The Holy Spirit's Ministry To Individuals
It is very clear that Philip had a very successful ministry in that particular town in Samaria. Therefore, we can expect the Holy Spirit wanting him to stay on so that even more people can become believers. However, that is not what happened, as we can read in Acts 8:28-29
Now and angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Go south to the road – the desert road – that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians. This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the book of Isaiah the prophet. The Spirit told Philip, "Go to that chariot and stay near it."
Philip, in obedience to the word of the angel, did leave the place where he was ministering, not knowing what he was to do. As he walked on the road to which he had been directed , the Holy Spirit spoke to him to go to the chariot, which was on that road, and Philip did so. He did not question the Holy Spirit as to why he had to leave his successful place of ministry, where he had ministered to the many, now to minister to just one person. Philip simply obeyed. When he got close to the chariot, he heard a man reading from the book of Isaiah, as we know from Acts 8:32-33
The eunuch was reading this passage of Scripture: He was led like a sheep to the slaughter; and as a lamb before the shearer is silent, so he did not open his mouth. In his humiliation he was deprived of justice. Who can speak of his descendants? For his life was taken from the earth.
This passage can be found in Isaiah 53:7-8
He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearer is silent, so he did not open his mouth. By oppression and judgement he was taken away. And who can speak of his descendants? For he was cut off from the land of the living....
It is clear that this man did not understand what he was reading, so Philip explained the passage to him and shared with him the gospel. The man believed, and asked to be baptised, as we can read in Acts 8:36-38
As they travelled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. Why shouldn’t I be baptised?” And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptised him.
However, after the man was baptised, Philip did not stay with him to disciple him further in the truths of God’s word. Instead he was taken away by the Holy Spirit, as we can read in Acts 8:39
When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing.
Philip’s task was done and the Holy Spirit had other work for him to do, as we can read in Acts 8:40
However, Philip appeared at Azotus, and travelled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he reached Caesarea.
Going back to the man Philip shared the gospel with at the road, Philip did not know who this man was, for the Holy Spirit had not revealed to Philip to whom He was leading him to speak. Philip just obeyed the leading of the Holy Spirit. And the Holy Spirit knew how important it was for this man to hear the gospel, for he would be the key to bringing the gospel to his nation. So he made sure Philip left the city in Samaria at the right time, and that he was at the right road to meet this chariot with this person in it, just at the time this man was reading a certain portion of the book of Isaiah. Talk about perfect timing….. Co-incidence? I don’t think so. It was more likely a God-incidence.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Question 1a. According to Acts 8:28-29, who appeared to Philip? Answer: According to Acts 8:28-29, an angel of the Lord appeared to Philip.
Question 1b. According to Acts 8:28-29, what did the angel say to Philip? Answer: According to Acts 8:28-29, the angel told Philip to go south of the desert road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.
Question 1c. According to Acts 8:28-29, did Philip obey the angel?
Answer: According to Acts 8:28-29, Philip did obey by going on the road the angel mentioned
to him.
Question 1d. According to Acts 8:28-29, who did Philip meet? Answer: According to Acts 8:28-29, Philip met an Ethiopian eunuch.
Question 1e. According to Acts 8:28-29, was the Ethiopian eunuch an important person? Answer: According to Acts 8:28-29, the Ethiopian eunuch was an important official in charge of all the treasury of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians.
Question 1f. According to Acts 8:28-29, where had the Ethiopian eunuch been? Answer: According to Acts 8:28-29, the Ethiopian eunuch had been to Jerusalem.
Question 1g. According to Acts 8:28-29, why had the Ethiopian eunuch been to Jerusalem? Answer: According to Acts 8:28-29, the Ethiopian eunuch had been in Jerusalem to worship
God.
Question 1h. According to Acts 8:28-29, what book of the Bible was the Ethiopian eunuch reading? Answer: According to Acts 8:28-29, the Ethiopian eunuch was reading the Book of Isaiah the prophet.
Question 1i. According to Acts 8:28-29, where did the Holy Spirit tell Philip to go to? Answer: The Holy Spirit told Philip to go to the chariot on the road that he had gone to and to stay near it.
Question 2. Did Philip know who he was going to meet? Answer: Philip did not know who he was going to meet when he left the place where he was ministering, to go to the road he was directed to by the angel.
Question 3. Did Philip question the direction of the Holy Spirit? Answer: Philip did not question the direction of the Holy Spirit as to why he had to leave his successful place of ministry where he had ministered to the many to now minister to just one person. Philip simply obeyed.
Question 4. According to Acts 8:32-33, what particular passage from the Book of Isaiah was the Ethiopian eunuch reading? Answer: According to Acts 8:32-33, the Ethiopian eunuch was reading, “He was led like a sheep to the slaughter; and as a lamb before the shearer is silent, so he did not open his mouth. In his humiliation, he was deprived of justice. Who can speak of his descendants? For his life was taken from the earth.” This passage can be found in Isaiah 53:7-8 “He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before the shearer is silent, so he did not open his mouth. By oppression and judgement he was taken away. And who can speak of his descendants? For he was cut off from the land of the living……
Question 5. Did the Ethiopian eunuch understand this passage? Answer: It is clear that the Ethiopian eunuch did not understand this what he was reading.
Question 6. What was Philip able to do? Answer: Philip was able to explain this passage to the Ethopian eunuch and he then shared the gospel with him.
Question 7. Did the Ethiopian eunuch accept Philip’s words? Answer: The Ethiopian eunuch accepted Philip words and became a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Question 8a. According to Acts 8:36-38, what did the Ethiopian eunuch ask Philip to do? Answer: According to Acts 8:36-38, the Ethiopian eunuch asked Philip to baptise him.
Question 8b. According to Acts 8:36-38, did Philip baptise the Ethiopian eunuch? Answer: According to Acts 8:36-38, Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch went down into the water that they passed when they were travelling and Philip baptised him.
Question 9a. According to Acts 8:39, did Philip afterwards stay with the Ethiopian eunuch? Answer: According to Acts 8:39, Philip did not stay with the Ethiopian eunuch because the Holy Spirit suddenly took Philip away.
Question 9b. According to Acts 8:39, was the Ethiopian eunuch sad that Philip had been taken away? Answer: According to Acts 8:39, the Ethiopian eunuch was not sad that Philip had been taken away but went on his way rejoicing.
Question 10. Why did the Holy Spirit take Philip away afterwards? Answer: The Holy Spirt took Philip away because his task was done and the Holy Spirit had other work for him to do.
Question 11a. According to Acts 8:40, where did the Holy Spirit take Philip? Answer: According to Acts 8:40, the Holy Spirit took Philip to Azotus.
Question 11b. According to Acts 8:40, what did Philip do while there? Answer: According to Acts 8:40, Philip preached while he was there.
Question 11c. According to Acts 8:40, what was Philip’s final destination? Answer: According to Acts 8:40, Philip’s final destination was Caesarea.
Question 12. Was Philip’s meeting with the Ethiopian eunuch a co-incidence or a God-incidence?
Answer: It was more likely a God-incidence for the Holy Spirit knew how important it was for the Ethiopian eunuch to hear the gospel since he would be the key to bringing the gospel to his nation, Ethiopia. So the Holy Spirit made sure that Philip left the city in Samaria at the right time, and that he was at the right road to meet the chariot with the Ethiopian eunuch in it, just at the time that he was reading a certain portion of the Book of Isaiah.