"So he arose and went. And behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace the queen of the Ethiopians, who had charge of all her treasury, and had come to Jerusalem to worship, was returning. And sitting in his chariot, he was reading Isaiah the prophet." Acts 8:27-28
Candace was the title used by the queens of Meroe, the capital of Ethiopia. There is nothing written about this Candace except that she was Queen of the Ethiopians and had placed this certain servant as an important official in her court and allowed him to travel to his homeland for worship.
She surfaced briefly in scripture, not because she was a prominent figure but because of the actions of this Ethiopian man, a eunuch.
An angel of the Lord told the apostle Philip to travel from Jerusalem to Gaza. Philip obeyed and met the Ethiopian during his journey. The eunuch was reading from Isaiah the prophet when Philip encountered him. After a brief sermon about the passage (Acts 8:30-40), Philip was explaining that Isaiah was prophesying about the coming of the Messiah, who was in fact Jesus. The eunuch became a believer in Jesus Christ and when they came to some water, upon the eunuch's request, Philip baptized him. The new believer went on his way, rejoicing, that being the last time he was mentioned in the Bible.
When the eunuch returned home, I wonder if his newfound faith and his testimony impacted his queen, Candace? The Bible does not give any evidences to this. Even with her royal status, the queen remains secondary as Scripture highlights her servant. For one day though, on the road from Jerusalem to Gaza, he made a decision that granted him royal status even greater than that of a queen. He became a son of the heavenly King. Hallelujah!
Even though we don't know anything about Queen Candace's personal life; her moral status, her opinions, her beliefs; we do know that God used her in allowing her servant to travel home for worship and be on the road at just that time to have that encounter with the prophet Philip. We can be part of the Kingdom's work without even knowing it. Wouldn't you rather be a living and active part of God's plan?
I love you & He loves you more!
Dear Lord, Help me to be sensitive to the Kingdom's work. Thank You for using me as You have and may I be ready for the call. In Jesus' name. Amen.