Desert Consequences

Acts 8:26-40

Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch

Ethiopia is located in Africa. During Jesus' time, the Romans considered Ethiopia as the furthest end of civilization. Ethiopia was ruled by Queen Candace. She had a eunuch, who was a court official taking charge of all her treasures.

Some Gentiles embraced Jewish monotheistic beliefs and teachings of holiness. They could assimilate into the Jewish faith through circumcision and water ritual. Some other Gentiles only went to Jewish synagogues and participated in the reading of Hebrew classics. They were known as “people who feared God”.

This Ethiopian eunuch had come to Jerusalem to worship. He was a powerful man but was castrated. He was thus not allowed to enter into the inner court of the Temple to worship God. He could be a God-fearing Gentile.

This Ethiopian eunuch was returning home from his pilgrimage in Jerusalem, sitting in his chariot on the desert way (wilderness) and reading the book of Isaiah the prophet:

“Like a sheep, he was led to the slaughter and like a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he opens not his mouth. In his humiliation justice was denied him. Who can describe his generation? For his life is taken away from the earth.” (Isaiah 53: 7-8)

Salvation is Found in the Desert Way

Let us contrast Jerusalem against the desert way. Jerusalem was the religious, cultural, political and economic center. During all major festivals, Diaspora Jews would travel long distances to Jerusalem to worship and offer sacrifices. The Temple in Jerusalem made this city the most holy place on earth.

This Ethiopian eunuch also paid homage to Jerusalem, showing that he pursued after God. However, he did not receive the revelation from God in Jerusalem. He did not receive the truth that will bring him salvation. He was travelling out of Jerusalem, on his way home, and came to the desert way. He was disillusioned, reading Isaiah 53 but without understanding.

What does desert or wilderness imply?

The desert way is a desolate, devil-roaring, unclean place. By implication, the brilliant imaginations, life-giving experiences and renewal, God's presence and salvation should 'logically' be found in the heart of worship, i.e. Jerusalem and not in the desert.

But all these things were reversed when Philip, the evangelist appeared to the eunuch in the desert way!

Philip asked the Ethiopian eunuch, “Do you understand what you are reading?” and he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” and the eunuch invited Philip to come up to his chariot and sit with him.

Then Philip opened his mouth, and began with that very passage of Scripture. Philip told the eunuch the good news about Jesus. Jesus was that Lamb being led to slaughter, without a word, before the shearers. The Lamb did not speak but Philip spoke on the Lamb's behalf to declare the good news.

Once the Word, the gospel was proclaimed, the desert way was transformed into the way to salvation. The eunuch believed in the Lord and was saved there, right on the desert way.

This travel narrative contains irony and tension.

Here in this passage, the author Luke undermined the status of Jerusalem. Instead he emphasized that Jesus had come, so the old tradition was no longer relevant. Wherever the gospel of Jesus is proclaimed and made known, the truth is established, and the salvation of God ensued.

Jerusalem's glamour does not deliver salvation, but the desert way is the way to salvation because God’s Word is found there to breathe life into the human soul and renew the human heart.

Today, are you coming down from ‘Jerusalem’, or are you looking for your ‘Jerusalem’? Where is your ‘Jerusalem’?

To some people, ‘Jerusalem’ could be glamorous churches, gospel rallies, talk-shows by international renowned speakers or exuberant music festivals; or to others, ‘Jerusalem’ could be abundance of wealth, high status and fame, or a promising career.

People tend to think that the assurance of God’s favor, blessings and empowerment, will come to them in big huge ways or events. However, God actually promised us otherwise; it is wherever the Word is being proclaimed, in there you will find salvation and blessings.

Now, you may be crossing your “desert way”. You think there is no hope here. But actually, you could be renewed and empowered from strength to strength, because God is here to meet you. Or today you are called by God to go into the “desert way” but you hesitate to go in.

You need to move in and hold fast to this “desert way”. God will lead you to realize wonderful things in the “desert way”.

Even though we live a simple life as the desert way implied, let’s be receptive and be shaped by God’s Word. As long as we spread the Word and take heed of the Word, the presence of God and His salvation will come upon us.

Being Obedient to God Lifts Us over Constraints

Let’s now compare the Ethiopian eunuch to Philip. The eunuch was a God-fearing man. He longed for salvation. That was why he travelled the long journey to Jerusalem.

However, as a eunuch, he was regarded as unclean and incomplete. He could not enter the inner court of the Temple to worship and offer sacrifices. He could only pay homage from a distance, only to admire the magnificent worship of the Temple or merely participating in the synagogue gatherings.

On the other hand, Jerusalem, despite its outward glamour had lost the subtle presence of God. Jerusalem failed to help the eunuch to know God. The eunuch could not recognize Jesus Christ by his own reading of Isaiah 53. Those were his constraints and hurdles of life.

Philip told him that Isaiah 53 was a passage relating to Jesus Christ. And as they came to some water, the eunuch said, “See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?”

And he commanded the chariot to stop, and then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and Philip baptized him there (Acts 8:36-38).

“What prevents me from….” - this phrase is Luke’s writing strategy to tell us that nothing will hinder us, if we want to respond to God's word.

Before this account, Philip had a very successful ministry in Samaria. He proclaimed to the Samaritans the good news of Christ’s salvation. And when the people in Samaria heard Philip and saw the signs that he did, with one accord they paid attention to what Philip said (Acts 8:5-6). 

But then the angel of the Lord told Philip to… “Rise and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza. This is a desert place (Acts 8:27).”

And Philip was obedient to the Lord. He rose and went.

And when Philip arrived at the desert road, he saw the chariot of the eunuch. Then the Spirit of the Lord again said to Philip to… “Go over and join this chariot.”

And Philip ran up to the chariot, and heard the eunuch reading the passage of the prophet Isaiah.

Philip obeyed God's call by laying down his promising successes in Samaria for a new ministry in the desert. In Samaria, he led big crowds to faith, but now he arose and went into the desert to do personal evangelism.

He also obeyed the Holy Spirit’s command to run to join the chariot. This is an exciting and beautiful picture: the feet of those who preach the good news run in parallel to the chariot!

Both Philip and the eunuch had hearts of obedience to God which enabled them to cross over constraints and hurdles. Consequently, the gospel swiftly spread from Jerusalem, Judea to Samaria, and unto the Gentiles.

Today, we may have fallen from the peak of ‘Jerusalem’, being thrown to the desert, feeling lost, disillusioned and without direction. We may be spiritually dry and in many aspects, withered. We also face many obstacles in life. The difficulties and hurdles are too overwhelming for us to deal with, too consuming to us.

Our constraints or hurdles could come in terms of finances, aging, being physically frail and ill, busyness with work, lack of education and skill, economic downturn, die-hard bad habits, and etc. What can we do? Are our lives going to be consumed in the “desert”? 

Today God said, “I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert (Isaiah 43: 19).” Nothing can prevent us, as long as we are willing to obey God's leading. Let’s put our trust in God again. Even in the wilderness, God's grace is sufficient for us.

There is only one ultimate cause for human to fall—disobedience to God.

Jesus, John the Baptist and King David all encountered difficult times in the desert but they had all overcame! The Israelites were also crossing through the desert but they failed miserably because of their lack of faith and their disobedience to God.

Are you running away from God? Have you forgotten your first love to God?  Today, God has made known His will to you. Are you willing to obey Him?

If you obey God, do respond to Him immediately and decisively. Nothing can hinder you from overcoming the constraints and hurdles in your “desert”!