Before reading this study, read entire chapter by itself

Transcription

1 John 4:1-54 Before reading this study, read entire chapter by itself 4:1 Therefore, when the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John 2 (though Jesus Himself did not baptize, but His disciples), 3 He left Judea and departed again to Galilee. 4 But He needed to go through Samaria. 5 So He came to a city of Samaria which is called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. 6 Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied from His journey, sat thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour. Even though Yeshua is Yehovah in the flesh, He took on physical human characteristics during His earthly life. He would fatigue, feel hunger and thirst, and grieve the loss of a friend. He even experienced temptation during His life as a man. Though He is Yehovah, He was now embodied in a human container experiencing the physical elements that restrict us in this world. 7 A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, "Give Me a drink." 8 For His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food. 9 Then the woman of Samaria said to Him, "How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?" For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans. Not only was He tired, He was also thirsty and makes a request to a Samaritan woman. There are some great contrasts to be taken into consideration concerning Yeshua s discussions with Nicodemus, from Chapter 3, and the Samaritan woman in this chapter. In the eyes of man, Nicodemus was exalted with high esteem and this woman was looked upon with lower esteem. But Yehovah does not regard mankind with respect to their social position, nor from outward appearances He looks deep into the heart. Her comment of How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?, allows us to see that even from her own eyes, she sees herself as one who has been preconditioned by society to regard herself as a little lower and unworthy to the standards of a Jew. The Samaritans were descendants of colonists whom the Assyrian kings planted in Palestine after the fall of the Northern Kingdom in 721 BCE. They were despised by the Jews because of their mixed Gentile 1 blood and their different worship, which centered at Mount Gerizim Jesus answered and said to her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, 'Give Me a drink,' you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water." This was not a statement that He immediately expected her to comprehend. It was intended to spark her curiosity. Just as He had used what was familiar to Nicodemus the interpretation of scriptures. Now He used what was familiar to her the drawing of water, which she probably did several times a day. The chore of coming back again and again to get more water. It was a never ending daily task. 1

2 Returning to John 4: 11 The woman said to Him, "Sir, You have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep. Where then do You get that living water? 12 Are You greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank from it himself, as well as his sons and his livestock?" Now she makes her own observation You have nothing to draw your water with. Can you see the observation with amusement in her eyes? Not necessarily a rolling of her eyes, but maybe looking off to the side a little. She thinks to herself... Apparently, this man has never drawn water before to understand that a bucket might be needed. She does not allow the giggle to escape her throat, but maybe a small smile came across her mouth. Then the seriousness of what had been said could have caused her to stop this humorous thought as she looked straight into His eyes. She then asked, Where, tell me where you get that living water? Then all those human feelings flood over her again with the knowledge of whose water well they were at. It was Jacob s well one of the patriarchs of history. Could any man claim to be superior? Can you see how we get emotionally swept away from accepting things that are true. First comes amusement then, what if it is true only to be drawn back down to human logic. It s a continuous and vicious circle. Our lives can be so veiled from spiritual truths if we analyze spiritual truths with human eyes and perception. 13 Jesus answered and said to her, "Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life." Yeshua was purposely planting a seed of curiosity in her. He knew by looking into her heart she was searching for answers, just as Nicodemus had been searching for answers. Their lives may have been vastly separated by the path of life they walked, but both lives were being led onto the exact same path of spiritual understanding into everlasting life. What kind of water could Yeshua have been referring to? A look at a couple verses will give a complete representation of what He was saying: and also: John 7: He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water." 39 But this He spoke concerning the Spirit. Rev 22:17 17 And the Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely. 2

3 Continuing on in John 4: 15 The woman said to Him, "Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw." It almost appears as if she comprehended all He had said, but study it a little closer. She thinks accepting this water will eliminate her from performing her task of drawing water from this well every day. If there were any way she could possibly eliminate this dreaded task from her life, she would take it! She has yet to fully comprehend that living water is not drawn with a bucket. This woman displays such normal human behaviors. Nothing has changed in our day. Are we not ourselves thick-headed at times? We sometimes choose only to see the part in truth that may benefit and make our own lives a little more comfortable and pleasant. 16 Jesus said to her, "Go, call your husband, and come here." 17 The woman answered and said, "I have no husband." Jesus said to her, "You have well said, 'I have no husband,' 18 "for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; in that you spoke truly." He has sparked her curiosity and now He is about to reveal Himself to her. He looks deep into her heart and knows her life as He speaks of things that only one who knows her should know. Notice how Yeshua asked the woman to receive Him and His gift without any conditional changes in her life in verse 10. John 4:10 10 Jesus answered and said to her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, 'Give Me a drink,' you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water." Even at this point, as Yeshua looks deep into her heart, He asks for no change. Yeshua knew that once she believed, and because she believed, her way of living would undoubtedly be changed. But there were absolutely no preliminary conditions required of her; if she would ask, was the only requirement. We also can come to Yehovah right where we are today. Yehovah does not take into consideration where you have been or what you have done. He desires only that you come asking to receive His gift. He will take you just as you are right now. Then watch the changes begin to occur as you start to spiritually grow. The greatest example of this life-changing process which occurs in a new Believer that I can personally share, is that which I see within my own daughter-in-law, Alison. Once becoming a child of Yehovah s, I have been delighted time and time again to see this process of change within her life. To me, she is what I would describe as a spiritual rosebud. Over and over again, 3

4 as her walk progresses, she blooms out to the point that occurs right after the flower opens from its bud. Her spiritual life as a rosebud will blossom, reaching that exact point of ultimate beauty, only to return to the rosebud stage once again to begin another spiritual phase that He intends for her. There is such joy to watch His Spirit at work within her life. She exemplifies the pattern that Yehovah s Spirit works within each of His children as they spiritually grow. Returning to John 4: 19 The woman said to Him, "Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet. 20 Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship." 21 Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father. On Mount Gerizim, the Samaritans had built a temple to compete with the one in Jerusalem, from which they had long been separated politically and religiously, since 721 BCE. The Samaritans established rival worship to Jerusalem, but accepted the Pentateuch as their Scriptures. 3 They would have had their own order of priests, who were not of the tribe of Levi, therefore, having priests of their own choosing. The great controversy between the Jews and Samaritans was whether to worship on Gerizim or in Jerusalem. At the same time, the Samaritans believed in the coming Messiah, but embraced the idea that His seat of government would be Samaria and not Jerusalem. Since Yeshua s words proved Him to be a prophet, the woman seized upon the opportunity to have this question answered. 4 Yeshua did not directly answer her question, but predicts something that would later be fulfilled. He stated that neither Jerusalem, nor Gerizim, would be a focal place of worship for any person. Yeshua was about to expand the truth of a true way of worship to the entire world. Worship is a heart thing. The scriptures that pertain to loving Yehovah with all our heart, mind, and soul is the center of all true worship. This is not a new or different message spoken of from the Old to the New Testaments. The only contrast in worship from the Old to the New Testaments are the ritual sacrificing of animals, which was completely fulfilled through our Messiah s crucifixion in the New Testament. But true worship heart worship has not changed in either Testaments. Here are some scriptures that pertain to this teaching: Old Testament: Deut 6:4-5, "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one! 5 You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. 4

5 6 "And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children... New Testament: Matt 22: "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?" 37 Jesus said to him, " 'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' 38 This is the first and great commandment. These words aught to be diligently spoken to our children as they learn their elemental spiritual teachings. There is a great responsibility given to parents to give their children a head start in their spiritual lives. It begins with being spiritual parents that do not lay the responsibility of these basic spiritual teachings into the hands of strangers. Teach your own, allow the setting of congregational gatherings to be a supplement, not only to you, but to your children. Live a spiritual walk daily in full view of your children. A child s first impression of Yehovah, our Creator, should be taught by their parents in their words and actions. We read in Proverbs: Prov 22:6 6 Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it. Continuing on in John 4 as Yeshua speaks to the woman: 22 You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. The Samaritans revered Yehovah, yet they also served their own gods, according to rituals of other nations. A thorough reading of 2 Kings 17:22-41 will give further understanding. But in summary, read this reference concerning Samaria: 2 Kings 17:41 41 So these nations feared the LORD, yet served their carved images; also their children and their children's children have continued doing as their fathers did, even to this day. Yehovah was the One to set up the act of sacrificing back in the Garden of Eden, with the first slaughter of an innocent animal that was used as a sin covering (clothing). Sacrifice was then set to a standard during the days of Moses... but, Yeshua is the One who eventually fulfilled the true meaning of each sacrifice. These nations surrounding Jerusalem participated in idol worship and had no personal knowledge of the gods they were worshiping. Whereas, the Israelites knew Who they worship and had a personal history with Yehovah Whom they served a history that had already spanned two thousand years at the time He was speaking with the woman at the well. 5

6 Now concerning the statement made,... for salvation is of the Jews. Salvation, prophesied by the prophets, was to come through the Messiah and be fulfilled through the line of Judah. In fulfilment, Yeshua, our Savior, was from the lineage of Judah; and also a Jew one from the Kingdom of Judah. The Jews were the first messengers of the Gospel of Salvation; therefore, salvation is of the Jews. Think of the reality of the written scriptures of the New Covenant. It was written entirely by Messianic Jews except for one writer Luke. We owe our understanding to the fulfilment of the Old Covenant to these dedicated men of Yehovah who therefore fulfilled Yeshua s words, for salvation is of the Jews. 23 But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. 24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." Think of the enormity of this statement, the Father is seeking such to worship Him. It is awesome to consider. He wants our heart. A heart to worship Him in spirit and truth. That is true heart worship. 25 The woman said to Him, "I know that Messiah is coming" (who is called Christ). "When He comes, He will tell us all things." 26 Jesus said to her, "I who speak to you am He." Returning to John 4: THAT GOT HER ATTENTION! 27 And at this point His disciples came, and they marveled that He talked with a woman; yet no one said, "What do You seek?" or, "Why are You talking with her?" Two things now begin to occur at the exact same time: concerning the disciples, and concerning the woman Concerning the disciples: Yeshua had met this woman alone at Jacob s well without the audience of His disciples. Verse 27 indicates that it is at this point the disciples caught back up with Him. On their return they saw her: a despised Samaritan. The thoughts of What is He doing?, Is He bound by no separation of the classes of people?, Why is He talking to her,? were questions flying through their heads. Yet, not one of them asked what they were thinking... they had only one thing on their mind they wanted to eat. They had journeyed long enough that the scriptures indicate that Yeshua had sat down at Jacob s well to rest. The disciples were also hungry because scripture indicates that they had gone into the city for food. Now they had caught up with Him again... and what difference was it to each of them as they watched the despised Samaritan woman walk away? Maybe words of 6

7 good riddance crossed their thoughts. Who knows? But they did not question Him over His encounter with her; they only wanted to eat. Concerning the Samaritan woman, let us read: 28 The woman then left her waterpot, went her way into the city, and said to the men, 29 Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?" 30 Then they went out of the city and came to Him. The woman, in the meantime, obviously forgot why she had come to the well she departed without her waterpot! Undoubtedly, the seed had been planted; and she wanted to share the news. She knew what she heard with her ears. She knew what she saw with her own eyes as He looked deep into her heart. So she hurriedly made her way back to the city and announces this good news; but now, out of her mouth, comes her statement questioning the truth, Could this be the Messiah? She already knew within herself the answer, but now she seems to begin to stir up an emotion of question and doubt. Don t we do this also? We are given true understanding, only to weigh it out with human interpretation. Sometimes spiritual truths do not make sense and may seem upside down to our human understanding. Out of curiosity to this babbling woman, those who heard her in the city came out to meet this One whom she had encountered. There is such a contrast here between the Samaritan woman and Nicodemus. This woman left to go tell; whereas, when Nicodemus talked with Yeshua, there is no indication in scripture that he left with excitement to immediately spread the good news of his encounter. Not to diminish his inner thinking or reaction to Yeshua, Nicodemus had more on-the-line to lose had he gone back and spoke of the things that had been revealed to him. He had to weigh out all that was said to him before committing himself to others what he now believed to be true. As a majority, the Pharisees, Sanhedrin, Sadducees, and the priests did not accept Yeshua as the Messiah. Nicodemus had to keep a lid on what he, himself, experienced when in the presence of this most awesome, inspiring, and extraordinary Man. Picking back up in John 4: 31 In the meantime His disciples urged Him, saying, "Rabbi, eat." 32 But He said to them, "I have food to eat of which you do not know." 33 Therefore the disciples said to one another, "Has anyone brought Him anything to eat?" 34 Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work. Their first remark to Him is eat. But, He explains to them that He has food that they know nothing about. Now it is the disciples turn to see with only human eyes! He reveals to them that His food is of spiritual substance. He becomes filled up by doing the will of the Father, and by making Himself available to the Father to finish the work assigned to Him in this life. He offers to the woman living water. He offers to the disciples spiritual food. Are we now 7

8 beginning to see the picture of the teaching of John 4? We seek out daily things to meet our needs. But do we seek daily those things that are hidden from man s view? Those secret, hidden spiritual truths that only His Spirit can reveal to mankind. Not those of human reasoning, but of the heart of the Father, who reveals Himself through His Son. Find Him, search Him out! He is much more satisfying than that of physical food substance. There is more to be understood. Physical life requires the necessity of the nourishment of food and water. Without it we become slow, lethargic, and unfocused. Without food and water we would eventually die. Our spiritual life also has its requirements. It requires a daily intake of His words through the Holy Scriptures. Our spiritual life depends on the Spirit for understanding and interpretation of the Father. We need to learn to listen to His will and act upon His awakening within our spiritual heart. This is what makes us spiritually alive! Without the Spirit and the teachings in His Word, our own spiritual lives become sluggish, dormant, and without any cause or purpose. We literally become spiritually lethargic. Understand that Yehovah is like a verb. His Spirit moves our lives into action. But without spiritual feeding and the increase of His Spirit, the Father becomes unexpressed and concealed. He is not meant to be a hidden component in our daily lives. I don t believe that any one of us realize how much power is in the Spirit. Read this verse concerning prophecy of those who live in these last days: 2 Tim 3: lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Seek out spiritual food from the Father! Be thirsty for the living water of His Spirit! Yehovah would never turn a spiritually hungry and thirsty person away. Just ask! Returning to John 4: 35 Do you not say, 'There are still four months and then comes the harvest'? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest! Today, we would read and perceive this verse much like Nicodemus must have heard, but did not grasp the full meaning of the words when Yeshua spoke to him in John 3:14 that as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up. It was not until after Yeshua had been lifted up on the cross and died, and then resurrected, could Nicodemus truly understand the full meaning that had been spoken to him during that nighttime conversation. Today we also would read Yeshua s words, There are still four months and then comes the harvest, but not truly comprehend the full meaning of verse 35 if we have no knowledge of 8

9 Israel s feast calendar set up by Yehovah in Leviticus 23. Feasts are celebrated events throughout the year; Yeshua celebrated and gave fuller meaning to part of them during His first advent here on Earth. FEAST SIGNIFICANCE STATUS #1 Feast of Passover His Death Fulfilled #2 Feast of Unleavened Bread His Burial; complete removal of sin Fulfilled #3 Feast of Firstfruits His Resurrection Fulfilled Matt. 27:52 With a small representation of resurrected saints #4 Feast of Weeks The Giving of the Holy Spirit Fulfilled #5 Feast of Trumpets Calling out of the Earth s final harvest Yet to be Fulfilled #6 Feast of Atonement Armageddon Yet to be Fulfilled #7 Feast of Tabernacles Yeshua s Reign Begins Yet to be Fulfilled The first three feasts happen in rapid succession, within an eight day period of time. The first two feasts will be mentioned briefly, along with the third and fourth feasts. But it is the fifth feast that Yeshua was referring to when He mentioned the four month span of time from one early harvest until a more complete harvest. This is the feast that we will focus on for the next few pages. But before we get there, let us take a look at the first four mentioned feasts to gain some familiarity. First and Second Feasts: Third Feast: Lev 23:5-6 5 On the fourteenth day of the first month at twilight is the LORD's Passover. 6 And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the Feast of Unleavened Bread to the LORD; seven days you must eat unleavened bread. Lev 23: And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 10 "Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: 'When you come into the land which I give to you, and reap its harvest, then you shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest to the priest. 11 He shall wave the sheaf before the LORD, to be accepted on your behalf; on the day after the Sabbath the priest shall wave it. 9

10 Fourth Feast: Lev 23: 'And you shall count for yourselves from the day after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering: seven Sabbaths shall be completed. 16 Count fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath; then you shall offer a new grain offering to the Lord. The Feast of Firstfruits was to take place during the week of the Feast of Unleavened Bread; occurring on the day after the Sabbath of that week each year. Then counting ahead for fifty days, another harvest of the later firstfruits would occur again on the day after the weekly Sabbath. In principle, these small wave offering feasts represent a larger harvest of grain that was yet to come at the end of the season for that year s crop. Looking a bit closer at the Feast of Firstfruits in the year of Yeshua s crucifixion, we need to focus on a very distinctive event that happened at the time of His death on the cross. It began the moment Yeshua gave up His spirit, which then had its completion on the day that followed the Sabbath after His death and burial. This would have been that year s Feast of Firstfruits. At the moment of His death, the Scriptures say: Matt 27: Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, 52 and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; On the day following after the Sabbath: 53 and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many. This small representation of resurrected saints will be completed in what will later be a more bountiful harvest. This more bountiful harvest is known within the Book of the Revelation as the Harvest of Earth s Ripened Crop. Going back to the feast calendar... The fourth feast follows after 50 days, starting the count on the day of Feast of Firstfruits. It was on the fourth feast, Feast of Weeks, that the Holy Spirit manifested His presence in Jerusalem where the disciples were told to wait. From the Feast of Firstfruits and Feast of Weeks a long period of four months would pass until the harvest feast occurred. It is the harvest that brings in the next feast which occurs on Yehovah s calendar of feasts. It is called, Trumpets, being Israel s fifth designated feast from Yehovah. And what is it that most Believers are waiting to hear? A trumpet! And why should we not believe that Yeshua will also fulfill this feast in a literal way? 10

11 Prophecy: 1 Thess 4: For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. He not only announces He is on His way, He also fulfills the true meaning of the Feast of Trumpets. For years I have avoided coming right out to say how I truly interpret the final harvest. The following written understanding just might be a separation in the road from me and some who are reading this. Please read completely through before tossing me to the wayside. First, I do find scripture that teaches of a definite final harvest. Yet my understanding finds that nothing in scripture teaches that the final harvest will happen before the seven year tribulation. Give me a moment to pull in the applicable scripture that teaches directly concerning a final harvest; then I will ask two questions. Rev 14: And another angel came out of the temple sanctuary, calling with a mighty voice to Him Who was sitting upon the cloud, Put in Your scythe and reap, for the hour has arrived to gather the harvest, for the earth's crop is fully ripened. 16 So He Who was sitting upon the cloud swung His scythe (sickle) on the earth, and the earth's crop was harvested. This correspond with Scripture found in Mark: Mark 13: "But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; 25 the stars of heaven will fall, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. 26 Then they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. 27 And then He will send His angels, and gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest part of earth to the farthest part of heaven. Which also corresponds with Scripture found in both Revelation 16 and 18: Rev 16:15 Behold, I am going to come like a thief! Rev 18: Come out from her, my people, so that you may not share in her sins, neither participate in her plagues. 11

12 Which completely aligns with the scripture already read from 1 Thessalonians. But all the above scriptures mentioned have to do with what will take place during the sixth bowl (vial) judgment. My question is... where are the scriptures that back up a pre-tribulation Rapture/Harvest of the Church? Are there two final harvests? Those are my questions. I cannot find any scripture that back up what was once a deep-rooted believed untruth within me. Once I tried to back up those questions with scripture, the concept of a pre-tribulation Rapture/Harvest of the Church fell apart, for there is no scripture to be found. What is going largely unnoticed today is the preparation that is going on to prepare a wrinklefree Bride. It is she who will be called away prior to the seven year tribulation. Now, one may ask, Isn t the Bride the Church? The answer is yes, but no. The Bride is part of the Ekklesia, but the entire Ekklesia is not the Bride. Look at the condition of the Ekklesia today. It is everything that prophecy says concerning the last days. In short, one only needs to read the letter to the Laodicean church in Revelation 3 to see this church s shortcomings. One only needs to do a word search of latter days to see the condition that we are in. Does it look like the Ekklesia is ready? Just as in the days of Noah, how many were truly prepared? Yet there has always been a remnant. A ready remnant pressing forward to live according to all that is written in the Word. This remnant has been present since the first century following the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of our Beloved. But something is taking place in this day that for the most part is going unnoticed. Much is occurring to prepare and make ready the Bride. So is it being said that those that are not the Bride, are lost? emphatically NO!!! Yehovah s plan is to bring about a restoration of Israel; which at the same time, inevitably brings about a much needed restoration within the Ekklesia as well. Yeshua gave some very applicable examples two men in a field: one is taken the other one left; two women grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left; ten maidens in waiting: five wise, five foolish: five are prepared and five are not. In these given examples it is plain to see that both men know how to work the field; both women know how to grind grain into flour; and all ten maidens were told to be prepared. Yet, something goes terribly wrong there are those who are found unprepared from the field worker, to the grinder, to five of the maidens-in-waiting who think all along that her sister-maidens will provide and offer the oil that is needed to trim their lamps when the proper time arrives. The Ekklesia is called, the Called Out Ones, for good reason. In part, this is what the Book of the Revelation reveals: In Chapter 4, we see the Firstfruits of the Lamb (elders) standing before the heavenly Throne. In Chapter 7, after the sealing of the 144,000, we see the Bride standing before the heavenly Throne. At the beginning of Chapter 14, we see the Firstfruits for Yehovah and the Lamb, the 144,000 before the heavenly Throne; and then at the end of that same chapter, we see the Harvest of Earth s ripened crop is harvested and in Chapter 15 we see them standing before the heavenly Throne. In the end, all Believers of the Ekklesia will be summoned, called out so to speak, to come to the heavenly Throne before the completion of the prophecies spoken 12

13 of within the book of the Revelation concludes. It is not that one group is more cherished by the Father or His Son. Each group before the Throne fulfills their own role among those who seek out Yehovah and Yeshua; loving them completely with heart, mind, soul, and strength. At this present time, we wait for the fullness of the Gentiles to be completed. Once completed, Israel s 144,000 will be sealed and Yehovah s two witnesses of Revelation 11 will arrive on the scene. And it is for this purpose that workers are left in the world s field. Workers for Yehovah will be greatly needed during the time when the Antichrist is setting up his reign on Earth. Know this, our heavenly Father never leaves things undone, but always provides a way to save mankind. In other words, the calling out of the Bride not only call us to our Bridegroom, but at the same time here on Earth it will also call out Israel through the sealing of the 144,000. Their purpose is to lead and guide mankind to make a decision and commitment to follow Yehovah completely after the calling away of the Bride. And through the mission of these workers, tribulation Saints will become commandment keepers and followers of Messiah (Rev 6:9; 12:17; 14:12; 20:4; 22:14) Just as Nicodemus eventually understood the metaphor in John 3:14, As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up... Let us also understand the metaphor used in John 4:35, Do you not say, There are still four months and then comes the harvest? It is quite possible Yeshua was letting us know the significant importance of understanding His Father s calendar of Feasts in relationship to the Ekklesia the Called Out Ones. I definitely believe that the final harvest spoken of by Yeshua at Sychar will be fulfilled at the time of the Feast of Trumpets. The only difference in my understanding today is its timing in relationship to the seven year tribulation. Returning our thoughts back to John 4:35: The disciples, knowing the timing and calendar of feast-keeping, clearly understood exactly what Yeshua said concerning the four month span and then comes the harvest. It related to the time that fell between the fourth and fifth feasts. The other point Yeshua was saying is that this particular city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, was ready to hear and accept His message. The souls in this place would take in the seed of good news, like good furrowed ground. They were already claimed for His harvest! Yeshua continues on in John 4: 36 And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together. 37 For in this the saying is true: 'One sows and another reaps.' 38 "I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored, and you have entered into their labors." The reading of these verses in the New King James Version sounds too much like a riddle. Reread it from the Amplified Version: John 4:36 36 Already the reaper is getting his wages he who does the cutting now has his reward for he is gathering fruit (crop) unto life eternal. So that he who does the planting and he 13

14 who does the reaping may rejoice together. 37 For in this the saying holds true, One sows and another reaps. 38 I sent you to reap a crop on which you have not toiled. Other men have labored and you step in to reap the results of their work. There are those who are sent to plant the seed of truth, there are those who labor hard to work with what has been planted, and then there are others sent to reap where others have labored. But, there is rejoicing for all. We each have a job to do and all end with the same result the harvest of souls for eternal life. Whether our task is that of a seed planter, or one who feeds and waters, or perhaps that of a reaper, a job must be done by the those who have been called out. We must be willing to hear our call. 39 And many of the Samaritans of that city believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, "He told me all that I ever did." 40 So when the Samaritans had come to Him, they urged Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days. 41 And many more believed because of His own word. 42 Then they said to the woman, "Now we believe, not because of what you said, for we ourselves have heard Him and we know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world." Our focus now goes back to the Samaritans of the city of Sychar. Many of the Samaritans of that city believed in Him because of the words of the woman who testified, He told me all that I ever did. After urging Him to stay, He did so for two days. Then many more believed, other than those who first believed because of the report from the woman at the well. They received His message and believed His words, and totally accepted that He indeed was the Messiah. Not from their first impression of Him from the woman at the well, but from what He revealed of Himself to them during His two day stay. This becomes the first time for us to hear that Yeshua was accepted publicly as the Messiah and the Savior of the world. 43 Now after the two days He departed from there and went to Galilee. 44 For Jesus Himself testified that a prophet has no honor in his own country. 45 So when He came to Galilee, the Galileans received Him, having seen all the things He did in Jerusalem at the feast; for they also had gone to the feast. The Galileans, for the most part as a majority, received and accepted Him without reservation on the account of what they had witnessed in Jerusalem during the time of the Passover feast. He seems to have got their attention before He had even arrived in their area. Their hearts were now ready to receive His message as truth. 46 So Jesus came again to Cana of Galilee where He had made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman whose son was sick at Capernaum. 47 When he heard that Jesus had come out of Judea into Galilee, he went to Him and implored Him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. This nobleman was one of Herod s officials, the Amplified version refers to him as a royal 14

15 official. The Ryrie Study Bible states he probably was a centurion. 5 The point is this: he was a man of some importance, someone of authority. Right now though he is one desperate man. This man of the government had to have traveled a distance of about 15-miles to seek out Yeshua. He knew this Man could heal the sick, and now it was he who needed Yeshua because his son was dying. When the scriptures say he implored the Healer, it literally means he begged and pleaded for Yeshua to come. 48 Then Jesus said to him, "Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will by no means believe." 49 The nobleman said to Him, "Sir, come down before my child dies!" 50 Jesus said to him, "Go your way; your son lives." So the man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him, and he went his way. The man at first did not accept what Yeshua was saying because he continues to plead for Yeshua to come. But Yeshua was getting ready to reveal a heavenly aspect, which is the invisible attributes and characteristics of heavenly things. Man tends to only believe in what can be seen, heard, or touched. What we may call a miracle, in the spiritual realm, it is accepted with common familiarity. Yeshua, by His word, some 15-miles away from a dying child, healed him. Because Yeshua s healing power was not bound to the earthly law of elements. With no problem He was able to accomplish this work. To Him it was commonplace. He only had to convey the thoughts be healed to the child and it was done. This is a heavenly aspect in the spiritual realm. Now, all of a sudden this pleading, desperate father believes. Could he have been another one of those who may have watched Yeshua in Jerusalem over the past Passover? Watching, but definitely not understanding or maybe not even caring at the time. He probably had not even been sparked with any curiosity. But when his own child lay dying, he remembered this Man who performed signs, wonders, and miracles. And when this Yeshua said, Your son lives, he believed without any doubt. Once achieved, the two of them depart and go their separate ways. Concluding our reading of John 4: 51 And as he was now going down, his servants met him and told him, saying, "Your son lives!" 52 Then he inquired of them the hour when he got better. And they said to him, "Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him." 53 So the father knew that it was at the same hour in which Jesus said to him, "Your son lives." And he himself believed, and his whole household. 54 This again is the second sign Jesus did when He had come out of Judea into Galilee. Because of the testimony of the father s journey and the healing of his sick child, the entire household believes without even laying eyes on Yeshua. Chapter 4 concludes with such imagery of what we lack: living water, spiritual food, and unshakable faith. Be spiritually hungry, request a spiritual drink! Ask Him to give you living 15

16 water and spiritual food to fill up that empty hole within your soul. He is still able to reveal Himself to this hungry, thirsty world. There is no reason for us to lack when we can experience His Spirit firsthand in our lives and increase our understanding by studying the scriptures. Allow the scriptures to come alive within you and start living a spiritual life now! You do not have to wait to get to Heaven. Your eternity started the day you first believed... you are already a Spiritfilled human being! May His blessing live through you as you journey in your spiritual walk of this life. Endnotes: 1. Gentile: Any people who are other than Israel. 2. Ryrie Study Bible; note on Luke 10:33 3. Complete Works of Flavius Josephus; Ant. Book XI, Chapter 8, section 4; pg Dake s Annotated Reference Bible; note on John 4:20 5. Ryrie Study Bible; note on John 4:26 16