And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?
Philip was sent by heaven to the desert road to Gaza and told to join himself to a chariot, so he ran to the traveler in prompt obedience and found an Ethiopian treasurer of high authority under Candace returning from worship at Jerusalem and reading aloud from Isaiah about Christ led as a sheep to the slaughter. Coming up he listened, knew him as the one to whom he was sent, and asked whether he understood what he was reading, and the man confessed he needed someone to guide him and invited Philip to sit with him. The meeting shows that sincere seekers may read with interest and prayerful longing yet be unable to interpret prophecy by themselves, so God has made it necessary for those who know Him to explain the Word to those who do not. It reveals God's care for every inquiring soul, with angels watching the reader and linking heaven and earth, yet angels do not preach, but bring light through God's people to the world while leading both seeker and worker together. Beginning at that same scripture Philip opened its meaning and preached Jesus, and the eunuch believed with gladness, confessed Christ as the Son of God, was baptized and went on rejoicing, carrying the light to Ethiopia and the higher classes.
The Encounter Described
Philip was sent south to the desert road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza, first by an angel and then by the Spirit telling him to go near and join himself to a chariot, and he obeyed promptly without questioning and ran to the traveler. His running was obedience to both the heavenly messenger and the Spirit's direction, placing him where he could meet the very man to whom he had been sent. That prompt going and running opened the way to hear the reading, to ask the searching question, and then to begin at that same scripture, preach Jesus, and see confession of faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God followed by baptism.
The traveler was an Ethiopian, a eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, with charge of all her treasure. He was a nobleman and a man of influence doing a great work, yet connected with the highest class, who had been to Jerusalem to worship and was now journeying homeward. He rode in his chariot with the Scriptures in his hand, studying them as he returned through the desert of Gaza.
As he rode he was reading aloud from Esaias the prophet, giving attention to the Scriptures with interest. The passage before him was the prophecy of Christ led as a sheep to the slaughter, the same scripture from which the preaching of Jesus would begin. His reading was heard by the one approaching, so that listening came before questioning and explaining.
Philip came to him, listened, and heard him reading Isaiah, making a deliberate Spirit-directed effort to reach one person at his chariot. He recognized him at once as the man to whom he had been sent to open the Scriptures to a seeker after truth. Then he boldly asked whether he understood what he was reading, a question that invited guidance and opened the way to sit beside the reader and unfold the gospel.
The question exposed the seeker's need, for he could not understand the written prophecies by himself when reading alone. He answered that he could not understand unless someone should guide him, showing himself as one with an interested and inquiring mind who desired light and welcomed help. He therefore asked Philip to come up and sit with him in the chariot, and Philip was invited up to explain the Word of God and preach Jesus leading to faith and baptism.
Needing Guidance to Understand
Philip's question exposes that a person can be reading the Scriptures with interest and still be unable to grasp their meaning, unable by himself to interpret prophecy and find its light. The Ethiopian was studying as he rode, with his mind led by the Spirit to the Word, yet he could not understand what he read until another was sent to enlighten him and open it to him. God has joined that need to His provision, bringing seekers into contact with human workers who can explain the Word and guide them into its light.
That one reader stands for a large class of sincere readers who study without understanding, honest seekers with inquiring and interested minds led by the Spirit. They are longing and praying for light from heaven, partly enlightened and drawn toward the Saviour, and they do not resist the drawing. Some have heard of Christ and become interested, some return half-converted with some knowledge of God's Word but without clear understanding of prophecy, yet all are truth-seekers ready to receive the gospel when it is opened to them.
God has made it necessary for men to learn heavenly things through communication with one another, so that those who know God must teach those who do not understand. Philip's deliberate, Spirit-directed approach — going near, listening, asking whether the reader understands — opens the way for that work, beginning with the very passage before the seeker and preaching Jesus from it. There are precious ones starving for the Word, ignorant of the Scriptures as sheep having no shepherd, and the standard must be lifted where they are so the Holy Spirit can accompany the truth presented and raise up true worshipers.
Even connection with the highest class does not remove this need, for the traveler was a man of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, with charge of all her treasure, returning from worship at Jerusalem with the Scriptures in his hand, yet still needing a chosen man commissioned to teach him the Word of God. His high position did not excuse him from the crucified One, and he did not make it such an excuse, but welcomed instruction, was led into the full light of the gospel concerning the mission and work of Christ, and went on to faith and baptism.
Heaven Directs the Meeting
The running to the chariot reveals the Lord's care for an inquiring soul and His acquaintance with the circumstances of His people. He was called away from successful ministry to meet the Ethiopian official on the desert road to Gaza, because that traveler was reading the Scriptures with the Spirit leading his mind to them yet unable to interpret their meaning. God looked down upon him as he tried to understand the message of salvation, and directed Philip to this influential, receptive traveler so a human servant could enlighten his mind, open his spiritual eyesight, and make him understand pardon through Christ for all who believe. His eye is upon every soul that is trying to understand salvation, and just as surely as He sent help to the Ethiopian He will raise up workers today to carry truth to those who greatly need it, with both white people and colored people called to labor together with Him.
Angels of God looked upon the scene as the Ethiopian rode and read, taking notice of him as one honestly seeking light and seeking enlightenment. Heavenly angels watched over him and were sent to do a special work in the earth, cooperating to win him to Christ and showing the close connection between heaven and earth. An angel showed Philip where to find the man ready to receive the truth, guiding the worker to one open to truth while the Holy Spirit prepared speech and hearts for service.
Yet angels do not preach the gospel themselves. God's way is to send light through the ministration of angels to His people, and through His people that light is to be given to the world. Though the angel could have done the work himself, His order is for men to connect with fellow men and work as His instrumentality, and angels still lead and guide those who will be guided today.
Philip's part illustrates standing in such a relation to God that His voice when He speaks is understood and His will is followed. Directed by the Holy Spirit to a certain place where he would have opportunity to open the Scriptures to a seeker after truth, he obeyed, ran to the chariot when the Spirit directed him, and without questioning conformed to God's will because every soul is precious in His sight. His prompt obedience without questioning, hearing the reading of Isaiah and asking about understanding, opened the way to sit with the reader, preach Jesus, and bring him to belief and baptism.
God works in this way by laying upon human hearts the burden of opening the Scriptures to those He is seeking to instruct. The Spirit led the Ethiopian's mind to study the Scriptures but left him unable to understand their meaning, so the Lord sent His servant to enlighten him until he heard and believed. Anyone who steps in between the angels and one whom God is seeking to instruct is out of place and should stand aside and let God work.
From Scripture to Christ
Beginning at the very passage the traveler was reading, Philip opened the Scriptures to his understanding and made that text the starting point for explaining the gospel. Hearing the man read aloud from Isaiah, he asked whether the meaning was clear, and when invited to help he took the prophecy about Christ being led as a sheep to the slaughter and unfolded its fulfillment. What he preached was Jesus Himself, setting forth His mission and work and guiding the inquirer step by step through the prophecy toward conversion. In this way the question about understanding became the doorway for a fuller exposition of Christ from Isaiah.
The exposition delighted the reader with truth and enlightened both heart and mind as the meaning became plain. He had been longing and praying for light from heaven, and when Christ was revealed to him he heard with a susceptible heart and believed under the influence of the Holy Spirit. He received the Saviour with gladness, the truth finding entrance because he did not resist its drawing power.
Hearing and believing led at once to a wholehearted confession that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Upon that confession he was baptized in water without delay, not held back to first prove perseverance, asking for baptism as soon as water was reached and going down into it. The baptism sealed a pardon freely offered to all who will believe on Christ as the Saviour of the world, whose work Philip had opened from the Scriptures. After Philip was caught away, the new believer went on his way rejoicing.
Through the converted man the light of truth shone onward to the higher classes with whom his office and influence connected him. Carried home by him, the gospel reached Ethiopia, where many accepted Christ. His conversion also helped make plain to the apostles that God had granted to the Gentiles repentance unto life, and so prepared the way for Paul's mission.
Model for Personal Labor
Philip's run to the chariot is evangelistic work itself and the highest education, to be carefully studied and practiced today as true personal one-to-one home missionary labor and the pattern for reaching truth-seekers through personal contact. The Lord knew the Ethiopian's case and commanded Philip to go south to the way from Jerusalem to Gaza where he would find him, join himself to his chariot, and be invited up to sit with him, so that through Philip the searching reader with interested and inquiring mind received light. Beginning at the same scripture where Christ is led as a sheep to the slaughter, Philip preached Jesus, leading to confession that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, baptism in water, and going on rejoicing, and it is an example of God's special work for a few souls in a needy field.
Gospel workers are to be on watch and ready to help every case that comes to their notice, entering new fields rather than entangling the work so doors cannot be opened. When human hearts are susceptible to the influences of the Holy Spirit, God can do a mighty work through His servants by bringing them into association with men and women who need help and encouragement, and seeking even one soul in neglected and out-of-the-way parts of the vineyard is never a waste, for one soul saved is more precious than all the combined wealth of the world. Philip represents missionaries who hear God's voice, go where He sends them even for one soul, and explain God's Word to readers who cannot understand its meaning, and this personal missionary labor is the work God calls His people to do. God sends people to those who need divine help and guidance, and the work nearest to them may be their appointed service.
The method is deliberate effort under the Spirit's guidance: to go to the chariot, go near and join the seeker, listen as he reads Isaiah, and ask whether he understands. That question opens the way for someone who knows God to explain Scripture, suggesting helpful questions while searching the Scriptures together, sitting beside him, beginning with the passage he is reading, guiding him, and preaching Jesus unto faith and baptism. Prompt consecrated action must meet the inquiring mind that would understand the Word, because Satan interposes obstacles to confuse such seekers and evil angels wait for the moment to press in falsehoods and divert the newly awakened mind from truth. Had Philip left the eunuch with his case hanging in the balance, he might never have accepted the Saviour, so the Lord's agencies must be wholly consecrated to His service, quick to understand their work, and as wise stewards take advantage of every circumstance to teach the grace of God and draw men to Christ, the wilderness temptation of Christ having been recorded to expose Satan's methods and plans.
In His providence God in every age brings honest-hearted ones into connection with those of His people who by special knowledge and training are best fitted to reach their class of inquirers and meet the individual needs of each case, as He gave Philip the privilege of meeting the half-converted seeker returning from Jerusalem with some knowledge of God's Word but unable to understand the prophecies clearly and leading him into the full light of the gospel. God saw the Ethiopian's interest as a man of influence doing a great work, sent His angel to direct Philip to a certain place to meet and help him, and Philip recognized him at once, asked if he understood what he read, sat beside him in the chariot and opened the truths of the gospel until with heart alive with interest he was ready to accept the light, confess faith, go down into the water in baptism, and go on his way rejoicing after Philip was taken away. Just as surely as He sent help to the Ethiopian, with His eye upon every soul trying to understand salvation, He calls both white people and colored people to engage in His service as laborers together with Himself and will raise up workers today to carry the message of truth to those who greatly need it.
Through the converted eunuch the light of truth shone to the higher classes, showing the right method for reaching people of higher standing who have an advanced acquaintance with temperance principles, by uniting with them on temperance and then, by their own request, leading them to the Bible and giving them light on the Sabbath question. There are precious ones starving for the Word who are ignorant of the Scriptures and are as sheep having no shepherd because the shepherds feed themselves and feed not the flock, so the standard must be lifted in new territories where the Holy Spirit will accompany the presentation of truth to raise up believers who worship God in spirit and in truth. Encouraged and supported men and women prepared for service are to be sent to out-of-the-way places and to the byways and hedges to present the light of Bible truth and the last gospel message to those who have never heard it.
God's way is to place chosen men in connection with those needing enlightenment in the truth of the gospel, rewarding the diligent seeker with the Scriptures in his hand by commissioning a chosen man to teach him, and His work is carried not by human wisdom but by the power of God. Angels guide workers to people who are open to truth, while the Holy Spirit prepares workers' speech and hearts for service and brings seekers and human workers into contact with one another. Every child of God has a work to do according to ability, and to minister for Christ it is not necessary to be a preacher, for those who take the Word as counsel and study the Scriptures are enabled to understand what they read, the Sun of Righteousness shines upon them revealing that they are one with Christ, and those taught by God work in unity with no discordant opinions, one in spirit and action, bound together by the Holy Spirit in a union that all the power of satanic agencies cannot break.
Philip was sent by heaven to the desert road to Gaza and told to join himself to a chariot, so he ran to the traveler in prompt obedience and found an Ethiopian treasurer of high authority under Candace returning from worship at Jerusalem and reading aloud from Isaiah about Christ led as a sheep to the slaughter. Coming up he listened, knew him as the one to whom he was sent, and asked whether he understood what he was reading, and the man confessed he needed someone to guide him and invited Philip to sit with him. The meeting shows that sincere seekers may read with interest and prayerful longing yet be unable to interpret prophecy by themselves, so God has made it necessary for those who know Him to explain the Word to those who do not. It reveals God's care for every inquiring soul, with angels watching the reader and linking heaven and earth, yet angels do not preach, but bring light through God's people to the world while leading both seeker and worker together. Beginning at that same scripture Philip opened its meaning and preached Jesus, and the eunuch believed with gladness, confessed Christ as the Son of God, was baptized and went on rejoicing, carrying the light to Ethiopia and the higher classes.
The Encounter Described
Philip was sent south to the desert road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza, first by an angel and then by the Spirit telling him to go near and join himself to a chariot, and he obeyed promptly without questioning and ran to the traveler. His running was obedience to both the heavenly messenger and the Spirit's direction, placing him where he could meet the very man to whom he had been sent. That prompt going and running opened the way to hear the reading, to ask the searching question, and then to begin at that same scripture, preach Jesus, and see confession of faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God followed by baptism.
The traveler was an Ethiopian, a eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, with charge of all her treasure. He was a nobleman and a man of influence doing a great work, yet connected with the highest class, who had been to Jerusalem to worship and was now journeying homeward. He rode in his chariot with the Scriptures in his hand, studying them as he returned through the desert of Gaza.
As he rode he was reading aloud from Esaias the prophet, giving attention to the Scriptures with interest. The passage before him was the prophecy of Christ led as a sheep to the slaughter, the same scripture from which the preaching of Jesus would begin. His reading was heard by the one approaching, so that listening came before questioning and explaining.
Philip came to him, listened, and heard him reading Isaiah, making a deliberate Spirit-directed effort to reach one person at his chariot. He recognized him at once as the man to whom he had been sent to open the Scriptures to a seeker after truth. Then he boldly asked whether he understood what he was reading, a question that invited guidance and opened the way to sit beside the reader and unfold the gospel.
The question exposed the seeker's need, for he could not understand the written prophecies by himself when reading alone. He answered that he could not understand unless someone should guide him, showing himself as one with an interested and inquiring mind who desired light and welcomed help. He therefore asked Philip to come up and sit with him in the chariot, and Philip was invited up to explain the Word of God and preach Jesus leading to faith and baptism.
Needing Guidance to Understand
Philip's question exposes that a person can be reading the Scriptures with interest and still be unable to grasp their meaning, unable by himself to interpret prophecy and find its light. The Ethiopian was studying as he rode, with his mind led by the Spirit to the Word, yet he could not understand what he read until another was sent to enlighten him and open it to him. God has joined that need to His provision, bringing seekers into contact with human workers who can explain the Word and guide them into its light.
That one reader stands for a large class of sincere readers who study without understanding, honest seekers with inquiring and interested minds led by the Spirit. They are longing and praying for light from heaven, partly enlightened and drawn toward the Saviour, and they do not resist the drawing. Some have heard of Christ and become interested, some return half-converted with some knowledge of God's Word but without clear understanding of prophecy, yet all are truth-seekers ready to receive the gospel when it is opened to them.
God has made it necessary for men to learn heavenly things through communication with one another, so that those who know God must teach those who do not understand. Philip's deliberate, Spirit-directed approach — going near, listening, asking whether the reader understands — opens the way for that work, beginning with the very passage before the seeker and preaching Jesus from it. There are precious ones starving for the Word, ignorant of the Scriptures as sheep having no shepherd, and the standard must be lifted where they are so the Holy Spirit can accompany the truth presented and raise up true worshipers.
Even connection with the highest class does not remove this need, for the traveler was a man of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, with charge of all her treasure, returning from worship at Jerusalem with the Scriptures in his hand, yet still needing a chosen man commissioned to teach him the Word of God. His high position did not excuse him from the crucified One, and he did not make it such an excuse, but welcomed instruction, was led into the full light of the gospel concerning the mission and work of Christ, and went on to faith and baptism.
Heaven Directs the Meeting
The running to the chariot reveals the Lord's care for an inquiring soul and His acquaintance with the circumstances of His people. He was called away from successful ministry to meet the Ethiopian official on the desert road to Gaza, because that traveler was reading the Scriptures with the Spirit leading his mind to them yet unable to interpret their meaning. God looked down upon him as he tried to understand the message of salvation, and directed Philip to this influential, receptive traveler so a human servant could enlighten his mind, open his spiritual eyesight, and make him understand pardon through Christ for all who believe. His eye is upon every soul that is trying to understand salvation, and just as surely as He sent help to the Ethiopian He will raise up workers today to carry truth to those who greatly need it, with both white people and colored people called to labor together with Him.
Angels of God looked upon the scene as the Ethiopian rode and read, taking notice of him as one honestly seeking light and seeking enlightenment. Heavenly angels watched over him and were sent to do a special work in the earth, cooperating to win him to Christ and showing the close connection between heaven and earth. An angel showed Philip where to find the man ready to receive the truth, guiding the worker to one open to truth while the Holy Spirit prepared speech and hearts for service.
Yet angels do not preach the gospel themselves. God's way is to send light through the ministration of angels to His people, and through His people that light is to be given to the world. Though the angel could have done the work himself, His order is for men to connect with fellow men and work as His instrumentality, and angels still lead and guide those who will be guided today.
Philip's part illustrates standing in such a relation to God that His voice when He speaks is understood and His will is followed. Directed by the Holy Spirit to a certain place where he would have opportunity to open the Scriptures to a seeker after truth, he obeyed, ran to the chariot when the Spirit directed him, and without questioning conformed to God's will because every soul is precious in His sight. His prompt obedience without questioning, hearing the reading of Isaiah and asking about understanding, opened the way to sit with the reader, preach Jesus, and bring him to belief and baptism.
God works in this way by laying upon human hearts the burden of opening the Scriptures to those He is seeking to instruct. The Spirit led the Ethiopian's mind to study the Scriptures but left him unable to understand their meaning, so the Lord sent His servant to enlighten him until he heard and believed. Anyone who steps in between the angels and one whom God is seeking to instruct is out of place and should stand aside and let God work.
From Scripture to Christ
Beginning at the very passage the traveler was reading, Philip opened the Scriptures to his understanding and made that text the starting point for explaining the gospel. Hearing the man read aloud from Isaiah, he asked whether the meaning was clear, and when invited to help he took the prophecy about Christ being led as a sheep to the slaughter and unfolded its fulfillment. What he preached was Jesus Himself, setting forth His mission and work and guiding the inquirer step by step through the prophecy toward conversion. In this way the question about understanding became the doorway for a fuller exposition of Christ from Isaiah.
The exposition delighted the reader with truth and enlightened both heart and mind as the meaning became plain. He had been longing and praying for light from heaven, and when Christ was revealed to him he heard with a susceptible heart and believed under the influence of the Holy Spirit. He received the Saviour with gladness, the truth finding entrance because he did not resist its drawing power.
Hearing and believing led at once to a wholehearted confession that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Upon that confession he was baptized in water without delay, not held back to first prove perseverance, asking for baptism as soon as water was reached and going down into it. The baptism sealed a pardon freely offered to all who will believe on Christ as the Saviour of the world, whose work Philip had opened from the Scriptures. After Philip was caught away, the new believer went on his way rejoicing.
Through the converted man the light of truth shone onward to the higher classes with whom his office and influence connected him. Carried home by him, the gospel reached Ethiopia, where many accepted Christ. His conversion also helped make plain to the apostles that God had granted to the Gentiles repentance unto life, and so prepared the way for Paul's mission.
Model for Personal Labor
Philip's run to the chariot is evangelistic work itself and the highest education, to be carefully studied and practiced today as true personal one-to-one home missionary labor and the pattern for reaching truth-seekers through personal contact. The Lord knew the Ethiopian's case and commanded Philip to go south to the way from Jerusalem to Gaza where he would find him, join himself to his chariot, and be invited up to sit with him, so that through Philip the searching reader with interested and inquiring mind received light. Beginning at the same scripture where Christ is led as a sheep to the slaughter, Philip preached Jesus, leading to confession that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, baptism in water, and going on rejoicing, and it is an example of God's special work for a few souls in a needy field.
Gospel workers are to be on watch and ready to help every case that comes to their notice, entering new fields rather than entangling the work so doors cannot be opened. When human hearts are susceptible to the influences of the Holy Spirit, God can do a mighty work through His servants by bringing them into association with men and women who need help and encouragement, and seeking even one soul in neglected and out-of-the-way parts of the vineyard is never a waste, for one soul saved is more precious than all the combined wealth of the world. Philip represents missionaries who hear God's voice, go where He sends them even for one soul, and explain God's Word to readers who cannot understand its meaning, and this personal missionary labor is the work God calls His people to do. God sends people to those who need divine help and guidance, and the work nearest to them may be their appointed service.
The method is deliberate effort under the Spirit's guidance: to go to the chariot, go near and join the seeker, listen as he reads Isaiah, and ask whether he understands. That question opens the way for someone who knows God to explain Scripture, suggesting helpful questions while searching the Scriptures together, sitting beside him, beginning with the passage he is reading, guiding him, and preaching Jesus unto faith and baptism. Prompt consecrated action must meet the inquiring mind that would understand the Word, because Satan interposes obstacles to confuse such seekers and evil angels wait for the moment to press in falsehoods and divert the newly awakened mind from truth. Had Philip left the eunuch with his case hanging in the balance, he might never have accepted the Saviour, so the Lord's agencies must be wholly consecrated to His service, quick to understand their work, and as wise stewards take advantage of every circumstance to teach the grace of God and draw men to Christ, the wilderness temptation of Christ having been recorded to expose Satan's methods and plans.
In His providence God in every age brings honest-hearted ones into connection with those of His people who by special knowledge and training are best fitted to reach their class of inquirers and meet the individual needs of each case, as He gave Philip the privilege of meeting the half-converted seeker returning from Jerusalem with some knowledge of God's Word but unable to understand the prophecies clearly and leading him into the full light of the gospel. God saw the Ethiopian's interest as a man of influence doing a great work, sent His angel to direct Philip to a certain place to meet and help him, and Philip recognized him at once, asked if he understood what he read, sat beside him in the chariot and opened the truths of the gospel until with heart alive with interest he was ready to accept the light, confess faith, go down into the water in baptism, and go on his way rejoicing after Philip was taken away. Just as surely as He sent help to the Ethiopian, with His eye upon every soul trying to understand salvation, He calls both white people and colored people to engage in His service as laborers together with Himself and will raise up workers today to carry the message of truth to those who greatly need it.
Through the converted eunuch the light of truth shone to the higher classes, showing the right method for reaching people of higher standing who have an advanced acquaintance with temperance principles, by uniting with them on temperance and then, by their own request, leading them to the Bible and giving them light on the Sabbath question. There are precious ones starving for the Word who are ignorant of the Scriptures and are as sheep having no shepherd because the shepherds feed themselves and feed not the flock, so the standard must be lifted in new territories where the Holy Spirit will accompany the presentation of truth to raise up believers who worship God in spirit and in truth. Encouraged and supported men and women prepared for service are to be sent to out-of-the-way places and to the byways and hedges to present the light of Bible truth and the last gospel message to those who have never heard it.
God's way is to place chosen men in connection with those needing enlightenment in the truth of the gospel, rewarding the diligent seeker with the Scriptures in his hand by commissioning a chosen man to teach him, and His work is carried not by human wisdom but by the power of God. Angels guide workers to people who are open to truth, while the Holy Spirit prepares workers' speech and hearts for service and brings seekers and human workers into contact with one another. Every child of God has a work to do according to ability, and to minister for Christ it is not necessary to be a preacher, for those who take the Word as counsel and study the Scriptures are enabled to understand what they read, the Sun of Righteousness shines upon them revealing that they are one with Christ, and those taught by God work in unity with no discordant opinions, one in spirit and action, bound together by the Holy Spirit in a union that all the power of satanic agencies cannot break.