One of the things I love about the story of the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8:26-39 is how much he valued the Word of God. At that time, it was very difficult to have your own copy of the scrolls, but as he traveled to and from Jerusalem to worship, we see him reading from the prophet Isaiah. He didn’t understand all that he read, but God sent Philip to explain things to him more clearly.
The eunuch was reading a portion of Isaiah that referred to Christ as the lamb, led to slaughter, the perfect sacrifice for our sins. He was reading from the Word, about the Word, but had not yet had the opportunity to see it all come together. The Ethiopian did not know that the Lamb, the Word incarnate had already come to earth, dwelling among us, but God sent Philip to make sure that he learned the truth, was transformed by it, and then went home to share it with others!
Yesterday, we looked at the importance of the foundation of the Bible, but did you know that the Word has existed since the beginning and that He came to earth and dwelt among us?
God’s Word is not just spoken, it is also lived. It is personified in Christ, the only Son of the Father.
John 1:1-5, 14
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Why did the Word become flesh—enter human form and subject Himself to all the vulnerabilities that we face throughout our lives?
Jesus Himself answers that question to Nicodemus just two chapters later, in a verse we will explore tomorrow.