JACOB'S WELL

Jesus left Judaea and departed into Galilee and He passed through Samaria in the opening verses of John 4. He stopped in a city named Sychar near the parcel of ground that Jacob had given to his son Joseph.


He stopped and sat by a well that Jacob had dug hundreds of years before. I wonder what was going through His mind as He sat there. We remember that the Angel of the LORD had wrestled with Jacob at the river Jabbok. Because of Jacob's tenacity and will he would not let go until the Angel blessed him. Jacob asked the Angel who he was; he received no answer. The Angel made Jacob admit what his name was though; Jacob means subplanter, deceiver.



Jacob reached the place in his life where he finally was crippled, tired, but still determined not to let go until he was blessed. He reached the end of his rope and finally confessed who he really was on this earth. After this confession, which must have been difficult for such a tenacious person as Jacob, He received a new name, Israel, which means prince with God. Jacob was between a rock and a hard place that night. He had received news that his brother Esau was heading his way with 400 armed men. The last time Jacob saw his brother, Esau had promised to slay him for what he considered the theft of his birthright. Jacob sent his family in three different directions so that at lease one or two of his descendants would survive.



I believe the Angel of the LORD that wrestled with Jacob that night was Christ. He had appeared on other occasions in human form; He and two angels appeared to Abraham before the destruction of Sodom and Gommarah.



Jesus chose Jacob's well out of other wells that must have been in the area. As He sat by this well, He was approached by a woman from an area known then as Samaria. It is believed Samaritians were descendants of mixed marriages when the Assyrians invaded the northern area of ancient Israel. They supposedly imported Assyrians who intermarried with the children of Israel. They were considered unclean by most and we not allowed to help with the building of the Temple during its construction.



Jesus asked this lady from Samaria to get Him a drink. Not just from any well but from the well Jacob had dug. How does this apply today?



As the end of the Gentile reign draws to a close, Israel once again takes preminance in world affairs. Israel is now God's time piece. The nations of the world will once again come to the ancient well of Jacob for a drink. The One who met the lady from the nations, Samaria, has promised that if we come to Him, our of our bellies, our being, will flow rivers of living water. That day is now.



Come and drink freely from Jacob's well! If one drinks of the water He gives they shall never thirst again. The water from His well will spring forth into everlasting life.



Did Jacob's "wrestlling match" hundreds of years earlier enter into Jesus' mind? Will our wrestling matches with the Angel of the LORD in prayer be recorded in the heavens? I believe so!



On that great day when all is revealed, we will realize the eternal results of our encounters with the Almighty. Do not let go! Wrestle through the long night's. The enemy of our soul's is heading our way with his army of more than 400 armed men; but we have something Jacob did not have on his eventful night. We have the indwelling of the Spirit of God, we have the promises of Christ, we have a position as the Bride of Christ. These facts had not been revealed yet to Jacob, but I believe he had a sense of how important his fight was for all of eternity.



What happened on one night long, long ago has had a great impact on eternal things; the same is true for us. Our prayers, our petitions, our thanksgiving and our praise is being recorded in the heavens. They have great effect. Pray, interceed for lost friends and family, wrestle with God when necessary, the day is about to break and time is short.



Like Jacob, we may have to lean on a cane to bless God and those He sends our way, but it is worth the price!