From Ethiopia to Jerusalem

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A financial administrator of Queen Candace belonged to the Gentiles who, in deep longing, were drawn to the God of Israel. He traveled to Jerusalem in order to worship there.


1. Philip the Evangelist

An angel of the Lord instructed Philip: “Go south, to the road that leads from Jerusalem to Gaza.”

Angels are messengers of God who can also reveal themselves in human form. Their main task is to make known the will of God on earth through actions and through the word of the Lord.


2. A Man from Ethiopia

At the same time, a man from Ethiopia was traveling along this road in his chariot. He was just returning from Jerusalem, where he had worshiped God in the temple. During the journey, he was reading from the book of the prophet Isaiah. He seeks in the temple, he seeks in the Scriptures. He was sincere, humble, and faithful.


3. The Holy Spirit Speaks to Philip

The Holy Spirit said to Philip: “Go to that chariot.”

Philip went over and heard the man reading from the book of Isaiah. He asked the Ethiopian, “Do you also understand what you are reading?”

“No,” the man replied, “how can I understand unless someone explains it to me?” He invited Philip to come up and sit with him. He had just been reading the passage where it says: “He was silent like a sheep.”

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. In his humiliation justice was denied him. Who can describe his generation? For his life is taken away from the earth.” Acts 8:32-33 (ESV)

The Ethiopian asked Philip, “About whom is the prophet speaking here?”

Beginning with this Scripture, Philip preached to him the gospel of Jesus Christ. Jesus came to seek and to save those who are lost. These words from Isaiah are prophecies about Jesus: He was mistreated, arrested, condemned to death, and cruelly executed because of the sins of my people. But He rose from the dead and took His place at the right hand of His Father. There, Jesus represents us as our High Priest.


4. There Is Water

As they traveled along and came to a place with water, the Ethiopian official said, “Look, here is water!”

“If you believe with all your heart, you may be baptized,” Philip answered.

“I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God,” the official confessed.

Together they went down into the water, and Philip baptized him. Afterward, Philip left the official, and the man continued on his journey with a joyful heart.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 (ESV)


5. Conclusion

The gate to heaven stands wide open. What the financial administrator experienced can be experienced by every person. Take note: The Father in heaven is waiting for people!

The LORD looks down from heaven on the children of man, to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God. Psalm 14:2 (ESV)

You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the LORD, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the LORD, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.
Jeremiah 29:13-14 (ESV)

You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, John 5:39 (ESV)


Author: Edith Waechter
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