Go Near, And Join Thyself To This Chariot. Series

Act 8:26-40 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. 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? 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.

Candace was not just a name it was a title like Caesar or Pharaoh.

Jewish men and proselytes from all over would return to Jerusalem to worship at the feasts. Maybe it was Passover or Yom Kippur

God called Philip away from a great miracle meeting where multitudes were being saved and healed to meet one on one with a Jewish proselyte from Ethiopia! He was directed by the Spirit to join the chariot. He heard the eunuch reading from Isaiah 53:7 He questioned whether the eunuch understood what he was reading.

The eunuch invited him to explain. From the Scripture portion Philip preached Jesus unto him. He believed and requested baptism. He went his way rejoicing after the Spirit caught away Philip

Philip's exploits indicate that from the beginning he was interested in one thing only: preaching Jesus. Selected as a deacon to minister at tables he quickly rose to prominence as an evangelist who was willing not only to preach to a crowd but also to a single person. He was not hampered by racial and ethnic prejudices but preached Jesus to anyone who would listen. He was willing to leave a thriving revival he initiated because God wanted him to speak to one person, He was able to do this because he saw the work as belonging to God and he was working for God not himself.

So what can we learn from the incident?

1. THE SERVANT OF GOD HEARS HIS VOICE.

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: John 10:27

Heb 3:7-11 Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice, 8 Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: 9 When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years. 10 Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways. 11 So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.)

Sometimes we can be so preoccupied listening to the thunder earthquake and fire that we miss the still small voice!

Sometimes we are like the child Samuel. We do not recognize when God is speaking.

2. THE SERVANT OF GOD IS OBEDIENT TO GOD.

Philip went without questioning the wisdom of God's direction! He simply obeyed! God said "Arise and go..." Philip arose and went at God's command!

Act 8:26-27 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...