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"Pictionary" Of The New.
Everything in the New Testament is hidden somewhere in the Old. After all, the Old is the New concealed and the New is the Old revealeD! The Old Testament functions somewhat like a "pictionary" of the New. It is filled with stories, pictures, types and shadows. They serve as visual aids to tell us about Jesus and to explain spiritual truths.
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Four Levels Of Bible Study.
In all Biblical accounts, there are many messages and lessons to be gleaned. This story is no exception. It shows once again that the Bible is a multi-layered treasure chest.
The Jewish rabbis have, in fact, identified four distinct levels of Bible study which we are not going to enumerate here. For more on that topic, follow the link below:
https://emmausroadministries.wordpress.com/2016/06/26/eutychus-the-story-behind-the-words/
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Four Levels Of Bible Study.
In all Biblical accounts, there are many messages and lessons to be gleaned. This story is no exception. It shows once again that the Bible is a multi-layered treasure chest.
The Jewish rabbis have, in fact, identified four distinct levels of Bible study which we are not going to enumerate here. For more on that topic, follow the link below:
https://emmausroadministries.wordpress.com/2016/06/26/eutychus-the-story-behind-the-words/
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(Jacob blesses his sons.)
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The Woman At The Well.
The Holy Spirit has hidden the story of the woman at the well of Sychar here in this blessing of Jacob over his son, Joseph.
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Of all the stories, types and shadows in the Old Testament, his life story is closer to that of our Lord Jesus than any other. He even married a Gentile bride like Jesus! It's us, Church! Each one of their blessings contain prophetic elements, first and foremost, of our Lord Jesus. But they also contain things prophetic of our times.
The Holy Spirit has hidden the story of the woman at the well of Sychar here in this blessing of Jacob over his son, Joseph.
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Of all the stories, types and shadows in the Old Testament, his life story is closer to that of our Lord Jesus than any other. He even married a Gentile bride like Jesus! It's us, Church! Each one of their blessings contain prophetic elements, first and foremost, of our Lord Jesus. But they also contain things prophetic of our times.
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Jacob Blesses His Sons.
As Jacob neared the end of his life, he called them all to himself and spoke a blessing over each one. A portion of the blessing over Joseph is prophetic of a part of Jesus' life during His time on earth. It's a beautiful picture of how He seeks us out individually with His unconditional love, His pure grace and His boundless mercy and deals with us in a very warm, personal way.
Jacob Blesses His Sons.
As Jacob neared the end of his life, he called them all to himself and spoke a blessing over each one. A portion of the blessing over Joseph is prophetic of a part of Jesus' life during His time on earth. It's a beautiful picture of how He seeks us out individually with His unconditional love, His pure grace and His boundless mercy and deals with us in a very warm, personal way.
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Jacob told his son, "Joseph is a fruitful bough, A fruitful bough by a well; His branches run over the wall." What is the Holy Spirit showing us?
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Joseph's Inheritance.
When Israel came into her inheritance in the promised land after her wanderings in the desert, Joseph's descendants were given the territory which later came to be known as Samaria. This region was populated primarily by Gentiles. Remember, Joseph married an Egyptian woman, a Gentile, so that all of his descendants were half Jewish, half Egyptian. It was also populated by other non-Jews, Assyrians basically, who moved in during one of their many captivities.
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The Samaritans were despised by the Jewish people due to their "mixed blood" and questionable ancestry. Many had intermarried with the locals while their relatives were away during the Babylonian captivity and, as you just read, some were not Jewish at all. This only added to the disdain of Jews in general. They were certain that these supposedly ignorant people were completely incapable of interpreting the scriptures correctly, like they were.
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Jesus Goes To Samaria
You recall in John chapter 4 that Jesus "had to go through Samaria." Had to? How uncharacteristically Jewish!! Every one else, when they traveled from Jerusalem to Galilee, gave Samaria a wide berth. It was a longer trip but at least they didn't have to be soiled by contact with "them!"
Instead of taking the quickest route from Jerusalem to Galilee, which would be directed North, they turned East, crossed over the Jordan, and crossed back over the Jordan further up to enter Galilee. {See map}
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But our wonderful Jesus isn't "typical," is He? No. In fact, He made it His mission to go there on purpose. He stopped by this specific well, the well of Sychar, to meet this specific, though unnamed, Samaritan woman. He went there looking for her knowing she would be drawing her water at this time of the day to avoid the other women. She was no doubt an object of ridicule and not a little gossip.
Divine Samdwich.
Notice how Jesus questions the woman. He told her that if she drank of the water that He would give, she would never thirst again:
"15 The woman said to Him, “Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw.”
16 Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.”
17 The woman answered and said, “I have no husband.”
Jesus said to her, “YOU HAVE WELL SAID, ‘I have no husband,’ 18 for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; IN THAT YOU SPOKE TRULY.”
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Jesus Goes To Samaria
You recall in John chapter 4 that Jesus "had to go through Samaria." Had to? How uncharacteristically Jewish!! Every one else, when they traveled from Jerusalem to Galilee, gave Samaria a wide berth. It was a longer trip but at least they didn't have to be soiled by contact with "them!"
Instead of taking the quickest route from Jerusalem to Galilee, which would be directed North, they turned East, crossed over the Jordan, and crossed back over the Jordan further up to enter Galilee. {See map}
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But our wonderful Jesus isn't "typical," is He? No. In fact, He made it His mission to go there on purpose. He stopped by this specific well, the well of Sychar, to meet this specific, though unnamed, Samaritan woman. He went there looking for her knowing she would be drawing her water at this time of the day to avoid the other women. She was no doubt an object of ridicule and not a little gossip.
Divine Samdwich.
Notice how Jesus questions the woman. He told her that if she drank of the water that He would give, she would never thirst again:
"15 The woman said to Him, “Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw.”
16 Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.”
17 The woman answered and said, “I have no husband.”
Jesus said to her, “YOU HAVE WELL SAID, ‘I have no husband,’ 18 for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; IN THAT YOU SPOKE TRULY.”
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Jesus knew that this woman was living in adultery, didn’t He? Well, of course He did, but He wanted her to know that He knew and yet was not there to condemn her.
Jesus knew that this woman was living in adultery, didn’t He? Well, of course He did, but He wanted her to know that He knew and yet was not there to condemn her.
She was well aware that she had three strikes against her in that culture. #1, She was a woman; #2, She was an adulteress AND, #3, She was a Samaritan.
Nevertheless, here was this wonderful Man, Who was obviously a Jew, not only talking to her but He was kind! He even asked her for water! Beyond amazing; it was unheard of! But that's our God!
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Notice neither of them actually used the word, "adultery." Jesus sandwiches His Word of Knowledge to her about her living with a man outside of marriage between two compliments. He told her "You have well said," and "In that you spoke truly," like a divine sandwich! Couldn't we all take a lesson from Jesus in how to gently correct someone?
No doubt somewhat embarrased, in the very next breath she changes the subject and begins discussing the mountains sacred to the Jews and to the Samaritans. Without batting an eyelash, Jesus goes right along with her, treating her with great grace, love and genuine concern.
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The Story Behind The Words.
This woman had been married to five husbands already (five is the number of Grace) and is now living in sin with an unnamed 6th man. Who is this 6th man?
The Holy Spirit is painting a picture for us again. It's a snapshot of the end-time Church.
Just as this 6th man is not her husband, so he represents the Church just prior to Christ's return going back to her former husband, Mr. Law, living in spiritual adultery. That's what "MIXTURE" is: Going back and forth between two husbands--Jesus and Law.
(For more on this topic, follow this link: https://emmausroadministries.wordpress.com/2016/07/23/a-seared-conscience/)
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Sadly, most Christians today are taught that they must confess their sins to God every time they're committed. Nothing wrong with telling Daddy about your sin or sins and declaring that, in spite of your sin, you are still the righteousness of God in Christ. Recognize that you are already forgiven. Only that knowledge and that kind of confession will help you overcome whatever sin or bad habit so easily besets you.
Sadly, most Christians today are taught that they must confess their sins to God every time they're committed. Nothing wrong with telling Daddy about your sin or sins and declaring that, in spite of your sin, you are still the righteousness of God in Christ. Recognize that you are already forgiven. Only that knowledge and that kind of confession will help you overcome whatever sin or bad habit so easily besets you.
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Repentance?
Unfortunately, by confession and repentance most of the time they mean beating yourself up, falling on your face and crying out loudly to God to have mercy, as if their sins are not all forgiven. This lie not only serves to keep them bound up, but doomed to repeat their sins over and over again. It never ends.
They also don't realize they're treating the sinless blood of Jesus and His finished work as having lesser value than the blood of bulls and goats. AS IF!!!
They are taught "do good to get good; do bad, get bad. Folks, THAT IS NOT THE GOSPEL. IT IS FROM THE PIT OF HELL.
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Think of it like this:
Think of it like this:
Let's say you commit a sin...or sins...having tried to be good or to do good, i.e. obey the law. Then you feel condemned. So, you leave Mr. Law--your former husband--go back to Jesus, your current husband--as the bride of Christ--to ask Him to forgive you, not knowing you are already completely clean. Then you get cleaned up--so you think--again by falling on His good grace. Then you go back to Mr. Law, try to do good again only to fail...again...of course, because NONE OF US CAN PERFECTLY OBEY THE LAW.
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This process, repeated over and over again, is SPIRITUAL ADULTERY. IT IS TRAMPLING THE BLOOD OF JESUS UNDERFOOT.
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The law doesn't work that way. You must obey it all perfectly ALL THE TIME, NEVER WAVERING FOR YOUR ENTIRE LIFE.......OR ELSE. A when you fail, you get to suffer the consequences, namely all the curses of Deuteronomy 28. There is no trying to obey, get forgiven when you fail and then get restored. Nope.
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The Seventh Man.
BUT.....there is grace! There is Jesus! Having a Saviour is just a nice idea, IT IS IMPERATIVE.
Church, if the blood of bulls and goats was good for 12 months but Jesus PERFECT BLOOD only avails until your next sin, something is VERY WRONG. If that were actually true, then they had it way better under the old covenant! Again.....AS IF! (Remember.....trampling!)
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Jesus was the 7th man Who came along in this woman's life--Who comes into our lives--when He is finally invited back into the Church at large. This is beginning to happen now! You see, only when He is finally in control will the Church be totally transformed by His Righteousness. Evangelism will be effortless! People of all ages will flock to Church because Jesus is central again!
Jesus was the 7th man Who came along in this woman's life--Who comes into our lives--when He is finally invited back into the Church at large. This is beginning to happen now! You see, only when He is finally in control will the Church be totally transformed by His Righteousness. Evangelism will be effortless! People of all ages will flock to Church because Jesus is central again!
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Secrets In The Hebrew Language.
Getting back to Samaria, the name of this well, "Sychar," is derived from the Hebrew word "shekar," which means "intoxicating or strong drink." The short version is that this unnamed Gentile woman, who represents all of us, drank deeply and became intoxicated with Jesus, THE strong drink, THE living water He offered her. He completely satisfied her thirsty soul and she was forever changed!
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His Branches Run Over The Wall.
Our precious Jesus is that "Vine" Whose "branches run over the wall." He came to seek and save His Jewish brethren but He reached over the wall that separated the Gentiles from salvation and saved the whole world: All of us! THANK YOU, JESUS!
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His branches ran over the wall to seek, find and save you and me; to offer us the same chance to drink from the well of His "Strong drink:" His living water; that whosoever drinks of The Living Water will become intoxicated with Jesus! They will want to go and share this wine with all the world and make everyone "drunk" on Jesus!
His Branches Run Over The Wall.
Our precious Jesus is that "Vine" Whose "branches run over the wall." He came to seek and save His Jewish brethren but He reached over the wall that separated the Gentiles from salvation and saved the whole world: All of us! THANK YOU, JESUS!
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His branches ran over the wall to seek, find and save you and me; to offer us the same chance to drink from the well of His "Strong drink:" His living water; that whosoever drinks of The Living Water will become intoxicated with Jesus! They will want to go and share this wine with all the world and make everyone "drunk" on Jesus!
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End Time Prophecy.
Remember I said that the Bible is multi-layered? This story is also a timeline. Look what it says in John 4:39-40:
“And many of the Samaritans of that city believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, “He told me all that I ever did.” So when the Samaritans had come to Him, they urged Him to stay with them; and HE STAYED THERE TWO DAYS."
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Jesus stayed with the Gentiles for TWO DAYS. Remember what happened in 70A.D? After the Jewish people completely rejected their Messiah, they were dispersed among all the nations of the world. Jesus suspended the program with His natural family, Natural Israel, temporarily you understand.
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In the interim, the Gentile nations of the world have welcomed Him in with open arms and generations of non-Jews were given the chance to be part of His family: The Church!
How long has He stayed with us? Two days: 2,000 years according to the way God counts time. (See 2 Peter 3:8)
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After he stayed with the Samaritans (us) for two days it says He returned back to His own, natural Israel. Right now, all over the world, Jews are accepting Him as their Messiah in numbers greater than ever before in history!
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After he stayed with the Samaritans (us) for two days it says He returned back to His own, natural Israel. Right now, all over the world, Jews are accepting Him as their Messiah in numbers greater than ever before in history!
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We know what that means, don't we Church? His 2nd coming is imminent which means the rapture is even more imminent!
We know what that means, don't we Church? His 2nd coming is imminent which means the rapture is even more imminent!
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Aren't we glad for those 2,000 years of God's grace? Thank you, Jesus, for loving us! Than you for coming to seek us out like that lost, lonely woman at the well!
Aren't we glad for those 2,000 years of God's grace? Thank you, Jesus, for loving us! Than you for coming to seek us out like that lost, lonely woman at the well!
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