Acts 8:26–33 (ESV)
Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch
26 Now an angel of the
Lord said to Philip, “Rise and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is a desert place. 27 And he rose and went. And there was an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians,
who was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship 28 and was returning, seated in his chariot, and he was reading the prophet Isaiah. 29And the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and join this chariot.” 30 So Philip ran to
him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” 31 And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. 32 Now the passage of the Scripture
that he was reading was this:
“Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter
and like a lamb before its shearer
is silent,
so he opens not his mouth.
33 In his humiliation justice was denied him.
Who can describe his generation?
For his life is taken away from the earth.”
The
angel of the Lord told Philip to go and Philip went. There was no complaining, questions, are crying out that it is not in my job description. The angel talked and Philip walked. He met up with an Ethiopian eunuch, who was a court official
of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians. The term eunuch sounds painful, but that is not necessarily so. Eunuch is a term for a minor official or a servant to an official that may or may not have been castrated. So... I guess there is some hope.
The true hope however is in Jesus Christ.
The Ethiopian went to Jerusalem to worship and is probably return from some annual festival. He is reading from a scroll and doesn’t understand what he is
reading. The fact that he was seated and reading means that there was a driver and that he was educated and able to read. The fact that he had a scroll probably means that he has some money (wealth) or has access to a lot of wealth. Philip
is told to go over and talk to him and the Ethiopian invites him into his chariot. He is reading from Isaiah, so Philip begins to explain the reading to him. The reading is about Jesus suffering and death. The angel of the Lord lead Philip
into this situation and Philip has the joy of explaining the Word to the Ethiopian.
I pray: O Lord, use me and lead me that I may teach your Word to willing and open ears that want to hear. I tell
many people about Jesus that have closed ears, let the Holy Spirit open their ears and hearts so that they may believe. The power to believe comes only from you. Help me to take advantage of situations as they present themselves and to point them
to you. Amen.