The Road to Gaza

W. Carl Ketcherside

[Page 11]

     While Philip, the evangelist, was engaged in a successful mission in the city of Samaria, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him and instructed him to go toward the south, unto the way that led from Jerusalem unto Gaza "which is desert." He obeyed the celestial messenger with the result that he was brought into contact with the Secretary of the Treasury, in the realm of Queen Candace, regnant in the wealthy land of Ethiopia. By preaching to him Jesus, Philip led the man to say, as they went on their way, "See here is water, what doth hinder me to be baptized?"

     For generations, those who scoff at this sacred rite, manifesting more brashness than sense, have sneered at the idea of finding enough water "in the desert" to immerse a man. And, with the irreverence characteristic of all who seek to detract from the truth which they cannot overthrow, these critics of God's word have slightingly referred to baptizing "in a camel's track." To thus speak demonstrates an unholy motive to keep men from submitting to God's will at any cost.

     The eunuch who was present, said, "See, here is water!" The inspired historian says, "They came unto a certain water." We are told they went down both into the water. We are informed they came up out of the water. Certainly he would be a rash spirit, who flying in the face of testimony of eyewitnesses, and the inspired historian, derides what they saw or recorded. Will we accept the reasoning of prejudiced men who live twenty centuries this side of an event, and thousands of miles from its locale, or shall we believe those who being present at the time, relied upon their senses of sight and touch?

     But an even greater ignorance is revealed concerning the expression "which is desert." When the angel used the expression he was not talking about the road, nor about the country traversed by that road. He was not talking about the condition of the soil, but the condition of the city of Gaza. And in his words, there is given an incidental, and therefore, an authentic testimony to the fulfillment of an obscure prophecy.

     Gaza was the capital of ancient Philistia, and one of her five principal cities, of which the other four were Gath, Ekron, Askelon and Ashdod (1 Sam. 6:17). Because of the inhuman persecution of Israel in her affliction, God decreed the downfall and desolation of these places. Ezekiel records, "Thus saith the Lord God, Because the Philistines have dealt by revenge, and have taken vengeance with a despiteful heart, to destroy it for the old hatred; therefore, thus saith the Lord, I will stretch out my hand upon the Philistines...and destroy the remnant of the sea coast" (25:15, 16).

     Jeremiah predicted that baldness would come upon Gaza (47:5). Amos declared, "Thus saith the Lord, For three transgressions of Gaza, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof...but I will send a fire on the wall of Gaza, which shall devour the palace thereof" (Zech. 1:6, 7). Zechariah said that the king would depart from Gaza (9:5).

     When these prophecies were uttered the city had flourished for centuries. It still had its palace, its walls and its king. Nevertheless, these men of God confidently predicted that because of their conspiracy to sell God's afflicted captives to Edom (Cp. Amos 1:6) the doom of the inhabitants was sealed. Did this come to pass?

     Alexander the Great in the first flush of victory attacked Gaza. For two months it resisted all the force of the Macedonian siege. The great Alexander was twice wounded, and in his rage, when the city fell, he dragged the defending general twice around the walls at his chariot wheels, meantime boasting that he was a second Achilles (Quintius Curtius, Bk. 4, Chap. 26). By the beginning of our Christian era, Strabo, the geographer, de-

[Page 12]

clared, "Afterwards is the port of Gaza, and at a distance of seven furlongs of the city, formerly illustrious, which was destroyed by Alexander, and remaining desert" (Bk. 2, page 1080, Ed. Pd.).

     Alexander Keith in his book "Evidence of Prophecy" says, "The writer, after having unconsciously rested a night on the site of ancient Gaza, as the smoothest place that could be chosen whereon to pitch a tent, was for the first time aware of the literal interpretation of the prophecy when he saw it on the spot... Before approaching Gaza, unconscious where the ancient city stood, it might be well asked what is meant by baldness coming upon it. But having traversed the place on which it stood, and beholding it as it rises naked and bare above the plain, its perfect baldness shows how truly the word of the Lord rests upon it" (pp. 254, 255). He adds, "Desert and desolate, as it has long been and still lies, not tenanted by either man or beast, Gaza is forsaken" (Ibid., page 256).

     Thus does a casual reference by an angelic messenger to Philip, as recorded by the Greek historian, Luke, confirm the prophetic utterance of many of the ancient men of God, who with a prescience born of a closer walk with God, "spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit."