Early in the spring of 1622, a fleet of ships set sail from the coast of Spain. The wind puffed out their square mainsails, wafted into their triangular lanteen sails, and made their long, brightly colored pennants flutter out atop their masts. The ships were on an important mission.
The destination of every ship was carefully planned. They would sail across the Atlantic Ocean to different ports in the New World. At these ports they would pick up treasure to bring back to fill the coffers of Spain. They would fill the holds of their ships with silver plates, gold coins, gold bars bigger than bricks, emeralds and precious stones, as well as tobacco and agricultural products. They would do this all before the hurricane season set in. The ships would meet in Havana, Cuba, and form a big convoy before sailing for Spain.
It was necessary to sail in a convoy because of the great number of pirates, buccaneers, and privateers that roamed the Caribbean. Furthermore, the Spanish and the Dutch were at war. Reportedly the Dutch had a fleet of warships cruising off the coast of South America.
The ships arrived on schedule, but they had to wait days and weeks for their precious cargo to arrive by mule trains. Delay after delay beset them. It wasn’t until months later, in early September, that they all were gathered together in the big harbor in Havana, Cuba, ready to go. This was a big problem because late summer and early fall are the height of hurricane season in this part of the world. The destructive hurricanes might blow in off the Atlantic at any time.
The Marquis Cadiereta who was in charge had an important decision to make. Should he set sail and risk being caught in a hurricane? He decided to set sail at once for two reasons. First, his mother country of Spain was nearly bankrupt because of the long wars it had been fighting. Second, his ships were some of the finest ever built.
Crucial Decision
The decision the Marquis made would be one of the most crucial of his life. You might be a young person feeling totally in charge of your own life, but you too have an important decision to make. This decision has to be made by you and no one else. There is no one who can make the decision for you. You must decide whether you will go through life with or without the Savior. You are worth more than all the treasure in the world. In the eyes of God, you are of infinitely more value than all the gold and silver in the world.
Not everyone will be saved. We live in a world where sin has entered. People who go through life without the Savior are sure to perish in the end. Because of sin, each one of us must turn away from our sins and trust the Savior. Those who set sail in life without faith and love in the Savior are running the risk of losing the treasure God has committed to them. They are in danger of losing their life forever. What a terrible risk they are willing to take when they put off believing in the Son of God.
On September 5, the Marquis set sail to return to Spain. Most of the treasure was transferred to the two largest and most seaworthy galleons, the Atocha and the Santa Margarita. The Atocha had been recently built in Havana. It was a giant of a galleon for its day — over 112 feet long and 32 feet wide. The ship carried 22 large cannons and was manned by 265 sailors and soldiers.
The treasure loaded on the Atocha alone was astounding. It consisted of over 40 tons (80,000 lb.) of gold and silver, and a treasure box full of priceless green emeralds. Because the Atocha was well armed, it was ordered to the rear of the convoy to protect it. All told, there were 28 ships in the convoy.
With the Marquis in the front of the convoy, the Atocha at the rear, and six other warships in the middle among the transport ships, any enemy would have to be very brave and skilled to attack.
Unprepared
What they were not ready for was the attack the weather made on them. A couple of days after leaving Havana, the fleet was struck by a tremendous hurricane. The wind drove the ships before it with a fury. The ships could hardly be steered.
Part of the fleet in front was driven by winds into the deep waters of the Gulf of Mexico and were able to ride out the hurricane. The Atocha was driven into the Straits of Florida. The wind and waves drove the Atocha along at an incredible speed. Sailors saw they were headed directly towards a huge reef with large waves crashing over it. In desperation they dropped the huge anchor of the Atocha off the back of the ship, hoping to stop the ship before it hit the reef. The anchor was attached by a huge chain and rope. As soon as the anchor dug into the sea bottom, the rope snapped.
A giant wave picked the ship up high into the air and then drove it down into the reef. The beautiful ship was destroyed in an instant. The masts broke into pieces. The bottom of the hull was torn apart. Of the 265 sailors on board, only five survived by hanging on for dear life to one of the broken masts. All others were lost.
The incredible riches on board, far more fabulous than any king’s ransom, were not able to save the ship. The treasure sank beneath the waves and would remain lost for over 350 years until 1985, when a very persistent treasure hunter was able to recover most of the silver and gold, almost a half billion dollars’ worth, but the treasure chest full of gems has never been found. Notwithstanding, it was the most valuable sunken treasure ever recovered from under the sea.
Redemption
Even if somebody had recovered all this lost treasure, did you know it would not be enough to redeem a single person? Only the precious blood of Christ shed on the cross can do that. When a sinner repents and looks to the Lord Jesus in faith, all their sins are washed away. “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (1 Peter 1:18-19).
To “redeem” means to buy back. The Lord Jesus loved people so much that He was willing to die in their place, in order that they might be bought back to God. To “redeem” also means to bring deliverance to someone in great need. By His death, all who believe in the Lord Jesus will be fully delivered from the great trouble sin has brought them into, and one day they will be brought home to heaven where troubles like death, crying, pain, sadness and fear will never come. God saves sinners by His grace when they believe in His Son.
However, those who leave God out of their lives have no other choice but to find their treasures in the things of this life. None of that treasure can be taken with them when they die.
Do you know how fabulously rich a soul who trusts in the Lord Jesus becomes? They are so rich that their names are written down in the Lamb’s book of life, and they will enjoy the glories of heaven forever. For both this life and eternity they will share in the incredible riches of God’s grace. “That in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:77That in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 2:7)). The riches of His grace are received in this life, and they are also kept on the other side of the grave. They are the riches which none can take away.
Will you come to the Savior of sinners so that you will never perish and receive the true riches He alone has to give?