Yeshua often came and comes to people when they expect Him least.
Our Lord doesn't have prejudiced views about individuals, or what they have done in their lives.
He looks at a person's inside, as He can read the heart.
The way He visited this foreign woman from Samaria was probably even more shocking than we can imagine. First of all, one must consider that the Samaritans have always been despised by Jewish people. Both communities had no contact with each other.
Yeshua's disciples were probably quite shocked to see their Master speak with a woman who moreover, was a Samaritan.
The Gospel of John is, as far as I am concerned, the most beautiful version of the Good News. It is also the most complex one, because its reading will require the reader to decrypt several layers of reading. The help of the Holy Spirit makes it possible.
So here is Yeshua, quite exhausted from his long walk, sitting at the well. The Samaritan woman is just doing an ordinary, daily task. She wants to draw water. The reader must take note that the well the Gospel refers about is not an ordinary one. It is the well that Patriarch Jacob has given to his son Joseph.
She intends to ignore the Jewish person sitting here, but Yeshua addresses to her, surprisingly asking her : « Give me a drink... »
The first thing the Samaritan woman answers is : «
"You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink ? "
She ment, " we are not supposed to mix...how on earth can you ask me ? "
This part is also an invitation for all of us to stop judging on the external characteristics of a person. Recognize our Lord when He visits you.
Yeshua speaks a spiritual language with the Samaritan woman. She does not understand Him at first, because her interpretation is very down to earth.
" If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water. "
It is hard to figure out who is asking her for a drink.Yeshua truly is the gift of God speaking to her. But what is this « living water » He is talking about ?
The Living Water is the Sacred Breath, the Holy Spirit that is freely given to anybody who accepts Yeshua as their Messiah.
« If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water. »
The Samaritan woman's spiritual sight opens progressively. She realizes that the One who is speaking with her might be greater than the Patriarchs. He doesn't seem to be an ordinary man :
“You have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his livestock?”
Yeshua's subtle, spiritually two-layered answer, allows Him to slowly remove the veil from her eyes :
“Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again,but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
Not only is Yeshua greater than the Patriarchs and prophets, He can grant eternal life.
He creates a thirst in His speaking partner's soul who has a partial understanding of His words :
“Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirstyand have to keep coming here to draw water.”
The prophetic dimension of her encounter is unveiled as Yeshua reveals her intimate details about her life.
How would you react if an unknown man, seemingly coming out of nowhere, told you about very intimate details of your life? For sure, you'd call him a prophet.
The Samaritan woman has a good Scriptural knowledge. She knows that the Messiah of Israel has been announced :
« I know that Messiah is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us. »
However there is always a huge difference between Scriptural knowledge and spiritual experience : in fact, it is the gap separating dead Scriptures from the Living Word.
Yeshua eventually reveals to the Samaritan woman who He actually is :
« I, the one speaking to you-I am he. »
Thanks to her testimony, many Samaritans would believe.
I would like to encourage any of you who had powerful encounters with Yeshua our Messiah to be bold enough to give your testimony. Thanks to your words, videos, books, and other kind of testimony, you will plant seeds for more souls to access Salvation.
Our Messiah promised to anybody who believes in Him that he will receive the gift of the Living Water.
« Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of Living Water will flow from them. »
John 7:38
Be thirsty and with joy you will draw water from the springs of Salvation (Isaiah 12:3)
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