Written by Michelle J. Goff, Director of Iron Rose Sister Ministries
Whenever I study the Bible with someone, especially someone who has been newly introduced to in-depth study of God’s Word, I love when we get to the point of studying Acts 8:26-40 and the story of the Ethiopian Eunuch. Not only is it a story of baptism, but there are other exemplary priorities and historical clues we learn from this story.
First, I encourage you to read the entire story for yourself to get the flow of the events that take place. That is my practice when studying it with a seeker. The person you are studying with, and the Ethiopian Eunuch have that in common—they are both seekers! Congratulate one another for being seekers of God and His ways!
Now that you have read the full story (Acts 8:26-40), we are going to highlight four facets of the eunuch’s exemplary character.
26 Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” 27 So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of the Kandake (which means “queen of the Ethiopians”). This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship,
1. The Ethiopian understood the importance of worshipping YHWH, the one true God, in His temple. Up until the time of Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection, God commanded the Jews and any converts to Judaism to worship Him in Jerusalem, at the temple. The distance between the lower Nile region, Ethiopia, and Jerusalem was more than 2,500 miles (over 4,000 km). By chariot, it would take him nearly a month to get one-way to Jerusalem (85 hours by car). The eunuch, an important official in the queen’s treasury service, likely took a lengthy sabbatical in order to worship; it was that high of a priority for him and he was not ashamed of his need to worship a different God than the queen he served.
28 and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the Book of Isaiah the prophet.
2. The second thing I appreciate about the Ethiopian eunuch was that he understood the importance of reading the Scriptures. It was not common for someone to have their own copy of the scrolls of the written text of the Old Testament. However, we see that this Ethiopian had come to faith in God and recognized how important it was to read whatever portion of the Bible he had access to.
29 The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.”30 Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked.
31 “How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
3. The third exemplary characteristic of the Ethiopian is that when he had a question, he asked! God provided an answer and an explanation through His servant, Philip. God recognized that the Ethiopian was a seeker, similarly to the way that Jesus recognized that the Samaritan woman was a seeker in John chapter 4.
34 The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?” 35 Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.
God sent Philip running alongside the chariot where God knew that he would overhear the Ethiopian reading the prophet Isaiah. Isn’t it exciting when we hear or see someone reading their Bible? Have you known the joy of sharing the good news with someone who is seeking?
36 As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?” [37] Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” The eunuch answered, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”
38 And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him.
4. The final example the eunuch gives us is that when he understood what he did to do, he did it. Immediately. Sometimes I have wished to have a script of what the Spirit gave Philip to say in teaching the good news. We don’t know if they talked for two hours, two days, or two weeks, on that portion of the journey. And we don’t have to know. God put Philip in the life of an obedient seeker to be His mouthpiece. And I love how immediately obedient that Ethiopian was as soon as he knew what he needed to do.
39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing.
From my interpretation, this Ethiopian was the start of the church in Africa. I trust that God continued to equip Him along the way. The four exemplary characteristics of the Ethiopian eunuch would’ve continued to serve him well as the first African missionary: worshipping God, reading God’s Word, asking questions, and being obedient.
Which aspect of the Ethiopian eunuch’s example is of greatest encouragement or challenge to you today? Or maybe it’s Philip’s example as God’s messenger to bring good news to a seeker. Whichever you are, please let us know how we can encourage you on your journey closer to God and one another!
And if you have not yet been baptized for the forgiveness of sins and in order to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, we would love to serve as Philips to help you take that step of obedience!
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