Devotional #18
“And the Angel of the Lord spake unto Philip…from Jerusalem unto Gaza which is desert” Acts 8:26. “Then the Spirit said unto Philip, go near and join thyself to this chariot” Acts 8:29. And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip,…” Acts 8:39
The deacon and evangelist Philip was used by the Spirit in Samaria in his great plan and there was great joy in the city. Peter and John came from Jerusalem and laid hands on those who are already baptized. And they all received the gift of the Holy Spirit. It should be comforting to Philip, Peter, and John to see the work of the Lord prospering in Samaria after they went through the recent persecution in Jerusalem. Peter and John returned to Jerusalem and Philip was still in Samaria.
The Angel of the Lord spake to Philip to go toward the South unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza which is desert. Angels are the ministering Spirits, sent forth to do service for the sake of them that shall inherit salvation (Heb 1:14). Philip immediately left his Prospering gospel work in Samaria to meet the eunuch as per the voice of the angel of the Lord. The Holy Spirit was already working in the heart of the eunuch and was reading the passage of the prophet Isaiah.
Then the Spirit said unto Philip Go near and join thyself to the chariot. Philip led by the Spirit ran to the eunuch and met him. He explained the passage and preached Jesus. As the Spirit was already working in the eunuch, he expressed the desire to be baptized. Philip baptized him after hearing the confession from the eunuch that “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God”. The Spirit-led Philip was used by Him to bring the salvation message to the eunuch in whom the same Spirit was already working which resulted in a great joy in heaven.
One of the incidents recorded in the scripture that how God works in the hearts of the people whom he has chosen before the foundation of the world. God uses people like Philip who was not hesitant to leave the prosperous work in Samaria where he just witnessed the mighty hand of God resulted in a great harvest of souls. Natural man rejoices in visible things, the Spirit lead man rejoices in leading of the Spirit and is ever willing to obey His guidance for the furtherance of His kingdom. Eunuch went to Ethiopia and the gospel reached Africa through him. Philip was used by the Spirit as a tool in this great work of God reaching unreached Africa.
The Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip and was found at Azotus and passing through he preached in all the cities, till he came to Caesarea. The word “Caught” in Greek is “Herpasen” which means “To seize and bear away anything violently, without the consent of the owner”. Philip was just brought from Samaria to on the way to Gaza. Samaria was north of Jerusalem and Gaza was southwest of Jerusalem. He was led by the Spirit as per the need of the work in a different direction which is geographically opposite. Immediately after the work is completed, he was caught away by the Spirit violently without his consent. The word “Herpasen” denotes that there is a possibility of resistance in person. That may be the reason the Spirit used a strong word like Herpasen, how Philip was taken to Azotus (Ashdod) which is slightly northeast of Gaza, and then he was seen in Caesarea.
Philip was led to Samaria from Jerusalem and he was mightily used by the Lord with the power of the Spirit. He was led from Samaria to on the way to Gaza and used by the Spirit just to lead one soul who is seeking God with a truthful heart. He was caught away from there to Azotus and from there to Caesarea. A mighty movement in the city of Samaria where the multitude was touched by his work, all of sudden moved to a different location to just minister to one soul.
Humanly speaking man will have resistance to this kind of operation when they see the work of God in numbers. Philip might have overcome this human weakness by showing obedience to the leading of the Spirit and moving where ever He wants him to go. Neither he was concerned nor drawn satisfaction by seeing the number in Samaria nor disappointed by leading only one soul to the Lord on another occasion. The reward on the day of reckoning is not based upon the numbers but based on our faithfulness and how we did the work of the Lord. “I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye” Psalm 32:8. It is a blessed privilege to experience where God is our teacher who guides with His own eye.
Another closing thought on Philip’s work in both the places which we were considering, he was not used by the Lord to water, what was planted either in Samaria or in the heart of the eunuch. That work was probably left for some other servant of God. “I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase” 1Cori 3:6. Blessed is that servant who is willing to move as per the guidance of the Spirit without questioning God. Because the Lord said He will build His church. If we listen to His instructions and obey to His guidance, He will cause blessings through us in different places like in the case of Philip. If we do not listen to his instruction then it will be like what the Lord said to Peter, “ … but when thou shalt be old, thou stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not” John 21: 18
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