Jesus, the Son of God
-- the holiest of all humans -- has gone into what is considered enemy territory and talked to a Samaritan adulteress at Jacob's well at Sychar in
Samaria. The Law said that the Jews were not to touch any unclean thing, but Jesus wasn't focused on the Law. He was focused upon love and grace. Jesus will teach her a "new" way of love. "Love your enemies." Matthew 5:44 Jesus will now begin to show this Samaritan woman that, in spite of the fact
that He is holy and knows about her sinful life, He will not condemn or reject
her. Instead, He will reveal Himself to her as the Messiah and the
One who gives the spiritual water of the Holy Spirit and the Word to
all who believe in Him.
“Give
Me a drink,” Jesus asked her. V7 Jesus not only spoke to her, He asked her to serve Him. It would be unheard of for a Jew, especially a Rabbi,
to drink from the same cup as a Samaritan whom they claimed
“unclean.” It would also be unheard of for a Jewish Rabbi to
speak to a woman in public, especially one of ill-repute who
would be alone with the Rabbi. Jesus had sent His disciples to
get something to eat so Jesus will be alone with this sinful woman.
Jesus wants this meeting to be a personal one between Him and this sinner. Jesus knew all about this woman, yet He spoke with her and revealed Himself to her. What
the Law excluded, Jesus included. Jesus saw this woman's need of salvation. With one act of goodness, kindness, compassion and acceptance, Jesus will break down the wall of hostility between the Samaritans and the Jews. This woman who saw no hope will meet the One who is her hope. Jesus is the Supreme Evangelist.
Light of the World
This sinful woman had come to draw water at a time when no one else would because of the rejection of others for her sinful lifestyle, and perhaps even her own shame. Because of the intensive labor of drawing water and carrying it on their shoulders, women would come to draw water from a well at dusk when the sun wasn't as hot. But this woman came at noontime when the sun is the hottest and brightest. She will meet the Son who is the Light of the world at this well.
His Garments
This
unnamed Samaritan woman knew that Jesus was a Jew because of His
garments,
so
she was surprised that Jesus asked her to serve Him. She said to Him,
“You
are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman, 'How can you ask me for a
drink?' (For the Jews do not associate with Samaritans.”) v9
Jesus
humbled Himself, didn't reject her and showed her
compassion in order to reach her. He had no prejudice – either race
or gender – but instead saw her need and the condition of her heart
and life. Notice that He didn't condemn her either. He came to save,
not condemn. Jesus will use this “natural” well and water to
teach this sinful woman about the “spiritual” water that only He
can give that will satisfy her spiritual thirst. This
natural water from father Jacob's well will satisfy her physical
thirst, but the water that Jesus gives is spiritual and will satisfy
her “spiritual” thirst. The water of the Word and the Holy Spirit
are Living and eternal and together will provide eternal life.
Jacob's well can run dry, but the water that Jesus gives will never
run dry because it is eternal. In order to gain this new, spiritual life, we must drink
from the well of salvation and the Living Water of the Word and the
Holy Spirit.
Old
Testament Comparison
To
tie this meeting of Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well with
Older Testament scripture, I want to take you back to Genesis 24 which is about Rebekah, the
soon-to-be bride of Isaac, the promised son of father Abraham. Jesus
is fulfilling this Older Testament event with the Samaritan Woman at
the well.
Rebekah
and the Faithful Servant – Genesis 24
The
faithful servant and father Abraham were in covenant with one another
– of one purpose. Abraham asked his faithful servant to “put
your hand under my thigh” and
swear to the Lord that he will gather a bride from Abraham's own
people for his only spiritual son, Isaac. Keep in mind that Abraham
had the servant go outside of the promised land to gain a bride for
Isaac. An oath before God is not to be broken. The thigh is the place
of strength and covenant. Abraham must send the faithful servant to Haran because the promised land was full of the
Canaanites. Abraham didn't want his spiritual son to be unequally yoked with the Canaanites. This bride of the promised son will inherit a vast fortune of land, flocks
and God's covenant promise with Abraham (father) and Isaac (son), just like the Bride of Christ will inherit all that belongs to the Father and His Son Jesus.
Abraham was called a Hebrew. The word Hebrew has its roots from the word Eber which means “one from the other side.” Abraham is on the other side of worldly morals and values. He is spiritual. Abraham is a type and shadow of the Heavenly Father. God uses the imperfect to paint a picture of the perfect. Abraham was the father of many nations, just as God is the Father of all humanity because we all descend from Adam. Abram had the son of the flesh -- Ishmael. He had his spiritual son Isaac as Abraham -- his spiritual name given by God. Abraham was the father of both his fleshly descendants through Ishmael and his spiritual descendants through Isaac.
Abraham didn't want a bride for his son from the Canaanites. He didn't want Isaac to have a bride from those who were idolaters and cursed by God. Father Abraham wanted a bride for his son from his own family line. Abraham's spiritual lineage must be set apart for God so they can be His light to the world. Keep in mind that there were no Jews at the time of Abraham, so this would be a gentile bride that was being chosen. The Jews received their name from Judah, just as Christians receive their name from Christ whose earthly descent comes through the tribe of Judah. In the midst of the land of Abram's origin, God has prepared and set aside a bride for Isaac – the promised son. God is also setting aside a bride for His Promised Son -- Jesus -- in the idolatrous world.
Abraham was called a Hebrew. The word Hebrew has its roots from the word Eber which means “one from the other side.” Abraham is on the other side of worldly morals and values. He is spiritual. Abraham is a type and shadow of the Heavenly Father. God uses the imperfect to paint a picture of the perfect. Abraham was the father of many nations, just as God is the Father of all humanity because we all descend from Adam. Abram had the son of the flesh -- Ishmael. He had his spiritual son Isaac as Abraham -- his spiritual name given by God. Abraham was the father of both his fleshly descendants through Ishmael and his spiritual descendants through Isaac.
Abraham didn't want a bride for his son from the Canaanites. He didn't want Isaac to have a bride from those who were idolaters and cursed by God. Father Abraham wanted a bride for his son from his own family line. Abraham's spiritual lineage must be set apart for God so they can be His light to the world. Keep in mind that there were no Jews at the time of Abraham, so this would be a gentile bride that was being chosen. The Jews received their name from Judah, just as Christians receive their name from Christ whose earthly descent comes through the tribe of Judah. In the midst of the land of Abram's origin, God has prepared and set aside a bride for Isaac – the promised son. God is also setting aside a bride for His Promised Son -- Jesus -- in the idolatrous world.
Isaac
is a type and shadow of Jesus, God's only Begotten Son whom the
Father loves, just as the Bible says that Isaac is the beloved son
whom father Abraham loved. Father Abraham and his spiritual son Isaac were connected Spirit to Spirit. His sons Ishmael and those through Keturah were connected flesh to flesh. As Abraham sent his faithful servant to gather a bride for Isaac, the Holy Spirit who is faithful to
the Father is gathering a Bride for His Promised Son Jesus in the
idolatrous land of earth. As the Holy Spirit left His place with the
Father in the Heavenly realm to come to the land of earth to seek a
Bride for Christ, this faithful servant of father Abraham left his
place with his master to go to another land to seek a bride for
Isaac.
This
proposed bride for Isaac must be willing to give the faithful servant
a drink and willingly go with Him on a long journey to an unknown
land to meet her husband. Those with spiritual eyes can readily see
that this is a picture of the Father sending the Holy Spirit to
gather a Bride for Jesus. Rebekah lived afar off from the Promised
Land but would soon become the bride of Isaac in the Promised Land, just as the Bride of Christ will be with Jesus in the Heavenly Promised Land.
When we first come to Jesus, we too are afar off, but Jesus receives us, draws us closer and closer to Him and prepares us as His Bride. (see Ephesians 2:13-16) The blood of Jesus broke down the dividing wall between God and man, Jew and Gentile, male and female. Gentiles are referred to as "afar off" because they are not Jewish. In the Older Covenant, God was in covenant with the Jewish people but not the Gentiles except for those who joined Judaism. In the New Testament, Christ opened the "new" way for all to come to the Father. Acts 2:39 shows us that the Gospel of Jesus is for everyone. "The promise is for you and your children and for all who are afar off -- for all whom the Lord our God will call." God will do the calling. What promise? The promise to Abraham that he saw afar off on Mount Moriah as he was willing to sacrifice Isaac, his spiritual son of promise, as an offering for atonement. Abraham saw the sacrifice of Christ afar off in the future as the permanent and full sacrifice for atonement. Jesus even said, "Abraham saw My day and was glad."
When we first come to Jesus, we too are afar off, but Jesus receives us, draws us closer and closer to Him and prepares us as His Bride. (see Ephesians 2:13-16) The blood of Jesus broke down the dividing wall between God and man, Jew and Gentile, male and female. Gentiles are referred to as "afar off" because they are not Jewish. In the Older Covenant, God was in covenant with the Jewish people but not the Gentiles except for those who joined Judaism. In the New Testament, Christ opened the "new" way for all to come to the Father. Acts 2:39 shows us that the Gospel of Jesus is for everyone. "The promise is for you and your children and for all who are afar off -- for all whom the Lord our God will call." God will do the calling. What promise? The promise to Abraham that he saw afar off on Mount Moriah as he was willing to sacrifice Isaac, his spiritual son of promise, as an offering for atonement. Abraham saw the sacrifice of Christ afar off in the future as the permanent and full sacrifice for atonement. Jesus even said, "Abraham saw My day and was glad."
As
the faithful servant was praying, Rebekah
came out with her jar on her shoulder. Genesis 24:15 The
women would sometimes have to walk miles to get to the spring or
well to get water. A well is fed by a deep spring. God supplies natural water to sustain our physical life, so He also supplies spiritual water to sustain our spiritual life. God calls Himself a spring of living water in Jeremiah 2:13 Since Jesus is God, He too provides a spring of living water to sustain our spiritual life -- the water of the Word and the Holy Spirit.
Rebekah had gone down to the spring and filled her
jar. To go down to the spring that fed the well, women would have as
many as 100 stairs to go down with an empty water pot, fill it and then carry this heavy, water-filled pot up the stairs. God wants us to be earthen vessels filled with the water of the Word and Holy Spirit as we labor to quench the spiritual thirst of others. The women in biblical times would carry these heavy jars on
their shoulders back to their homes to quench the thirst of their
family. The shoulders are the place of Divine Government. The Divine government of God is on Jesus' shoulders (Isaiah 9:6), and Jesus wants His Bride to also carry the Divine government of God on her shoulders. Jesus is the Earthen Vessel of God who is full of the water of the Holy Spirit and Truth. Father Abraham's faithful servant asked Rebekah to give him a
drink, just as Jesus did with the Samaritan woman at the well in John
4.
Rebekah
had labored to get this water and carry it back to her family, but
here is a stranger asking her to share her water with him. Rebekah
“quickly
lowered the jar to her hands and gave him a drink.” v18 Hands
represent service.
Rebekah
didn't give it a second thought! She did it quickly even though it
would mean that she would have to go and refill her jar for her
family. Rebekah didn't stop there. She said she would draw water for
his camels also until they have finished drinking. Keep in mind that
one camel drinks 20 or 30 gallons of water and stores it for a
journey. There were ten camels, so Rebekah would have to draw a huge
amount of water and take many trips back to the spring in order to
quench the thirst of the faithful servant's ten camels. Rebekah's
willingness and generosity of spirit to draw enough water for the
camels was sacrificial and honorable. Camels in scripture
symbolize burden-bearers who are full of water -- the Anointed Word.
Camels also carried provision and gifts for a journey through the
desert. This faithful servant's camels carried gifts for Rebekah and
her family as well as provisions for the journey. The camels represent
believers who are leaders and have the spiritual gifts of the Holy
Spirit and the water of the Word and Spirit to feed others
spiritually. The Bride of Christ is to labor unendingly to draw
people to Christ and His life-giving water.
This
servant of Abraham was a foreigner to Rebekah, not even friend or
family, and yet she was willing to labor and draw water for the
servant and his camels also. The faithful servant had given the Lord
a sign that would assure him that he had the right bride for Isaac.
“May
it be that when I say to a girl, 'Please let down your jar that I may
have a drink, and she says 'Drink', and I'll water your camels too –
let her be the one you have chosen for your servant Isaac. By this I
will know that you have shown kindness to my master.” v14 Rebekah
did exactly as the father's faithful servant had asked God.
Serving God will require hard work and sacrifice! The faithful
servant recognized Rebekah as the chosen bride of father Abraham's
spiritual son by her willingness to serve others. Jesus will also recognize His Bride by her willingness to labor for His Kingdom and serve others.
Rebekah
will receive her reward. The faithful servant gave her a gold ring
and two gold bracelets. He adorned her in gold! The faithful servant
wanted Rebekah to see her value and worth to the father and the son.
She was betrothed to the promised son with the gold ring, and she was
bound to the son with the gold bracelets just as the Divine Bride of
Christ is betrothed to Jesus, the Promised Son, and bound to Him for
all eternity. In the sight of Jesus and the Father, the Bride of
Christ is Divine (gold).
Rebekah's
greatest reward is that she gained a husband who had riches untold
that Rebekah knew nothing about. All that belonged to father Abraham
belonged to his son and his bride. Had Rebekah not sacrificed her
time, her labor and her generosity of heart, she would have missed
out on all of this. The New Jerusalem – the spiritual
Bride of Christ – is made of pure gold. She too is adorned in gold!
Jesus has blessed His Bride with many spiritual gifts and eternal
life. He wants His Bride to labor and pour out the water of His
Anointed Word to satisfy those who are spiritually hungry and
thirsty. Our rewards will be in heaven. Jesus wants us to store up
treasures in heaven, not necessarily wealth on earth. He doesn't want
us to miss the opportunity of serving in a time of need just as Jesus
did and does.
Jesus
stopped for one woman at a well just as the faithful servant stopped
for one woman at a well in Genesis. Both the faithful servant in
Genesis and Jesus were looking for a Bride. Jesus wants us to share
Jesus and the water of His Anointed Word because He is seeking a
Bride that is prepared and ready for her Bridegroom. The earthen water jar symbolizes
believers in Jesus, and the water is the Holy Spirit anointed Word.
As the faithful servant in Genesis is testing Rebekah to see if she
will take the pitcher off of her shoulders and share her water with
this thirsty man, Jesus asked this Samaritan woman at Jacob's well to share her water with Him. Jesus is also asking us to share the water of the Word
and Holy Spirit with those who are spiritually thirsting and hungry. We need
to take the time and the work to gather it and bring it down to our
hands and serve others as a sacrifice to God. Rebekah's pitcher was
full! God wants us to be full of His Anointed Word, both the Living
and the written, and His Holy Spirit, so we can pour it out to others
willingly and sacrificially.
Next
week: Living Water
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