The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-03-03
SABBATH SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOE
MARCH Z.
Lesson Text: "The Ethiopian Con-
VERT" Acts WILL, 26-4O-Golden
Text: Acts viii. 4-Com-
mentary.

26. "Arlse and 90 toward the south"
Thus spake the angel of the Lord to Philip
while he was in the midst of this great
work in Samaria. He ID sent from what
seems to be very great work out into the
desert, and he Is not told why he Is sent.
Simple and whole hearted obedience Is the
one thing required Of servant or q soldier
mandments, hearkening unto the voice OF
His word. They do His pleasure (Ps. Gill.
20, 2I. II we are good servants and SOL
diers, we will hold ourselves according to
II Sam. xv., Is; Chron. xviii, 81; II Sam.
ill.,, SO.
a. "And he arose and went, and. behold,
a man of Ethiopia" Phillip sees what may
be the object Of his mission. one man, an
Ethiopian, the treasurer OF Queen Candace,
who had been to Jerusalem to worship. The
time will yet come when Ethiopia shall |,
stretch out her hands to God, when from be-
yond the rivers OF Ethiopia supplianis shall
bring an Offering to the Lord (Zep. ILL.,, 10;
Ps. xviii, 3l). But, whether a nation or an
individual, God regards all who truly seek
Him Dob. xxxiv.. 29).
%. "Sitting in his chariot, read Esaias the
prophet" What he had heard or seen at
Jerusalem we are not told, but We may " ell
imagine that he had heard somewhat con-
cerning those who had filled Jerusalem with
their doctrine and concerning Him OF whom
they spake. He must have been an earnest
seeker after light, for God sent Philip all the
way from Samaria to be his teacher and to
lead him to Christ. ~
%. Then the Spirit said to Philip. GO
near and join thyself to this chariot" What
ever Philip may have thought he now kDewS
the object of his mission. His trained ear
heard the message Of the Spirit, and without
hesitation or question he obeys. believeit !
is possible to live always and fully under the '
control Of the Spirit and have God working
in us both to will and to do Of His good
pleasure. If this is our whole-hearted de-
sire, He will fulfill the desire Of them that
fear him (Ps. cxlv., 19).
80. "Understandest thou what thou read
esr?" With this question Philip introduced
himself to the man in the chariot, having run
to him as soon as he was commanded by the
Spirit. When the Lord sees any one intent
upon understanding His word He will take
of Job X, 8, is very suggestive, "Thine hands
took pains about me-" Gabriel was sent
from heaven to Daniel to make him UNDER :
stand and to show him the truth (Dan.
X, IA. 81; xi., q. The Holy Spirit has been
given to every believer to teach and to guide
into oil truth John xiv, 26; xvi, 13). =.
81. How can I, except some man should
guide me2" Thus graciously answered the
treasurer, and he invited Philip to step into
thing goes when the Spirit is worktngI
Philip, sent by the Spirit, finds one in whom
the Spirit has been working, and therefore
one ready to be taught. The Spirit might
have taught the eunuch Himself without the
help of any man (I John H., 27), but He saw
fit TO use human instrumenta!ity. He 10
blessed to be used of God! Only be willing.
and He will use you.
so, SO. HE was led as q sheep to t
ha in uhaf ryQ r1n
call lisa. liii., Z, 8, concerning Him of who'd
Moses and all the prophets did write, Jes1
of Nazareth, the Son OF Joseph (John l., 46)I
bur he knew Him not. The whole chspteI
will doubtless be the general confession OF
Israel as nation after they shall have looked
upon Him whom they have pierced (Zechl
XIII, 10Y in the day wher they shall say, Lo,
this is our God! We have waited for Him.
and He will save US" Elsa, XIV, 81.
prophet thisl" Whether the prophet was
speaking Of himself or Of some other man,
the eunuch could not make out. The
prophets were types Of Christ and did In
their lives foreshadow In some measure the 4
suffsrings of Christ. Isaiah and his children
were signs In Israel (chapter viii., 18), and
Jeremiah says Of himself, ~ was like lamb
Or an OK that is brought to the slaughter"
(Jer. xi.. 10y.
IS. Philip began at the same Scripture and
preached unto him Jesus. He would prob
ably 90 back to the Passover lamb Of Elk. XII,
and to the daily burnt offering, and possibly
to the coats of skins OF Gen. ill.,, 81; then on
to the Lamb of God. Of whom John the Bap-
fist spake. He could easily ind In 1sa. ILL.,,
the sufferings, death, resurrection and future
glory Of Christ. But whatever line he took,
he must certainly have shown Christ to be
the only Saviour of sinners and the fuinli-
ment of every type and shadow.
So. The treasurer evidently took 1t all In
and received Jesus Christ as his Saviour. for,
coming TO water, he asked for baptism. Hav-
ing received Christ, he would as quickly as
possible confess it before all who journeyed
with him, and doubtless he would preach
Christ to many, for he could not keep the
good news 10 himself.
81. "If thou belieyest with all thine
heart, thou mayest" This is the one only
essential to salvation, that Christ De truly
received in the heart. .1f thou shalt con-
fess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt
believe in thine heart that God hath raised
Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved"
from. =, 81. To believe on Him is to re-
ceive Him John l., 12), and If He be not
truly received there Is No saving faith Il
John W, 12):
SO. The driver of the chariot and other at
tenoants may have overheard and under
tainly now beheld that which the treasurer
could more fully explain to them as they
went on their way. Whether the one bap-
tized was immersed or had the water poured
upon him does not clearly appear. fthose
who think that immersion is the right way
cannot love and bear with those who think
pouring or sprinkling sufflcient-there Is
more grace ready for them If they will have
it.
80, 40. The eunuch goes on hts way rejoic-
ing, and Philip, caught away by the Spirit,
is found at Azotus, and breaches the gospel
in all the cities from there to Cesarea. The
10Y OF the eunuch was due to his faith IN
Christ and 10 the fact that now he vas ac,
cepted in the Beloved, justified from all
things and q Joint heir with the man at Gods
right hand (Eph. l., 6; Acts Kilt, Ss; Rom:
viii, 16, 17). He believed and was thus filed
with Joy and peace (Rom. xv., 1s). God had
other work for Philip, or rather more OF the
same work in other places, and sent him on
tolt. If he never saw the eunuch again on
earth, he certainly met him long ere this In
glory.-Lesson Helper.