Acts 8:29-31 29And the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and join this chariot.” 30So after Philip ran up, he heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?” 31And he said, “For how can I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip, after coming up, to sit with him.
God directed Philip more specifically once Philip got to Gaza. How the Holy Spirit spoke to Philip is not stated. The Spirit can speak to people in many ways. One of the primary ways is through prayer. Philip was walking in faithful obedience and was in the right position spiritually to hear the promptings and directions from the Holy Spirit. The inclinations we sometimes have may be more than random thoughts or imagination but may be from the Holy Spirit. If we follow through, we may see miracles like what takes place in this story. The presence and guidance of the Holy Spirit is mentioned many times in Acts, which was in fulfillment of 1:8. How believers become witnesses of Jesus is through obedience to the Holy Spirit’s leading.
Philip’s encounter with the Ethiopian eunuch was not arbitrary or accidental but part of God’s plan to get the gospel to Africa. For a second time, Philip obeyed, which opened up the opportunity to harvest a seed that had grown in the Ethiopian’s life as he went to Jerusalem to worship. Another significant way the Ethiopian’s life was growing was through reading the prophet Isaiah. Any casual reader of this Old Testament book soon realizes that it is complex and difficult to understand. A perceptive and careful reader will notice that a special person who will do amazing things for Israel is mentioned throughout the book. The eunuch appears to be one of those careful readers. Perhaps there was something he experienced or heard while in Jerusalem, especially with the buzz of the ministry of the apostles in the temple. It would be difficult not to hear something about the recent activities, though, as a foreign dignitary, he may not have been exposed to the average person but kept at a safe distance.
Philip was perceptive about the situation and saw what the Ethiopian was doing. Instead of preaching in a forceful way, Philip started from where the Ethiopian was. Often, asking a perceptive and open-ended question can be an engaging way to share the gospel. In this case, Philip’s question was perfect for the situation because it allowed the Ethiopian an opportunity to express his thoughts and questions. Two situations were brought together. On the one hand, there was a Spirit-filled and knowledgeable witness. And on the other hand, there was a seeker with questions. Not every witnessing situation is like this, but when God is moving in the hearts of the seeker and witness, powerful miracles can take place.
For older posts, click here.