1062. Behind the Scenes

Behind the Scenes

"And when He is come, He will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment" (Joh_16:8).

We have no definite passage that describes what is was that led the Ethiopian treasurer to go to Jerusalem, nor why it was that he was returning reading in the prophecies of Isaiah concerning the Cross of Christ. Results, however, follow causes. There must have been some reason for this burdened sinner's inquiry after God.

One thing we know that back of it all was God the Holy Spirit. He it is Who convicts the world of sin; He it is Who reveals to man the Saviour.

Perhaps, as a result of the Spirit's work, there was something of what often occurs in our day when men are aroused to seek for salvation. We may easily imagine some conditions which led up to the Jerusalem ride and the earnest searching in the Scroll of Isaiah.

1. Perhaps the eunuch was wearied with the vanities of life. He was a man of larger responsibilities and of good success. Unto him the Queen of Ethiopia had delivered all her treasures. Yet the honored and successful man was not satisfied. There was an aching void, that the world could never fill. He looked on all the labor that his hand had wrought and behold "all was vanity and vexation of spirit." Thus he hated life. He saw how hollow it was, how empty of lasting benefits. Over all his earth-attainments he wrote, "vanishing things." He yearned for something that would outlive the ages.

2. He may have been a man of years and before him there came visions of the great beyond. He cried: "Whither am I bound? It is all so dark, I do not know what awaits me, I'm awfully afraid!"

Eternity lay before him and he had no assured hope. He was aboard a ship without a pilot, or a rudder, or a prospective port. He felt the folly of pulling anchor and of sailing out into the great eternal ages without preparation of any kind.

3. He certainly felt the burden of his sins. He, like Bunyan, carried on his back a load which weighed him to the ground. He knew he was unfit for the presence of the King of Righteousness. Even though the Queen of Ethiopia did him honor, he could not stand before God. He longed to know where he could get relief, where he could cast from him the burden of his sins.

4. He must have heard of Christ's mighty works. It is more than probable, it is almost certain, that this treasurer of the Queen of Ethiopia had heard reports of the wonderful happenings during the few preceding years in Palestine. There had come to his ears some wonderful stories of the wonder workings of the Son of God.

Perhaps he had heard of the story of more than one miracle of healing and of more than one instance of forgiveness of sins. Perhaps the story of the crucifixion, had reached his ears, and greatly stirred his soul, although he understood it not. At least he determined to go to Jerusalem "for to worship;" and while there he would seek to understand the meaning of these occurrences.

"Guide me, O Thou great Jehovah,

Pilgrim through this barren land;

I am weak, but Thou art mighty;

Hold me with Thy powerful hand;

Bread of Heaven! Bread of Heaven,

Feed me till I want no more."

Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR