The Woman At The Well

Yeshua (Jesus) met the Samaritan woman at the village of Sychar by Jacob's Well near Mount Gerizim.   There was racial hatred between the Jews and the Samaritans.

The Samaritans were a mixed race of people who had married the Assyrians several centuries before. The Samaritans were hated by the Jews because they had their own version of the Bible and their own temple on Mount Gerizim.

The Samaritan woman was not rich.  Women who were well to do did not draw water from the wells in those days (John 4:7).

It was customary, that Jewish men did not speak in public to women, including their wives.  Yeshua was considered a rabbi so this was a greater restriction for Him.  Women were not taught the Bible.  Yeshua did not treat women in the ways of His culture.  Yeshua acted and spoke as if women and men are equal before God.

The Bible states in John 4:4 that Yeshua had to go through Samaria.  At this time, the Jews would avoid contact with a Samaritan, they felt as if they would become contaminated.  Yeshua intentionally sought this woman out just like He seeks us out today.

He is still intentionally seeking out those who are in pain.  October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Anti-Bullying Month.  Any individual who falls into one of the above three categories is in pain.  Please know for a surety that Adonai is seeking you out.  He desires to heal your pain whether it is physical, emotional, verbal, economic or any other type of pain.  Just like sin, pain does not discriminate.

The woman at the well must have had a special need.  Yeshua knew what she was going through.  He came to clear her reputation among the "church folks" as well as others.  It seems as our brothers and sisters in Yeshua can at times be more critical than those who are in the world.  Yeshua met her where she was at, He sought her out and then He restored her.  We all have done wrong.  The Word of God says, "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God."  Whenever you are reading this article, today is your "day of restoration."  Come out of your emotional pit.  There is a task that has been assigned to you by Yeshua  that only you can do.  Don't worry about your qualifications, He has thoroughly processed your credentials and you are cleared to do the task at hand.

Most sinners (including me) are in pain after sinning or being sinned against.

John 4: 29 says that  the woman at the well ran to her town and told them about Yeshua.  "Come and meet a man who told me everything I ever did."  She was evangelizing.  I wonder if she emphasized the word, "man?" Yeshua would be considered a man in her eyesight because He did not ask her for anything.  He did not condemn her, instead He encouraged her.

The scriptures does not state why this woman was married five times.  Whatever the reason, Yeshua chose to love her through it.  He knew that she had a special need or pain in her life.  People who have never divorced do not know the pain that a divorcee suffers.  I know from experience that marriages that end because of divorce are emotionally worse than a marriage that ends because of death.

Yeshua never met this woman before.  He gave her a word of knowledge.  He revealed to her that she had had five husbands and the man she was living with at that time was not her husband.

Yeshua told this woman that she would never thirst again because He could give her living water.  Living water means "eternal life."  Eternal life is the gift that would satisfy her soul's desire that was only given through Him.  Yeshua never condemned this woman because of her multiple marriages, so who are we to judge others?

No one know what goes on behind closed doors.  Domestic violence is very high among Christians.  It is as if an abuser intentionally seeks out a woman who he can tangle into his web of lies and deception.    The abuser looks for the "nice woman."  They look for the woman who serves Adonai.  These men are known to be "charmers."  Typically, they act one way behind closed doors and another way in public.

I am learning to ask Adonai for keen discernment when a man comes into my life.  I don't want any type of abuse in my life again.  Out there is a man who will love me the way Yeshua loves the church and died for it.  I have learned not to "settle" just to have someone in my life.  I am sure that one day soon I will be saying to my family and friends, "come see a man."  This man will be a man full of integrity and value.  This man will be like Yeshua.