 |
Samaritans |
Dear Brethren,
The apostle, John, narrated an encounter between
Jesus Christ and a Samaritan woman at Jacob's well. Was Jesus trying to save her soul? That
is what the world thinks! Matthew, Mark and Luke do not even mention this woman in their
Gospel accounts. Why did John devote nearly an entire chapter to the Samaritan
woman? What lessons are we supposed to learn from this account? The Samaritan
woman told Jesus that she had no husband. Jesus answered her, "You have replied
correctly: 'I have no husband,' for you have had five husbands; and he whom you
now have is not your husband: In that you spoke truly." (John 4:17-18)
What John did, was to write an exposé for the Church. Gnosticism was rampant in
the early Church of God - there was a plot to destroy the Truth. The deep
lessons and warnings of John were easily recognized by the brethren of his day.
Today, the world reads right past these most important warnings. They do not
understand the language about "living water" in the context of Pentecost. (This
has to do with the placement of this story in John's Gospel account.) This
world's religions do not know that Israel went into captivity for Sabbath
breaking and idolatry. They do not know who the nation of Israel was - then or
now. The world's Christianity does not know that Simon (Magus, not Peter)
founded a great religious headquarters at Rome. Simon Magus was also a Samaritan
(Acts 8:14-24).
The teachings of the Babylonian mystery religion live on in modern Christianity.
In today's chaotic world, the Truth of God and the sanctity of the marriage
covenant is all but lost. Marriage, as an institution, is being rejected as
unnecessary and out of date - as it was for the Samaritan woman. God’s view of
marriage is entirely different from today's society because God designed
marriage for a great purpose. Marriage is a picture of the eternal covenant
between God and man. John recorded this narrative because Samaria was the very
breeding ground for the heresies that plagued the first century church. The
practices and beliefs of Samaria have grown into the great false church of today
(Revelation 17-18).
God's Church and the establishment of marriage are under attack by Satan.
Through Moses God told all Israel: "If ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my
covenant, then ye shall be a special treasure unto me above all people: for all
the earth is mine." (Exodus 19:5) God promised to make Israel a great physical
nation, "if" they would obey Him. Israel agreed, thereby entering into a
covenant relationship with God. "All the people answered together, and said, All
that the Lord has spoken we will do." (Exodus 19:8) Israel affirmed, and then
reaffirmed that they would keep all the laws of God. "Moses came and told the
people all the words of the Lord, and all the judgments: and all the people
answered with one voice, and said, All the words which the Lord has said will we
do." (Exodus 24:3)
Israel was confident that they would and could fulfill the requirement of
obedience to God and His laws. God gave them His great spiritual law defining,
in principle, His way of life. It was the same spiritual law which pre-dated,
and was given to Adam and Eve. Israel was to obey the Ten Commandments, along
with the Statutes and Judgments. "These are the commandments, the statutes, and
the judgments, which the Lord your God commanded to teach you, that ye might do
them in the land whither ye go to possess it." (Deuteronomy 6:1)
God and Israel entered into a marriage covenant - the Old Covenant. Jesus
Christ, God of the Old Testament, was the "husband" and provider for Israel.
Israel, in turn, promised to be faithful to Jesus Christ. God hates divorce
(putting away Malachi 2:16, Matthew 19:6). And yet, Jesus had to divorce Israel!
What is God's will for us? How are we to understand these Scriptures? "I saw,
when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put
her away, and given her a bill of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah
feared not, but went and played the harlot also." (Jeremiah 3:8) God allowed
Israel and Judah to be carried into captivity for their unfaithfulness.
Jesus does allow for divorce when one partner will not be faithful to their
covenant vow. Jesus said, "Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for
fornication...commits adultery." (Matthew 19:9) Israel did not have the strength
of character to remain faithful to God. "O that there were such an heart in
them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it
might be well with them, and with their children for ever!" (Deuteronomy 5:29)
The New Covenant will be a new marriage contract God makes with spiritual
Israel. (Galatians 6:16)
"Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the
house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that
I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them
out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they broke, although I was an
husband unto them, saith the Lord." (Jeremiah 31:31,32)
Rome does not understand that the Church of God is to be the bride of Christ.
"Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the
Lamb is come, and His wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that
she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the
righteousness of saints. And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are
called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the
true sayings of God." (Revelation 19:7-9)
***
Sermon: "Samaritans"
This is #10 in the series: A Blending of the Gospel Accounts.
|
