Philip Disappeared and Appeared Somewhere Else
One miracle in the Bible that happened shortly after Jesus was crucified is particularly interesting, yet it’s not talked about much.
Angel of the Lord Speaks to Philip:
The story starts with an angel of the Lord speaking to Philip, telling him to go down the desert road from Jerusalem to Gaza (Scriptures 1. Angel of the Lord spoke to Philip Acts 8:26).
Spirit Tells Philip to Go Near Chariot:
Philip did as the angel said and headed down the desert road. He came upon an Ethiopian eunuch (an important official) sitting in his chariot reading the Book of Isaiah the prophet. Again, Philip was spoken to by what the Bible calls “the Spirit” who told him to go to that chariot and stay near it (Scriptures 2. Spirit tells Philip to Go Near the Chariot Acts 8:27-29).
Philip Explains Gospel of Jesus to Ethiopian:
The Ethiopian must have been reading out loud, because Philip heard what he was reading and asked him if he understood what the prophet was talking about (Scriptures 3. Philips explains the Gospel of Jesus Acts 8:30-35). The Ethiopian did not understand what he was reading and asked Philip to come up in the chariot and explain it to him. As they were traveling, Philip had the honor of explaining the good news about Christ and salvation through him.
Ethiopian Asks to Be Baptized:
As they traveled down the road, they came upon some water. The Ethiopian expressed wanting to be baptized. They stopped by the water so Phillip could baptize him (Scriptures 4. Ethiopian Asked to be Baptized Acts 8:36-38).
Philip Disappeared and Appeared Somewhere Else:
That’s when something astonishing happened. Philip baptized the Ethiopian. But when they came out of the water, Philip was gone. He had disappeared. The Ethiopian had seen a miracle and started praising God and rejoicing (Scriptures 5. Philip Disappeared and Appeared at Azotus Acts 8:39-40). Philip, however, appeared at Azotus (more than 50 miles away). He traveled around preaching the gospel in all the local towns until he reached Caesarea.
The way the angel of the Lord and the Spirit spoke to Philip with specific instructions is a miracle in itself. This was soon after Christ was crucified. The Holy Spirit must have been supremely strong and evident to his followers, and we can understand why. They were starting the Christian church. God had to lead them and give them wisdom and strength.
We today have that great privilege of hearing God through the Holy Spirit also. It takes a lot of work on our part. We must genuinely seek the Lord continuously to become close enough to hear his voice; but we can!
But to make a person disappear and appear somewhere else is extraordinary. Sounds like something from the future or a Sci-Fi movie. Goes to show, there are no boundaries to what God can do.
PDF: Philip Disappeared and Appeared Somewhere Else
See Part 1 #1-F: Miracles Today Bible Study Worksheet
Also See Part 1 #2: Can You Hear God’s Voice?
See: Free Bible Study Worksheets
Also See: Part 3 – List of Prayers
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