ISAIAH 18
OPENS WITH Concerning Ethiopia
Verses 1-2 tell us GOD says, No need to make an alliance with Ethiopia.
"Woe to the land shadowed with buzzing wings, which is beyond the rivers of Ethiopia, which sends ambassadors by sea, even in vessels of reed on the waters, saying, "Go, swift messengers, to a nation tall and smooth of skin, to a people terrible from their beginning onward, a nation powerful and treading down, whose land the rivers divide."
WOE TO THE LAND OF BUZZING WINGS ON THE NILE, WE KNOW THIS REFERS TO EGYPT AND WE CERTAINLY KNOW WHY GOD SAYS THIS....REMEMBER WHAT EGYPT SOUGHT TO DO TO THE ISRAELITES AND WHAT 10 PLAGUES THE LORD BROUGHT UPON THEM?
Which is BEYOND the rivers of Ethiopia...In the days of Isaiah, Ethiopia was a MAJOR world power, ruling Egypt and a chief RIVAL to Assyria. Since Judah was caught in the middle between this conflict, it might make sense for Judah to align herself with Ethiopia against Assyria.
A BIT OF HISTORY...In 715 B.C. an Ethiopian named Shabako gained control of Egypt as founder of the twenty-fifth dynasty. Ethiopian domination continued until 633 B.C. when a native Egyptian regained the throne.
IN THAT TIME, ETHIOPIA INCLUDED the Sudan and Somalia. ETHIOPIA IS NOT THAT LARGE TODAY.
Shadowed with buzzing wings...
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?
THEN AND NOW...The Nile Valley is famous for its many whirring insects.
Which sends ambassadors by sea...Ethiopian ambassadors who come to make an alliance with Judah and the other nations of the region AGAINST Assyria.
Go, swift messengers, to a nation tall and smooth of skin...As the Ethiopian ambassadors invite Judah to rebel against the Assyrians, they ask Judah to send swift messengers back to Ethiopia.
IN THAT DAY..."to a nation tall and smooth of skin" … MEANT A POWERFUL NATION. The Ethiopians HOPED to hear that Judah has rebelled against Assyria and aligned itself with Ethiopia and Egypt.
Verses 3-6 tells us The LORD rejects the offer of help from the Ethiopians.
"All inhabitants of the world and dwellers on the earth: When he lifts up a banner on the mountains, you see it; and when he blows a trumpet, you hear it. For so the LORD said to me, "I will take My rest, and I will look from My dwelling place like clear heat in sunshine, like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest." For before the harvest, when the bud is perfect and the sour grape is ripening in the flower, He will both cut off the sprigs with pruning hooks and take away and cut down the branches. They will be left together for the mountain birds of prey and for the beasts of the earth; the birds of prey will summer on them, and all the beasts of the earth will winter on them."
The LORD said to me, "I will take My rest"...
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?
The LORD God rejects the alliance with Ethiopia, because He is more than able to deal with the Assyrians Himself. He can take His rest without the help of the Ethiopians. If God wanted to muster an army against Assyria, He would have raised a banner or sounded a trumpet. He is fully able to do it, and would do it when the time is right.
Significantly, YOU WILL NOTICE THERE IS NO REBUKE OR JUDGMENT AGAINST ETHIOPIA IN THIS CHAPTER.
WHY?
It wasn't as if God was going to judge Ethiopia for their offer of an alliance. Perhaps the idea is that it is a well intentioned but unnecessary offer. Instead, Judah was to trust in the LORD!
He will both cut off the sprigs with pruning hooks and take away and cut the branches...
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?
THE LORD GOD IS TELLING JUDAH THAT HE IS MORE THAN ABLE TO God "prune" Assyria all by Himself. AND HE PROMISES HE WILL DESTROY the Assyrian army so completely that they will be left together for the mountain birds of prey.
Verse 7 tells us A present will be brought to the LORD of hosts: Isaiah announces a day when Ethiopians will come and worship the LORD, and bring gifts to Him to the place of the name of the LORD of hosts, to Mount Zion.
"In that time a present will be brought to the LORD of hosts from a people tall and smooth of skin, and from a people terrible from their beginning onward, a nation powerful and treading down, whose land the rivers divide; to the place of the name of the LORD of hosts, to Mount Zion."
Instead of Israelite messengers bringing news to Ethiopia of an alliance against the Assyria, THE LORD TELLS ISAIAH the day will come when Ethiopians will come and worship at Mount Zion.
This WAS fulfilled in NEAR TIME close to Isaiah's time.
But we ALSO know it was fulfilled FOR THE ETHIOPIAN PEOPLE, in Acts 8:26-40.
REMEMBER when an Ethiopian came to worship the LORD at Jerusalem, and then trusted in Jesus at the preaching of Philip.
ACTS 8:26-40
"Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, "Arise and go toward the south along the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza." This is desert. So he arose and went. And behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace the queen of the Ethiopians, who had charge of all her treasury, and had come to Jerusalem to worship, was returning. And sitting in his chariot, he was reading Isaiah the prophet. Then the Spirit said to Philip, "Go near and overtake this chariot."
DID YOU CATCH THAT?
NOT ((THE ANGEL)) OF THE LORD, BUT ((AN ANGEL)) OF THE LORD, SO WE KNOW IT WAS NOT JESUS SENT TO PHILIP WITH A MESSAGE FROM JESUS.
THEN THE SPIRIT, WE KNOW OUR COMFORTER, OUR HOLY SPIRIT LIVING WITHIN ALL THOSE WHO CALL JESUS CHRIST LORD, MASTER, SAVIOR AND FRIEND SPOKE TO PHILIP FROM WITHIN.
We might have thought that Philip would have objected to leaving the great success of the work in Samaria to go out to the desolate desert, but God had a plan in it all. Philip MAY HAVE WONDERED, BUT HE WAS submissive to God's plan.
AND DID YOU KNOW....This is desert means that Philip's errand was foolish from man's perspective, but wise in God. What could be more foolish than to leave a place of prospering ministry and go to a desert road?
AND INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH....IN THAT DAY, There were TWO ROADS from Jerusalem to Gaza, and THE LORD commands Philip to take the one that was SELDOM used.
AND THE BIBLE SHOWS US AND TEACHES US...If JESUS CHRIST is hindered, it is because some Christian is not willing to go!, AMEN?
A man of Ethiopia … had come to Jerusalem to worship: On the desert road, Philip encountered an Ethiopian proselyte to Judaism returning from Jerusalem - & HE WAS READING THE BOOK OF ISAIAH!
Of great authority...The Ethiopian was undoubtedly a successful man. Yet his success obviously didn't answer all the questions in his life. He knew he needed some real spiritual answers in his life, and he was seeking God.
WHO IS CANDACE?
Candace was THE TITLE for certain female royalty in Ethiopia.
He was reading Isaiah the prophet...The Ethiopian was hungry for God's Word. Typically, IN THAT DAY, ONE SCROLL FOR ONE PERSON COST A FORTUNE, SO RARE & EXPENSIVE WERE THEY, BUT THE ETHIOPIAN DID NOT COUNT THE COST IN SEEKING THE LORD, AMEN?
Verses 30-35 tells us Philip preaches Jesus to the Ethiopian.
"So Philip ran to him, and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, "Do you understand what you are reading?" And he said, "How can I, unless someone guides me?" And he asked Philip to come up and sit with him. The place in the Scripture which he read was this: "He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and as a lamb before its shearer is silent, so He opened not His mouth. In His humiliation His justice was taken away, and who will declare His generation? For His life is taken from the earth." So the eunuch answered Philip and said, "I ask you, of whom does the prophet say this, of himself or of some other man?" Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him."
DID YOU CATCH THAT....ISAIAH THE PROPHET AND HIS WORDS CONFIRMED HERE IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. THE ETHIOPIAN WAS READING ISAIAH, AND THROUGH ISAIAH PHILIP PREACHED TO HIM ABOUT JESUS. WHAT MORE CONFIRMATION DO WE NEED THAT ISAIAH WAS A MAN OF GOD AND THAT HIS WORD COMES STRAIGHT FROM THE LORD, AMEN?
The Spirit said to Philip: It took real boldness for Philip to go right up to the Ethiopian's chariot and speak to him, but that is what the Holy Spirit told him to do.
The Ethiopian was a rich man, a man of power, and at least in some way a celebrity. Yet Philip knew he needed Jesus just a much as anyone else.
Why do we fear telling "important" people about Jesus?
We often shrink back from speaking boldly about Jesus, and the world lets us know we shouldn't talk about such things. But does the world shrink back from cramming its gospel down our throats? How many people are upset when all sorts of immorality and lies are forced upon believers? We should be just as bold to the world about Jesus as world is bold to us about sin AMEN?
Heard him reading the prophet Isaiah: Philip knew at that moment that THE LORD had given him an open door, a prepared heart. Plainly, THE LORD had arranged this meeting between Philip and the Ethiopian; this is a glorious example of how THE LORD JESUS CAN AND WILL OPEN doors for evangelism.
AND DID YOU CATCH THAT?
GOD HAD ALREADY PREPARED THE HEART OF THE ETHIOPIAN, THEN HAD OPENED THE DOORS BEFOREEEEEEE HE directed Philip TO TAKE THE DESERT ROAD.
RIGHT HERE, WE CAN BE REASSURED AND KNOW THAT IF JESUS SENDS US....HE HAS ALREADY PREPARED THE WAY FOR US TO ACCOMPLISH IT, AMEN?
AND ONE OF OUR GREATEST JOBS IN THIS LIFE, IS TO SHINE AND SHOW AND SHARE JESUS....SO WE ARE TO PRAY FOR OPEN DOORS!
Then, having prayed for open doors, we must keep alert to the opportunities JESUS WILL BRING TO US OR SEND US TOO, AMEN?
Philip was effective as an evangelist because he knew how to flow with what the Holy Spirit wanted to do. YOU NOTICE, HE WENT TO HIM, ASKED HIM WHAT HE WAS READING, AND THEN ASKED IF HE UNDERSTOOD WHAT HE WAS READING, FIRST. THEN HE OPENED HIS MOUTH AND WAS led by the Spirit, not by his own whims and feelings TO GIVE THE ETHIOPIAN THE ANSWERS HE SOUGHT.
AND 1 PETER 3:15 CONFIRMS THIS, "But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear."
Heard him reading...
DID YOU KNOW, In the ancient world, it was common to read aloud. Philip knew what the Ethiopian was reading by listening as he read.
Do you understand what you are reading?
It was good for the Ethiopian to be reading the Bible, but unless understanding was brought to him, there would be little benefit from his reading. But God had brought someone (Philip) to bring understanding.
THAT IS WHY WE SHOULD ASK JESUS FOR HIS WISDOM AND DISCERNMENT AND UNDERSTANDING BEFORE WE READ THE BIBLE.
BUT THIS ALSO CONFIRMS WHAT HAS BEEN TOLD TO MANY PEOPLE, IF YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND ....ASK! THE ONLY STUPID QUESTION IS THE UNASKED ONE, AMEN?
How can I, unless someone guides me? This is the proper question of anyone who wants to understand the Bible. We should never feel bad if we need to be taught before we can understand many things.
SEEKING AND ASKING...IS THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM, IT IS ALSO A TANGIBLE SIGN OF EARNESTNESS AND HUMILITY. NO ONE KNOWS AND UNDERSTANDS ALL THINGS IN THIS LIFE NOR IN THE BIBLE, BUT WE CANNNNNNN ASK AND SHOULDDDDDDD ASK IT OF SOMEONE WHO KNOWS AND LOVES JESUS AND HIS WORD, AMEN?
JESUS TELLS US HIMSELF, KEEP SEEKING, KEEP ASKING, KEEP KNOCKING....AMEN?
It is glorious when we come to understand the great truths of Scripture on our own, but God always has a place and a purpose for teachers in the body of Christ.
AND WHEN WE HEAR, CONFIRM IT TO BE OF OUR JESUS, THEN WE ARE TO SHARE IT...SOMEONE ELSE MAY BE LOOKING AND SEEKING TOO, AMEN?
THE QUESTION HAS BEEN ASKED OFTEN?
How can I get more understanding from MY own time in the Bible?
To get anything from our Bibles, we must DIVE IN.
ONE BIBLE PROFESSOR ASKED OF HIS CLASS...ARE YOU A BUTTERFLY OR A BEE FOR JESUS AND HIS WORD?
MOST LIKED THE BUTTERFLY BETTER THAN THE BEE...
SO HE SAID...Butterflies wander over the flowers in the garden and accomplish nothing, but bees plunge right down into the flower, and carry away essential food, for themselves, the hive, as well feeding and pollinating the other flowers. We won't get anything if we just hover over our Bibles; we have to dive right in.
I ask you, of whom does the prophet say this, of himself or of some other man?
HE WAS REFERRING TO Isaiah 53:7-8.
AND TO UNDERSTAND HIS CONFUSION, WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE TIMES THEY LIVED IN.
IN THAT DAY OF ISAIAH, the Jews of that day had different ways they interpreted the identity of this SUFFERING servant.
Some thought THE SUFFERING SERVANT was the nation of Israel itself, as Israel had suffered greatly in wars, exile, and persecution.
Some thought THE SUFFERING SERVANT was Isaiah writing about himself.
Some thought THE SUFFERING SERVANT was the Messiah, but they thought this hard to accept, because they didn't want to think of THEIR MESSIAH TO COME TO SUFFER AT ALL.
WE KNOW ISAIAH WAS TELLING US THAT JESUS CHRIST, OUR MESSIAH, WAS GOING TO BE THE SUFFERING SERVANT...AND HE WAS, AMEN?
Beginning at THIS Scripture...
Philip talked about more than JUST THIS PASSAGE from Isaiah, but this is where he started.
WHY?
He started at COMMON GROUND with the Ethiopian, but made his way to talking about Jesus. It was easy to talk about Jesus beginning at this Scripture, AMEN?
Philip's effective preaching consisted in explaining WHO JESUS WAS (like a lamb … preached Jesus) and what He has done for us (He was led as a sheep to the slaughter). Explaining who Jesus is and what He has done for us is the essence of the gospel.
Today, THE MEDIA IS FILLED WITH TOO MANY PREACHERS FOCUSING ON WHAT THE SAVED AND THE LOST MUST DO FORRRRRRRRR GOD FIRST!
THEY FORGET THAT THE GOSPEL BEGINS WITH WHAT ALMIGHTY GOD HAS DONE FORRRRRRRRR USSSSSS IN AND THROUGH HIS PRECIOUS SON, JESUS CHRIST, AMEN?
THAT IS JUST ANOTHER REASON, I SUGGEST THAT THE LOST AND THE SEEKING AND THE NEW BABIES IN CHRIST READ THE GOSPEL OF JOHN FIRST.
WHY?
JOHN GREW UP KNOWING JESUS, HE WAS RELATED TO JESUS, AND HE LOVED JESUS SO VERY MUCH, HE STAYED CLOSE TO JESUS, HE WAS LIKE A BELOVED PUPPY, LOVING ON JESUS, HE MADE JESUS LAUGH, HE TEASED JESUS, HE JUMPED IN AND JOINED JESUS PLAYING WITH THE CHILDREN THAT FLOCKED TO JESUS. HE TRUSTED HIM, HE NEVER BETRAYED HIM, AND HE NEVER WALKED AWAY FROM JESUS, BUT STUCK CLOSE TO HIM ALL OF HIS LIFE...HE STAYED WITH MARY, THE MOTHER OF JESUS, WHILE SHE STOOD AND WATCHED HER PRECIOUS FIRST BORN SON SUFFER AND DIE. AND JESUS LOVED AND TRUSTED WHOM I CALL LITTLE JOHN, A YOUNG MAN SO MUCH, THAT WITH HIS LAST BREATH, HE GAVE HIS MOTHER INTO JOHN'S KEEPING AND HE INTO HERS. JESUS KNEW JOHN WOULD LOVE AND CARE FOR MARY, MAKE HER LAUGH, TEASE HER, LOVE AND KISS ON HER, AND PROTECT HER ABOVE ALL OTHERS (HIS HALF SIBLINGS INCLUDED). AND HE KNEW THE STILL GROWING JOHN WHO HAD NO REAL MOTHER, NEEDED SWEET MARY TO LOVE AND LEAD AND COMFORT HIM TOO.
THE GOSPEL OF JOHN SHOWS YOU THE MAN JESUS...THE HEART OF JESUS. THE KINDNESS OF JESUS... THE PATIENCE OF JESUS REGARDLESS WHAT HE FACED...ONCE YOU SEE JESUS CHRIST THROUGH THE EYES OF JOHN...YOUR HEART IS FOREVER CHANGED...AND ONCE YOU DO...THE THIRST TO KNOW THE RESTTTTTTT OF THE STORY GROWS IN YOU, AMEN?
Verses 36-40 tell us the Ethiopian's response to the gospel and Philip's MYSTERIOUS departure.
"Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, "See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?" Then Philip said, "If you believe with all your heart, you may." And he answered and said, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God." So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him. Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing. But Philip was found at Azotus. And passing through, he preached in all the cities till he came to Caesarea."
And the Eunuch said: The Ethiopian himself was ready to respond to the gospel. This was a work of the Holy Spirit, not a tribute to Philip's "salesmanship."
YOU NOTICE PHILIP INSISTED that the Ethiopian believe with ALL HIS HEART before being baptized. In a nutshell, this describes how we should respond to the gospel: Believe with all [your] heart.
AND REMEMBER THIS...IT IS NO BIG BREAK THROUGH NOR CONFESSION FOR SOMEONE TO SAY....
OH YEAH....GOD....JESUS....YEAH I BELIEVE THEY EXIST, ARE REAL, AND LIVE OUT THERE SOMEWHERE.
SATAN & ALL OF HIS DEMONS IN THE PIT OF HELL, KNOW THERE IS A TRIUNE GOD WITHOUT A SHADOW OF DOUBT.
THEY HAVE BEEN FACE TO FACE WITH OUR TRIUNE GOD.
SATAN AND HIS DEMONS HAVE WHAT IS CALLED...FAITH OF THE HEAD...THEY KNOW JESUS CHRIST, ALMIGHTY GOD, & THE HOLY SPIRIT ARE REAL. ARE TRIUNE, ARE CREATOR GOD, but THEY HATE THE TRUTH OF THEM IN THEIR HEARTS.
AND THE SAME IS TRUE OF LOST MANKIND...THEY MAY KNOW IN THEIR HEADS...They may intellectually know that Jesus died for the sins of the world, but do we know in our hearts that He died to cleanse our sins?
HEAD KNOWLEDGE AND ACCEPTANCE IS NOT ENOUGH, BECAUSE THEIR HEARTS ARE DEAD AND CLOSED AND RESISTANT TO THE TRUTH, AMEN?
ALMIGHTY GOD WANTS THE TRUTH OF HIS PRECIOUS SON JESUS CHRIST AND WHAT HE DID FOR REJECTING MANKIND, THAT TRUTH NOT ONLY IN OUR HEADS, BUT ALSO IN OUR HEARTS, AMEN.
THE ETHIOPIAN SAID...I BELIEVE that Jesus Christ is the Son of God... This confession of faith, taken in all that it means, is the essential belief FOR ANYONE who will come to God through the ONLY WAY, THE ONLY TRUTH, AND THE ONLY LIFE..which is JESUS CHRIST HIMSELF.
ALMIGHTY GOD SAYS IF YOU BELIEVE IN ME, BUT REJECT MY SON, I WILL REJECT YOU. We must believe in the person of Jesus, in all that He is and has done as Christ. We must believe that He is the Divine Son, and that He is the Son of God sent from the Father to accomplish the salvation of all those who will believe with all their hearts, AMEN?
See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?...This shows that the Ethiopian did in fact believe, and that he wanted to be baptized TO HONOR JESUS AND FOLLOW IN HIS FOOTSTEPS. BY ALSO BEING BAPTIZED. HE WANTED TO declare his belief..HE DID NOTTTT WANT TO WAIT.
YOU NOTICE PHILIP DID NOT SAY, BUT FIRST, YOU HAVE TO ATTEND BAPTISM CLASSES, YOU HAVE TO COMPLETE A COURSE, YOU HAVE TO PASS THIS COURSE, THERE ARE RITUALS YOU MUST PERFORM FIRST, AND FULLY UNDERSTAND JESUS CHRIST AND WHAT BAPTISM IS BEFORE I CAN IN ALL GOOD CONSCIENCE BAPTIZE YOU.
PHILIP SAID...LET'S GO! RIGHT HERE...RIGHT NOW!
JESUS CHRIST IS SO PRECIOUS...SO EASY...THAT EVEN LITTLE CHILDREN GRASP IT...WHEN MAN, RELIGIONS, AND MAN-CREATED IDEOLOGIES STEP IN AND ADD QUANTIFIERS, KNOWINGLY OR NOT, THEY ARE DARING TO ENTER INTO TERRITORY THAT IS JESUS CHRIST ALONE.
AND THINK ABOUT THIS AS WELL...WHO AMONG US REALLY KNEW AND UNDERSTOOD ALL THINGS THE BIBLE SHOWS US, TEACHES US...THE DAY WE ASKED JESUS CHRIST INTO OUR HEARTS AND LIVES?
I PERSONALLY, AM NOW 58 YEARS OLD, AND EVERY SINGLE DAY, I LEARN SOMETHING PRECIOUS AND NEW AND PRICELESS ABOUT JESUS AND HIS WORD...I ASKED JESUS INTO MY HEART AND LIFE AND WAS BAPTIZED WHEN I WAS 9 YEARS OLD, AND 49 YEARS LATER, I LOVE JESUS MORE, ABSOLUTELY TRUE, BUT I STILL KNOW ONLY A THIMBLE FULL OF ALL OUR JESUS IS AND OF HIS WORD...I WILL NOT SEE CLEARLY, AND UNDERSTAND PERFECTLY, UNTIL I WALK INTO HEAVEN AND MEET OUR JESUS FACE TO FACE.
SO REMEMBER A PASTOR, IS THE SHEPHERD, WHO DOES THE WILL OF JESUS, IF HIS HEAD AND HEART BELONG TO JESUS CHRIST. HE IS EXCITED FOR EVERY PERSON THAT COMES TO JESUS, PUBLICLY ACCEPTS HIM AS LORD, SAVIOR, AND FRIEND, AND ASKS TO BE BAPTIZED.
HE SHOULD SAY...LETS GO...RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW!!!!
THE SHEPHERD'S DUTY, IS NOT TO STRIVE TO KNOW AND JUDGE THE HEART OF THOSE UNTO SALVATION, BUT TO DO THE WILL OF THE FATHER....AND BAPTIZE ALL THAT COME.
JESUS SAYS...WHOSOEVER WILL...COME!
JESUS CHRIST WILL DO THE REST AMEN!!!
Went down into the water … when they came up out of the water...JUST AS JOHN THE BAPTIST, IMMERSED JESUS CHRIST COMPLETELY INTO AND UNDER THE RIVER JORDAN, SO TO DOES Philip immerse the Ethiopian in baptism. This was not sprinkling, but immersion.
I MEAN THINK ABOUT IT, IF YOU WANT TO BE CLEAN FROM THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD TO YOUR FEET, YOU DO NOT SPRINKLE WATER ON YOUR HEAD...YOU DO NOT TAKE A BIRD BATH, YOU DIVE IN AND GET UNDERRRRRR THE WATER, AMEN?
AND HERE WE SEE A GLIMPSE OF WHAT OUR LIVES WILL BE LIKE ONCE WE WHO LOVE JESUS CHRIST, RECEIVE OUR IMMORTAL BODIES TO MATCH OUR IMMORTAL SPIRITS WHAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO DO, WHEN WE RETURN WITH JESUS, AS HE RULES AND REIGNS OVER THE EARTH FOR 100O YEARS.
WE WILL NOT NEED TRAINS, PLANES, OR CARS TO TRAVEL OVER THIS EARTH...IN A BLINK WE WILL GO FROM ONE PLACE TO THE NEXT!
The Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more … Philip was found at Azotus: Suddenly, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, while the Ethiopian was still in the water where he was baptized! He was then "transported" supernaturally to the former Philistine city of Azotus (also known as Ashdod).
DID YOU KNOW...IN A BLINK....PHILIP LEFT THE SELDOM USED ROAD TO JERUSALEM AND APPEARED IN ASHDOD, WHICH IS 34 MILES AWAY?
HOW SUPER COOL WILL THAT BE. AMEN?
This is a strange, perhaps unprecedented event in the Scriptures. But a similar thing happened when the disciples' boat came immediately to its destination (John 6:15-21), and a similar thing will also happen when the church is caught up together with Him at the rapture (1 Thessalonians 4:15-18).
AND WE KNOW JESUS APPEARED AND THEN VANISHED FROM THE ROOMS WHERE THE DISCIPLES WERE HIDING, THEN APPEARED ON THE ROAD...SO ONE SWEET DAY...SO SHALL WE!!!
He went on his way rejoicing...The joy of the Ethiopian, even after Philip's strange departure, shows that THE ETHIOPIAN'S faith was firmly rooted in JESUS CHRIST AND HIS WORD, not in Philip.
WE HAVE ALL HAD PEOPLE ASK OF US, THOSE OF US WHO KNOW AND LOVE JESUS AND CALL HIM SAVIOR, LORD, AND FRIEND....SO WHAT HAVE YOU DONE FOR JESUS LATELY?
HOW MANY HAVE BEEN SAVED THROUGH YOUR BIBLE STUDIES OR PRAYER MEETINGS OR YOUR WITNESSING...AND I ANSWER THEM HONESTLY...I HAVE NO IDEA...BUT THEN I DO NOT NEED TO KNOW...THAT IS NOT MY JOB...I CAN NOT SAVE ANYONE, ONLY JESUS CHRIST CAN. MY MISSION FROM JESUS IS SIMPLY TO TELL THEM, GIVE THEM JESUS WORDS, SHINE AND SHOW JESUS....THE REST IS ALL HIS JOB.
AND MANY LOOK AT ME LIKE I AM CRAZY...OR ARE DISTURBED THAT I DO NOT KEEP A LOG BOOK...I JUST GRIN AND TELL THEM....JESUS CHRIST IS MY ACCOUNTANT, I TRUST IN HIS RECORD KEEPING OF MY LIFE, AMEN?
BUT IT IS SAD, THAT THERE ARE THOSE CHRISTIANS WHO KEEP METICULOUS RECORDS, TODAY I WITNESSED TO 25 PEOPLE, 4 SAID THE SINNERS PRAYER, 2 WERE BAPTIZED, I PRAYED FOR 10, & THE REST WERE FOREVER CHANGED.
THOSE WHO DO SO, FORGET THAT OUR JESUS CHRIST WHO KNOWS AND SEES AND READS ALL HEARTS AND LIVES....KEEPS PERFECT RECORDS...WE DO NOT HAVE TO COUNT THE COST. WE SHOULD NOTTTTTTTT FOCUS ON THE NUMBERS...JESUS ASKS US SIMPLY....FEED MY SHEEP...SHINE AND SHOW AND SHARE ME WITH THE LOST AND SEEKING...IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII WILL DO THE REST, AMEN?
DID YOU KNOW...THE FUTURE IMPACT THAT ONE DAY OBEDIENCE OF PHILIP EARNED HEAVEN?
FROM THAT ONE ETHIOPIAN EUNUCH HIGH GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL'S SALVATION ...a strong Ethiopian church ROSE UP IN THE NEXT FEW CENTURIES & the enduring Ethiopian church CONTINUES today.
SO REMEMBER.....JESUS CHRIST HAS A PLAN. HE IS PATIENT. AND HE NEEDS ONLY ONE MAN, ONE WOMAN, ONE CHILD...WHO LOVES HIM, STUDIES HIS WORD, LISTENS TO HIS VOICE...AND THE IMPOSSIBLE IS POSSIBLE.
SO THE NEXT TIME SOMEONE SAYS TO YOU....YOU ARE BUT ONE MAN, ONE WOMAN, ONE CHILD...WHAT CAN YOU POSSIBLY DO TO MAKE A REAL IMPACT ON THE WORLD FOR JESUS....
HAVE THEM READ ISAIAH 18, THEN READ ACTS 8:26-40.
AND IF JESUS SENDS YOU TO THE DESERT OR ONTO A ROAD SELDOM TRAVELED...THERE IS SOMEONE THERE WAITING FOR YOU TO GIVE THEM JESUS...
ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE WHEN WE PLACE OUR TRUST, FAITH, BELIEF, AND HOPE IN JESUS CHRIST, HIS WORD, HIS PROMISES....