Come and See – Part 4 – The Lord Knew –

Come and See

The Lord Knew – He Knows

Chapter 4 of the Gospel of John

Come and see the works of God: he is terrible in his doing toward the children of men. (Psalm 66:5)

For I [know] their works and their thoughts: it shall come, that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come, and see my glory. (Isaiah 66:18)

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He saith unto them, Come and see. They came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with him that day: for it was about tenth hour. (John 1:39)

And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see. (John 1:46)

And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see. (John 11:34)

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Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel; (Philippians 1:27)

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And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see. (Revelation 6:1)

And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see. (Revelation 6:3)

And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. (Revelation 6:5)

And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see. (Revelation 6:7)

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The Gospel of John Chapter 4

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The Lord Knew – He Knows

When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John, (John 4:1)

   In John Chapter 4 we are removed from Judea, and we go into the land of Samaria. In the first verse, we again see the witness of the omniscience of the Lord He KNEW the works of the Pharisees. He knew their hearts, and He knew (as the footprints of John the Baptist) they were also watching His footprints as well. We should remember that the one whom God had sent to introduce the world to His beloved Son was also rejected of the Jewish religion led by the Pharisees and Sadducees. We have the rebuke against these religious enemies of God given in Matthew Chapter 3, verses 7 thru 10. 

But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? (Matthew 3:7)

Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: (Matthew 3:8)

And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. (Matthew 3:9)

And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. (Matthew 3:10)

   The Pharisees were doing all that they could to discredit the baptism of John. John’s message to them was definitely not a popular message. He called them a generation of vipers, poisonous snakes that could produce death if bitten. This accurately described their father, the devil, and pointed back to the devil, who was the serpent of old that spewed his venomous lies into the mind and heart of Adam. The devil was the deceiver, and Adam was the man who through the devil’s lie brought sin into the world, and therefore, death came by sin.

   As John was rejected, the Lord of glory was also rejected. The Lord knew that they were scheming, and there was danger for Him in Judea. Their evil plan had already been hatched. The deceivers were working overtime through their lies to discredit the Son of God. When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John, (John 4:1) (Though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples.) (John 4:2)

The Religious Obsession of the Deceiver and his Workers of Deceit

   They MUST hold the people under their religious spell, and under the tyranny of the devil. In fact, at one point, speaking amongst themselves, they were not only concerned about Judaism, but that the whole world would go after Him. They were afraid of losing the vineyard: the inheritance that they had usurped. The Lord Jesus was turning their religious world upside down and inside out. They could only see the result that the whole world would follow Him, and leave them in unbelief. Consequently, the Stone, the Head of the corner, was rejected by the religious leaders of the Jews. Contrary to popular world belief this has not changed, the only exception is the pharisaical heart is more prevalent, and there are more of them in our present day and world. They cry out from their bogs of evil, Come worship with us. Oh, for another Jehu to burn the temple of Baal. Come and see the evil core root of religious influence and strength.

And Jehu said, Proclaim a solemn assembly for Baal. And they proclaimed it. (2 Kings 10:20)

And Jehu sent through all Israel: and all the worshippers of Baal came, so that there was not a man left that came not. And they came into the house of Baal; and the house of Baal was full from one end to another. (2 Kings 10:21)

And he said unto him that was over the vestry, Bring forth vestments for all the worshippers of Baal. And he brought them forth vestments. (2 Kings 10:22)

And Jehu went, and Jehonadab the son of Rechab, into the house of Baal, and said unto the worshippers of Baal, Search, and look that there be here with you none of the servants of the LORD, but the worshippers of Baal only. (2 Kings 10:23)

And when they went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings, Jehu appointed fourscore men without, and said, If any of the men whom I have brought into your hands escape, he that letteth him go, his life shall be for the life of him. (2 Kings 10:24)

And it came to pass, as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, that Jehu said to the guard and to the captains, Go in, and slay them; let none come forth. And they smote them with the edge of the sword; and the guard and the captains cast them out, and went to the city of the house of Baal. (2 Kings 10:25)

And they brought forth the images out of the house of Baal, and burned them. (2 Kings 10:26)

And they brake down the image of Baal, and brake down the house of Baal, and made it a draught house unto this day. (2 Kings 10:27)

Thus Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel. (2 Kings 10:28)

   The worship of Baal had its roots in Babylon.  The roots of religious Babylon links to Jezebel, a Zidonian princess, and a priestess of Baal; and consequently, the nation of Israel suffered at the hand of Jezebel this evil priestess for centuries upon centuries. These were all shadows of Babylon the Great. Soon, the fires of judgment from the Lord will come and burn Babylon the Great to the ground. The world will weep because of the destruction of this great religious and political cancer centered around the great whore: the archetype of Jezebel. The following prophetic verses will very soon cease to be prophetic for they will be accomplished.

Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols. (Revelation 2:20)

And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not. (Revelation 2:21)

Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds. (Revelation 2:22)

And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works. (Revelation 2:23)

And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory. (Revelation 18:1)

And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. (Revelation 18:2)

For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.(Revelation 18:3)

And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. (Revelation18:4)

Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her. (Revelation 18:8)

And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning, (Revelation 18:9)

Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come. (Revelation 18:10)

And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more: (Revelation 18:11)

   The link to Jezebel runs through the Old Testament and into the New Testament to the final demise of the great whore, Babylon the Great. It is the last mention of the idolatrous woman in Scripture. The sad part is that in the Church Age, with all the blessings of Christ, and the indwelling Spirit of Christ, Jezebel was allowed to come into the Church and to seduce the servants of God and the people of God with the same idolatrous ways of Jezebel, the Zidonian princess recorded in 2 Kings, Chapter 10.

And it came to pass, as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took to wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Zidonians, and went and served Baal, and worshipped him. (1 Kings 16:3)

But there was none like unto Ahab, which did sell himself to work wickedness in the sight of the LORD, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up. (1 Kings 21:25)

And it came to pass, when Joram saw Jehu, that he said, [Is it] peace, Jehu? And he answered, What peace, so long as the whoredoms of thy mother Jezebel and her witchcrafts [are so] many? (2 Kings 9:22)

He left Judaea, and departed again into Galilee. (John 4:3)

And he must needs go through Samaria. (John 4:4)

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. (John 4:5)

   It was time to depart from Judea, for the Lord KNEW the Pharisees were scheming. It was time to return to Galilee, but first He must needs go through Samaria. The words ‘must needs’ show a definite purpose that He was sent through Samaria, the land of Ahab, Jezebel, and Athaliah of times past; this was a foreign world in the middle of Israel. There was only a remnant of Ephraim, and of the ten tribes. The enemies of Israel that had conquered the region of Samaria had imported people to possess this land many times over. The enemies had brought in a huge page of human flesh. These people were pulled in every direction by sin and a multitude of pagan and foreign religions which added to the apostasy of the Jews. In the days of the Lord Jesus, Samaria was just a territory, and no longer the capital of the ten tribes. The original Samaritans had been taken into captivity under their last king Hoshea because of the sins of the ten tribes. They became the lost kingdom scattered throughout the world for the sins of Jeroboam, their first king. The Lord scattered them throughout the world — filling up their cup of sin in judgment. Within Samaria was a city called Sychar, most likely the former Shechem. This city had quite a history in the days of the patriarchs. Jacob purchased a parcel of land that adjoined Shechem, so therefore, we find the root of Shechem. This city was named after the son of Hamor: Shechem. He was the heir of his father’s territory in the land of Canaan. This is an important point because Shechem means ‘strength’ or ‘the carrier of a heavy burden,’ showing that this family had power in this area of Canaan. This is where Jacob purchased a parcel of land, and Jacob (who is Israel, a prince with God) established this area that he purchased by digging a well, and by building an altar. This area would become very important to the children of Israel in the days of the kings, and in the days of the Lord Jesus. Jacob gave a portion of that land to his son Joseph, whom he loved more than his other sons, and established Joseph as his heir, and presented him with a coat of many colors, which we will examine more closely, but first, we should also consider Sychar, the old Shechem, a place of strength had become Sychar (a place of drunkenness).

And he must needs go through Samaria. (John 4:4)

   This is where the Lord MUST go. He MUST needs go through Samaria to a foreign world in the middle of the nation of Israel. The inhabitants had been brought in by the enemies of Israel. The evil winds of the Gentiles had filled this portion of Israel with people gathered from the nations. Although there was still a remnant of Israelites, it was a very meager remnant. Into this darkness, the Lord MUST needs go. He was going to take His light to the Gentiles. There was a tremendous Gentile population not only in Samaria, but also scattered throughout Israel.

   Christ is going to keep a meeting, an appointment in time, for this is the mind of the Spirit of God who desires that we should see that there was a preexistent plan of this meeting at the well of Jacob. This meeting was not by chance. It was a controlled appointment by the Lord, and His Sovereignty.

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. (John 4:5)

   The Spirit of God gives us a description of this parcel of ground to take us back into the Old Testament to the life of Joseph, the fruitful bough (Genesis 49:22) Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall. Christ was/is the fulfillment of a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well. The prophecy of Genesis 49:22, illuminates the Person of Christ who was/is the fruitful bough sitting on the well in Sychar. The wall, of course, was the barricade that religious men had created to separate the sheep from the Shepherd. The vineyard of Israel had been walled in by the Law outside of the Lord of the Law. It was the wall that had withheld the words of God from the Gentiles, and here at Jacob’s well was the fruitful bough (accomplishing the prophecy of Genesis 49:22) stretching out His arms in mercy and grace to those on the other side of the wall: the Gentiles.

And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious. (Isaiah 11:10)

I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles; (Isaiah 52:61)

Rejected by Brethren – the Nation – the World

   This verse in John 4:5 gives us more insight into the rejection of the Lord Jesus. As Joseph was rejected by his brethren so too, the Lord Jesus Christ was/is rejected. After Jacob (Joseph’s father) had made Joseph his direct heir, and to show the heirship of Joseph, Jacob had a coat of many colors made and presented this coat to Joseph; therefore, his brethren hated him without a cause. Joseph’s life would reflect the life of the Lord Jesus in the fullness of time, and through the prophetic word. He was in the world, and the world knew Him not. He came unto His own, Israel, and they received Him not. He had left Judea and MUST needs go through Samaria.

He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. (Isaiah 53:3)

But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people. (Psalm 22:6)

Let not them that are mine enemies wrongfully rejoice over me: neither let them wink with the eye that hate me without a cause. (Psalm 35:19)

They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head: they that would destroy me, being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty: then I restored that which I took not away. (Psalm 69:4)

But [this cometh to pass], that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause. (John 15:25)

   The Lord’s rejection became a point of contention at His baptism with the Jewish rulers and religious leaders. When heaven’s voice proclaimed in Matthew 3:17, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased,’ the world, the flesh, and the devil came out against Him. Straight way, immediately after His baptism, He spent 40 days and 40 nights in the wilderness. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred. (Matthew 4:2) At this point His first confrontation, after His baptism, was with the devil himself. The first point of temptation was His own weakness in the flesh, for He had not eaten for 40 days and for 40 nights. And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. (Matthew 4:3) The first temptation was to turn stone into bread, to the natural man (under sin. This would truly have been too much to bear; however, Christ (being the divine Son of God) had meat to eat that the devil knew not of. Christ was filled with the sustenance of heaven above. Here is one of the profound truths of His divine Sonship (His answer to the devil showed His divinity as the Word of God, and as the Son of God) that it is HE who upholds all things by the word of His power. (Hebrews 1:3) This is the rebuke of the Lord Jesus from Matthew Chapter 4, verse 4, But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. The very first rebuke to the devil was one that showed the strength, power, and glory of both the written word of God and the Living Word of God. All is surrounded in the Christian faith by the written word of God, and the Living Word of God, the Lord Jesus Christ. As Christ is eternal, so He proclaimed of His word that heaven and earth would pass away, but His word would endure forever. 　

   As we travel through the life of Christ through the gospel of John, we see His rejection by the nation, and by the religious leaders of Judea. It was then that He cleansed the temple.

And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting: (John 2:14) And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers’ money, and overthrew the tables; (John 2:15) And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father’s house an house of merchandise. (John 2:16)

   Lastly, we have the rejection of the world. When the Son of God was presented to the world, the world had to make a choice: believe on Him, or reject Him. Calvary sealed the fate of unbelief as equally as it sealed the fate of the believers of the Lord Jesus Christ.

— The Coat of Heirship — The Garment of Oneness —

—The Vesture of Blood —

   Joseph was instantly rejected by his brethren when he received the coat of many colors. This was the coat of heirship. It was made of twelve colors (a color for every tribe). The one wearing this coat was the appointed heir; thus, all that Jacob possessed was given to Joseph. Let us examine this coat of heirship concerning twelve colors; later in the history of Israel, we have the breastplate of the high priest, and on this breastplate were twelve stones; each stone a different color as each stone represented a tribe of Israel. This is laid out for us in Exodus Chapter 28, verses 17 through 21.

And thou shalt set in it settings of stones, even four rows of stones: the first row shall be a sardius, a topaz, and a carbuncle: this shall be the first row. (Exodus 28:17)

And the second row shall be an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond. (Exodus 28:18)

And the third row a ligure, an agate, and an amethyst. (Exodus 28:19)

And the fourth row a beryl, and an onyx, and a jasper: they shall be set in gold in their inclosings. (Exodus 28:20)

And the stones shall be with the names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their names, like the engravings of a signet; every one with his name shall they be according to the twelve tribes. (Exodus 28:21)

   As God the Father loved the Lord Jesus Christ, we are reminded that His garment also was a testimony of who He was. It was a garment woven from top to bottom without seam — ONE solid garment. He was wrapped in Unity. He was cloaked in ONEness.  His garment also was a testimony of who He was. It was a garment woven from top to bottom without seam — ONE solid garment. He was wrapped in Unity. He was cloaked in ONEness. This garment was so valuable in its appearance meaning that because of what it represented and the glory of the garment in design and color, the centurion refused to part or divide the garment. The importance of this garment is recorded in Psalm 22, verse 18, They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture. Thousands of years later after this prophetic statement we see this prophecy fulfilled in Chapter 19 of the gospel of John in verses 23 and 24.

Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also his coat: now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout. (John 19:23)

They said therefore among themselves, Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be: that the scripture might be fulfilled, which saith, They parted my raiment among them, and for my vesture they did cast lots. These things therefore the soldiers did. (John 19:24)

And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind [him], and touched the hem of his garment: (Matthew 9:20)

And besought him that they might only touch the hem of his garment: and as many as touched were made perfectly whole. (Matthew 14:36)

   Through the testimony from the gospel of Matthew, the word of God describes a garment that was recognized by the people as a special garment belonging only to one, the heir of all things. In the hearts of the people, as well as in the heart of the woman in Matthew 9:20, they see the divine majesty in the Son of God, and in the garment that He wore. In the fulfillment of this garment, we have the description of the Son of Man in Revelation Chapter 1 with a divine garment down to His feet, and a golden girdle covers His chest showing the complete divine Being of the Son of Man, the Son of God.

   There were those in Israel who recognized Him by His garment. Even in the history of Israel, the princes in waiting, or the heir of the kingdom, were clothed in a specific garment. So therefore, it is entirely fitting that He who is the Creator of all things, and the Heir of His own creation wore a garment revealing His authority and His heirship.

   The centurion could not part this garment. These soldiers were under divine control, for the prophecy had declared that this specific garment would not be parted for it was symbolic of the heir of all things. When we return to Joseph and his brethren, we should consider Genesis Chapter 37. In verse 3, we read, Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours. This verse shows the love that Jacob had for Joseph above all of his other children. In relationship to Joseph’s sonship and heirship, his father loved him more than Joseph’s brethren. And it was quite evident by presenting the coat of many colors to Joseph that Jacob was making a statement by not making a statement that, This is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased. When Joseph’s brethren saw the coat of many colors that was a symbol of the father’s love, they hated Joseph more. And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him. (Genesis 37:4) They could not even speak to Joseph peaceably. Joseph was not only chosen of his father, but God the Father had a divine purpose for Joseph. Joseph was given a dream from above to assure Joseph of his relationship with the Almighty; however, when he told the dream to his brethren, they hated him even more; furthermore, when Joseph described this dream to them, that he would reign over them, and have dominion over them, they hated yet the more for this dream and for his words. And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words. (Genesis 37:8) Even Jacob, his father, could not embrace this dream that God had given to Joseph. And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth? (Genesis 37:10)

   The spiritual type of Joseph was fulfilled in the fullness of time by the manifestation of the Son of God. We, as Christians, recognize His garment in the continuous weaving of the word of God as the Lord Jesus weaves the colors of eternity into each of our hearts, souls, and spirits. When Adam stood before the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, he was clothed with a divine garment, when Adam partook of the fruit of that tree, he brought sin into the world, and sin removed this garment, and sin gave the flesh mastery over the spirit. Before the fall, the spirit was the master over the flesh of man, after the fall, the flesh became the master of mankind. In the garden, Adam had a glorious garment of divine origin; however, when God drove him out of the garden, Adam and Eve left the garden wearing the coats (skins) of dead beasts. Although God had offered the lamb for the sin that Adam had brought into the world, it prefigured the true Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world in the Lord Jesus Christ. Even after His crucifixion, His garment could not be rent and could not be separated; yet, the veil of the temple was rent from top to bottom.

   When the brethren of Joseph returned the coat of many colors to Jacob after they had sold Joseph into Egypt it was saturated with blood. They had killed a kid of the goat and taken the blood of that goat and placed it on the coat of many colors. This is very significant, for the Holy Spirit phrases it this way, ‘a kid of the goats,’ This has a reference, first, it was a kid, it was male; secondly, it was a first born; and thirdly it was taken out of the herd of goats. Now the blood of this goat was not painted on the coat of many colors. The coat was dipped in the blood of the goat, and THEN this coat was brought to Jacob whole.

And they took Joseph’s coat, and killed a kid of the goats, and dipped the coat in the blood; (Genesis 37:31) And they sent the coat of many colours, and they brought it to their father; and said, This have we found: know now whether it be thy son’s coat or no. (Genesis 37:32) And he knew it, and said, It is my son’s coat; an evil beast hath devoured him; Joseph is without doubt rent in pieces. (Genesis 37:33)

  Expressing his feelings of loss for Joseph, Jacob recognized the coat; however, it was Jacob who described Joseph as being rent in pieces, the coat of many colors was whole and not ripped, nor torn. It was whole, and it was brought back to Joseph’s father as a witness of the eternal. (The Holy Spirit makes sure that THIS COAT is always referred to as a coat [a single coat] not as pieces or fragments of material.)

Side Note: The Vesture / Garment: In all of Scripture the phrase and dipped the coat in the blood is only mentioned once. In all of Scripture the phrase a vesture dipped in blood is only mentioned once.

And they took Joseph’s coat, and killed a kid of the goats, and dipped the coat in the blood; (Genesis 37:31)

And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. (Revelation 19:13)

OLD TESTAMENT – Prophecy

Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? this that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save. (Isaiah 63:1)

Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the winefat? (Isaiah 63:2)

I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment. (Isaiah 63:3)

NEW TESTAMENT – Prophecy yet to be fulfilled  

And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. (Revelation 19:11)

His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. (Revelation 19:12)

And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. (Revelation 19:13)

And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. (Revelation 19:14)

And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. (Revelation 19:15)

And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. (Revelation 19:16)

   Although they did not understand it, this was a witness of the fullness of time. This coat of many colors was only the beginning of Joseph’s journey for God had determined that the life of Joseph would one day be the salvation of the world from famine, and drought. In the greatest civilization at that time Joseph was second to Pharaoh.   As the Lord Jesus said that God the Father was greater than all, He also declared that the Father and the Son were One. We see this unity in the coat of many colors, the coat without seam woven from top to bottom, and the vesture dipped in blood, and lastly, the glorious garment of the Son of Man in Revelation Chapter 1 unveils the Son of Man as unity personified as the Ancient of days. (Daniel 7:9; 10:6)

The Well and the Altar

Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour. (John 4:6)

There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink. (John 4:7)

(For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.) (John 4:8)

Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans. (John 4:9)

Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. (John 4:10)

    In Chapter 4 of the gospel of John, we are brought to see the preexistent plan of the most high God in the relationship to Joseph and to Jacob’s well. What else took place in the land of Shechem. It was there that Jacob built an altar to the God of Israel.

And Jacob came to Shalem, a city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Padanaram; and pitched his tent before the city. (Genesis 33:18) And he bought a parcel of a field, where he had spread his tent, at the hand of the children of Hamor, Shechem’s father, for an hundred pieces of money. (Genesis 33:19) And he erected there an altar, and called it Elelohe-Israel. (Genesis 33:20)

   God also points us to a city called Shalem, a place of peace. Only at a place of peace can an altar be erected to the God of Israel: Elelohe-Israel, (God, the mighty God of Israel).

   By the name of the altar of Jacob we recognize Jacob’s thought concerning his God. First, he stated a knowledge of a divine Being who was his personal Creator and God. Secondly, he established something that will continue on until the end of time and beyond: that this God is the mighty God of Israel. This not only covers Jacob, the Supplanter, but covers the future nation that would be led up out of Egypt, and eventually (after years of wandering) would enter again into the promised land. This parcel of land that was given to Joseph not only had a history, but it had a divine history for before the world was, in the determinate counsels of God, these things were established and written that the Lord Jesus MUST needs go through Samaria. The Lord Jesus approached Jacob’s well, and then He sat upon it, and there He waited for His Gentile bride. There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink. (John 4:7)

His Vineyard Through the Ages

   He had left Judea because of the religious leaders, they had hated Him without a cause. This is also reflected in the parable or prophecy of the vineyard told to the Pharisees by the Lord Jesus Christ. This parable or prophecy is recorded in Matthew, Mark and Luke. Let us read from the gospel of Luke Chapter 30, verses 9 thru 19.

Then began he to speak to the people this parable; A certain man planted a vineyard, and let it forth to husbandmen, and went into a far country for a long time. (Luke 20:9)

And at the season he sent a servant to the husbandmen, that they should give him of the fruit of the vineyard: but the husbandmen beat him, and sent him away empty. (Luke 20:10)

And again he sent another servant: and they beat him also, and entreated him shamefully, and sent him away empty. (Luke 20:11)

And again he sent a third: and they wounded him also, and cast him out. (Luke 20:12)

Then said the lord of the vineyard, What shall I do? I will send my beloved son: it may be they will reverence him when they see him. (Luke 20:13)

But when the husbandmen saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, This is the heir: come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours. (Luke 20:14)

So they cast him out of the vineyard, and killed him. What therefore shall the lord of the vineyard do unto them? (Luke 20:15)

He shall come and destroy these husbandmen, and shall give the vineyard to others. And when they heard it, they said, God forbid. (Luke 20:16)

And he beheld them, and said, What is this then that is written, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner? (Luke 20:17)

Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder. (Luke 20:18)

And the chief priests and the scribes the same hour sought to lay hands on him; and they feared the people: for they perceived that he had spoken this parable against them. (Luke 20:19)

   In this prophetic message to the Pharisees, the Lord recited the history of Israel in how they had mistreated the servants of God, and the prophets.

And the LORD God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers, rising up betimes, and sending; because he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling place: (2 Chronicles 36:15)

But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the LORD arose against his people, till there was no remedy. (2 Chronicles 36:15)

   In the written evidence from the Old Testament, we have the record of Israel and how they mistreated the servants and prophets of God. The servants of God had been mistreated by the Jews and by the world. However, this did not deter or stop the work of the Almighty. The parable proclaimed the Lord as the heir, and lastly, He was sent to Israel that they might repent and believe on Him. The result was that they cast Him (the heir of all things) out of the vineyard.

   Through the time frame of Church history, God has continually sent His messengers into the world, as one by one they were/and are rejected; nevertheless, they bring the same message of grace concerning the Lord Jesus Christ. No matter what the reaction of the world, or the devices of the world, or of the devil against the servants of God, as one falls God raises up another with the same divine message that grace, and truth came by Jesus Christ. The vineyard will never be forfeited, for in the end He who is faithful and true will come with a sword of judgment as the Lord of Lords, and King of Kings to claim the vineyard and to take it out of the hands of the usurpers. Even in our present day, as the message goes out, the world at-large rejects it, and rejects the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ. The religious man can only see himself through his own eyes, he is not capable of seeing the depth of his sin because he has been blinded by that very sin. Only in the new birth can anyone understand the tragedy, which is Adam, which is all human flesh. The quickening of the new birth is not to exalt the flesh, but to give the Spirit of Christ preeminence in the being that has been created by the Creator of all things. Not only do we walk after the Spirit, but we see with the eyes of the Spirit, and we see what is the abomination of all flesh. This is why the religious man, whether a Jewish Pharisee, Sadducee, or even a follower of Herod (a Herodian) could not and cannot see beyond themselves.

   And so today, as you read this article, there are many voices, there are many positions of men, and there are many religious names of organizations throughout the world, none of these can replace the fact that it is Christ, and only Christ who is the way, the truth, and the life, and without any exception, no one comes to the Father without knowing the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ in heart, soul, and spirit.

   The vineyard belongs to the heir: the Son of God. The rejection of Christ can be seen in many ways: first, He is denied of His divine Sonship; then, He is disgraced by the world calling Him a mere man, and attributing the ways of Adam to the Son of God, but the worst rejection comes from those who mimic true Christianity, they are like a spiritual mime being something they are not. For although they profess the Lord Jesus, they deny Him by not giving Him the preeminence in all things. He should have a rightful and preeminent place over the vineyard of this age, which is the Church. And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. (Colossians 1:18)

Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour. (John 4:6)

There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink. (John 4:7)

   He came to the land of Samaria to deliver those bound in chains. He sat upon the well of life for He Himself is the fullness of life, and in Him was/is life and the life was/is the light of men. The light shineth in the darkness and the darkness comprehended it not. He was surrounded by the parcel of ground that Jacob presented to his own heir, and yet, the Majesty of all things, the eternal Creator sat upon a well waiting for the divine appointment for the divine time when the woman of Samaria would approach.

Mankind in the Sixth Hour

Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour. (John 4:6)

   As He sat on the well, the time of day was about the sixth hour, the sixth hour is very important in the New Testament. For in the Lord’s battle against sin and death, and evil, darkness came over the land from the six hour to the ninth hour. In the four gospels, the sixth hour is mentioned five times. Remember that the number six speaks of man. This is man’s number, and the fulfillment of this number is in Revelation Chapter 13, it is the number of the beast: 6 – 6 – 6. The sixth hour is also mentioned one time in the book of Acts in Chapter 10. This is very important for the Spirit of God wants us to see the depth of darkness in the Gentile world, and in the heart of every man. In the book of Acts, we are brought to an awareness of the need of light, and that light has to come from the Lord Jesus Christ. Even in Peter’s vision it is to undo the thoughts of darkness that Peter still possessed, that what God had created was clean, and that even the Gentiles were to receive the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

   In John Chapter 4, we see the number 6 in verse 6, the Spirit of God gives us Chapter 4 with the gospel going directly to the Gentiles by the Lord Himself. The number 4 speaks of the world. The number 6 speaks of man under sin. In Revelation Chapter 13 the number of the man, who is the beast, discloses that all of mankind (led by the beast) has lost all contact with the man of Genesis 1:26 and 27 who was created in the image of God. In Genesis 1:25, the Lord made the beasts of the field, and despite the wickedness of the theory of evolution, the Almighty God placed a division between man and the beasts.

   When reading Revelation 13, we see no likeness of Adam at all. The man of Revelation 13 is the epitome of a beastly brutal tyrant, and his number is 6 – 6 – 6, a trinity of evil. It also speaks of man’s inner being: a fallen heart, spirit and without a soul. This oppressive beast will be specifically energized by the serpent, the old serpent, the devil, and the beast kingdom will be a kingdom of darkness. Fifteen times (15) in Revelation 13 we have the word ‘beast,’ and thirteen times it refers directly to the beast or to his image.In Revelation 16:10, the fifth angel pours out his vial on the kingdom of the beast, and in 16:10 we see the complete nature of the kingdom of the beast: it is one of darkness, so great that all of his earth dwelling slaves will gnaw, or chew on their own tongues for the pain of the darkness.

Side Note: The Tongue – In Revelation Chapter 16, the tongue is mentioned for the last time in Scripture. The deceit and pain that the tongue has sown throughout time cannot be calculated: it has been a crooked tongue, a forked tongue, because the tongue of the serpent gave us the first lie in Scripture. Many times over and over we have the tongue of hatred especially in the words, Crucify him, crucify him. The tongue is used, and was used to condemn the righteous Son of God. It is also used to condemn His bride (the Church) those who have been born again, the children of God. The Spirit of God, through the book of James, tells us all that we need to know about the unruly tongue.

My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation. (James 3:1)

For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body. (James 3:2)

Jas 3:3 Behold, we put bits in the horses’ mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body. (James 3:3)

Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth. (James 3:4)

Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! (James 3:5)

And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. (James 3:6)

For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: (James 3:7)

But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. (James 3:8)

Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. (James 3:9)

Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. (James 3:10)

Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? (James 3:11)

Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh. (James 3:12)

Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom. (James 3:13)

But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. (James 3:14)

This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.(James 3:15)

For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.(James 3:16)

But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.(James 3:17)

And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.(James 3:18)

I included the entire Chapter of James Chapter 3 so that you might be able to see the depth of wickedness that the tongue spits out; it is a fire that cannot be put out.

   In the kingdom of the beast, the tongue is gnawed on for all the pain it has caused throughout the history of mankind and isn’t it quite fitting that we have a kingdom of darkness, and that we see it as a pain so great that mankind gnaws on their own tongues. The tongue is finally brought to the point of the pain that it has caused throughout the entire world throughout time. This takes place in the last hours in the kingdom of the beast. Yet, they still will not repent. Truly, the sixth hour of darkness is upon them. AS Christ suffered from the sixth to the ninth hour, man in his earthly rule will have to suffer because of their own wickedness in darkness and in pain, and still they adamantly refuse to repent.

   In Chapter 16:11 and in verse 12, the sixth angel pours out his vial, and mankind becomes viler (if this is possible). In verse 13 of Chapter 16 of the book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ man is filled with unclean spirits, as frogs. If anyone has seen a cluster of frogs in their gel sacks, they are a multitude of squiggly tadpoles, and as they mature they are the most slimy and hideous creatures. You say, Prove it. The proof is in verse 13 of Chapter 16 of Revelation, And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.

   Mankind has been worshiping these slimy creatures for a long, long time. Even today, children are taught to like these slimy devils, and through the history of man there have been many cults that use and worship the frog. God puts His seal to the diabolical nature of the frog in Revelation 16:13. I can’t say it any plainer than the Scriptures. If you want a background of the slimy little creatures, go back to the days of Moses and the land of Egypt for one of the plaques on Egypt was the plaque of the frogs. (Exodus 8:5) Was this just a random choice by Moses? No, it was a divine choice against one of Egypt’s deities that was symbolized with the frog. Those things that were written afore were written for our understanding in these last days. Those things that were written concerning the future were written for US in these last days. These unclean spirits, the frogs, come out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. And what does the Spirit of God say in verse 14, For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. Just a brief comparison through the apostle John in John Chapter 4, verse 23 the Lord brings forth that the true worshippers of God will worship in Spirit and in truth. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. Through the same apostle in the book of Revelation, the Lord gives us a contrast between the Spirit of God and the evil spirits of Satan. In John 4, we have a description of the Spirit of God, in Revelation 16, we have a description of the evil spirit of man and of Satan. Mankind becomes completely and totally energized because all his power, and all his guidance will come from the devil himself.

   We see the purpose of the Lord Jesus in going through Samaria. This was a journey of division and separation. The Lord Jesus separated Himself from Judea, He also separated Himself from His disciples, and He separated the natural water of life from the spiritual water of life by sitting upon the well. He was there at the time of the gathering of the people at the well for the sixth hour was drawing near. Yet, with His divine power and sovereignty He kept the crowd away, only this one woman approached the well. He had not only separated Himself, but He had also separated her. Her election was at hand in the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ, the ‘gift’ of God.

The Gift of God

Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. (John 4:10)

   The apostle Paul gives us a glimpse into what this gift, the Person of Christ, has accomplished for us. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: (1 Corinthians 1:30) The Lord Jesus is the GIFT of wisdom, the GIFT of righteousness, the GIFT of sanctification, and the GIFT of redemption. He is also the GIFT of justification, and He has given US the GIFT of the Holy Spirit of God. Which in the fullness of the Godhead bodily is the Spirit of Christ.

The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water? (John 4:11)

Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle? (John 4:12)

Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: (John 4:13)

But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. (John 4:14)

The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw. (John 4:15)

Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither. (John 4:16)

The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband: (John 4:17)

For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly. (John 4:18)

The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet. (John 4:19)

   The Lord Jesus created an environment where the woman of Samaria would be completely alone with the Almighty God. He drew her with her own conscience, and with her own past so that in amazement she said, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet. (John 4:19)

  The Lord began the conversation as He sat upon the well by asking the woman for a drink of water. The woman replied with a word of contention that He was a Jew, and why was He asking a woman of Samaria for a drink when the Jews had no dealings with the Samaritans? He was not there to propagate Judaism, but to deliver this woman from her sins. Then this conversation followed, that if she only knew the Gift of God, and who it was that said, Give me to drink, she could have ask Him, and He would give her living water from above. The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water? (John 4:11) In verse 11, the woman entered into the perplexity and bewilderment of her own soul, and again she referred to the natural water, but He was not speaking of the water beneath the physical well, He was speaking of the water from above the well. Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle? (John 4:12) She immediately responded by questioning who He was, Art thou greater than our father Jacob. Who was this stranger? Did this stranger assume that he was greater than the most revered of their ancestors? Most likely her genealogy was so perverted that a chance of any relationship to Jacob would have been very rare; indeed, yet, she called Jacob (the father of all the tribes of Israel) her father.

Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: (John 4:13)

But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. (John 4:14)

   The Lord Jesus referred to the well as a natural thing that the natural water can only satisfy for a while, and then thirst will return. However, the Lord Jesus (in verse 14) enters into the spiritual and a life springing up from within: a spiritual well of everlasting life. The woman is drawn to this water that will give everlasting life. She replied, Sir, give me this water, and yet, her eyes were still on the well, neither come hither to draw. In verse 16, Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither. He begins the work within her by appealing to her conscience, and to bring the truth of her past into light, Call thy husband, and come hither. She answered truthfully. I have no husband. He has exposed her and her past. He reveals His infinite knowledge: For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly. (John 4:18) At this point of revealing her past, the Lord Jesus was seen by the woman as being a prophet. As many do, she immediately applied herself to her own religion.

The Influence of the Surroundings

Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship. (John 4:20)

   In most cases we are governed by our surroundings; however, in the case of the Lord Jesus, He is the Governor over His surroundings. Although being manifested in the flesh, He still maintained and possessed all His creatorial power. Let’s consider the surroundings in the land of Samaria. First, we have the parcel of ground that was given to Joseph because of Joseph’s heirship. Next, we have Jacob’s well, a symbol of life for without water mankind perishes. Then we have three mountains: Mount Ephraim, Mount Gerizim, and Mount Ebal all three connected or tied to Shechem or Sychar.

SIDE NOTE: Mount Ephraim – For they gave them Shechem with her suburbs in mount Ephraim, to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Gezer with her suburbs, (Joshua 21:21)

Mount Gerizim – From mount Gerizim the blessings, according to all that is written in the book of the law, could be heard.

Mount Ebal – From mount Ebal the cursings according to all that is written in the book of the law, could be heard.

Mount Ephraim was an extensive mountain range, on the north side was mount Ebal, and on the south side was mount Gerizim. The blessings and cursings (as described in the following verses) could be heard clearly by the inhabitants of mount Ephraim as recorded in Judges 9:7, And when they told it to Jotham, he went and stood in the top of mount Gerizim, and lifted up his voice, and cried, and said unto them, Hearken unto me, ye men of Shechem, that God may hearken unto you.

And it shall come to pass, when the LORD thy God hath brought thee in unto the land whither thou goest to possess it, that thou shalt put the blessing upon mount Gerizim, and the curse upon mount Ebal. (Deuteronomy 11:29)

And all Israel, and their elders, and officers, and their judges, stood on this side the ark and on that side before the priests the Levites, which bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, as well the stranger, as he that was born among them; half of them over against mount Gerizim, and half of them over against mount Ebal; as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded before, that they should bless the people of Israel. (Joshua 8:33)

And afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessings and cursings, according to all that is written in the book of the law. (Joshua 8:34)

   These mountains of Shechem/Sychar had great historical and spiritual meaning. These three mountains become important because the Lord Jesus picked one of these mountains as representing the worshippers of Samaria. Throughout their history the dwellers in Shechem/Sychar were acquainted with the book of the law. They sat between spiritual blessings and cursings. They sat between spiritual life and spiritual death. They were without excuse. From the three mountains, Mount Ephraim was very important for the last son of Aaron, Eliezer (the high priest) was buried in Mount Ephraim. During Israel’s wilderness journey in the tabernacle only the high priest could approach the mercy seat, and only the high priest could offer the blood of the sacrifice for the sins of the people, and only the high priest could be in the presence of God when God looked on the blood of the sin offering. This visible partial fulfillment of the high priest, the place of refuge in the Person of Christ, coming in strength to a place of ‘strength’ to freely give the gift of everlasting life as living water now appeared in flesh as the manifestation of God Himself in Shechem/Sychar in John Chapter 4.

SIDE NOTE: Our Surrounding and their Influence: In our surroundings today, we can see the increase of the works of evil both in the worlds’ political organizations and in the religious establishments. They have worked together to blind the world of the perfections that are in Jesus Christ. The gospel is motivated by salesmanship, and not motivated by the Spirit of God. They are selling the gospel to increase their goods and to build a name for themselves, and a kingdom around THEMselves and not around the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not. (2 Peter 2:3)

Since the late 50’s and early 60’s the people of the United States have been under a system deliberately formed by the government called ‘behavior modification.’ We have been trained to be slaves for them and big money, and literally MOST of our civil rights have eroded and vanished while still claiming that we have ‘freedom.’ In this life no matter what kind of government you have, there is no such thing as individual freedom, only individual liberties, and these liberties have been eroding away. Our message isn’t about physical freedom, but spiritual freedom for the true worshipers shall worship the Father in Spirit and in truth. There is only One who can reveal the truth to mankind, and this is God Himself through His Spirit and through the word of God. The Lord Jesus proclaimed, Seek the truth, and the truth shall set you free. It is the word of God and the Spirit of God who comforts the true believer in times like these. And yet, when we return to the well in Sychar in John Chapter 4, we find Samaria as this world is today. ♦ End of Side Note.

Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship. (John 4:20)

   She appealed to her religion and not to God as the center of worship for her fathers had worshiped in this mountain. This was in contrast with the Jews who worshiped in Jerusalem. The Lord Jesus did not listen to her appeal to religion, He took her thoughts completely away from the works of mankind and told her that there is an hour coming when no one will worship in her mountain or in Jerusalem, for both the worship in the mountain and in Jerusalem would perish.

Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. (John 4:21)

Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. (John 4:22)

But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. (John 4:23)

   God the Father through His Son is seeking, drawing out, a people for Himself outside of the realm of man-made religion, outside of heathen altars of the mountains, outside of the buildings of men, for God the Father wants those who will worship Him in spirit and in truth, for grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. As the Lord Jesus declared that God is Spirit, and therefore, He must be worshiped in spirit and in truth. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. (John 4:24) The heart of this woman of Samaria was enlightened. She had a knowledge that the Messiah will come, and she even had a knowledge that He would be called God’s Christ. She even had a knowledge that Christ is the wisdom of God: He will tell us all things. The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things. (John 4:25) In verse 26, Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he. The Lord proclaimed that He IS the Messiah, the Anointed One, and immediately in verse 27 there was an interruption. And upon this came his disciples, and marvelled that he talked with the woman: yet no man said, What seekest thou? or, Why talkest thou with her? (John 4:27)

   How many times has the servant of God experience similar interruptions when giving the gospel, but the woman had heard enough. Her conscience bore witness to her heart, spirit, and soul, and she had believed the stranger on the well. The Messiah had come. She left her water pot and went into the city, she became a heralder of grace and truth. She wanted others to see and to hear this Man.

The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men, (John 4:28)

Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ? (John 4:29)

Then they went out of the city, and came unto him. (John 4:30)

   She had found the Christ of God. Come, see . . . the woman was now a Heralder, Come, see . . . . the Christ. They went out of the city to find this Man who was the Christ of God, And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did. (John 4:39) Many of the Samaritans believed on the Lord Jesus at the saying of the woman, and many more sought Him to hear His words and they believed on Him, and exclaimed, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world. (John 4:42)

   What a Chapter of separation. He separated the natural water from His spiritual water. He separated the woman from her water pot. He separated the woman from her religious ties. He separated the men from the cities of Samaria. And He separated all these believers from the world in which they dwelt for now they will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. In Samaria, John Chapter 4, we see the result and the evidence of this phrase in John 3, ye must be born again, for now the believers in Sychar will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. It would be good to understand that these people in Sychar were a mixture and conglomeration (throughout centuries) from many nations intermarrying and intermingling without any preservation of nationalistic ties. Truly, this prophecy in Genesis 49, verse 22 can be seen as reaching over a wall to a people separated from the truth and becoming fruitful for God. Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall.

In the mean while his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat. (John 4:31)

But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of. (John 4:32)

Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him ought to eat? (John 4:33)

Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. (John 4:34)

   The Lord was interrupted by His disciple’s concern regarding the meat of the world for they had left Him prior to purchase meat; the Lord rebuked them as shown in verse 32. They had interrupted Him twice while He, the Lord of glory, was doing the work of His Father by evangelizing both the woman and the men of the city of Sychar. First, He stated that His meat was from heaven above, and not the meat of man. For His life and sustenance is to do the will of the Father that had sent Him into the world to fulfill and finish the work of God in the fullness of time. Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. (John 4:34) His disciples were still oblivious to the magnitude and the depth of the work of God. It is quite evident that the disciples were interested in the temporal and not the spiritual.

Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. (John 4:35)

And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together. (John 4:36)

And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth. (John 4:37)

I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours. (John 4:38)

   He began to rebuke them, Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? He instructed them to lift up their eyes, and to look on the field of humanity for at their day, their present time, at the particular moment, the fields of humanity were white and all ready to harvest. Meaning the wheat is showing the tassel, it is now time to harvest. It is time NOW to proclaim the gospel. It is time NOW to draw out of the world a people for the Almighty God. The Lord Jesus (in verse 36) reached back into the Old Testament to draw attention to the ancient sowers of the word of God.

   When the Lord Jesus sat upon the well, and evangelized the Samaritans there was only the Old Testament books to go by, even though they had been translated into Greek in the Septuagint, still the religious world was not using the Old Testament to proselyte the Gentile world. It is evident that the word of God had a world connection for during the ministry of the Lord Jesus the Greeks came asking to see Jesus. They had a knowledge of the Scriptures. The woman at the well knew that a Messiah was coming. The wise men, not only followed the star, but followed their knowledge of the written word of God, so much so, that they called the star, His star, the star out of the tribe of Judah.

   The Lord Jesus gave us something very comforting, for both the sower and the reaper will rejoice together. In the work of the gospel all who herald the cross are subject to the men of the past who have likewise preached the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ in spirit and in truth. We could go all the way back to Abel, and his declaration of faith that cost him his life. We could go to Antipas in the book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ, and see that his declaration of faith cost him his life. We could go to the life of Paul as he laid down his life and embraced the suffering of the gospel for the glory of God, or Peter toward the end of his days stating that he was ready to be offered, that he was ready to take the journey home to be with the Lord Jesus Christ. All these men sowed, and other men reaped, as we sow other men will reap. Where others have sown, we today are reaping precious souls for the glory and the majesty of the Lord Jesus Christ. I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours. (John 4:38) We also enter into His words to His disciples, ‘I send you to reap in places that you have not gone or labored, other men have labored and they have entered into that labor.’ We should never think of ourselves as the end result of evangelism, but only as a small particle of dust in the divine plan and determinate counsels of the Almighty God.

And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did. (John 4:39)

So when the Samaritans were come unto him, they besought him that he would tarry with them: and he abode there two days. (John 4:40)

And many more believed because of his own word; (John 4:1)

And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world. (John 4:42)

Now after two days he departed thence, and went into Galilee. (John 4:43)

   The woman of Samaria became a heralder of the truth. Her past life was gone, and now she served the Bridegroom of eternity, and many believed on Him because of her word. They were so taken back by the word of Christ that they besought Him to tarry with them, and He stayed with them for two days. After the two days the Lord Jesus left for Canaan of Galilee.

Come and See the Important Moments in Time

— A Synopsis —

—The Broad Picture in the Sequence of Events in the Gospel of John —

   In the gospel of John the Spirit of God not only gives us words, but gives us moments of importance. You could say that these were moments of prophecy. After two days, He left the Gentile community, and returned to the Jewish community. The marriage at Cana (in John Chapter 2) was a Jewish wedding, and therefore, we have the stone water pots as a symbol of Jewish cleansing. From there we have the Lord Jesus cleansing the temple, and being rejected of the Jewish leadership. This continues through John Chapter 3, Nicodemus (in John Chapter 3) never acknowledged the Lord as the Messiah, or as God’s Christ, but only as a teacher come from God; this all took place in the land of Judea. Chapter 4 begins with Him leaving Judea, and going to the land of Samaria which was predominantly under Gentile influence. There He called out a woman from the Gentile world, and she became a passionate follower of the Lord Jesus Christ. This Gentile woman had no problem acknowledging and proclaiming that the Lord Jesus was the Messiah, and that He was God’s Christ. THIS became the general knowledge of all those who believed in the land of Samaria. Everything else was put aside, only God’s Christ was the focal point of their heart, soul and spirit; consequently, He abode with them for two days. Then, He returned to the Jewish estate in Canaan in Galilee where He performed the first miracle in Galilee, and as He journeyed He was met by a Jewish nobleman whose son was deathly sick. Without going to the house of this nobleman the Lord Jesus merely speaks the word, and the son is healed. Then the Spirit of God proclaims the second miracle that Jesus did in Galilee.

   In His first advent, He came unto His own, and they received Him not. He came to Judaism that was dead and in trespasses and sin. After His resurrection, He ascended out of Judaism to the right hand of God. He came to a dead system to give life, and they refused that life; therefore, for more than two thousand years, the gospel has been going out to the whole world. Soon, He will return, and then He will speak the word only and Israel will be healed. He will embrace Israel by giving her life, and this life will be from above, and this life will be fulfilling what He told His disciples that He had been sent to do,Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.(John 4:34)

   When you examine the life of God’s dear Son, as a Son, He was the truest Son. As a prophet, He was the truest Prophet. As a Priest, He was and is the truest Priest. In John Chapter 4, He was the truest Servant, and He is the truest Son of man. And we see this in verse 34. Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. No one in Adam’s race could make this statement. Christ stands alone in this verse. It is not only to do the will of the Father who had sent Him, and to finish the work that was committed unto Him to accomplish, but within Him (deep down in the very soul of deity) was the appealing call of the determinate counsels of God that He MUST fulfill.

  Let us look again at the gospel of John Chapter 4, verse 42, And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world. In 4 – 4 – 2, we have five two’s, the witness to the world in grace. First we see the number 4 (relating to the world) and then we have the number 2 relating to witness: in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word is established. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. (Matthew 18:16) One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established. (Deuteronomy 19:15) We first have the witness of the woman, and then of the men: We have heard Him ourselves. Then by the Spirit of God the men declare, that they KNOW in their hearts, souls, and spirits that this is the Christ, the Savior of the world. He is not the Savior of Judaism alone, but the whole world. Again, a fulfillment of the shadow that was the life of Joseph. Once again, the Spirit of God says, Come and see.

Prophecy in Time

And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world. (John 4:42)

Now after two days he departed thence, and went into Galilee. (John 4:43)

    We need to see how verse 42 ends, and verse 43 begins: Verse 42 ends with the eyes of God on the whole world. Verse 43 begins with God’s eyes back on the Jewish nation in Galilee.

   We begin with Now after two days. We need to see the depth of this for with time and the Lord, a day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as a day. But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. (2 Peter 3:8)

   After two days many are looking for the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is after two days that He returned to Israel to Canaan of Galilee where the wedding took place in Chapter 2. This is so rich in the prophetic window. We will begin in the book of Hosea. In Chapter 1, verse 6, God is casting off Israel. And she conceived again, and bare a daughter. And God said unto him, Call her name Loruhamah: for I will no more have mercy upon the house of Israel; but I will utterly take them away. Here we have the casting off of Israel, and God’s mercy being taken away from the house of Israel. This is in reference to the name Loruhamah, which means: ‘not having obtained mercy.’ In contrast to this in verse 7, we have mercy upon the house of Judah, and God will save them, but He will not save them by the bow, nor by the sword, or battle, or by horsemen. It will be a supernatural deliverance. But I will have mercy upon the house of Judah, and will save them by the LORD their God, and will not save them by bow, nor by sword, nor by battle, by horses, nor by horsemen. (Hosea 1:7) Then in verse 8, Now when she had weaned Loruhamah, she conceived, and bare a son. When Gomah had conceived again, and bore a son, she named him Loramai. Which means, ‘Not my people.’ Then said God, Call his name Loammi: for ye are not my people, and I will not be your God. (Hosea 1:9) We see God turning His back on the people of Israel only in His relationship, but NOT in His determinate counsels. For in verse 10, we have the gathering in of the children of Israel, and in THAT day their number will be as the sand of the sea which cannot be numbered. In THAT day God Himself will proclaim that the nation of Israel to each and every soul, that ye are the sons of the living God. Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God. (Hosea 1:9)

   Now when should this all take place? In Hosea Chapter 6, we have the Holy Spirit working in the hearts of Israel. It is the Holy Spirit who brings out the words from the hearts of Israel, Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up. (Hosea 6:1) Here is the prophetic message in verse 2, After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight. It is after two days, the same as in John Chapter 4.

Now after two days he departed thence, and went into Galilee. (John 4:43)

   In the book of Hosea, Chapter 6, verse 2, it is the only time in the Old Testament that this phrase after two days is mentioned, however, in the New Testament we have this exact phrase recorded three times, two of them in direct relationship to the Lord’s death at Calvary (Matthew 26:2; Mark 14:1), and the third mention is in our Chapter 4 of John, was His return into Galilee. As He was returning, He met a nobleman who was a Jew. How do I know that this man was a Jew? Verse 48 confirms that he was a Jew. For the Jews required a sign, as the Greeks sought after wisdom. Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe. (John 4:48) For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: (1 Corinthians 1:22) This clarifies that the Lord returned to His work among the Israelites and/or the Jews. The nobleman was seeking life for his son. The Lord Jesus stated to this man in John 4:50, Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way. This was the second miracle that the Lord Jesus performed in Galilee. We again have the number two in relationship to witness. In this New Testament Scripture section He removed death and gave life. We have a scripture from the Old Testament that connects to death becoming life. In connection to the book of Ezekiel and the dry bones in Chapter 37, God gave life and removed death. When a whole nation is lying in death, it is only God who can raise them up in life. It is only God who can raise the nation of Israel from death to life.

   Notice that in the miracle of the water being changed into wine in Chapter 2 of the gospel of John that even though Christ was among the Jews no one proclaimed that ‘Thou are the Messiah, the Christ of God.’ Yet, the woman of Samaria was filled with His Person, and expressed this knowledge to all that she met. In the close of Chapter 4, when Christ returned to the Jewish people, He healed the nobleman’s son, and yet, this nobleman did not declare that Jesus was the Messiah, or the Christ of God. In Chapter 5, when Christ returned to Judea, the man who was healed at the pool (being a Jew) never expressed that the Lord Jesus was the Messiah, or the Christ of God. I believe that the Spirit of God is showing us how deep the darkness was and is in the Jewish soul. That although they see miracles, they cannot believe that He is their Messiah, the Christ of God.

   In Joshua, it is after three days that they went into the land. The Ark went into the Jordan first, carried by the priests. The waters are abated, NOT parted, they were gathered in a heap on the northen side of the Jordan, and Israel was told to keep a distance of 2000 cubits between them and the Ark of the Covenant. (Joshua 3:4) All these numbers point us to our anticipation as members of the Body of Christ that we will precede God’s dealings with the nation of Israel, and that we will be caught up to be with the Lord in the translation of the Church.

But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. (1 Thessalonians 4:13)

For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. (1 Thessalonians 4:14)

For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. (1 Thessalonians 4:15)

For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:(1 Thessalonians 4:16)

Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. (1 Thessalonians 4:17)

Wherefore comfort one another with these words. (1 Thessalonians 4:18)

   The translation of the saints will take place in conjunction with Revelation Chapter 4, verse 1. After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter. The reason that I apply this to the translation is how the third Chapter of Revelation ends. In the third Chapter of the book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ, the Church has completely failed as a collective witness for the Lord Jesus Christ. I am not speaking about words, but I am speaking about actual testimony. For you see Laodicea was/IS full of words, they were/ARE rich and increased with goods, and they declare that they had need of nothing, BUT their testimony was/IS this: they were/ARE wretched, miserable and poor in spiritual things. They were/ARE blind to grace and truth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: (Revelation 3:17) The nakedness of the Church takes us back to the garden when sin came into the world. The first thing that Adam and Eve became aware of was their nakedness. There was nothing left of the righteousness of God upon them.

   The Overcomer (the individual) recognizes this failure within the Church of the Laodicean, it is up to the individual to not only come to the Lord Jesus for salvation, but he must open the door for fellowship with the Lord. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. (Revelation 3:20) In spiritual matters, there is no such thing as collective fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ. All fellowship with the Lord Jesus has to be on an individual basis; many individuals in fellowship with the Lord make a collective fellowship. In Chapter 3 beginning with the Church at Philadelphia in verse 7, there is an open door that the Lord opens for this specific Church. It is a revival of the word of God among the people of God, and no man can shut this door. At the end of Chapter 3, we see the door is still open for the Overcomer; however, it seems that collectively that the Church of the Laodiceans had/has closed this door upon themselves.

   The doctrine found in the epistle to the Colossians was to correct their unbelief for it is in the Colossian epistle that the Spirit of God dedicates so much time to the absolute deity of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, that He is the image of the invisible God, and in Him is the fullness of the Godhead bodily — and it is He who fills all in all — and on and on revealing the deity, the majesty, and the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Spirit of God also tells us that this epistle to the Colossians should be read to the Church at Laodicea tying this epistle to Revelation Chapter 3, and the wickedness of Laodicea. It is through the book of Colossians that we see what they at Laodicea lacked. They (the Laodiceans) suffered from the same blindness that the Jews suffered from in John Chapter 4. This last sentence is written in the past tense; however, it can also be written in the present tense and sense: the Church today (the current Laodiceans) suffer from the same blindness that the Jews suffered from. John Chapter 4 ends with 54 verses: five is the number of grace, and four is the number of the world. In verse 3 of Chapter 4, He LEFT Judea, and the last words in 54 is when he was come out of Judaea into Galilee. This should reveal to us that the Spirit of God KNEW the condition of Judah. The conspiracy to both condemn and kill the Lord came out of Judea: out of Jerusalem, they were the instigators. They were the ones who would lead the people of Judea in the chant, Crucify him. Crucify him. This also took place about the sixth hour. When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he brought Jesus forth, and sat down in the judgment seat in a place that is called the Pavement, but in the Hebrew, Gabbatha. (John 19:13) And it was the preparation of the passover, and about the sixth hour: and he saith unto the Jews, Behold your King! (John 19:14)

   The gospel of John Chapter 4 is a wonderful Chapter, and it could also be stated that it is a Chapter of wonder. I wish we could spend more time, but the Spirit is saying, Come and see Chapter 5.  

© Copyright 2020, Michael Haigh

This article may be used, but not for gain. Freely ye have received, freely give.

All Scripture references are from the Authorized King James Bible. (KJV)