When Worship Wasn’t Singing…

And It Lasted 270 Days

The Weekly Worker Maker #13

When Worship Wasn’t Singing…And It Lasted 270 Days

Have you ever read this verse:

“…on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch…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.” Acts 8:27-28

I’ve read this story so many times and I never thought to ask the question, How far away was Ethiopia from Jerusalem?

Turns out it’s more than a 2500 mile trip.

It would take the Ethiopian Eunuch around 135 days just to get to Jerusalem.

Here’s the thing…according to Deut 23:1 Eunuchs couldn’t even go into the temple!

This guy had such a heart to worship God that he wanted to get as close to the presence of God as he possibly could.

Then on his way home (another 135 day journey back to Ethiopia) God speaks to another guy named Phillip.

Phillip’s friend had just been murdered and he had to flee because of religious persecution. It was too dangerous for him to stay in Jerusalem.

He found himself in Samaria preaching the Gospel and doing miracles when one day an angel told Phillip to go down to the road from Jerusalem to Gaza.

I don’t know why I always assumed this road was just around the corner from Phillip…it wasn’t.

It was probably around a 5 days walk.

And he had no idea why he was going or what he was going to do. He didn’t question the fact that Jerusalem was dangerous for him, or that his friend was just murdered there, or anything else.

He just knew God told him to go so he went.

On the way, the Spirit speaks to Phillip to go up to a Chariot. So Phillip runs up to this chariot.

Guess who is sitting there….the Eunuch. He’s reading the book of Isaiah.

I personally think he is reading this book because there’s a promise in Isaiah 56 that one day Eunuchs who do what pleases God will actually be able to enter into the temple!

To get to his favorite promise in chapter 56 you have to pass through chapter 53, this amazing prophetic word about a suffering lamb.

Phillip hears them read about the lamb that was slaughtered. He explains the good news about Jesus and immediately this worshipping Ethiopian wants into the family of Jesus!

Jesus said worshippers won’t have to worship in Jerusalem but will worship him in Spirit and in Truth.

The Eunuch could finally worship in the presence of the Spirit!

Where are the worshippers who are willing to travel 270 days just to get as close to the presence as they can possibly get?

Where are the radically obedient ones who will listen to the voice of the Spirit and in a moment’s notice walk nearly 5 days without even knowing why they are going?

Because God wants to connect the 2 so the presence and power of God can come again.

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