The official in Acts 8 was not the first man from Ethiopia in the Bible to trust God. Long before, another Ethiopian served in a king’s palace in Jerusalem. His name was Ebed-Melech.
A hard message. In the days of King Zedekiah, the prophet Jeremiah told the people that the army of Babylon would take Jerusalem (Jeremiah 38:3). It was God’s true message, but the leaders hated it.
Angry leaders. The princes said to the king, “Please, let this man be put to death” (Jeremiah 38:4). The king answered, “Look, he is in your hand” (38:5). He did nothing to stop them.
Into the mud. “They took Jeremiah and cast him into the dungeon” (38:6). The dungeon was a deep pit with no water, only thick mud, “so Jeremiah sank in the mire.” Mire means deep mud.
Ebed-Melech heard. “Now Ebed-Melech the Ethiopian, one of the eunuchs, who was in the king’s house, heard that they had put Jeremiah in the dungeon” (38:7). He was an officer who served in the palace.
He spoke up. Ebed-Melech went to the king and said, “My lord the king, these men have done evil in all that they have done to Jeremiah the prophet” (38:9). He was brave enough to say what was right.
Thirty men. The king told him, “Take from here thirty men with you, and lift Jeremiah the prophet out of the dungeon before he dies” (38:10).
Old rags. Ebed-Melech found “old clothes and old rags” and let them down by ropes (38:11). He told Jeremiah, “Please put these old clothes and rags under your armpits, under the ropes” (38:12). He was careful and kind.
Lifted out. “So they pulled Jeremiah up with ropes and lifted him out of the dungeon” (38:13).
A servant of the King. Ebed-Melech means servant of the king. He served King Zedekiah, and he trusted the Lord, the true King (39:18).
Our pit. Sin is like a deep pit we cannot climb out of by ourselves. Jesus came down to us. He died on the cross for our sins and rose again, and He lifts out everyone who trusts Him.
What we learn. God sees people who do what is right when others will not. Ebed-Melech spoke up for God’s prophet and helped him with kindness.
What to do. If you see someone being treated badly, speak up and tell a grown-up you trust. Ask God to make you brave and kind.
Ebed-Melech helped God’s prophet. Then God sent him a special promise.
A message for one man. God told Jeremiah, “Go and speak to Ebed-Melech the Ethiopian” (Jeremiah 39:16). God had a word just for him.
Hard days coming. God said He would bring His words upon the city “for adversity and not for good” (39:16). Adversity means trouble. Jerusalem would fall, just as God had warned.
A promise. “But I will deliver you in that day,” says the Lord (39:17). Deliver means rescue.
No need to fear. God said, “You shall not be given into the hand of the men of whom you are afraid” (39:17). God knew what Ebed-Melech was afraid of.
The reason. “Because you have put your trust in Me,” says the Lord (39:18). God rescued him because he trusted God.
Trust shows. Ebed-Melech showed his trust in God when he spoke up for Jeremiah. Real trust in God changes what we do.
Out of the pit. King David wrote, “He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, Out of the miry clay, And set my feet upon a rock” (Psalm 40:2). Many Christians see Jeremiah’s rescue from the mud as a picture of how God rescues us.
God’s promise to Ethiopia. A psalm says, “Ethiopia will quickly stretch out her hands to God” (Psalm 68:31). That means people from Ethiopia would pray to God and worship Him.
Two Ethiopians. Ebed-Melech trusted God in Jeremiah’s day. The official in Acts 8 trusted Jesus many years later. God welcomes people from every land.
Our rescue. We all need rescue from sin. Jesus died on the cross for our sins and rose again. Everyone who trusts Him is saved, no matter where they come from.
What we learn. God saves people who trust Him. He knows your fears, and He keeps His promises.
What to do. Tell God what you are afraid of. Then thank Him that you can trust Him.
Complete all sections to finish!
Read each section and answer the questions correctly.