THE WOMAN AT THE WELL AND THE TWO-DAY RAPTURE CODE?

In the previous article in this book of John study series, we explored the third chapter and Jesus’ meeting with Nicodemus. Here, we shall continue on to the next chapter in this series with chapter four and its documentation of Jesus’ meeting with the Samaritan woman at the well. Before beginning, let us again remind ourselves of a phenomenon that occurs within the pages of this sacred writ that we know as the Bible – a phenomenon that points us to the Providential and Divinely orchestrated structure of this book – as with all books of the Bible.

In doing so, one will discover that the meaning of each individual letter of the Hebrew alphabet corresponds with the subject matter or theme of each chapter of the book of John respectively. The Apostle John’s fourth chapter follows the meaning of the fourth letter of the Hebrew alphabet, the letter ד dalet, by telling us that Jesus left Judea and traveled on a journey into the territory of the Samaritans. Primarily, the ד dalet stands for a “door” or “pathway.” Hebrew scholars point to the meaning of this letter “the symbol of dimensions and concern.” In the book “The Wisdom of the Hebrew Alphabet, page 78, Hebrew scholar Michael Munk writes …

“The fourth letter ד dalet has the shape of an open doorway and its name דֶּלֶת (dalet) is cognate with door. The ד dalet also alludes to דַּל (dal), a pauper, who knocks on doors, begging for alms. In the Talmudic exposition on the Aleph-Beis, the letters ג gimmel and ד dalet stand for “be kind to the needy (Shabbos 104a). As such, they represent one of the two principal themes of the mitzvos (good works), namely, man’s conduct and obligations regarding his fellow man (the other principal theme is man’s relationship to God).”

All of these concepts conveyed in ד dalet are demonstrated in this fourth chapter of John’s Gospel. The “door” or “way” follows the Savior’s journey: “He needed to go through Samaria” (verse 4). The concept of being kind to the needy is expressed in the Savior’s conversation with the Samaritan woman. First, He asks for water (as a pauper), then offers her the water of life (as her benefactor). This kindness is also seen in His two-day stay among the Samaritans. The theme of “man’s relationship to God” is demonstrated in their discussion about the two temples – one at Mount Gerizim and the other at Jerusalem – and the statement that men will learn to worship God in “spirit and in truth” (verses 20-24).

According to ancient writings such as the Talmud (though obviously not divinely inspired), the poor receive only temporal help from the benefactor, but the benefactor receives eternal rewards for helping the poor …

“By interacting with deprived people and by caring for the poor, one not only extends help to others, but mundane man rises to spiritual spheres and elevates himself to godliness and holiness. The benefactor is granted spiritual rewards in abundance: The Torah [Mosaic Law] says: ‘If you lend money to any of my people that is poor by thee‘ (Exodus 22:25). The poor man exists alongside of you (“by thee“) so that you can be benevolent to one another – you to him in this world, and he to you in the world to come [where you will be rewarded for having helped him]” (The Wisdom of the Hebrew Alphabet, page 82 and 83).

By asking the Samaritan woman for a drink of water, Jesus was giving her the opportunity to elevate herself to “godliness and holiness.” Her act of kindness would be remembered in Heaven. Jesus, the giver of eternal life, could then offer her “living water” from which she would never thirst again. Such are the meanings of the fourth letter of the Hebrew alphabet, and the reasons John was inspired to unknowingly use the design of the Hebrew letters in writing this Gospel, the book of John.

Jesus Departs for Galilee

“When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John, (Though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples,) He left Judaea, and departed again into Galilee. And he must needs go through Samaria. Then cometh he to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph” (John 4:1-5).

John uses the term “Lord” as if the sentence was referring to someone other than Jesus. To repeat, He wrote: “When … the Lord knew … that Jesus made … more disciples than John …” Does this mean that the Lord and Jesus are two separate entities? The answer is no. It seems that John used the term “Jesus made more disciples …” as sort of a quote from the rumor that was floating around the area. He explained that “the Pharisees had heard” this rumor regarding the Savior’s ministry, but that the Savior did not want to give credibility to it. Therefore, the passage could be rendered: “When the Lord Jesus Christ knew how the Pharisees had heard this unkind rumor about how He was making more disciples than John, He left Judea and departed again into Galilee.”

The rumor that beset some of John’s people threatened to work its damaging effect upon both ministries. It seems that the Pharisees may have stirred up this problem by introducing the rumor to John’s disciples: “Then there arose a question between some of John’s disciples and the Jews …” (John 3:25). It appears that those “Jews” were Pharisees. John’s disciples brought the rumor to the Baptist’s attention: “Rabbi, he that was with you beyond Jordan, to whom you bore witness. behold, the same baptizes, and all men come to him” (John 3:26).

Rather than allow the rumor to create tension, Jesus simply left the area. He didn’t confront the Pharisees or John’s disciples. He just left. This wise decision offers us some good advice. Here, we can see the age-old technique of Satan to divide and conquer, to cause good people to take their attention off of the main goal of winning the lost to salvation in Christ. We will never find perfect harmony in this world. No two expositors of the Bible agree on every detail of theology, although there are foundational absolutes that cannot be debated. There will always be differences of opinion. Therefore, we must learn to trust the Lord to guide the thinking of other ministers/expositors of this divinely inspired Word we call the Bible. As much as we would like perfection, it is never going to happen. If one wants perfect, may I suggest closing your eyes and dream that you’re in Heaven right now sitting at the post-rapture banquet table grunting down pepperoni pizza with all the toppings at this very moment … and don’t forget the extra and special sauce as it slides down your arms by the jar full and making its way down your legs and onto the floor as it somehow slithers onto the ankles of the person sitting next to you who is slurping down soft tacos with the spices on top.

Otherwise, as the song goes, “hold on loosely, but don’t let go. If you cling too tightly, you’re gonna lose control.”

The Foundational Doctrines

The litmus test for truth must lie in the basic fundamentals of the faith – namely:

The verbal inspiration and inerrancy of scripture.
The divine creation of the universe, including Earth, man and all plant and animal life.
The deity and virgin birth of Christ.
His vicarious suffering, death and resurrection for the sins of the world, along with the offer of eternal life for all who will believe in and trust on Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins.
The fact that salvation can only be received through faith in Christ … and faith in Christ alone apart from any human works or good behavior whatsoever.
The fact that once salvation is received, it cannot under any circumstances be lost (Romans 11:29).
The doctrines of eternal Heaven for saved, born again people in the body of Christ (i.e. those who personally receive Christ as Savior) and damnation in a place called Hell for those who reject Jesus Christ.

Beyond these cardinal doctrines are an ever-increasing morass of ideas and concept about theology. Differing concepts have the potential to divide good people. It behooves us to study the Bible and search out the treasures that are buried there. The Christian life should be characterized by our search for truth. However, we must understand that a lifetime of searching will not complete our quest. Like the Apostle Paul, we all “know in part.” None of us understand all there is to know about theology.

Centuries of Bitterness

Picking back up to the aforementioned passage wherein we are informed by John that Jesus first went to Samaria (verse 4) before heading on to Galilee upon departing Judea, we know that the animosity between the Jews and Samaritans lasted for centuries. It is no wonder that the Jews would have nothing to do with the Samaritans. However, traveling north out of Judea, Jesus headed straight for Samaria. This was not normal for Jewish travelers. The Samaritans were so hated that most Jews chose to circumvent Samaria and travel the Jordan Valley when going to Galilee. But Jesus avoided the Jordan Valley and traveled the more difficult mountainous route through the heartland of Israel. “But He needed to go through Samaria” (verse 4).

It was into this atmosphere of hatred and schism that Jesus came. If the Pharisees would not accept Him, then He will find those who will. John is showing us that Jesus loves Gentiles as well as Jews and wants to offer eternal life to the rest of the world. This passage becomes a prophetic scenario of what will occur by the end of the first century. Gentiles will become believers in the Jewish Messiah. The two days Christ will spend there are a prophetic picture of the two millennia of Church history – the era of Gentile Christianity – after which, Christ will return and set up Heaven’s kingdom. As the evidence overwhelmingly shows, we are now fast approaching the end of that 2nd millennium since Christ was on Earth and the beginning of the third day. Toward the end of the 2nd day millennial period, The Vineyard of Matthew 21 – the United States of America – has been established in 1776, but beginning with its development in 1620 with the arrival of the Pilgrims at Plymouth Rock in 1620. Israel, due to Vineyard America’s key role, has been restored as a nation in 1948, a stunning fulfillment of Bible prophecy concerning the last days time marker of the reestablishment of the fig tree of Jesus’ Matthew 24 prophecy. These two key foundational prophecies point us to our present witness of the signs of the end times – the end of that second day represented in Jesus’ two-day stay in Samaria.

Also consider that since we saw the highly prophetic initiating beginning phase of the New World Order/global government in the year 2020 – the year of Vineyard America’s ending 400-year prophetic cycle – it is logical to conclude that there is another two-year pattern on the cusp of playing out. The year 2020 marked the end of America’s purpose as the lighthouse of freedom, wealth and global influence in order to shine forth the Gospel message of salvation through Christ to the nation’s of the world. If we move forward just two years (representing Jesus’ two-day preaching of the Gospel to the Samaritans representing the Gentiles), we arrive at this year (2022) and we can well say that this year may well signal the year of conclusion of the Church Age culminating in the rapture. This year (2022) also just so happens to be the year of the new Shemitah cycle in which we are now seeing the obvious signs of global judgment upon the earth approaching – such as the global famine represented by the black horse of the Apocalypse in Revelation 6, the beginning stages of the implementation of the Mark of the Beast technology, inflation rising to increasingly cencerning levels, Russia (controlled by the Luciferian globalists along with most other nations (let’s just say the world) is now threatening attacks on the West … the head of which is the United States – which I contend would be the fulfillment of the bear rapture prophecy, as of June 6, 2022, the Israeli Knesset voted to divide Israel, thus peculiarly taking the world one step closer to the Kuduri prophetic fulfillment. When observing the month, day and year that this vote occurred on (6-6- 2022), you find a very peculiar and telling phenomenon emerge. If you add up the numbers for the year “2022” at the end of the two “6” numbers, you will get the number 6 (obviously) for a display of 666 – the number for the Mark of the Beast in Revelation 13 (For more on this late breaking news, see “Recommended Reading and Viewing” section at the end of this article).

According to some, the Tribulation cannot begin in the middle or anywhere else within a Shemitah cycle than at the beginning, or the first year, of a seven-year Shemitah cycle. To illustrate this point, lets take note of world events that occurred during the first years of a Shemitah cycle in the past. When we do so, we can see that major market events can be attributed during these years. For example:

1916 – 1917: 40% drop in the stock market
1930 – 1931: The Great Depression
1937 – 1938: Global Recession
1979 – 1980: Global Recession
1993 – 1994: Bond Market Crash
2001 – 2002: 9/11 Terror Attack
2007 – 2008: 50% U.S. Stock market value wiped out. Global recession.
2015 – 2016: Market Crash
2021-2022 – To yet be determined

But important to note is the fact the rapture itself does not technically trigger the seven-year Tribulation Period of judgment. It is the signing of the peace treaty with Israel that the Antichrist initiates that triggers the Tribulation. Others, such as Lu Vega, contend that it is not the signing of the covenant between Antichrist and Israel that starts the Tribulation, but the commencement of the Daily Sacrifices are what will be the trigger. Thus, the rapture will have already taken place prior. Others contend that it is not the signing of the covenant between Antichrist and Israel that starts the Tribulation, but the commencement of the Daily Sacrifices are what will be the trigger.

Lets just say that the rapture does not occur this year. Does this mean that the theory of the second two-day Samaritan code defined by Jesus entering Samaria is not valid? The answer, in my humble opinion, is no. The reason is that we must account for the differentiation of the Gregorian calendar and the Jewish calendar. The new year on the Hebrew calendar comes in later in the year in September, thus possibly pushing the rapture event into the year 2023. Interestingly enough, the fig tree Israel was not officially recognized as a nation by the United Nations until the year 1949, although it became a nation again in 1948. This is a plausible scenario for the rapture occurring in 2023. But, then again, this year may be the year to be looking at for the culmination of the Church Age and the rapture when considering that God is also prophetically working with the Gregorian calendar as well i.e. the Vineyard 400-year cycle conclusion in 2020.

Fast forward two years from 2020, which is the year representing the culmination of God’s prophetic purpose for America, and you land on 2022 (obviously). It suspiciously appears that this is a two-year timing code reflecting the story of Jesus’ revealing the Gospel to the Samaritan woman and the Samaritans for two days. The biblical concept or principle of a “year for a day” would apply to this story (see here). Obviously, we won’t know which year may be the more plausible one until the this year (2022) has expired, but suffice to say, it appears that we have a two-day prophetic rapture pattern playing out here represented in the preaching of the Gospel to the Gentiles for the last two-thousand years since Christ.

A huge argument against the rapture and Tribulation beginning next year and not this year would be that the Tribulation cannot begin past the beginning year of the new Sabbatical cycle – which begins this year as mentioned. The alternative years for the kick-off of the Tribulation would be in the next Shemitah cycle beginning in the 2029-2030 period. This would give time for the Ezekiel 38 & 39 war of Gog/Magog to occur before the Tribulation where it belongs and not within the Tribulation at least from three to three-and-a-half years before the Tribulation begins. This would then mean that the rapture has to occur before this Gog/Magog war as per the theme of a bear attack rapture according 2 Kings chapter 2. How long before? This is where it is plausible for a 2023-2024 rapture timing. This would also coincide with the 2nd Great American Eclipse set to occur in 2024 that will have formed an “X” over the United States of America in tandem with the Great American Eclipse of 2017. Taking into account the differential between the Gregorian calendar and the Jewish calendar, this could put the rapture in 2025 – which would still be 5784-5785 (2024) on the Jewish calendar.

To sum it up for a 2022 rapture model, you have 2 two-day end-of-the-Church-Age codes working in tandem – the two-thousand years since Christ to the present and two years from 2020 (conclusion of America’s prophetic assignment) to 2022. On this, we do not have much more time to find out whether or not this is so, but rest assured, we are indeed in the general time frame for the departure of the Church and the beginning of the Tribulation Period. This story of Jesus meeting the Samaritan woman at the well takes on even more prophetic significance when you consider that the story takes place in chapter 4 – the same chapter number in the book of Revelation wherein the rapture typology occurs when John is whisked up into the Heaven by Jesus and shown the judgment of the Tribulation period to occur thereafter.

Jesus and the Samaritan Woman

“Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour. There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink. (For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.) Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, 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. Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water? Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle?” (John 4:6-12).

Jesus shows that He is genuinely concerned for the Samaritans as well as the Jews. He knows all about the friction that split the Jewish religion. He is well aware of all the history – and more. He must have been well aware (possibly grieved) over the bitterness and hatred that continued to divide the two congregations. Her moral condition, having so many husbands and currently living out of wedlock, can partly be blamed on the history of the schism. Though the split in Judaism came centuries ago, the bitterness was still felt throughout the land. Though John does not dwell on the causes, knowing the history of the religious schism helps us to understand why Jesus went to Samaria immediately after hearing about the rumor that threatened to cause friction between John’s disciples and Jesus’ disciples.

Be a Soul Winner

It is about noon and Jesus sends His disciples into town to buy groceries. He wants to talk to the woman alone. This is really the only way to have a heart to heart talk with someone in need of spiritual help. He arranged to talk to her without interference.

Jesus begins by asking her for help.

Obviously, with Jesus being God, He does not really need help of any kind. He is testing her spiritual willingness to help a fellow human being. He knows that she knows that He is a Jew. Upon being asked for a drink, she counters with, “You’re a Jew. Why would you ask for a drink from me?” Jesus replies by saying, “If you really knew who I am and the gift of eternal life that I offer, you would be asking me for a drink of ‘living water.'” Here, Jesus uses a metaphor from the water in this well. Jews use the term “living water,” that normally refers to running water, as opposed to a stagnant pool. Jesus uses the term as a metaphor of the Holy Spirit.

At first, she does not understand the spiritual application. She toys with Jesus over such “living water,” thinking that there is no such fountain. But soon, she will understand the metaphysical application. She asks if Jesus thinks He is greater than Jacob, who dug the well. Jesus explains …

“Jesus answered and said unto her, 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. The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw” (John 4:13-15).

Jesus tells her that He is not talking about physical water, but supernatural water. Still, however, she does not understand. She would like to have this water, whatever it is, if she would not have to keep coming out to the well.

Down in her heart, she perceives that Jesus is talking about spiritual matters. He has mentioned the name of God, and says that He has a gift for her. However, her spiritual condition keeps her from trusting this Jew. To demonstrate that He is not trying to sell her a bill of goods, Jesus asks her to bring her husband and allow this conversation to continue. Note that she realizes His spiritual abilities when He tells her that He knows all about her …

“Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither. 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; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly. The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet” (John 4:16-19).

Now, she recognizes a spiritual quality about Jesus that others do not possess. How did He know that she had five husbands? How did He know that she was living with a man that was not her husband? Yet, He still wants to give her the gift of eternal life! She desires to seize the moment. Her heart leaps within her. But first, she must bring up this problem about the schism in the two congregations. What about the Samaritan temple? The conversation continues …

“Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things. Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he” (John 4:20-26).

Today, both temples lay in ruins. The remains of the Samaritan temple can still be seen on Mount Gerizim. And a Moslem mosque stands on the site of the Jerusalem Temple. For almost two millennia, believers have worshipped God through the presence of the Holy Spirit, who came on the day of Pentecost to indwell believers.

Finally, Jesus tells her that He is the long-awaited Messiah. About that time, the disciples arrive …

“And upon this came his disciples, and marvelled that he talked with the woman: yet no man said, What seekest thou? or, Why talkest thou with her? The woman then 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? Then they went out of the city, and came unto him” (John 4:27-30).

The disciples were astonished that Jesus would have anything to do with the hated Samaritans. If she overheard any of their unkind remarks, she didn’t seem to let it bother her. She hurries back into the city to bring others out to see this remarkable Jewish Prophet/Messiah.

Meanwhile, the disciples offer food to the Savior. But Jesus explains that winning souls is more rewarding than eating …

“In the mean while his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat. But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of. Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him ought to eat? Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together. And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth. I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours” (John 4:31-38).

There are four more months until the harvest of edible foodstuff. But the spiritual needs of mankind are always present. The concept of sowing and reaping is used to explain how we ought always be sensitive to reaching the lost with the Gospel of Christ and the salvation he offers. Soul winning is the most important thing in a Christian’s life. Let us keep our focus on souls.

Meanwhile, the Samaritan woman brought many people out to the well to hear the Savior:

“And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did. So when the Samaritans were come unto him, they besought him that he would tarry with them: and he abode there two days. And many more believed because of his own word; And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world” (John 4:39-42).

As already mentioned above, the Savior’s stay in Samaria for two days offers a prophetic scenario that the Gospel will be spread among the Gentiles for two millennial days – after which, Christ will return to Earth after the rapture into Heaven of all those who have personally received Him and the judgment of the Tribulation period has taken place. For this reason, among many others, many of us who watch for the signs of the end times are convinced that the rapture and following judgment of the Tribulation Period then leading to the Second Coming of Christ is imminent.

From Sychar, Jesus traveled north through Nazareth and Cana on His way to the Sea of Galilee. John reminds us that the people of Nazareth had rejected Christ. He did so by inserting the passage about a prophet having no honor in his own country …

“Now after two days he departed thence, and went into Galilee. For Jesus himself testified, that a prophet hath no honour in his own country. Then when he was come into Galilee, the Galilaeans received him, having seen all the things that he did at Jerusalem at the feast: for they also went unto the feast” (John 4:43-45).

This time, however, many Galileans received Him. His fame was spreading. News of Jesus’ healings and teachings during the Jerusalem feast (probably Pentecost) had already reached back home.

The Nobleman’s Son Healed

While passing through Cana, site of the first miracle, Jesus met a nobleman, whose son was at the point of death …

“So Jesus came again into Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum. When he heard that Jesus was come out of Judaea into Galilee, he went unto him, and besought him that he would come down, and heal his son: for he was at the point of death. Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe. The nobleman saith unto him, Sir, come down ere my child die. Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way. And as he was now going down, his servants met him, and told him, saying, Thy son liveth. Then enquired he of them the hour when he began to amend. And they said unto him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him. So the father knew that it was at the same hour, in the which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth: and himself believed, and his whole house. This is again the second miracle that Jesus did, when he was come out of Judaea into Galilee” (John 4:46-54).

Jesus met the Nobleman and sent his word to his sick son through the Nobleman and the Nobleman’s son was healed.

This is not simply another version of Matthew’s account of the centurion and his servant (Matthew 8:5-13). Though the stories are similar, there are several distinct contrasts …

This story happened in Cana, while the centurion met the Savior in Capernaum.
Here, the nobleman comes to Jesus about his son, while in Matthew, a centurion finds the Savior on behalf of his servant.
The Nobleman begs Jesus to come to his home, while the Centurion asks Him to simply speak a healing word.
Here, Jesus comments on unbelief, while in Matthew, Jesus comments on the centurion’s remarkable faith.
This story in John takes place early in Jesus’ ministry, while the incident with the centurion occurs later in the Savior’s Galilean ministry.

The Great Commission

Finally, we should note that Jesus followed the same outline for evangelizing the world that He gave in His “great commission.” In Acts 1:8, Jesus said …

“But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth” (Acts 1:8).

John began this scenario at the meeting with Nicodemus, then followed Jesus to Samaria, and finally to the region of Galilee. Jesus loves even Samaritans. The Savior does not allow this ages-old bitterness to dwell in His heart. Matthew and Mark avoid the subject of the Samaritans, while Luke emphasizes Christ’s love for them. Today, it is no different. The Gospel message of salvation through Christ is available to everyone … for God offers His salvation to all inhabitants of the earth of every nation.

THE WATER OF LIFE AND YOUR ONLY WAY INTO HEAVEN: WHAT YOU MUST DO TO ENSURE YOUR ENTRANCE INTO HEAVEN

In order to accept the offer of God’s grace and his salvation, you must take the crucial three steps of

1. Agreeing – A belief and agreeing with God in all that he says in his word, the Bible, about the fact that you are separated from God, as every man and woman on the face of the earth are before accepting his salvation. The Bible reveals that all are separated from him in a spiritual state of death, or said another way that the Bible reveals it, in a state of sin, that will result in damnation in the afterlife. Agreeing with God in your heart that you are in need of his salvation. The Bible reveals that God looks upon the heart of a man or woman, and thus, responds accordingly to the person who comes to him for salvation in recognition of his inability to save himself. The Bible makes these facts very clear – “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23). The Bible describes these three kinds of death:

physical death (the state experienced when life leaves our bodies).
spiritual death (spiritual separation from God caused by our state of spiritual death inherited from the first man Adam – the state of sin that results in our daily outward acts of sin, whether deliberate or not, whether omissive or not; and finally …
the second death (the fixed state entered into by the individual who dies physically while he or she is dead spiritually). This state is entered into after the death of the body which results in punishment in the afterlife until the event of the Great White Throne Judgment occurs wherein the damned are resurrected from Hades, or Hell, and are judged according to their works and finally destroyed and cease to exist after being cast into the Lake of Fire. Revelation 14 refers to this tragic end of the unsaved as the “Second Death” (verse 14). It is this state of suffering entered into after physical death and then final destruction at the Great White Throne Judgment in particular which is the horrible result of receiving the wages of sin (unforgiven due to unbelief and rejection of Christ). The Lord Jesus Christ frequently described such a death as being irrevocable in a destiny which he called Hell. He described Hell as a literal place of judgment (Matthew 13:42); a place of everlasting fire (Matthew 18:8); a place of torment (Luke 16:24,28); a place of weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 13:50); a place of remorse (Mark 9:44-48); of bitter memory (Luke 16:25), and a place originally prepared for the Devil and his angels (Matthew 25:41). In fact, Jesus more often warned about Hell than he spoke about Heaven.

It is not God’s will or desire that any person should be consigned to perish in Hell (2 Peter 3:9), but rather that all should come to repentance of unbelief toward him and believe on him for the salvation of the individual’s soul. But God’s justice requires that the “soul who sins” (remains in it’s state of death or state of sin) is the one who will die a second time after a long period of torment (Ezekiel 18:4). So, agree with God, admitting that you are unable to save yourself and in a state of sin under God’s just condemnation for that sin and that you are in need of his salvation.

2. Believing – Then, believe that God does not want you to perish eternally in the torment of Hell because of your sin. Believe that God loves you so much that he provided a way whereby he could still be a just, holy and righteous God, and yet pardon you. Believe that God did not just overlook sin, but that he sent his only begotten son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to provide salvation by personally paying the penalty for sin. Believe that Jesus Christ, whose life, death, burial and resurrection is the best-attested fact of antiquity, did come to earth to live, die, rise again and ascend to Heaven in order to provide justification and salvation for all who trust him. Believe that he, and he alone, can save you because he has fully satisfied the just demands of God. Believe that you can’t become righteous in God’s sight by your own effort. Believe that he wants to save you and that he will save you. The Bible provides a solid basis for such belief …

“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9).

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved” (John 3:16-17).

“But God demonstrates his love toward us in this: while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8).

God presented him (Jesus Christ) as a sacrifice of atonement through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished – he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies the man or woman who has faith in Jesus (Romans 3:25-26).

“Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures … ” (1 Corinthians 15:1-4).

“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

“Jesus answered, “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6). “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).

“All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out [drive away]” (John 6:37).

“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me” (Revelation 3:20).

3. Calling – It is not enough to agree with God, admit your need, and believe that Christ can and will save you. You must act upon those facts. God’s requirement is that you repent of your unbelief toward him and actively call upon him for the salvation of your soul based on the fact that you cannot save yourself. It is unbelief in particular that damns the soul to its horrible fate …

“He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God” (John 3:18).

You must be willing to completely turn from your own efforts to save yourself or from any other hope. You must come to Christ, calling upon him for salvation and counting on the fact that he will do what he has promised. This means simply taking the gift of pardon and eternal life which he offers. Merely believing about Jesus Christ without coming to him makes as much sense and is as effective as believing that a medication can successfully treat a fatal disease, but failing to take it. Yet again, the Bible emphatically and authoritatively provides the basis for such statements.

The word translated “believe” here means to “rest one’s entire weight and trust on the object or person in which the belief is placed.” It requires action in keeping with the intellectual assent of that belief.

“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13).

” … but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

The logical question you may be asking at this point is: “how do I come to Christ and call upon him?” The answer is that “calling upon the Lord” is just another term for praying, or talking to God. To talk to God is not a complicated process, dependent upon some special rituals. God has invited people to approach him through his Son in simple, straightforward terms. In fact, Jesus approved of the dishonest, despised tax collector who simply prayed, “God be merciful to me, a sinner.” While the exact words of your prayer to God are not of vital importance (since God sees and knows the attitude of your heart), the following is the kind of prayer that you could pray in calling upon God for salvation …

“Dear Lord Jesus: I realize that I need you. I admit that I have sinned and that I deserve your just, eternal punishment for that sin. But I am sorry for my sin and I am turning to you and asking for forgiveness. I believe that you died and rose again to pay sin’s penalty on my behalf. I come to you and open my heart to you. I ask you to come into my life, forgive me for all of my sin and make me your child. I invite you to take control of my life and to cause me to be the kind of person you would have me to be. I thank you for doing this because you have promised that whosoever calls upon you, as I am doing now, shall be saved. I pray this in the name of your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.”

If this prayer expresses the desire of your heart, I urge you to sincerely and genuinely express it to God as your prayer. The Bible makes clear that when we believe on the Lord Jesus Christ in our heart, God forgives our sins and counts us righteous, and that when we openly confess with our mouth what we have done in our heart, God gives us assurance of that salvation (Romans 10:9-10).

“Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again” (John 3:3-7).

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