GO THROUGH SAMARIA
John 4:3 He left Judaea, and departed again into Galilee. 4 And he must needs go through Samaria. 5 Then cometh he to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph.
The Lord Jesus must eventually “go through” Samaria in order to get to Galilee, but that was certainly not his plan at present. For now he was “coming to” a particular city, to a particular well, to a particular woman, for a particular purpose. He was to give her a drink of the living water.
In the case of Zacchaeus, the Lord did enter and pass through his city. For the soul to whom he was to feed the bread of life was on the far outskirts of Jericho in the perch which the Lord had previously grown for him. Luke 19:1 And Jesus entered and passed through Jericho. 2 And, behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich. 3 And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature. 4 And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way.
Every one of God’s elect souls are placed in the exact location, at the exact time when the gospel is destined to intersect them for their salvation! Acts 17:26 And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;27 That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:
Our Lord was acting out a scene displayed many times in the history of redemption. For Abraham’s eldest servant sought a bride for Abraham’s son Isaac by a well in Mesopotamia. Genesis 24:1 And Abraham was old, and well stricken in age: and the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things. 2 And Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house, that ruled over all that he had, Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh: 3 And I will make thee swear by the LORD, the God of heaven, and the God of the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell: 10 And the servant took ten camels of the camels of his master, and departed; for all the goods of his master were in his hand: and he arose, and went to Mesopotamia, unto the city of Nahor. 11 And he made his camels to kneel down without the city by a well of water at the time of the evening, even the time that women go out to draw water. 57 And they said, We will call the damsel, and enquire at her mouth. 58 And they called Rebekah, and said unto her, Wilt thou go with this man? And she said, I will go.
This is where Moses met his wife after killing the Egyptian, and fleeing from Egypt. Exodus 2:16 Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters: and they came and drew water, and filled the troughs to water their father’s flock. 17 And the shepherds came and drove them away: but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock. 18 And when they came to Reuel their father, he said, How is it that ye are come so soon to day? 19 And they said, An Egyptian delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds, and also drew water enough for us, and watered the flock. 20 And he said unto his daughters, And where is he? why is it that ye have left the man? call him, that he may eat bread. 21 And Moses was content to dwell with the man: and he gave Moses Zipporah his daughter.
When Saul was searching for Samuel, the prophet, he learned of his location from the women at a well. 1 Samuel 9:11 And as they went up the hill to the city, they found young maidens going out to draw water, and said unto them, Is the seer here?
And this is used by the Prophet Isaiah to call the Lord’s people to salvation. Isaiah 12:3 Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.
Now, what about our Lord’s instruction to his disciples concerning their gospel relation to Samaria? Matthew 10:5 These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: 6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. That is very clear! So what are we to think concerning the words, he must needs go through Samaria?
Consider this passage and see the Lord’s general instruction concerning his relation to men’s souls – including Samaritan’s. Luke 9:51 And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem, 52 And sent messengers before his face: and they went, and entered into a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him. 53 And they did not receive him, because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem. 54 And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did? 55 But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. 56 For the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them. And they went to another village.
Here are his later instructions just before his ascension: Acts 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
What we have to understand is that He is God, and we are not! And we have to understand that He is Lord of the harvest and we are His servants! Matthew 9:37 Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; 38 Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.
His “Go ye” is based on His sovereignty! We cannot just go out wheresoever we desire! We must be directed by the Holy Spirit! Matthew 28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
For the disciples were forbidden by the Spirit to go just anywhere they determined! Neither can we! Acts 16:6 Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia, 7 After they were come to Mysia, they assayed (‘tried’), to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not. 8 And they passing by Mysia came down to Troas.
Evangelism was never meant to be ordered and controlled by a ‘Mission Board,’ but only by the Holy Spirit! The entire church throughout the entire age is to “Go ye! But they go only in each segment of time as the Spirit led the contemporary church. Then, by the end of the age, they would have gone collectively into the uttermost parts of the earth!
One must merely read the 2 Kings 17 passage to understand just how corrupted the Samaritans had become. Here are but a few verses from that passage to give the reader a glimpse of their condition. 2 Kings 17:24 And the king of Assyria brought men from Babylon, and from Cuthah, and from Ava, and from Hamath, and from Sepharvaim, and placed them in the cities of Samaria instead of the children of Israel: and they possessed Samaria, and dwelt in the cities thereof. 29 Howbeit every nation made gods of their own, and put them in the houses of the high places which the Samaritans had made, every nation in their cities wherein they dwelt. 32 So they feared the LORD, and made unto themselves of the lowest of them priests of the high places, which sacrificed for them in the houses of the high places. 33 They feared the LORD, and served their own gods, after the manner of the nations whom they carried away from thence. 34 Unto this day they do after the former manners: they fear not the LORD, neither do they after their statutes, or after their ordinances, or after the law and commandment which the LORD commanded the children of Jacob, whom he named Israel; 41 So these nations feared the LORD, and served their graven images, both their children, and their children’s children: as did their fathers, so do they unto this day.
Of course, they had not a true reverential fear of the Lord! For they only had a form of godliness! 2 Timothy 3:4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
And that sort of hypocrisy is contagious! 1 Corinthians 15:33 Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners. As has been stated, One bad apple will corrupt the whole barrel of apples! And this is why the Lord Jesus could go into Samaria, but instructed his disciples not to go until after the Holy Spirit was send down from heaven! (See Matthew 10:5 & Acts 1:8 listed above.) For he cannot be corrupted by sin! Hebrews 7:26 For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; But without the inward dwelling of the Spirit they could have been wrongfully influenced.
And we notice that the Lord did not waste time and energy arguing with the Samaritan woman at the will in Sychar. He set forth one strong, clear truth concerning the difference between the Jews and the Samaritans. John 4:22 Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. Then he goes directly to her personal issue of faith. “Go, call thy husband.” For the woman, under the corrupt society’s influence in which she dwelt had already gone through five husbands. And the one with whom she was then living was not a true husband to her. Marriage had left her empty! Her inner soul was still hungry to be fulfilled.
What she did not know was that the physical union of man and woman can only be satisfying when both are in spiritual union with the Lord Jesus! Isaiah 54:4 Fear not; for thou shalt not be ashamed: neither be thou confounded; for thou shalt not be put to shame: for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy widowhood any more. 5 For thy Maker is thine husband; the LORD of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called. 62:5 …and as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee. Ephesians 5:31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. 32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
The joining together of male and female causes them to be one flesh. Matthew 19:5 And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? 6 Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. But the joining together of the soul to God brings forth oneness of spirit. 1 Corinthians 6:17 But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.
The concept that the woman had in her heart of the ideal man was listed in verse twenty five of John four. John 4:25 The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things. Her concept of the perfect man was one who could tell her heart to her! And this the Lord Jesus did! For leaving her water pot, she ran back into the city, proclaiming to the men that she had finally found a man who told her all things ever that I did.
And is not this the characteristic of the Word? Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. 13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.
And Jesus Christ IS the Word! John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
John 6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. 6:68 Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.
We know that the Lord Jesus Christ is the truth! John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. And in truly knowing Him, one is set free from all previously held, empty religious errors! John 8:31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; 32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
For knowing the truth is not just attaining Bible knowledge. The devil could quote scripture! But knowing the truth is knowing the Person of Truth, the eternal Son of God! John 17:3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
For the sole subject of the scriptures is Jesus Christ! John 5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. Luke 24:44 And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.
Pastor Gene Breed
August 18, 2018
