Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John, who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, for he had not yet fallen on any of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Acts 8:14-16
The gospel going to Samaria was the beginning of the Church’s growth that proceeded as a result of Saul’s persecution.
Most of the group discussion last week revolved around the subject of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. Everyone in attendance had received it. Each person gave testimony of receiving it.
The questions that preceeded it were,
- Is it a separate event or does everyone receive it at baptism?
- What is the evidence of it?
Some people received it when they were baptized. The evidence one cited was that the scripture suddenly made sense for the first time. One person had a demon cast out of them. One received the gift of radical love and the power to forgive. One received the gift of tongues. All agreed that a passion for God’s word was a result of the experience.
As Phillip proceeds on his journey, he runs into an Ethiopian Eunuch who just happened to be reading from Isaiah 53.
Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter
Isaiah 53:7
and like a lamb before its shearer is silent,
so he opens not his mouth.
Isaiah 53 prophesied the crucifixion of Jesus 700 years before Jesus was born. It is the very chapter that led Moishe Rosen to surrender to Jesus as Messiah. He went on to found Jews for Jesus in 1973. Isaiah 53 is dismissed or even forbidden by contemporary Rabis.
When the Ethiopian Eunuch understood the meaning of what he was reading, he immediately asked to be baptized.
And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing. But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached in all the cities, till he came to Caesarea.
Acts 8:39-40
Caught away is harpázō the same word used to describe the rapture.
For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
1 Thessalonians 4:16-17
Harpázō
-Strongs Concordance-
to seize, catch (away, up), pluck, pull, carry off by force, claim for one’s self eagerly, to snatch out or away.
While this is a side note, or a squirrel as we say in our Bible study group, it occurs to me that while the rapture is certain, the destination is not clear. Philip was harpazoed from Samaria to Cesarea about fifty miles away.
Revelations 12 and 13 describe the three and a half year tribulation from which the woman (the elect) is preserved.
And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.
Revelation 12:5
The only place harpazo is found in Revelation is in verse 5 speaking about Jesus in Daniel 7:13-14 and Acts 1:9-11. Even so, harpazo is implied for the remnant church.
And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.
Revelation 12:6
And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.
Revelation 12:14
What do you think?
If you are a regular reader you will notice that my weekly blog posts have dropped off. This is because I am writing a book. I’ll let you all know when it is published later next year.