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.
The Ethiopian eunuch, a nobleman of great authority under Candace with charge of all her treasure, was returning from worship at Jerusalem through the desert and reading Isaiah with an inquiring mind but without clear understanding, and he admitted he could not grasp what he read unless some man should guide him, inviting Philip to come up and sit with him in the chariot. The Lord knew his case and looked upon him as an honest seeker whose mind was led by the Spirit and watched by angels, and He met that hunger by directing Philip by an angel and by the Holy Spirit to join the chariot. Sitting beside him, Philip began at that same scripture and preached Jesus as the Saviour who pardons all who believe, until with enlightened heart he believed, confessed Christ as the Son of God, was baptized when they came to water, and went on his way rejoicing. The verse teaches that Scripture is not understood by reading alone, for God has made it necessary for men to learn heavenly things from one another, sending light through angels to His people and through His people to the world rather than having heavenly messengers themselves preach the gospel. It reveals His way in every age of joining divine leading with a sent servant, bringing honest seekers who read and believe yet cannot grasp the true meaning into connection with those who can best reach their need, and calling His workers today to be on watch, go where He sends, search the Scriptures with seekers, and preach Christ to them unto conversion.
The Ethiopian and His Reading
The one who speaks is the Ethiopian eunuch, an Ethiopian nobleman and official of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians. He had charge of all her treasure, belonged to the highest class, was a man of influence doing a great work, and could not understand the Scripture he was reading without someone to guide him.
He was returning from worship at Jerusalem and journeying homeward in his chariot through the desert of Gaza. He was reading the prophet Isaiah in his chariot while angels of God took notice of him as an honest seeker after truth and light.
He was studying the Scriptures with an interested and inquiring mind, with his mind led by the Spirit of God to the Scriptures, yet unable to interpret their meaning alone. He was half-converted, having some knowledge of God's Word but without clear understanding of the prophecies and unable to comprehend the written prophecies without a human guide. He longed and prayed for light from heaven, and his interest had been awakened by hearing Christ's preaching to the people.
Need for Human Guide
The eunuch's own admission that he could not grasp what he was reading without someone to show him the way means that even a sincere, studying reader needs a God-sent human guide to open the meaning. He was seeking after light and reading the Scriptures, yet unable to understand them alone until a worker joined him to explain them and lead him to Jesus and baptism. God has made it necessary for men to communicate with one another in order to learn heavenly things, so that the Word is not understood by reading it alone.
He did not merely confess his need but acted on it by asking Philip to come up and sit with him in the chariot and teach him. That invitation revealed a sincere hunger for truth and willingness to learn, for though a man of great authority under Candace with charge of all her treasure, returning from worship at Jerusalem, he did not make his high position an excuse for refusing instruction or resisting the drawing to the Saviour. His asking opened the way for Philip to explain the Word of God to him.
In this he stands for many people and a large class who read the Scriptures and believe them but cannot grasp their true meaning or the prophecies, who long for spiritual light and are ready to receive the gospel and need missionaries like Philip to explain God's Word to them. Among them are sincere Christians who have grace but less light, who hold fast unyieldingly to the light and truth they already believe, yet are not satisfied to go groping in darkness but plead with the Father in heaven for clearer light to know the truth, and the Lord does not leave them in darkness. Companies nigh and afar off with hands lifted entreatingly cry that they are starving for the Word as sheep having no shepherd, ignorant of the Scriptures because the shepherds feed themselves and feed not the flock.
The verse therefore means that sinners cannot understand truth unless some man guides them, so personal guidance and instruction are required and Scripture cannot be understood by reading alone. He was half-converted, with some knowledge of God's Word but without clear understanding of the prophecies, and only through Philip beginning at the same Isaiah scripture to preach Jesus was he led into the full light of the gospel unto confession, baptism, and going on his way rejoicing. So the work in the cities requires experienced workers to take other workers into unworked places to educate them in different lines, with men and women physicians doing a great guiding work, with small schools, books and papers and simple Bible lessons, and with division and subdivision of labor spreading from city to city.
Heaven Provides a Guide
The Spirit of God had led the traveler's mind to study the Scriptures in his chariot, and angels of God saw him and watched him as an honest seeker for light and enlightenment. The Lord knew his case and looked down upon him as he tried to understand the message of salvation while reading without comprehending its meaning. His interest had been awakened by hearing Christ's preaching to the people, and he was searching with an interested and inquiring mind.
God met that need by sending Philip to meet him and enlighten him and open the Scripture to him. An angel directed Philip to a certain place, and the Holy Spirit bade him go and join the chariot, and Philip obeyed. Philip asked whether he understood what he read, and at his invitation came up and sat beside him in the chariot.
God wonderfully works for such seekers by bringing them into contact with a worker who can join them, explain the Scriptures to them, and lead them to Jesus and baptism. He gives enlightenment in gospel truth by placing chosen men in connection with those who need it, bringing the seeker for truth into contact with a person who could explain the Word. God's care and angelic direction thus bring receptive people into contact with workers who can teach them the truth.
Heavenly messengers do not undertake the work of preaching the gospel, for God sends light through the ministration of angels to His people and through His people to the world. Though an angel could have done the work, it is not God's way of working, but men must connect with fellow men as His instrumentality to win souls to Christ. The Holy Spirit guides and instructs willing men and women by placing them where they can communicate the light received, and angels bring light for those in need to appointed human agencies.
No one should step in between the angels and a person God is seeking to instruct, but should stand aside and let God work on the heart. While heavenly angels work for an inquiring newly awakened mind whose acceptance of the Saviour hangs in the balance, evil agencies work at the same time to draw the mind to something else. Satan interposes obstacles to confuse it and evil angels wait to press in falsehoods and divert it from seeking truth, even as was revealed in the temptation of Christ in the wilderness, so that left unguided the seeker might never accept the Saviour.
Philip's Teaching and Its Fruit
Seated beside him in the chariot, Philip opened the Scriptures to his understanding, beginning at that same passage in Isaiah and explaining it by preaching Jesus. He set forth the gospel, the mission and work of Christ, that Christ as Saviour of the world pardons the transgression of all who will believe on Him. As the truth was unfolded the Holy Spirit opened spiritual eyesight, and his heart became alive with interest and delight. With enlightened heart and mind he believed the message that had been brought to him.
He confessed his faith that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. When they came to water he asked for baptism and was baptized, after which Philip was caught away. He then went on his way rejoicing. His prompt response teaches promptness in accepting and confessing Christ, in obeying Him and in answering the call of duty.
His conversion helped carry the gospel to Ethiopia. He was one of the higher classes, and through such converts the light of truth shines to the higher classes. Through him it also shone to people already advanced in temperance principles.
Why God Uses People
The question reveals the Lord's care for an inquiring soul by joining divine leading with a sent servant to bring understanding that leads to belief. A man of the highest class sat in the desert of Gaza with the Scriptures in his hand, his mind led by the Spirit of God to study them while angels looked on, yet unable to interpret their meaning alone and admitting he could not understand without a human guide. God, who rewards all who diligently seek Him, met that need by commissioning Philip to meet him, ask whether he understood what he read, and at his invitation come up and sit with him in his chariot. Philip opened the Scriptures by preaching the gospel, the mission and work of Christ as Saviour of the world who pardons the transgression of all who will believe on Him, while the Holy Spirit opened spiritual eyesight, and this enlightenment led to faith and to baptism when they came to water, after which Philip was caught away. The work is carried not by the wisdom of men but by the power of God, and the prompt acceptance, confession, obedience, and answering of the call of duty teach the same readiness required of every believer. God puts forth great effort for even one such man, for the Ethiopian represents a large class who read the Scriptures and cannot understand their meaning and need missionaries like Philip to explain God's Word, and going to seeking souls in this way is the work God calls His people to do, with a worker hearing the voice of God and going where God sends him, while neglecting it brings judgment.
This is the Lord's way of leading in every age, bringing honest-hearted seekers into connection with those of His people who can best reach the individual needs of every case. God has made it necessary for men to communicate with one another in order to learn heavenly things, so Scripture cannot be understood by reading alone without a guide. The eunuch was half-converted, returning from worship at Jerusalem with some knowledge of God's Word but without clear understanding of the prophecies, and his asking Philip to come up and sit with him opened the way for Philip in God's providence to have the privilege of guiding this seeker after truth into the full light of the gospel, beginning at the same Isaiah scripture and preaching Jesus. Knowledge of the truth is thus given by the informed to the uninformed, with some having special knowledge adapted to help one class of inquirers and others trained in a different way best fitted to help other classes, resulting in confession that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the requisite steps of conversion and baptism, and going on the way rejoicing.
Those who study the Scriptures with the Word of God as their counselor are enabled to understand what they read. This is true not only for those set apart as preachers but for every child of God, who though not called to preach may still minister for Christ and reveal oneness with Him. Those taught by God in this way work in unity with one another, with no discordant opinions, one in spirit and action, bound together by the Holy Spirit in a union satanic agencies cannot break.
Following the Pattern Today
God trains workers from this question to stay on watch and be ready to help every seeking case that comes to their notice, hearing His voice and going where He sends, becoming acquainted with seekers, searching the Scriptures with them, suggesting helpful questions, and preaching the gospel of the Word to them so they are converted. The eunuch was one of the higher classes, and through such converts the light of truth shines to the higher classes and to people already advanced in temperance principles. Believers are to stand in such a relation to God that they understand His voice when He speaks and obey His bidding.
This personal guidance must reach the neglected parts of the vineyard, the hills and out-of-the-way places, the byways and hedges, and new territories from Cooranbong to Queensland, nigh and afar off. Companies nigh and afar off lift hands entreatingly, crying that they are starving for the Word of the Lord as sheep having no shepherd, ignorant of the Scriptures because the shepherds feed themselves and feed not the flock. If there is but one soul to be saved that soul is more precious than all the combined wealth of the world, and it is never a waste of time and money to send workers into needy fields to labor for him. God still has a special work for workers to do for only a few in such fields.
Just as surely as God sent His servant to help and guide the Ethiopian as he tried to understand the message of salvation, He will raise up workers today to carry the message of truth to those who greatly need it. He calls both white people and colored people to engage in His service and to be laborers together with Himself in this work. He sends people as His representatives to those in need of divine help and guidance.
Philip's work of explaining the passage and preaching Jesus from it is the pattern of evangelistic work and the highest education to be received and given in schools today. The work in the cities requires this personal guidance and instruction, with experienced workers taking other workers with them into unworked places to educate them in different lines of work. Men and women physicians are to do a great guiding work, with small schools for training workers, with books and papers and Bible lessons in simplicity, and with division and subdivision of labor that spreads from one city to the next instead of centering in a few places with large schools and extravagant buildings. Those who seek preparation for service in the byways and hedges to present precious Bible truth and the last gospel message to those who have never heard it, living in obedience to the will of God and daily knowing whether they are doing their duty, should be given hearty encouragement and support and be allowed to go without hesitation.
Believers must be wholly consecrated, quick to understand their work, and take advantage of every circumstance to teach the grace of God and draw men to Christ, for an inquiring newly awakened mind has acceptance of the Saviour hanging in the balance while heavenly angels work for him and evil agencies work at the same time to draw the mind elsewhere with obstacles, confusion and falsehoods, so that left unguided he might never accept the Saviour. They should be earnest seekers for truth like him, holding fast unyieldingly to the light and truth already believed, refusing to be satisfied groping in darkness, pleading for light, hungering for truth, and longing and praying for light from heaven. When Christ is revealed they receive Him gladly with prompt acceptance, confession and obedience, answering the call of duty.
Going to seeking souls in this way is the work God calls His people to do, and neglecting it brings judgment. The Holy Spirit will accompany the presentation of the truth so that a company of believers is raised up to worship God in spirit and in truth.
The Ethiopian eunuch, a nobleman of great authority under Candace with charge of all her treasure, was returning from worship at Jerusalem through the desert and reading Isaiah with an inquiring mind but without clear understanding, and he admitted he could not grasp what he read unless some man should guide him, inviting Philip to come up and sit with him in the chariot. The Lord knew his case and looked upon him as an honest seeker whose mind was led by the Spirit and watched by angels, and He met that hunger by directing Philip by an angel and by the Holy Spirit to join the chariot. Sitting beside him, Philip began at that same scripture and preached Jesus as the Saviour who pardons all who believe, until with enlightened heart he believed, confessed Christ as the Son of God, was baptized when they came to water, and went on his way rejoicing. The verse teaches that Scripture is not understood by reading alone, for God has made it necessary for men to learn heavenly things from one another, sending light through angels to His people and through His people to the world rather than having heavenly messengers themselves preach the gospel. It reveals His way in every age of joining divine leading with a sent servant, bringing honest seekers who read and believe yet cannot grasp the true meaning into connection with those who can best reach their need, and calling His workers today to be on watch, go where He sends, search the Scriptures with seekers, and preach Christ to them unto conversion.
The Ethiopian and His Reading
The one who speaks is the Ethiopian eunuch, an Ethiopian nobleman and official of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians. He had charge of all her treasure, belonged to the highest class, was a man of influence doing a great work, and could not understand the Scripture he was reading without someone to guide him.
He was returning from worship at Jerusalem and journeying homeward in his chariot through the desert of Gaza. He was reading the prophet Isaiah in his chariot while angels of God took notice of him as an honest seeker after truth and light.
He was studying the Scriptures with an interested and inquiring mind, with his mind led by the Spirit of God to the Scriptures, yet unable to interpret their meaning alone. He was half-converted, having some knowledge of God's Word but without clear understanding of the prophecies and unable to comprehend the written prophecies without a human guide. He longed and prayed for light from heaven, and his interest had been awakened by hearing Christ's preaching to the people.
Need for Human Guide
The eunuch's own admission that he could not grasp what he was reading without someone to show him the way means that even a sincere, studying reader needs a God-sent human guide to open the meaning. He was seeking after light and reading the Scriptures, yet unable to understand them alone until a worker joined him to explain them and lead him to Jesus and baptism. God has made it necessary for men to communicate with one another in order to learn heavenly things, so that the Word is not understood by reading it alone.
He did not merely confess his need but acted on it by asking Philip to come up and sit with him in the chariot and teach him. That invitation revealed a sincere hunger for truth and willingness to learn, for though a man of great authority under Candace with charge of all her treasure, returning from worship at Jerusalem, he did not make his high position an excuse for refusing instruction or resisting the drawing to the Saviour. His asking opened the way for Philip to explain the Word of God to him.
In this he stands for many people and a large class who read the Scriptures and believe them but cannot grasp their true meaning or the prophecies, who long for spiritual light and are ready to receive the gospel and need missionaries like Philip to explain God's Word to them. Among them are sincere Christians who have grace but less light, who hold fast unyieldingly to the light and truth they already believe, yet are not satisfied to go groping in darkness but plead with the Father in heaven for clearer light to know the truth, and the Lord does not leave them in darkness. Companies nigh and afar off with hands lifted entreatingly cry that they are starving for the Word as sheep having no shepherd, ignorant of the Scriptures because the shepherds feed themselves and feed not the flock.
The verse therefore means that sinners cannot understand truth unless some man guides them, so personal guidance and instruction are required and Scripture cannot be understood by reading alone. He was half-converted, with some knowledge of God's Word but without clear understanding of the prophecies, and only through Philip beginning at the same Isaiah scripture to preach Jesus was he led into the full light of the gospel unto confession, baptism, and going on his way rejoicing. So the work in the cities requires experienced workers to take other workers into unworked places to educate them in different lines, with men and women physicians doing a great guiding work, with small schools, books and papers and simple Bible lessons, and with division and subdivision of labor spreading from city to city.
Heaven Provides a Guide
The Spirit of God had led the traveler's mind to study the Scriptures in his chariot, and angels of God saw him and watched him as an honest seeker for light and enlightenment. The Lord knew his case and looked down upon him as he tried to understand the message of salvation while reading without comprehending its meaning. His interest had been awakened by hearing Christ's preaching to the people, and he was searching with an interested and inquiring mind.
God met that need by sending Philip to meet him and enlighten him and open the Scripture to him. An angel directed Philip to a certain place, and the Holy Spirit bade him go and join the chariot, and Philip obeyed. Philip asked whether he understood what he read, and at his invitation came up and sat beside him in the chariot.
God wonderfully works for such seekers by bringing them into contact with a worker who can join them, explain the Scriptures to them, and lead them to Jesus and baptism. He gives enlightenment in gospel truth by placing chosen men in connection with those who need it, bringing the seeker for truth into contact with a person who could explain the Word. God's care and angelic direction thus bring receptive people into contact with workers who can teach them the truth.
Heavenly messengers do not undertake the work of preaching the gospel, for God sends light through the ministration of angels to His people and through His people to the world. Though an angel could have done the work, it is not God's way of working, but men must connect with fellow men as His instrumentality to win souls to Christ. The Holy Spirit guides and instructs willing men and women by placing them where they can communicate the light received, and angels bring light for those in need to appointed human agencies.
No one should step in between the angels and a person God is seeking to instruct, but should stand aside and let God work on the heart. While heavenly angels work for an inquiring newly awakened mind whose acceptance of the Saviour hangs in the balance, evil agencies work at the same time to draw the mind to something else. Satan interposes obstacles to confuse it and evil angels wait to press in falsehoods and divert it from seeking truth, even as was revealed in the temptation of Christ in the wilderness, so that left unguided the seeker might never accept the Saviour.
Philip's Teaching and Its Fruit
Seated beside him in the chariot, Philip opened the Scriptures to his understanding, beginning at that same passage in Isaiah and explaining it by preaching Jesus. He set forth the gospel, the mission and work of Christ, that Christ as Saviour of the world pardons the transgression of all who will believe on Him. As the truth was unfolded the Holy Spirit opened spiritual eyesight, and his heart became alive with interest and delight. With enlightened heart and mind he believed the message that had been brought to him.
He confessed his faith that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. When they came to water he asked for baptism and was baptized, after which Philip was caught away. He then went on his way rejoicing. His prompt response teaches promptness in accepting and confessing Christ, in obeying Him and in answering the call of duty.
His conversion helped carry the gospel to Ethiopia. He was one of the higher classes, and through such converts the light of truth shines to the higher classes. Through him it also shone to people already advanced in temperance principles.
Why God Uses People
The question reveals the Lord's care for an inquiring soul by joining divine leading with a sent servant to bring understanding that leads to belief. A man of the highest class sat in the desert of Gaza with the Scriptures in his hand, his mind led by the Spirit of God to study them while angels looked on, yet unable to interpret their meaning alone and admitting he could not understand without a human guide. God, who rewards all who diligently seek Him, met that need by commissioning Philip to meet him, ask whether he understood what he read, and at his invitation come up and sit with him in his chariot. Philip opened the Scriptures by preaching the gospel, the mission and work of Christ as Saviour of the world who pardons the transgression of all who will believe on Him, while the Holy Spirit opened spiritual eyesight, and this enlightenment led to faith and to baptism when they came to water, after which Philip was caught away. The work is carried not by the wisdom of men but by the power of God, and the prompt acceptance, confession, obedience, and answering of the call of duty teach the same readiness required of every believer. God puts forth great effort for even one such man, for the Ethiopian represents a large class who read the Scriptures and cannot understand their meaning and need missionaries like Philip to explain God's Word, and going to seeking souls in this way is the work God calls His people to do, with a worker hearing the voice of God and going where God sends him, while neglecting it brings judgment.
This is the Lord's way of leading in every age, bringing honest-hearted seekers into connection with those of His people who can best reach the individual needs of every case. God has made it necessary for men to communicate with one another in order to learn heavenly things, so Scripture cannot be understood by reading alone without a guide. The eunuch was half-converted, returning from worship at Jerusalem with some knowledge of God's Word but without clear understanding of the prophecies, and his asking Philip to come up and sit with him opened the way for Philip in God's providence to have the privilege of guiding this seeker after truth into the full light of the gospel, beginning at the same Isaiah scripture and preaching Jesus. Knowledge of the truth is thus given by the informed to the uninformed, with some having special knowledge adapted to help one class of inquirers and others trained in a different way best fitted to help other classes, resulting in confession that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the requisite steps of conversion and baptism, and going on the way rejoicing.
Those who study the Scriptures with the Word of God as their counselor are enabled to understand what they read. This is true not only for those set apart as preachers but for every child of God, who though not called to preach may still minister for Christ and reveal oneness with Him. Those taught by God in this way work in unity with one another, with no discordant opinions, one in spirit and action, bound together by the Holy Spirit in a union satanic agencies cannot break.
Following the Pattern Today
God trains workers from this question to stay on watch and be ready to help every seeking case that comes to their notice, hearing His voice and going where He sends, becoming acquainted with seekers, searching the Scriptures with them, suggesting helpful questions, and preaching the gospel of the Word to them so they are converted. The eunuch was one of the higher classes, and through such converts the light of truth shines to the higher classes and to people already advanced in temperance principles. Believers are to stand in such a relation to God that they understand His voice when He speaks and obey His bidding.
This personal guidance must reach the neglected parts of the vineyard, the hills and out-of-the-way places, the byways and hedges, and new territories from Cooranbong to Queensland, nigh and afar off. Companies nigh and afar off lift hands entreatingly, crying that they are starving for the Word of the Lord as sheep having no shepherd, ignorant of the Scriptures because the shepherds feed themselves and feed not the flock. If there is but one soul to be saved that soul is more precious than all the combined wealth of the world, and it is never a waste of time and money to send workers into needy fields to labor for him. God still has a special work for workers to do for only a few in such fields.
Just as surely as God sent His servant to help and guide the Ethiopian as he tried to understand the message of salvation, He will raise up workers today to carry the message of truth to those who greatly need it. He calls both white people and colored people to engage in His service and to be laborers together with Himself in this work. He sends people as His representatives to those in need of divine help and guidance.
Philip's work of explaining the passage and preaching Jesus from it is the pattern of evangelistic work and the highest education to be received and given in schools today. The work in the cities requires this personal guidance and instruction, with experienced workers taking other workers with them into unworked places to educate them in different lines of work. Men and women physicians are to do a great guiding work, with small schools for training workers, with books and papers and Bible lessons in simplicity, and with division and subdivision of labor that spreads from one city to the next instead of centering in a few places with large schools and extravagant buildings. Those who seek preparation for service in the byways and hedges to present precious Bible truth and the last gospel message to those who have never heard it, living in obedience to the will of God and daily knowing whether they are doing their duty, should be given hearty encouragement and support and be allowed to go without hesitation.
Believers must be wholly consecrated, quick to understand their work, and take advantage of every circumstance to teach the grace of God and draw men to Christ, for an inquiring newly awakened mind has acceptance of the Saviour hanging in the balance while heavenly angels work for him and evil agencies work at the same time to draw the mind elsewhere with obstacles, confusion and falsehoods, so that left unguided he might never accept the Saviour. They should be earnest seekers for truth like him, holding fast unyieldingly to the light and truth already believed, refusing to be satisfied groping in darkness, pleading for light, hungering for truth, and longing and praying for light from heaven. When Christ is revealed they receive Him gladly with prompt acceptance, confession and obedience, answering the call of duty.
Going to seeking souls in this way is the work God calls His people to do, and neglecting it brings judgment. The Holy Spirit will accompany the presentation of the truth so that a company of believers is raised up to worship God in spirit and in truth.