Acts Chapter 8 Verses 26-29

Acts 8:26 “And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert. 27 And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship, 28 Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet. 29 Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.”

“And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert.”  The true ministry of Jesus Christ needs the leadership of the Holy Spirit to direct them as to where they should go to preach the gospel and labor.  This was true with Philip and it was true with Paul and Silas and Timothy as we read in Acts 16:6 “Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia, 7 After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not. 8 And they passing by Mysia came down to Troas. 9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us. 10 And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them.”  The Lord is the only door opener and if we go where the Lord has not opened the door then our labors will be in vain.  Philip was being directed by the angel of the Lord as to where he was to go. 

“And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship, 28 Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet.”  We note here that Philip was being directed to go and see one man and to go a substantial distance to speak to a single individual.  This shows us the great compassion that the Lord has for each of his children as they search for the truth.  The man of Ethiopia was apparently an Israelite for he had gone up to Jerusalem to worship most likely at one of the three designated feasts days in the Old Testament where the children of Israel were commanded to go and observe the feast.  Ethiopia is several hundred miles from Jerusalem so this man was extremely dedicated to worship as set forth in the Old Testament.  To travel in a chariot for such a distance would have been an extremely arduous trip and likely filled with many dangers.  Moreover, this man showed much evidence of having been born of the Spirit in that he not only had traveled great distance in obedience to the commandment of God, but also as he returned toward Ethiopia he was reading in the book of Isaiah and searching for the meaning of what he read. 

“Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.”  Here we see the Holy Spirit was working on both the preacher and the individual to prepare for this meeting and for the preaching of the gospel. 

Verses 30-34

Acts 8:30 “And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest? 31 And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him. 32 The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth: 33 In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth. 34 And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man?” 

“And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?”  When Philip realized the purpose that the Spirit had led him to the dessert was to preach to the man in the chariot, he ran to meet the man.  When the Lord opens a door for us we should be in a hurry to go through that door.  Philip heard the man reading the prophet Esaias and this opened the door for him to ask the question: “understandest thou what thou readest?” 

“And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me?”  Most of God’s children need some guidance in reading the scriptures and this is one reason that God calls and sends the ministry to minister to His people.  It has happened to me often that I have wondered about the meaning of some scripture and then hear a preacher preach on that very scripture and thus guide me into an understanding of the scripture. 

“And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him. 32 The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth: 33 In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth.”  Notice when the Spirit opens the way that the person or persons to whom we speak or preach are open and prepared to hear what we have to say.  The Eunuch was reading from the 53^rd chapter of Isaiah.  This chapter is a prophecy of the Lord Jesus Christ and his sufferings on the cross and what he accomplished in saving his people from their sins. 

“And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man?”  This question that the eunuch asked Philip opened the door for Philip to preach the gospel unto him.

Verses 35-40

Acts 8:35 “Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus. 36 And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? 37 And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. 38 And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him. 39 And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing. 40 But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached in all the cities, till he came to Caesarea.” 

“Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.”  The Eunuch had been worshipping under the law covenant and had not heard of Jesus.  This was good news to the Eunuch to realize that the Christ had come and that he had been prophesied in the Old Testament.  Moreover, it was good news to hear that Jesus had redeemed him from his sins as this was taught in the 53^rd chapter of Isaiah. 

“And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?”  From this statement it is evident that Philip had preached to the eunuch the church kingdom of God and the need to press into that kingdom through water baptism.  Thus the eunuch requested water baptism. 

“And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest.”  Belief that Jesus Christ is the Son of God who saved his people from their sins is a prerequisite for water baptism.  This belief should be a heart felt belief.

“And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.  And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.” 

“And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.” After the eunuch was baptized he saw Philip no more afterwards, but the eunuch went on his way rejoicing.  Certainly water baptism is a cause for rejoicing by the disciple of the Lord.  One thing water baptism does is it gives the person baptized the opportunity to make a public expression of his belief that Jesus died for his sins and that he arose the 3^rd day from the grave.  Water baptism as a symbol shows forth the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

“But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached in all the cities, till he came to Caesarea.”  Notice that the Spirit had caught away Philip to go and preach in all the cities from Azotus to Caesarea.