(I hope to conclude this in one more part. It's a long road... about 140km)
The Ethiopian asks, “Who is this man talking about? Himself or someone else?” It’s with this scripture Philip shares the “Good News” of Jesus. What did Philip say? What story of Jesus came out? As I look at the relationship of Isaiah 53 to what took place in Jesus’ life, I can see there are many similarities to his “sacrifice”. If this scripture does refers to Jesus as the Messiah, then he [Jesus] is the atonement sacrifice for our sins that was promised. God is keeping his covenant with His people to rescue them.

As I explore this story in Isaiah, as a father, I’ve come to look at things a bit different. If any of my children were hurt or lost, believe me, I would never stop looking for them. Some of you reading this have lost your children in the shopping mall or somewhere else and know what I mean. If someone tried to harm my children, I would take any the abuse or pain that I could to save them. Sometimes they do get hurt or sick and I wish I could take it all away or transfer it to myself. If I could, I would. If someone took something that belonged to them and wouldn’t give it back, I might get it back for them or give them something better. That’s how much I love them. This is what I believe to be the "Nature of God" and the "Image of God" that I am "made in." That God, as a father, would desire all of the above for me… That’s good news.

So I wanted to know what “good news” was in Isaiah for this Ethiopian eunuch and here are some of the things I found in Isaiah 53, 54, 55 that connect well with the message of Jesus and the Kingdom of Heaven:

who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?

He took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows.

He was pierced for our transgressions.

The LORD makes His life a guilt offering.

He poured out His life until death.

For a brief moment I abandoned you, but with deep compassion I will bring you back. To me this is like the days of Noah, when I swore that the waters of Noah would never again cover the earth. So now I have sworn not to be angry with you, never to rebuke you again. My unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed.

Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters.

I will make an everlasting covenant with you, my unfailing kindnesses promised to David.

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD.

As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

…so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire.
Give ear and come to me; hear me, that your soul may live. I will make an everlasting covenant with you, my faithful love promised to David.

See, I have made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander of the peoples.

Surely you will summon nations you know not, and nations that do not know you will hasten to you, because of the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has endowed you with splendor."

Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near.

Maintain justice and do what is right, for my salvation is close at hand and my righteousness will soon be revealed.

Truly, many of these words speak of a wonderful Creator [Elohim] who desires relationship. A Father [Abba} who has the best in mind for his children even when they do not understand His ways. But, what’s the deal with the Ethiopian eunuch? How does any of this relate? I would read the story in the book of Acts, then jump over into Isaiah 53 to confirm this testimony, then back to Acts to see the final statements.

Until one day I walked the journey, [read] long enough to travel [the road] into Isaiah chapter 56. I had, many times before, stopped reading this prophecy of Isaiah at chapter 55, but not this time.

Isaiah 56

Let no foreigner who has bound himself to the LORD say, "The LORD will surely exclude me from his people." And let not any eunuch complain, "I am only a dry tree."
For this is what the LORD says: "To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths, who choose what pleases me and hold fast to my covenant to them I will give within my temple and its walls a memorial and a name better than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that will not be cut off.
6 And foreigners who bind themselves to the LORD to serve him, to love the name of the LORD, and to worship him, all who keep the Sabbath without desecrating it and who hold fast to my covenant these I will bring to my holy mountain and give them joy in my house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations."

“Who is this man talking about, himself or someone else?” He's talking of the Messiah and he's talking to YOU! It is the message of God to a chosen people let loose. God would come into the world to save the world. Whoever could keep his commands, they would find themselves inside the gate. God’s love is for all men, all nations. His rescue would be so that all could come to the holy mountain. A new kingdom come.

I can’t imagine what was going on in this Ethiopians mind as these words came up. According to the law he would not be able to enter the temple courts and offer a sacrifice but this prophecy changes everything when you include the story of Jesus.

“God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son. Anyone who would believe in Him would not perish but have eternal life. God did not send His son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.”

“The Word became flesh and lived for a while among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

“Jesus came so we might have life and have it abundantly.”

“Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.”

“Then the teachers demanded of him, "What miraculous sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?"
Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days."
The teachers replied, "It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?"

“He poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.”

Philip was telling “good news” to this devout man of God. When Jesus was crucified and gave up his spirit, the "Temple curtain tore in two from top to bottom." God would no longer be confined by a building made man, rather, He would dwell in the “temple” of His [God’s] creation, man. Finally.

If I could sacrifice myself in place of my children to set them free, as a father, I would... However, God did.

peace.
johno~

(As I continue this journey of thoughts and words, I almost feel as if the end of this story may be, somewhat, anti-climatic or leave many readers fogged in mystery, thinking to themselves, “Huh?” At this point, I would like to say this is my “Epiphany” for better words. As I break for the weekend to rest, I want everyone to know I am still walking this journey. If it sheds any Light, that's a good thing... at least for me and maybe the reader).

Based on several ancient text, there are a few different thoughts about the man named Philip in the above account. Some readers of this “travelers” story consider Philip to be the “Apostle” Philip. Others believe he was a lesser man, Philip the “evangelist” chosen by the “Apostles” to fulfill the duties of a servant in assisting widows and distribution of food freeing up the Apostles to teach. Two different men or just one man could be debated, I’m sure, until the end of time. Yet, Philip the Apostle according to the testimony of John, was a man who knew the law of Moses and the Prophets.

The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, "Follow me."
Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. Philip found Nathanael and told him, "We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph." "Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?" Nathanael asked. "Come and see," said Philip.

-John 1:43-46

Whichever Philip this was, he knew something about the sacred text, the law, the prophets and the good news of Jesus. He had just finished teaching and preaching Jesus when the Spirit of the LORD told him to head South on a certain road the desert road. I’m not sure how the Spirit communicated this but I doubt he could have ignored it. In listening he ended up on the “road to Gaza” and met another man. Not just any old man, he was a foreigner, wealthy, a eunuch and a Jew.

What I know about this Ethiopian man is this:

A foreigner:
He was also “an important official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians.” A friend of mine, Nir Alon, in Israel wrote a wonderful piece with incredible photos about the Ethiopian Jewish faith and culture here. This story helped me realize more about this man who Philip encountered from another country. He was no accidental Jewish believer. Nir's story helped give flesh to this man for the first time in my life.

Wealthy:
In charge of all the treasury of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians. He owned a scroll of the prophet Isaiah. The very fact that he owns his own scripture is a sign of wealth. Without the printing press, hand written scrolls were a luxury which many at the time never had. He also had servants and a chariot.

Eunuch:
Another strange thing included was, well he was… a eunuch. YIKES! Some form of this mutilation in ancient times included the removal of one or both lower male genital parts.) I must assume he was a VERY loyal servant to the queen before she became queen and that she trusted him very much with the wealth of her country.

Jew:
TRAIN WRECK!
This wealthy Jewish foreign man travels from Ethiopia to Jerusalem to the Holy city to worship God and make his sacrifice at the Holy Temple and is now on his way home via the road to Gaza. Run on sentence I know, but there is a problem… This was a Holy set apart place. The worship of the Lord in the temple had rules. The Temple mount is even well guarded today and there is no Temple.



According to the Torah, Deuteronomy 23:1, “No one who has been emasculated by crushing or cutting may enter the assembly of the Lord.” also, any "alien who wishes to take part in the passover must be circumcised."

How could this man find his way into the promises of the Lord? How could this covenant be fulfilled with him since the law set him apart?

I can’t help wonder what was going on in this Ethiopian eunuchs mind when he traveled all this way to Jerusalem to present his offering and his pilgrimage ended with a sign that said, “NO EUNUCHS!” Well, there may not have been a sign but the fact of the matter is, Jewish law excluded him from the assembly of the Lord. So after a long journey of seeing the Temple but not being allowed into it, he makes his way home back to Ethiopia. Was he sad? Mad? What was going on in his head? “So close and yet so far.” “How can I ever get into the assembly of the Lord as a man emasculated?” "What kind of loving God would make such a rule?" “My place will always be outside the temple assembly.” "What good is all of this?"

So he heads home on a long journey with scrolls in hand and reads out loud the Prophet Isaiah.

“He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.”

-Isaiah 53

peace.
johno~

Now enter a story about a two travelers who inspired me.

Acts 8:26-39
Philip and the Ethiopian
26 Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, "Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza." 27 So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians. This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, 28 and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the book of Isaiah the prophet. 29 The Spirit told Philip, "Go to that chariot and stay near it."
30 Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. "Do you understand what you are reading?" Philip asked.
31 "How can I," he said, "unless someone explains it to me?" So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
32 The eunuch was reading this passage of Scripture: (Isaiah 53)
"He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, 
and as a lamb before the shearer is silent, so he did not open his mouth. 33In his humiliation he was deprived of justice. Who can speak of his descendants? 
 For his life was taken from the earth."
34 The eunuch asked Philip, "Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?" 35Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.
36 As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, "Look, here is water. Why shouldn't I be baptized?" 37 Philip said, "If you believe with all your heart, you may." The eunuch answered, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God." 38 And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. 39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing.

It’s a fairly simple story, (spared over time, delivered by the Spirit), but it most likely would not rate in the top 100 best known documented stories of this new beginning movement which was sometimes called, “the Way.”

However, it’s in this story I found the name “Road to Gaza.” It’s a simple story of two men, two worlds, two men listening to one God and lastly, a mysterious unknown ending. When I first took the time to really read this story, I would end up asking, “What just happened here?” I'm not sure if I really "got" it the first few times reading it. I guess I would have to say it took several years. Yet, It challenged me to listen, watch and eventually I would act. It is a story that is larger than the recorded words on one page could fill. As I read this story over and over again, I’ve come to see a bigger picture of God’s everlasting story and the LORDS enduring story in my life, because of these two men who met on the road to Gaza.

So the journey continues and soon to follow will be more of my thoughts.

peace.
johno~

(This story is a part of who I am. It has help me in my search for myself and how I live and see others. It is also a very long thought. I have decided to make this several parts to keep readers from being bored to tears.)



Not to long ago, one of my dedicated readers sent me a note asking, "Why the 'Road to Gaza?'" I was eager to answer, however, my feelings or passion to get myself into these words, I knew, would take some time. Time. Some days I have it and some days I don't. That is a personal struggle and I ask for your prayers not your criticism.

It does seem funny, I suppose from an outsiders view, for a 37 year old, white male American to name his personal weblog, (blog) Road2Gaza. I mean, I’ve never been to Israel or touched foot on any “holy” land in my life. More so, a land called “holy” yet carries generation upon generation of bloodshed and persecution. How could this land be called “holy” set apart. “the land of milk and honey?”

Yet, out of all this, the road to Gaza, out of all the roads to choose from this one road that travels South down from Jerusalem to Gaza would find it’s way in my life.

To give a bit of history regarding this road here is a bit of information regarding Gaza.

Strategically located on the Mediterranean coastal route, ancient Gaza was a prosperous trade center and a stop on the caravan route between Egypt and Syria. The city was occupied by Egypt around the 15th century BCE. Philistines settled the area several hundred years later, and Gaza became one of their chief cities.
In 145 BCE Gaza was conquered by Jonathan the Hasmonean (Brother of Judah the Maccabee). There was a prospering Jewish presence in Gaza until the Roman ruler Gavinius expelled them in 61 CE as part of the First Jewish-Roman War. In the times of the Mishnah and the Talmud there was a large Jewish community in Gaza, and on one of the pillars of the Great Mosque of Gaza there was a Greek inscription which read "Hananiah bar Yaakov" (a Hebrew name) with a menorah carved above it. This column was originally part of a Byzantine-era synagogue, destroyed at an unknown date…

-wikipedia

In short, it was a stop between travels. The "road" to Gaza in any direction would be people coming and going to and from their homes for many reasons… It was a travelers road. It is not about Gaza itself, but the travelers road and those who travel on it.

peace.
johno~

Well, it's here. Adam Ronald Thomas has turned one. Can you believe it? What a year. We've had a bit of a stuggle with Adam's weight gain. Today, he came in at 16lbs 1oz. A bit short from where his doctor wanted him, however, the doctor said, "he's growing at his own rate."

It's tough to think a year has gone by. I just blinked and WHAM! One. Time flies and I have loved every minute of this Thomas kids life. Children are a blessing from God.

I am blessed.

My little Adam, Happy birthday. You're ONE year old today and you have given so much to our family in one short year. I love your smile, I love your eyes, I love your crazy reddish blond hair and I love your little voice when you say, "Papa."

So today I want to remind you of this:
You are Adam, made by God, loved by God and redeemed by God. In the beginning, formed out of dirt, the breath of life, י‎ (yodh) ה‎ (heh) ו‎ (vav) ה‎ (heh), breathed into man. Your name bares witness to the one who walked with God in the Garden. Your name also tells the story of God's grace to redeem a fallen people. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. Before the world and before Adam, God chose us and you.

So hear these words my dear son, live by them, never forget them.

Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. Love your neighbor as yourself.

I love you.
Papa~

Sorry to everyone for not keeping up-to-date with this site as I've done in the past. I'm even behind in my POTW project. However, I have been under "house arrest" in blogger land. It seems as if the "Blogger Robot Police" thought my page was a SPAM page and it blocked it until I could notify them. I had to wait for the "real person" Blogger Police to review and unlock my account.

Now I'm free, free at last.

The kids are well. Adam will be one next week. Many of your prayers have been well received and again I thank each of you for your thoughts.

As for me... Well, I'm on a journey. I'm not sure where it will lead me so I'm just listening carefully. I don't really wish to share my thoughts here yet, but they will come soon.

Until that time comes I'll leave you with some great looking kids.









peace.
johno~

I feel guilty for not keeping up-to-date with everyone on how life is for the Thomas family. All is fine. Adam is doing very well. If you take a look at my POTW you will see chunky cheek Adam getting his first haircut. I don't think he was ready for it. It's not a great photo, however, it shows a very "normal" child.

It seems as if Caleb has caught yet another cold and Miriam is trying her best to catch it too. Hannah, just wants the spring to start so she can play softball.

Dawnette, well D is still breaking records as super woman. I'm still not sure why she picked me to have offspring with but I'm not complaining.

Myself... well, I'm learning that I don't know much of anything. I'm not trying to put myself down, I'm just in a "revisit" everything mode. I have new question and new answers... Many of which I struggle with.

On the photo side of things, football season is here. I still have a lot to learn. I'm really not that great at photography. SO MUCH TO LEARN. I'm trying.

Well, to the many that read this, you are all in my thoughts and prayers.

peace.
johno~