Philip and the Ethiopian

 Meditations on The Acts of the Apostles

February 11, 2021

Philip and the Ethiopian

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?”

Acts 8:36

Read: Acts 8:26-40

The Ethiopian man was not, and could not by Jewish law become a Jew, because he was a eunuch, a man who has been castrated. Nevertheless, he was deeply interested in the Jewish worship of their God. He was reading one of the most important prophecies of Jesus in the entire Old Testament. Look at the progression in Isaiah: Chapter 53 tells of a servant who will do what Israel would not do; be a light to the nations. This servant would take upon himself the judgment against Israel; Chapter 54 - the servant’s faithfulness to God will usher in the dawn of the New Covenant; Chapter 55 - God promises a new creation; Chapter 56 – God’s blessings for the New Creation are even for outsiders and foreigners. Yes, even Ethiopian Eunuchs.

This incredible story of redemption is fulfilled in the servant of Isaiah 53 – Christ Jesus the Messiah of God. No wonder the Ethiopian halted his chariot and ran to the water to be baptized, as he fully embraced the Good News of Jesus.

There is more to this great story. Let me briefly jump ahead. Chapter nine tells us that Saul encountered Jesus on the road to Damascus. In an instant everything he believed so passionately was turned upside down. In the next instant, that which he never imagined could be true was fulfilled in a flash of light so brilliant he was blinded. Out of this event, Saul would become Paul, God’s greatest ambassador of the Good News to the non-Jewish world.

God’s not done yet. When we get to chapter ten, Peter will have a vision to take the Gospel to the Gentiles in Caesarea.

My Takeaway: God’s still not finished. God has planted my church, and your church, in a place where the Good News of Jesus can be proclaimed to a very hurting community, a community where the love of God is still a stranger.

Sē’lah

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(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

 

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com.

 

Copyright © 2021 by Alex M. Knight

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.