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THE KING’S BUSINESS
Philip and the Ethiopian MARCH 19, 1916. LESSON X II. Acts 8:26-40. (Commit vs. 28-31). G olden T e x t : “ Understandest thou what thou readest?”—Acts 8:30.
DA ILY BIBLE READINGS Mon., Mar. 13.—Acts 8:26-33.. (The Lesson). Tues., Mar. 14—Acts 8:34-40. (The Lesson). Wed., Mar. IS—Isaiah S3.
Thurs., Mar. 16—Joshua 1 :l- 8 . Fri., Mar. 17—Psalm 119:9-19. Sat., Mar. 18—Psalm 1. Sun., Mar. 19—Luke .24:25-32.
EXPOSITION AND PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS
a mistranslation where'used after the incar nation at Bethlehem. vs. 27, 28. "And he arose and went; and behold, a man of' Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who had charge of all her treasure (was over-all her treasure), and (who) had come to Jerusalem for to wor ship, was returning (and he was return ing), and sitting in his chariot, read Esaias the prophet (and was reading the prophet Isaiah) .’’ Philip had learned ' the highest form o f wisdom, the wisdom o f doing just what the Lord bade him do, without asking any questions. However singular the com mand may have seemed to him, he asked for no explanation, but immediately did as he was told. Philip was a man guided o f God at every step, but this shows us why he was guided o f God, because he was so quick to listen, so prompt to obey! He was earnestly looking for guidance and so the guidance came. He was prompt in obeying guidance when it came, so further guidance, came. The reason why we do not have more constant guidance is because we are not more constantly looking for it and are not prompt to obey it when it comes. W e are all the time wanting God to explain why He tells us to do this or that. Philip was a man o f faith, for faith’s best proof is obedience (cf. Heb. 11:8). It soon became evident why God had sent Philip to the desert road, a man came along that way who was a man o f tremen dous importance and great influence. If
v. 26. And the (But an) angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south, unto the way that goejh down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which ( the same) is desert.’’ Philip was in the midst of a great'work in Samaria, the whole city was aroused and multitudes were turning to the Lord (vs. 1-13). There had been also a marvellous outpouring of the Spirit upon believers (vs. 14-16): In the midst o f this wonderful work comes the apparently strange command to leave all these crowds and this deep interest and go down to a “ desert” road to meet a sin gle individual and lead him to Christ. This shows the tremendous importance in God’s sight o f personal work, and the enormous value o f a single soul. The salvation o f this one man meant the carrying o f the gospel to a whole nation. W e can never tell what may be involved in the leading of a single soul to Christ. God spoke to Philip and gave him his commission through an angel. The Authorized Ver sion says “the angel o f the Lord,” but this is a mistranslation of the Greek: The Angel of the Lord” is a definite person. A careful study o f all Scripture on the sub ject shows that “the Angel o f the Lord,” who appears a number o f times in the Old Testament, is none other than the Lord Jesus Himself in His pre-incarnate state. He never appears in the Bible after the birth o f Jesus at Bethlehem. The words, “the angel of the Lord” occur in the Authorized Version, but they-are always
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