DURING the world war a new submarine left the shipbuilding yards for her trial run. She had a full crew aboard including some naval officers.
All went well till the return trip, when she was to make her final dip. Something unexpectedly went wrong and she refused to rise again from the floor of the great deep. Half her crew in the after-part were immediately drowned; those in the fore-part succeeded in closing the water tight door which kept the onrush of water at bay. At the bottom of the sea they faced what seemed to be the certainty of lingering death, for their chances of rescue were infinitely small.
One of the naval officers volunteered to try and reach the surface. He clearly foresaw the terrible risk he was taking, but with a message from the imprisoned men strapped around his waist, he started for the surface. The brave act cost him his life, but on his body was found the message from the imprisoned men. Though dead he spoke, and the voice of him who had sacrificed his life was a means of bringing salvation to the rest.
Immediately divers were sent down into the deep, and though they realized that the hope was a forlorn one, nevertheless they toiled all through the night and the next day. By a series of tappings on the hull of the sunken craft they transmitted a message of hope to the men inside.
Another night followed day, and hope died out of the hearts of most of the prisoners. Amid hunger and thirst, farewell messages were written to mothers, wives and loved ones; wills were made, and they all settled down to face the King of terrors—death.
Then suddenly, as if by a miracle, air was forced into their prison house, then a trickle of water, followed by food in capsules. Hope surged afresh within their breasts and joy filled their hearts as they now began to realize that deliverance was near. They felt the vessel being tilted from her bed, and her bow was raised until her “nose” appeared out of the water. In the midnight hours the little company of weak, numbed men gained their freedom.
They all gathered in the nearest shelter and out of deep gratitude of heart to God they joined in the recital of Psalm 124:
"If it had not been the Lord Who was on our side,
Then the waters had overwhelmed us, the stream had gone over our soul:
Then the proud waters had gone over our soul.
Blessed be the Lord, Who hath not given us as a prey to their teeth.
Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers: the snare is broken and we are escaped.
Our help is in the name of the Lord, Who made heaven and earth.”
And now, dear reader, please note first of all that something went wrong and they were held prisoner, with nothing before them but death. And something went wrong with man in this world in the beginning, and if you are unsaved you are a prisoner—self-willed, passions, craving for a name, fame, riches or honor have ruled your life and eluded God and His claims upon you. You are held a prisoner, led captive by Satan and his will. You are without God—“without Christ” —without hope. Before you is death, and after death the judgment.
There was no possible hope of those men on the submarine ever saving themselves. If they were to be saved salvation must come from above. Someone must go back from that living tomb. One must die; otherwise all must die. Out steps the naval officer, and volunteers to take that terrible trip up, well knowing what was before him. What must have been the feelings pent up in those prisoners’ breasts as they bade farewell to one who was going to give his life in an attempt to save them? What thankfulness! What gratitude! Would they ever forget him? No! Never!
And God saw us, sons of men, in our hopeless condition, imprisoned with nothing but death before us. There was none to help, He came to this earth in the Person of His beloved Son Jesus, whose name means the Saviour. He went down into the prison house of death to set us captives free. Terrible, beyond all comparison, were His sufferings as the waters of death rolled over His soul. Listen to His cry: “Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto My soul... I am come into deep waters, where the floods overflow Me.” Our sins, Satan’s power, the wrath of God, were all there arrayed against Him, but Jesus triumphed. From the Victor, as He hung up on the cross, this message was sent: “IT IS FINISHED.”
Just as it was for those men, deliverance must come from above and your only hope is in God and His gospel, which proclaims the salvation you need. Won’t you own this blessed, glorious Saviour — Jesus — as your Lord? We plead with you while in health and strength to come to Jesus. “If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” Rom. 10:99That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. (Romans 10:9).
ML-11/26/1972