DECEMBER 31st
WHAT THE ETHIOPIAN EUNUCH LEARNED
Scripture Reading: Acts 8:26-39
At the direction of the Holy Spirit, Philip, the evangelist, joined the Ethiopian eunuch at the moment he was reading the following verses from Acts 8:32 – 35. "The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth: In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? For his life is taken from the earth. And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man? Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus." (Underline added for emphasis).
The Scriptures clearly indicate that the eunuch was reading the Prophet Esaias or Isaiah. In Chapter 53 of Isaiah, we find the verses in their true prophetic form. The opened spiritual eye will note a natural difference in wording but will simultaneously find unveiled a profound truth in Spirit. Isaiah 53:7 from which the Eunuch was reading declares, "He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. (Underline added for emphasis).
Acts 8:32 reverses the place of "the sheep" and "the lamb." In Acts, He is referred to as the sheep led to the slaughter, and the lamb dumb before his shearer. In Isaiah, He was referred to as a lamb brought to the slaughter and as a sheep before her shearers. Meditate and seek Divine Intent at what many would call error in the Scriptures.
Prophecy is pregnant until fulfilled. By the time the eunuch reads Isaiah, Jesus Christ has fulfilled the truth that a lamb was slain from the foundation of the world. The Lamb of God went to His Cross for and as sinners. He is also the Great Shepherd of the sheep which we are. Romans 8:36 reads, "As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter." We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter because we were "slaughtered" in Jesus when He who knew no sin became sin for us. The eunuch believed this truth as Jesus was preached unto him and was baptized. His faith immediately turned to rejoicing as he went his way. In a moment he was changed!