The physician Luke wrote how, “the angel of the Lord spoke unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goes down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert. 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, Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet. Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join yourself to this chariot. And Philip ran there to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, do you understand what you read? 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 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”, and in chapter eight and verse thirty-three of the book of Acts Luke shared how the scripture continued, “in his humiliation his judgment was taken away” where we read:
In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation?
for his life is taken from the earth.
The verse begins, “In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation?” Luke began with the words, “in his humiliation” which means “within the one to whom Isaiah referred was spiritual abasement, lowliness and lamentation” “his judgment was taken away” or “the right, justice and condemnation of the one of whom Isaiah wrote was removed, carried away and put aside”: “and who shall declare his generation” which means “and what person will set forth, recount and describe the genealogy, natural descent and successive members of the family belonging to the one of whom Isaiah wrote”. Luke shared how the Ethiopian man continued reading the words of the prophet Isaiah who wrote that the “Messiah” would have His “right and justice” removed, and he questioned what person would be able to describe His genealogy.
The verse continues, “for his life is taken from the earth.” Luke added the words, “for his life” which means “because, since and on account that the Messiah's absolute fullness of life which is real and genuine, active and vigorous and devoted to God” “is taken from the earth” or “is removed from the arable land, territory and ground”. Luke shared how the Ethiopian man was reading how the Messiah's “fullness of life” would be removed from the “earth” and it's territory. (See Isaiah 53:8)
When we consider Luke's words in this verse, we learn more about what the Ethiopian man was reading in the book of Isaiah. The prophesy written by Isaiah spoke of the Messiah having His “rights and justice” removed, and He was unable to have descendants through whom His genealogy would derive. The Messiah's “life” was to be removed from the “earth”, and Jesus fulfilled all these words. God sent His Son Jesus into the world to pay the price of death for the sins of people, and when they submit their lives to Him, He will forgive their sins and grant them everlasting life. Let everyone who reads these words hear the prophesy of “Isaiah” and yield themselves to Jesus who is the “Savior and Lord” of the world.
Next time Luke shares how the Ethiopian asks Philip, “I pray you, of whom speaks the prophet this?”, 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".
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