gives them courage and desire to eat. Their appetite was gone. When you stand face to face with death, you are not hungry. As an application for the church we can see here a picture of worship and fellowship at the Table of the Lord. These things came to the fore in a special way during the revival. And then Luke suddenly mentions the exact number of souls on board. Why is he doing that here? Why not earlier or only at the very end? If we may assume that in many aspects this chapter presents us with the history of the church on earth, mentioning the exact number at this place in history has a meaning related to the revival of the eighteenth and nineteenth century. Isn’t one of the great discoveries of the revival that all believers belong together, wherever they are? Through the study of the Word by those who submit themselves to it, the Holy Spirit again presents as a living truth the one body for the hearts of those believers.

‏ Acts 27:34

Paul Encourages All to Take Food

As the day is about to dawn, Paul encourages all to take food. Paul has an eye for the physical efforts all have made. Spiritual leadership has an eye for the whole human being. He has counted the days when they have not eaten (cf. Mk 8:2). For him it is not the fourteenth night (Acts 27:27), but the fourteenth day. He proves himself as someone who is of the day (1Thes 5:8).

Also spiritually the exhortation to take food is important. More than ever, believers in spiritual darkness need to read God’s Word as food for their souls. King Saul forbade the taking of food in battle. According to Jonathan, this was a foolish prohibition (1Sam 14:28-30). The food of the Word gives strength to salvation (2Tim 3:15).

The word “preservation” or “salvation” is a key word in this history. Opposite expressions such as ‘to be lost’ or ‘perish’ and ‘not to be saved’ also occur here several times. God could have saved them in their weakened condition even without them eating, but He preserves by taking food. He acts the way He wants. We cannot press God’s actions into schedules. He acts sovereignly and saves here in a natural way. They need strength to be able to swim later on.

Not perishing one hair from one’s head indicates a new period in church history, namely the period of the revival in the eighteenth and nineteenth century. It is the period that follows the revival in the Reformation, where access to the Word of God has been reopened. It is a movement of Bible study, reading the Bible in its context, especially concerning the future of Israel and the coming of the Lord. The Word becomes real food. Many bible commentaries are written as well. Spiritual growth and discipleship is taking place.

Earlier it is that no life will be lost (Acts 27:22), now Paul says that not one hair from the head will perish. This is reflected in the increasing extent to which the believer discovers what certainty he has in Christ. This development also takes place in the life of the individual believer who studies Scripture.

Paul’s encouragement to take this food is undiminished for today. Also as a church we must always take to heart the encouragement to read God’s Word together and to be nourished by it. We all need it. We need to stir each other up to go to meetings where the Word is taught.

Paul himself sets a good example. After he has encouraged all, he takes bread himself, thanks God for it in the presence of all, breaks off a piece and begins to eat. We have here a practical example of how we should do when we have a meal in a public place (1Tim 4:4-5). From this also passes a testimony. Paul is not ashamed to do it aloud. Such a thing is done by a man who has spiritual strength. Paul’s words and example is stimulating them all. It gives them courage and desire to eat. Their appetite was gone. When you stand face to face with death, you are not hungry.

As an application for the church we can see here a picture of worship and fellowship at the Table of the Lord. These things came to the fore in a special way during the revival.

And then Luke suddenly mentions the exact number of souls on board. Why is he doing that here? Why not earlier or only at the very end? If we may assume that in many aspects this chapter presents us with the history of the church on earth, mentioning the exact number at this place in history has a meaning related to the revival of the eighteenth and nineteenth century. Isn’t one of the great discoveries of the revival that all believers belong together, wherever they are? Through the study of the Word by those who submit themselves to it, the Holy Spirit again presents as a living truth the one body for the hearts of those believers.