Bible Pathways - Nov. 2, 2008
November 2
Highlights In Today's Reading:
A Samaritan woman face to face with the Living Water is changed forever (4:1-10,28-29,39,41-42). Jesus heals (4:46-54); Sabbath miracle (5:1-16); Equality with the Father (5:17-29). His witnesses: the Father (5:37-38) and Scripture (5:39-47, Luke 24:44).
Jesus sat down at Jacob's Well while the disciples went to the village to buy food. But the real reason that He remained at Jacob's Well was to share eternal life with a Samaritan woman who He knew would soon come to draw water from the well. All Samaritans were despised by the Jews. Consequently, our Lord surprised her by asking for a drink of water and she said: 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).
He continued talking with her, showing that He was free from Jewish prejudice, saying: Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: 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 (4:13-14). She replied: I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when He is come, He will tell us all things (4:25). Undoubtedly, the Samaritan woman was astonished at the words of Christ when He then said: I that speak unto thee am He (4:26).
Christ revealed Himself to this woman as the fulfillment of her great spiritual need, for she was thirsty for something that neither her religion nor the world could satisfy. Jesus had said: Go, call thy husband. . . . The woman answered and said: I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband: For thou hast had five husbands (4:16-18).
The Samaritan woman now realized that Jesus was the Messiah and she left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men, Come, see a Man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ? (4:28-29). It became the turning point in her life.
The person who continues drinking from the wells of temporal satisfactions will thirst again. They do not satisfy and they never can. The living presence of the Savior in the hearts of all who trust in Him continually satisfies the longings of the soul. Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat . . . without price. Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? (Isaiah 55:1-2).
Thought for Today:
Many Christians have forgotten that the only place of true satisfaction is in Christ.
Word Studies:
4:6 sixth hour =b> noon by Jewish time and 6 pm by Roman time; 5:21 quickeneth them =b> gives them life.
Prayer Needs:
Pray for International Shortwave Broadcasts in memory of Henry Rogers • Country: Malaysia (22.7 million) in Southeast Asia • Major languages: Malay and English • All Christian witness to Muslims is illegal • 58% Muslim; 23% Buddhist/Taoist/Chinese; 8% Christian; 6% Hindu; 5% Sikh/Animist/Other • Prayer Suggestion: Pray at all times (Psa. 55:17).
Memory Verse for the Week: Luke 14:33
