John 4:1-16 – Now Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that he was gaining and baptizing more disciples than John— 2 although in fact it was not Jesus who baptized, but his disciples. 3 So he left Judea and went back once more to Galilee. 4 Now he had to go through Samaria. 5 So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph. 6 Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about noon. 7 When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” 8 (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.) 9 The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.) 10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” 11 “Sir,” the woman said, “you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? 12 Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his livestock?” 13 Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” 15 The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.” 16 He told her, “Go, call your husband and come back.”
To God what is most important is our eternal life. He knows that we can allow the affairs of this life to blind us to what is most important, and that is our relationship with God. He knew that the Jews intermarrying with others would very likely bring idolatry and false doctrine into their lives. Since their relationship with Him (and that means their eternal salvation), the Lord was protecting the Jews. The same way He is protecting His children today. We ought not be quick to condemn the Samaritans since don’t we also disobey the Lord’s command to not intermarry with non-believers? It is not a rarity among those who are called by His name, but rather an all too common error. Even single parents who are believers can set bad examples of this. Praise God who forgives us. Yet we must remember that God has no need to forgive something that is not a sin. We wonder why our children are drawn away from the Lord while we pay for their weddings to non-believers and send them to schools that tear away at their faith. Okay, I know what is written may bother some who will confirm that other people’s kids sin while they excuse the sins of their own kids. Yet too, too often those who do such things then accuse God of bringing suffering after they do not follow His rules. Let’s not excuse sin (after all sin is an offence to our loving and good God) and should we sin, let’s quickly repent, ask for fd try to not repeat our sins. Let’s love God more than anything or anyone else. Being right with God is better than any other blessing.
Concerning the intermarriages of the Samaritans, much of this was because ruling Assyria forced it upon the captive northern kingdom of Israel. Their marriages were often forced upon them by the reigning government and that brought about what the Lord wanted to protect them from, idol worship and false Gods. When God says “don’t” to us it is for our benefit. Like a parent teaching a young child not to play in the street, it is for the child’s protection. So the “don’ts” and “do’s” from God to us are for our protection, physical and importantly, spiritual.
Though mostly all Jews looked down upon the Samaritans (who returned the animosity back to the Jew) Jesus showed that He had come to also be their Savior, which was surprising to His disciples and a point of contention to the Jews. In John 4:21-24 Jesus taught the Samaritan woman at the well that the Samaritan do not understand the truth but the Jews did. (Remember they did not hold to the whole truth of God.) But then He said to her “Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” In saying this He was revealing that a whole new truth was being revealed through Him as was foretold in Ezekiel 36:26-27 and Joel 2:28. God will give them a new heart that loves and serves Him. The way of worshipping God has moved from following external laws to being guided by the Holy Spirit that lives within. Jesus moved us from a relationship struggling to obey rules to a place where God within us allows us to live out His will from a changed heart within. Barriers between God and man and between man and man are torn down and peace shall be between God and us and between us with each other. Praise God! Peace begins with Jesus. (Isaiah 9:6) His peace is simple to have. Love God, through Jesus, with all that are and love each other. Praise God who, for all, fully made the way! Praise God!
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will Hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown you, Oh man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you, but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
Numbers 6:24-26 – The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26 The Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.