The following article is part of the "Biblical Obscurities" blog series by Mike Velthouse, author of Journey Through the Psalms. For years, Mike has been writing articles for his church's monthly newsletter on a number of "obscurities" within the Bible. We will be reprinting many of those articles here on the RFPA blog. Join our email list here to receive a notification in your inbox for new additions to this blog series! PCs: Wikipedia.

“…and behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace, queen of the Ethiopians…”  (Acts 8:27)

Africa is a fascinating continent. It’s a continent of extremes. Think of the sand-filled countries of Chad and Algeria over against the lush rainforest jungles of Cameroon and The Congo. There are nations with almost 100% of their population identifying as Muslims (Morocco and Somalia), and there are nations with over 90% of their people professing to be Christian (Angola and Namibia).

While Egypt plays the most prominent part in Biblical history, other African nations mentioned in the Bible are mysterious, cloaked in long-forgotten names and civilizations.  There were the nations of Lubim and Put (Libya), Mizraim (Egypt), Kush (Sudan and Ethiopia), and Sheba (Ethiopia and Eritrea in Africa, and also across the Red Sea in what is Asia’s Yemen), among others.

Among the rulers of one of these mysterious biblical realms was Candace, queen of Ethiopia. She is mentioned one time in the Bible, in Acts 8:27, occasioned by the Holy Spirit leading Philip the Evangelist to a place called Gaza for a providential meeting with a prominent man of Candace's royal court.

But what if I told you that Candace wasn't her name? And that she didn't rule in a country called Ethiopia? Let's learn more about this curious and cryptic woman of the Bible.

The word “Ethiopia” appears in the Bible about 20 times. However, these references do not refer to a specific nation called Ethiopia. (*1) Rather, "Ethiopia" comes from a Greek word that means "burnt-skin," so any mention of the word in Scripture is in reference to the region south of Israel and Egypt where dark-skinned peoples lived. The Candace of Acts 8 actually ruled a nation called Nubia, or Kush, with the capital city of Meroe. Today, you may know this area as The Republic of Sudan.

Like the Pharaoh of Egypt and the Caesar of Rome, “Candace” is a title given to the female rulers of Meroe. (*2) Candace comes from a Latin word that means "queen reagent," "queen mother," or "royal woman."

Eight Candaces ruled between 170 B.C. and 314 A.D. (not every year, however, as there were periods when Meroe had a male ruler). These eight women were called the Candaces of Meroe. The "Candace" mentioned in Acts had the name of Amantitere (ah-MON-ti-TARE-ee), and she ruled during the years 25-41 A.D.

There are not many records about Candace Amantitere, but we can learn a lot about her rule in Meroe by what the Bible tells us about the Ethiopian eunuch himself (probably her Minister of Finance: “he had the charge of all her treasure,” Acts 8:27). 

Let’s think about what the eunuch had just been doing when he appears on the scene in Acts. He had completed a 1500-mile journey north, in a chariot, to Jerusalem, to observe a Jewish holiday at the temple.

Now, why would he have done that? He traveled to Jerusalem to worship as a “God-fearer," a Gentile who believed in the God of Israel but hadn't taken part in any rituals to become an official Jew. This shows that the worship of God had taken root at some point in history as far south as Nubia, possibly as a result of the reports the Queen of Sheba had taken back to her country after her time with Solomon (around the 10th century BCE). If that's true, then God had preserved the worship of himself that far south after all this time.

The eunuch rode in his own carriage, read the Scripture from his own scroll, and conversed with Phillip in Greek. (*3) These facts show that under Amantitere’s rule, wealth, higher education, and culture existed. (*4)

Ironworking dominated the industry in Meroe during this era. Its people used the natural resource of wood from the enormous forests that grew in that region for the fires needed to keep iron furnaces burning. The furnaces melted iron and produced charcoal for tools and weapons, which tools and weapons would then be sold to surrounding nations for national profit.

But all dynasties come to an end. Eventually, the depletion of forests resulted in no more wood for the furnaces. (*5) Additionally, in 330, Meroe was invaded and sacked by the Kingdom of Axum (which we know today as Ethiopia). 

The remains of Meroe are just east of the Nile River and about 125 miles north of the current capital of Sudan, Khartoum. All that's left of the town of Meroe are some of the pyramids built in honor of their warrior queen Candaces. You can still visit these Nubian pyramids, which are unique in how much narrower and steeper they are than their Egyptian counterparts. 

Today, the population of Sudan is about 93% Muslim. Five percent of the country's population are Christians who face harsh persecution. (*6) According to Open Doors, a non-profit organization that supports persecuted Christians worldwide, Sudan currently ranks as the 13th "most oppressed" nation for Christians. The Open Doors website states, "Christians are still at significant risk from society at large, particularly if they have converted from Islam.” So, when our pastors pray for Christians who face persecution around the world, these are the people to whom they are referring.

The Ethiopian eunuch left the biblical scene in Acts 8:38 with the following description: “and he went on his way rejoicing." Think of that long ride back to Meroe in his chariot, with all that time to think about what had just happened in Gaza. Just imagine the excitement that filled his heart and mind. The gospel of Christ came to life for him! We have faith that God used the eunuch's testimony to spread the gospel in the royal palace, through the city of Meroe, and throughout Nubia. He would have been able to share this good news with his loved ones and the people of Candace Amantitere's court.

As we think about the aftermath of the eunuch's trip, let's keep in mind the words of Isaiah 55:11, "So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth; it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it."

*1 - https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/50ungq/

*2 - https://www.worldhistory.org/The_Candaces_of_Meroe/

*3 - https://kwasikonadu.info/blog/2018/3/18/mero-ancient-industrial-city-of-kushite-kingdom

*4 - https://www.worldhistory.org/The_Candaces_of_Meroe/ 

*5 - https://www.worldhistory.org/Meroe/

*6 - https://www.opendoorsusa.org/christian-persecution/world-watch-list/

Like what you've read? Click the image below to read more from author Mike Velthouse in the thirty-day devotional Journey Through the Psalms, available now on rfpa.org and in Christian bookstores near you!