The physician Luke wrote after Philip led the Ethiopian man through the scriptures written by the prophet Isaiah, “Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus. And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what does hinder me to be baptized? And 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, 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”, and in chapter eight and verse thirty-nine of the book of Acts Luke shared, “when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip” where we read:
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.
The verse begins, “And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, ...” Luke began with the words, “and when they were come up out of the water” which means “and at the time and moment Philip and the Ethiopian man arose and ascended from the water”, “the Spirit of the Lord” or “the third person of the triune God, the Holy Spirit, who is coequal and co-eternal with the Father and the Son belonging to the One to whom a person or thing belongs, about which he has power of deciding; master, and the title given to God the Messiah” “caught away Philip” which means “seized or snatched away Philip whose name means lover of horses and was one of Jesus' apostles”. Luke shared how Philip and the Ethiopian man ascended from the “water”, and God's Holy Spirit “snatched” “Philip” away from there.
The verse continues, “... that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.” Luke added the words, “that the eunuch” which means “that the emasculated Ethiopian man” “saw him no more” or “observed, notice, and perceived Philip no longer”: “and he went on his way rejoicing” which means “and the Ethiopian eunuch thrived and was exceedingly glad as he departed on his journey ”. Luke shared how the “Ethiopian eunuch” no longer “saw Philip”, and he continued on his journey with an exceedingly joyful heart and mind.
When we consider Luke's words in this verse, we learn how “Philip” was quickly removed by God's Holy Spirit from the “Ethiopian man” after he and the man ascended from the baptismal waters. This “Ethiopian man” was “saved”, and his life was reborn in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. “Philip” was used by God to reach this “one man”, and He desires to reach every person who will yield their lives to His Son Jesus. When they surrender to Him, Jesus will forgive their sins and grant them everlasting life. This idea should make any person who understands and submits to God's plan of redemption through Jesus Christ “rejoice exceedingly” because their sins have been removed and they will live forever with God.
Next time Luke shares how, “Philip was found at Azotus”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
No comments:
Post a Comment