18th Temple Guard: Bayan Malak the Ethiopian Eunuch

A Temple Guardian  & Keeper of the Font:

The First none-Jewish Ethiopian Christian

Bayan Malak, is the name of The Ethiopian Eunuch, who is mentioned in the New Testament book of Acts, as the name recorded in the Monarch List, presented by HIM Haile Sellassie Ist in 1922.

The Ethiopian eunuch (Bayan Malak) mentioned in the Bible was a high court official of Candace, the queen of Ethiopia.

He was in Israel to worship the Lord at the temple, however on his way back home to Ethiopia, he had an encounter with Philip the evangelist.

This encounter is recorded in the Book of Acts verse 8 and is one of the most important events in the Bible, specifically for African Christians.

The story begins with Philip, one of the seven original deacons, who had just preached the gospel in Samaria (Acts 8:4–8). Philip was visited by an angel who told him to go south to a road that ran from Jerusalem to Gaza, in the desert (Acts 8:26). Philip didn’t ask why he was being sent to the middle of nowhere; he just went (verse 27). On the road, in a chariot, was the Ethiopian eunuch (Bayan Malak), who was just returning from Jerusalem.

The eunuch was sitting in his chariot reading the book of Isaiah. The Spirit of the Lord told Philip to go over and join the chariot, and when Philip drew close he overheard the eunuch reading from the Book of Isaiah out loud. Philip asked Bayan Malak whether or not he understood what he was reading. He replied, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” He then invited Philip to come sit with him in the chariot (verse 31).

The passage the Ethiopian eunuch was reading was this:

“He was led like a sheep to the slaughter,
and as a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he did not open his mouth.
In his humiliation he was deprived of justice.
Who can speak of his descendants? For his life was taken from the earth”
(Acts 8:32–33; cf. Isaiah 53:7–8).

The eunuch was wondering whom the prophet was talking about, “himself or someone else?” (Acts 8:34). Philip used this opportunity to explain the passage: this was a prophecy about Jesus Christ, who meekly gave His life to save the world.

As Philip explained the gospel, the Ethiopian eunuch believed. When they came to some water by the side of the road, the eunuch asked to be baptised (Acts 8:36).

Philip agreed to baptise him, and the Ethiopian eunuch “gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptised him” (Acts 8:38).

As soon as the Ethiopian eunuch 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”

The Credentials and Significance:

The Ethiopian Eunuch, Bayan Malak, is of the utmost importance and of the greatest significance to African Christianity and African people generally, for a number of reasons.  Such as; He was the first none-Jew on record to be Baptised in the Name of Yahshuah. He was the first Ethiopian to convert to Christianity. Yahovayah sent an Angel directly to instruct Philip to go to him. He already knew and practised the Jewish faith and was reading the Book of Isaiah, to name but a few.  Each of these significances, having a particular relevance to African people's True devotion and unique relationship with Yahovayah & Yahshuah,