Acts 8:26-28 26Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, “Rise and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem into Gaza.” This is a desolate place. 27And rising, he went. And behold, there was an Ethiopian man, a eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was over all her treasury, who had come to Jerusalem to worship, 28and he was returning, seated in his chariot, and he was reading the prophet Isaiah.
The next story Luke relates tells of further expansion of the gospel through the ministry of Philip. Philip got directions for his next move directly from God through an angel. Appearances of angels are rare in the Bible but always significant. The early Christians received their instructions for ministry also through promptings of the Holy Spirit (verse 29; 15:8; 16:6-10). The angel directed Philip to move south and west toward the coast of the Mediterranean Ocean in the area known as Gaza. The strip of lowland along the coast has been a major trade route for millennia.
The note at the end of verse 26 is significant. The area where Philip was to go was a wilderness area where few, if any, people lived. It was on the road south of Jerusalem that led to the deserts of Egypt and into the African continent. The chance of his finding anyone was next to nil. His encounter with an Ethiopian was not accidental but part of God’s plan as revealed by the angel. Philip responded in obedience and faith immediately. God called, and Philip went, not knowing what he might encounter. He knew from his recent experience in Samaria that God is faithful in leading us to do his will.
The Ethiopian is described with several significant details. He was a eunuch in the royal court. Eunuchs were often made so either voluntarily or as servants. This man could have committed himself fully and voluntarily to the work of the queen and the kingdom. Ethiopia of the first century was located east of Egypt and part of the Nubian empire and was known as the kingdom of Meroe. Its culture thrived from the eighth century B.C. until the fourth century A.D. Candace, as queen, would have been held in high esteem and even considered a goddess by her people.
The Eunuch had a significant position as the minister of finance for the queen. He had traveled to Jerusalem to worship and was returning home in his chariot, which would have been a form of luxury transportation. His purpose of worship raises more questions about him but minimally implies that he was a God-fearer. How he came to know the God of the Jews is not stated. Perhaps he was himself a diaspora Jew, but most Ethiopians were not of Jewish descent and had darker skin. Somehow, the man had a scroll of Isaiah in his possession. Scrolls were expensive and rare, and only wealthy people could have one for themselves. Most scrolls were kept in synagogues for public reading. Many details are left to the imagination about this story, but the point about Philip’s obedience and the purposeful meeting with a eunuch are clear. God was working to expand the gospel into Africa through the faithfulness of Philip.
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