During an anxious period of the first World War, a new submarine left the Clyde to undergo her trials in the Gareloch. She had a full complement on board, including naval officials. All went well until the return journey when she was subjected to a final dive. Something went wrong; she refused to rise again, and she lay “tethered” fathoms deep.
Half of the crew in the afterpart were immediately drowned; those in the forepart succeeded in closing the watertight doors which kept the onrush of water at bay. At the bottom of the water, they faced what seemed to be the certainty of a lingering death, for their chances of rescue were infinitely small.
One of the imprisoned men—a naval officer—volunteered to try and reach the surface. He clearly saw the risks—terrible risks—attached to this undertaking and had the men strap a message around his waist in the faint hope that it would be found in time. The act cost him his life, but the message on his body was found and help was sent to the imprisoned men in the depths. Though dead, he spoke—and the voice of the one who had sacrificed his life was the means of bringing deliverance to the others.
Experienced men realized that the hope was a forlorn one, but they rushed every possible piece of equipment to the task. At last a diver, by a series of tappings on the sunken hull, was able to bring a signal of hope to the men inside the sunken craft.
There were many difficulties, and hope died in the hearts of the survivors. Farewell messages were written to wives, mothers and loved ones; wills were made, and they all settled down to face death.
Suddenly—a miracle! Air, fresh air, was forced into their prison house. 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 a little company of weak, benumbed men gained their freedom.
They were at once taken to the nearest shelter and out of deep gratitude to God joined in the recital of Psalm 124:
“If it had not been the Lord who was on our side, now may Israel say; if it had not been the Lord who was on our side, when men rose up against us: then they had swallowed us up quicK, when their wrath was Kindled against us: then the waters had overwhelmed us, the stream had gone over our soul: then the proud waters had gone over our soul. . . . 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.”
This happened many years ago, but it is a pretty good picture of humanity today. As with the submarine, “something went wrong”—sin came into the world—and human beings became prisoners—prisoners of self-will, passions, appetites and desires, described by the Holy Spirit as being “without God”—“without Christ”—“without hope.”
That is precisely the same position as those men in the submarine. There was no possible hope of their ever saving themselves. If they were to be saved, salvation must come from above. Someone must go back from that living tomb.
They faced the situation in all its seriousness, and the only way of getting help from above was for one to die to send the message. Otherwise, all were doomed. The naval officer volunteered to take that terrible journey, well knowing what was before him. What feelings were in those prisoners’ hearts as they said good-bye to the one who was going to give his life in an attempt to save them! Would they ever forget him?
God saw his creatures in their hopeless state, imprisoned with nothing but death before them. There was no one to help, no eye to pity, and His own dear Son came to this earth, yes, went down into the prison house of death to set the captives free. Terrible were His sufferings as the waters rolled over His soul. This was not simply the death of the body, but all the forces of evil were arrayed against Him there.
Jesus triumphed. To break the power of death He went down into the grave, but, unlike the naval officer who gave his life but could not take it again, this Mighty One had power to lay down His life and power to take it again. On that glorious resurrection morning He came back from the tomb. Now as the result of His death and His resurrection, salvation is offered to you and me.
Nothing was spared to effect the rescue of these men, and God has not spared anything to effect our salvation. He gave His only Son. Deliverance came from above, and our only hope is in God and His gospel, which tells the salvation we need. What gratitude and praise we owe to the One who in love gave Himself—“the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:2020I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20)).
“Ye were without Christ . . . having no hope, and without God in the world.”
“God our Saviour, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope.”
1 Timothy 1:1