Biblical Reflections · Christian Life

Castrated?

5 min read, approximately

“Blessed [be] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly [places] in Christ: even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blemish before him in love: having foreordained us unto adoption as sons through Jesus Christ unto himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,” (Ephesians 1:3-5)

“For no word from God shall be void of power.” (Luke 1:37)

Adopted as his children?

A eunuch?

A eunuch is a person who has been partially or completely deprived of their genitals. God’s Word says that

“… there are eunuchs who were born that way from their mother’s womb, eunuchs who were made eunuchs by other people, and eunuchs who made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven…” (Matthew 19:12a)

It was customary for slaves in those times to be taken and castrated, suffering shame, humiliation, and subjugation, and ending up as someone’s property. For obvious reasons they could not have descendants, and they were commonly criticized and despised because of their condition.

“An angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying: Get up and go south, along the road that descends from Jerusalem to Gaza, which is deserted. So he got up and went. And there was an Ethiopian eunuch, an official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasures and had come to Jerusalem to worship” (Acts 8:26-27)

Ethiopian?

Ethiopian in Greek would mean ‘burnt-faced’… He was stigmatized not only because of his condition, but also because of his skin… Humiliated, excluded, despised, and unable to have descendants.

“And Philip ran to him, and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest? And he said, How can I, except some one shall guide me? And he besought Philip to come up and sit with him. Now the passage of the scripture which he was reading was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; And as a lamb before his shearer is dumb, So he openeth not his mouth: In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: His generation who shall declare? For his life is taken from the earth.” (Acts 8:30-33)

Have we also been Ethiopian eunuchs?

Longing for a united family, yet finding only division? Longing to become a great professional, yet finding only a lack of opportunities to study or work? Wanting to start a venture, yet seeing only doors closing? Tired of trying in our own strength to get ahead and grow, only to be humiliated, criticized, despised, shamed, and made the laughingstock of society? Castrated?… Very likely, you and I have also been Ethiopian eunuchs, and we need to be adopted as his children.

“The eunuch answered Philip: Please tell me, of whom does the prophet say this: himself or someone else?” (Acts 8:34)

This person was going to ‘worship’, but in reality he carried desperation in his heart. He needed comfort, peace, hope, encouragement, help… Are we losing faith, hope, strength, or have we already grown used to our situation? ‘Please tell me!’

“Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and will show thee great things, and difficult, which thou knowest not.” (Jeremiah 33:3)

“Then Philip, beginning with that passage from Isaiah, explained the good news about Jesus to him. Along the way they passed a place where there was water. Then the official said: ‘There is water! Could you baptize me now?’ Immediately the official ordered the carriage to stop, went down into the water with Philip, and Philip baptized him. But when they came out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord took Philip away; and although the official did not see him again, he continued on his journey very happily.” (Acts 8:35-39)

Tired of living castrated? Are we lacking life?

We need to be adopted by God! Come, I know someone who can give us life, and life in abundance!

“And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Isaiah. And he opened the book, and found the place where it was written, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, Because he anointed me to preach good tidings to the poor: He hath sent me to proclaim release to the captives, And recovering of sight to the blind, To set at liberty them that are bruised, To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord. And he closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant, and sat down: and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fastened on him. And he began to say unto them, To-day hath this scripture been fulfilled in your ears.” (Luke 4:17-21)

That is right! “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled before you.” If you long for this, today is a good day to accept Jesus as your only and sufficient Savior!This is the great step toward being adopted as his children!

And now what?

Take heart, get up, receive new strength, and start again hand in hand with Jesus Christ… for

“being confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ:” (Philippians 1:6)

Hey! Before you go… Jesus tells you

“…Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” (John 11:40)

_**Remember to stop by the Songbook

May God continue to bless you, and may you continue to have an excellent day in Christ Jesus!