9
AMOS’ MISSION TO BETHEL
Amos means “Burden bearer”. He was a rustic shepherd boy from a village by name Tekou which is about eleven miles to Bethel. He knew nothing about God, nothing about the Bible, or anything in this world except feeding his sheep.
Such an innocent man God chose him to mend the wicked life of Israel in the noted place in the Bible called Bethel. God hated them for their sinful life. Israel forgot God completely. They forgot how mercifully God brought them from Egypt. But now they forgot all and began to worship heathen gods and goddeses which made God angry.
God did not want to accept their burnt offerings or meat offerings. He did not want to hear what they would say at all. Under such circumstances God remembered Amos the shepherd man. He wanted to depute Amos to Bethel. As He chose Melchezedech, Moses and David for some noble work, Amos was chosen to educate and mend Israel in the town of Bethel. So a great burden was thrust upon him which was beyond his capacity.
Israel was divided into two during the reign of king Solomon due to his heathen wives in 922 B.C. and for his sins. The first one was called the Southern
Kingdom with the tribes Judah and Benjamin and their capital was Jerusalem. The second part was Northern Kingdom with ten tribes and their capital was Samaria.
And Bethel was one of the towns in the Northern kingdom and Jerobam was the king. He became a typical heathen, worshipped and built heathen temple, put golden calves inside the temple and encouraged all Israel to worship those golden calves in his entire country.
Amos believed in God. But still he was surprised why God preferred an uneducated shepherd boy to that kind of noble work to teach and to preach the rotten Israel who were already strangers to this God and he was a poor shepherd.
Then God encouraged him by saying, “My love is unfailing and everlasting. I will be with you wherever you go”. Amos understood what God said, and also
Amos' Mission to Bethel understood that the sons of Judah should not be hidden from God. But he was afraid of going to Bethel and tell them that God was going to destroy them.
But God said, “you will be my prophet in Israel. My spirit will come upon you and you will speak the word of the Lord”. Amos replied that he was not a city dweller. He was only a shepherd with flocks and fields. Hither to Amos hated to go to Jerusalem because it became a corrupted city. Now God asked him to go to Bethel which was more corrupted than Jerusalem. God again spoke to Amos, “I am your shepherd, Amos while you obey me”. God convinced him to go to Bethel town and “feed His sheep”. Amos finally obeyed the word of God and decided to go to that place and take care of the sheep of God.
Amos slept at the gate of his sheepfold and woke up before dawn. He recollected the words of God, “feed my sheep”. Then he planned to go to Bethel at the earliest. He entrusted the flock to his nephews and started his journey to Bethel which was about eleven miles to his place Tekoa. He was anxious to feed the sheep of God. He knew Judah was a corrupted place with idol worshippers.
He remembered the idol temples built by king Solomon to please his heathen wives.
So, there was “sin” everywhere in Judah and Israel. The sin was in Amos also as he rebelled against the priests of the temple and now he was repenting for that. He criticized the priests like, “Hebel” in connection with the exchange of animals for the sacrifice. at one stage he thought of even killing Hebbel, priest for his immoral activities. Amos thought he committed sin in some form or the other.
Then God told him and said the people of Judah committed sin again and again. They followed the foot prints of their forefathers. So God wanted to take revenge against them. But Amos was a chicken hearted man. He petied and wept when God said he wanted to kill His own people Israel. As per the word of God
Amos came to Bethel and camped on the hills. Then he found a cave to live in. It had its own importance in the Bible. Jacob after stealing the birth right from his brother Esaac, fled from the house on the advice of his mother while he was going to his maternal uncles house. He stopped on the way at a particular place in the night and put a stone as a pillow to sleep, then in his deep sleep he saw angels coming down and going up to heaven on a ladder. While he was returning after some years with his wives and children he went through that place. At that time
God made a covenant with Jacob. And that place was later named as Bethel.
Offsprings from the Tabernacle
But after Jeroboam became the king to ten tribes he seduced them to pagan worship. He made the people to feel as they need not go eleven miles walk to Jerusalem to worship God when there were gods in Bethel also. Along with the people of Bethel, the people of Gilgal and Bersheba also worshipped the golden calves of king Jeroboam in his temple.
The next day Amos entered the city and went in search of the heathen temple where the king housed the golden calves. He surveyed about the priesthood, the customers etc. God wanted these Israel to go to Jerusalem only three times in a year to worship. But these ungrateful Israel forgot their forefathers, how they were brought from Egypt.
It seemed Jeroboam had good control of the people. So, he gave them two golden calves and kept them in two places. One is at Bethel and the other is at Dan. And the Israel was flocked to worship the golden calves.
Amos studied the way of the life of the people in Bethel. He prayed to God and asked Him when he should speak with them. He got no answer. He moved in Bethel city and found strange things. For example, he saw one judge took the rob from a poor man and gave it to a merchant for a jug of wine. He saw many more of such things there.
As we saw already Amos means “burden bearer” his heart was truly burdened with the task of changing the minds of Israel. He was made burdened with the missions in his mind. Two priests of the heathen temple put him many questions and he answered. He waited for some more days for the word from God. His tongue felt like a weight in his mouth. The priests with the answers they took him to be a prophet and treated him well in the beginning. A man came and offered him shelter also but he denied. So the cave became his only shelter.
Foxes have holes to rest in but the prophet of God had no place to rest his head. When he woke up early in the morning he found some gifts at the entrance of the cave. He took them to the town and distributed to the poor. He was getting such gifts from some more days like that because they took him to be a prophet.
One day he entered the city as usual. An official met him and asked when he would be prophicising again. He said God must give him words to speak. When God spirit was with him he was happy but when it went out of him he felt lonely in his soul. He wished God should dwell in him and transform his mind and heart. He wished for the continuation of his intimacy with God.
Amos' Mission to Bethel
Then Amos recollected Elijah who was taken to heaven on golden chariot without seeing death. He remembered how he separated the river Jordan. He remembered how Moses separated the Red sea and Elijah raising the dead boy came to his mind. He recollected such great persons from the Bible. He then closed his eyes and prayed to God for his people who were in helpless position.
Finally he doubted whether the people came to the Lord if he speaks to them.
One day he was on the road and heard the voice of God saying “The people of Tyre sinned again and again and I will not let them go unpunished”. God was unhappy with Edomite villages and ill treating them. Now the people of Bethel lined to the walls and listened to the prophetic words of Amos.
The Edomites chased Israel with their swords without mercy. God asked
Amos to prophecy about the surrounding nations. Every day gifts were coming and he was giving them to the poor. He at last became bold and started preaching on the steps of the heathen temple. He said those who oppressed the poor would insult their maker God, but helping the poor would honour Him. He preached that God makes nations great but sin is a disgrace to people. The audience that gathered there pleased with his preaching and clapped their hands with smiling faces.
They asked Amos if there was any nation which was more religious than Israel. They looked at their nation only but they looked not into their hearts. Then Amos came to his family members only for a brief stay. In the house his brother
Ahiam attacked Amos for his preachings in Bethel. Actually he did not know he was preaching about God and the Bible. Amos could not convince his family members that God was with him and he was a prophet as God called him. Then he went to Bethel again to feed his sheep.
Nobody can do anything secretly because God sees everything. Amos observed such a fear flicked in the eyes of Ahiam and felt happy he started feeling
God and coming closer to Him. After enjoying with his family members Amos returned to Bethel for his assigned work.
Whatever might be the opinion of his family members about him, he was sure that his mind and heart were filled with Gods power. He wished to take out his bitterness against the priests like Heled. He carried messages to Israel and Judah, but a few in Judah heard. The moment Amos entered the gate the spirit of God came upon him. Then he saw corruption and foulness. He saw sin everywhere.
Offsprings from the Tabernacle
The few men who dedicated their lives to the Lord as Nazarites were persecuted and order to show their faithfulness to the king Jeroboam. But God loved those lost people of Israel the way Amost loved the cared for his sheep.
With new resolve Amos strode up the street towards the temple of Bethel.
The people were waiting to see him. While he was climbing the steps he saw a large gathering in that area to listen to the Lord's word through the answer of Amos. Then he gave his message. He said, The people of Israel sinned against
God again and again and I will not let them go unpunished." With these words a rumble began. The people talked among themselves - confused - disappointed and angry.
Amos gave a long speech to the gathering while doing so, some faces slushed, eyes narrowed, and mouths curled. And people cried from all sides, some in fear, others in rage. He said God spoke through him to the people of Israel and Judah. "From among all the families on the earth, I have been intimate with you alone. That is why I must punish you for all your sins." On hearing this, men shouted. Women wailed and children cried in confusion. In that situation the temple guards surrounded Amos and manhandled him. He wiped out his blood from his mouth and other parts of his body. He was wounded heavily. In the meantime the chief priest came and interfered.
He spoke with Amos softly. He appeared to have complemented that the prophecies of Amos during the last eighteen months thrilled their hearts. He and the other priests thought he was trying to change the minds of the people with his preaching with the impression they also hit and punished him.
Then the chief priest asked him why he came to that place which was already a holy city with the king’s chapel. For their questions Amos told them that God had sent him to speak to His people Israel. The chief priest asked Amos to go back to his country and the people would not listen to him anymore. Finally they gave him twenty lashes and sent him away with more beatings and injuries.
Just at that time a young man came and offered himself to help. He was a young levite who met him earlier regarding Judah’s destruction. He with his father took Amos to their house and treated him well. After he recovered they talked about the countries that were going to be destroyed according to Amos' prophecy for their sins. Amos said Judah would be the last nation to fall.
Amos' Mission to Bethel
After six days of their fellowship Amos wished to go to Jerusalem. He spent a few days there and came back to Bethel. He continued his preaching without caring any one or injury. But gifts were stopped. Israel paid deaf ear for his preachings. He prayed to God and told Him how he was ignored by everyone. He watched at the gate for six months in the morning till evening. Day after day he preached the word of God. He suffered mocking and disdain. He cried out the truth to Israel. but they continued their own way of life to embrace death for their foolishness.
The people at last called him a “self proclaimed prophet”. Some called him a mad man. Another warned him to go back to his sheep. He was insulted, humiliated in many ways. Still he continued his preaching. He tried every means to convince them but in vain. At last, with weeping he said the Lord God of Israel armies on the very day to punish the Israel for its sins and would destroy the pagan altars of Bethel, the horns of the attar would be cut off and fall to the ground.
Immediately after these words were spoken by Amos, the ground beneath him trembled, God said he would destroy all the luxurious palaces of the rich.
Then came the tremor which was longer that the first one then people thought some calamity had come. The ground rolled and the earth quake. There was utter confusion and people ran here and there. Some of the Israel’s died also. At last
Amos asked Israel to repent though it was too late.
The earth quake stopped for the time being, but the dust was falling along from the quarapped buildings. With fear and confusion the people climbed the debris on the streets and enquired about their dear ones. Many were trapped, crushed and died while Amos was the trapped one in front of the temple.
A priest came and asked him why he had done all that. He replied he was not God to do that. The horns of the altar were broken and the gold calf fell. Then Amos warned the priest that if they keep another calf the priests would be the first goats to be brought to the slaughter place. Then there was another shake that rattled the temple doors.
Just at that time he heard another shocking news about the destruction of Jerusalem. He went there and enquired about his brothers. He found them safe and secure. He looked at the Jerusalem temple and told his brother that it was done by God for the sin of Uzziah, the king of Judah. What the king did was he usurped the privileges of the temple priests who were ordained by God. He
Offsprings from the Tabernacle entered the temple with a censor in his hand and burnt the incense. The king wanted to do certain things in the temple as the heathen king Jeroboam was doing in his temple.
The moment king Uzziah let the incense he was cursed with leprosy. The judgment of God was upon him. The priests saw the position of the king and immediately kept him out of the temple. Due to the sin of the king there were cracks in the temple and other places. Many people died and many more became homeless. This entire unhappy thing happened because of one man that is the king. So God took revenge against Israel and Judah at a time Ahiam asked his brother to stay in Jerusalem for a few days and preach to those ungodly people.
But Amos said God asked him to preach in Bethel only. At that time prophet
Isaiah was already there in Jerusalem.
Ahiam repented for ill treating his brother Amos many times especially when he said he got visions and God spoke with him. Now he was completely a changed man. He understood the greatness of his brother and respected him. He accepted his brother as prophet. 'A prophet is seldom recognized by his own family' he said.
Amos wished to go back to the Bethel at the earliest as per the word of God.
He came to the gate he saw a dozen well armed warriors looking for him. Some people gathered there and put Amos some questions and got suitable answers.
Amos asked them to repent before another earthquake would come. Years passed the terror of the earthquake remained in their mind. Still they returned to the old way of life. He remained there and continued his preaching to the limited gathering.
Every day he preached to a small gathering the word of God, the Law of Moses and about the judgment. He told them “to cheat the poor is to spit in the face of God” and “if we sin, the Lord will scatter us among the nations”. But if we return to Him and obey His commandments even if we are in exile to ends of earth, the Lord will bring us back to our place. He has chosen us for His name to be honored.
One day he was preaching to a small gathering at that time and then came some women. They listened to him for a while then began to mock at him. Amos got angry and cursed them. He said "you are the women who oppress the poor and crush the needy”. At that time the word of the Lord came in a hot rash from
Amos' Mission to Bethel the lips of Amos saying ‘the time will come when you will be led away with hooks to you noses’ while cursing them. One of them called him mad man.
The gathering number reduced day by day as they had no faith in the words of God and even God Himself. All the trials became a colossal waste. Some of them boldly told Amos that all the wealth and properties had not come to them from his God, but from king of Jerusalem and also added he gave them freedom and prosperity. The yoke of king Solomon was to be removed by the king from their necks. But the yoke of sin was still upon their necks that brings them to death.
Then a young man with fulfilled eyes came and said, “A curse on your prophecies and a curse on you." Another person who heard the preaching’s of Amos clapped and cheered. Then Amos struggled between appreciation and mocking. He at last spoke to God. "Lord you sent an arrow into my heart. All day long people sang their mocking songs. Amos faced discouragement regarding how they were rejecting God.
Israel followed rules of their own desire and so they wanted to live without God. They adopted their own rules according to their convenience. But they did not know one thing that they should not live for themselves. They must live for others and help. When Amos thought all his attempts became futile, he desperately cried and tore his robe at last. He called Israel and told them he was singing funeral song to them. His voice became sad and lamentable, terrible at the same time his song reheard at the gates of Bethel.
Amos left the city and walked towards his cave. He was filled with agony.
He prayed to God to make the stone heart of Israel to soft clay. He wandered in the hills and looked at Bethel. He understood Israel and said they did not know the right and wrong. Their houses were filled with all robbed things. The women were godless and hypocrates who laughed at Amos while he was preaching. He thought for some time and concluded. Some educated person might be needed to preach this kind of ungodly people.
Still Amos wanted to hang on to Bethel. He prayed to God when he would be allowed to go to his place Tekoa. Repentance was a foul word to the polluted
Israel. When they were told about repentance, they replied, repent what? They used to say among themselves “Let us eat, drink and be merry” to them, ‘Jehovah’ is one of the gods among "other pantheon”. They did not know truth
Offsprings from the Tabernacle from lies. The heart of Amos became heavy with grief and anger. He felt torn between loving and hating.
Amos heard the voice of God. He said “it is not you that have rejected
Amos, they have rejected me”. God encouraged him to be firm to tell them the truth. Then he saw the wonder of God in his vision that millions and millions of locusts carried the land and the land looked like the “black sea” of moving insects. Amos cried out by raising his head and God’s forgiveness by pleading that Israel was a small country.
Amos' mind was filled with another vision. He saw five raged from more nations’ depth of the sea raising a cauldron of bubbles and steam encroaching and devouring the entire land. Amos thought that was going to destroy Israel with fire he prayed to God not to do that because Israel was a small one. The fire disappeared and the land became as it was before. Then God asked Amos to tell the Israel that He would not ignore their sins. His plan was to destroy the pagan shrines and the temples of Jeroboam to an end. Actually Israel was in constant touch with the gods and goddesses of Canaan, Ammon, Moab and more.
Amos with half mind tried again to teach Israel but there was none to hear him. He shouted at them to repent, if not to meet the consequences. He prophicied against Jeroboam that his dynasty would come to an end. Those words disturbed the temple guards and priests. They all pounced upon Amos and beat him severely. They cursed him and beat him black and blue.
The chief priest warned Amos to go back to Judah and not to prophasise any more nor to preach his people. Then he replied to the chief priest that his wife would become a prostitute in the city, his sons and daughters would die and his land would be divided and he would live in a polluted land. Finally Israel would be captives in in a distant land.
For all what Amos spoke, the temple people whipped him, led to a court and paraded him in the streets of Bethel. People shouted at him with insults and curses and told him to go out of their sight. Amos warned the shouting people that they would become captives in exile, form their home land. The chief asked them to close the gate. They finally hit him again on his forehead with rocks which caused bleeding. He left the place.
Amos remained in Bethel for ten years and achieved nothing and prayed to
Amos' Mission to Bethel
God why he had abandaned him. Then he dreamed and saw an angel came to him and gave bread and water. God wispered to him like, “father to a troubled child” the dream gave him immence relief and he was happy.
The next day Amos wished to go back to his place Tekoa to write all about his visions and other experiences in detail. After he finished the first scroll, God called him and spoke with him again. He thought about the distruction and rebuilding of cities and bring back the glory of Israel. He finished his writing. He made three copies. He sent one copy to king Jeroboam. One to king Uzzia and one copy he kept for himself.
Before going back to Bethel he wished to see his flock. But because of the years gap they did not recognize him or his voice. Just at that time his brother came and told him about the death of Jeroboam. He remembered Israel and Judah and prayed for them and for the people who persecuted him.
Just at that time came Hosea who was known to him. He told Amos that God blessed him and his family and his father who was a priest. Hosea was actually wished to marry a God fearing Hebrew woman. But God asked him to marry a prostitute. He could not understand why God asked him to marry a prostitute. Finally Amos and Hosea became good friends and decided a work together for God.
Now Amos had bad days ahead. The son of the chief priest came to Amos.
He discussed with him something and stabbed Amos in his stomach. It was a mortal wound and he cried painfully. He struggled between life and death. In such critical moment God appeared to him. Amos was excited at the presence of God.
He tried to get up but in vain he cried bitterly and shed tears. He promised Amos that what all He said through visions would be fulfilled. All ruins would be rebuilt and the past glory reestablished. The hope of salvation fills in Amos, but he had no strength even to smile. And the Lord kissed his forehead and said “rest Amos rest” and added “My faithful servant”.
Amos' obedience to God’s call and his life was extra ordinary. It fore shadowed another prophet - the ultimate prophet - Jesus of Nazareth. Amos sacrificed his life with the blessings of Jesus Christ.
Offsprings from the Tabernacle
10
A WOMAN WITH ISSUE OF BLOOD
There was a village near Capernaum which was about seven miles. Some women in that village gathered together and started a sewing center in a room of a big house and sewing clothes and at the same time chit chatting in their leisure time. A beautiful young lady used to come to them once in a week with a cloth and got it stitched and give to the helpless poor and afflicted people in the society.
She would walk seven miles every week to those sewing women and got the work done. Her name was Veronica.
Her people spent a lot of money on her but of no use. Finally she came to know about the healer of all diseases, Jesus Christ. She went to Him and got her disease healed.
Now all the members of the sewing group were talking about that lady who had been coming to them for that work but now not coming as she was not feeling any betterment from that disease, the issue of blood. Now as she stopped going to them, it caused some financial loss to those women. She suffered from that disease for twelve years. Her family members spent what all they could on her but in vain. Her family members and friends became disheartened about her condition.
There was no doctor whom they did not see.
They came to conclusion that she would die soon. How much money they spent on her, there was no account. They used all kinds of medicines that were available in the market but of no use. So, they at last came to a decision that she might survive only with magic or else she would die. The sewing women were always talking about this Veronica only. They recollected the whole story of her, how she helped the poor people regularly going to those tailors once in a week.
But now-a-days she was not at all coming. Perhaps they did not know she was suffering from an incurable disease for a long time.
After some time the sewing women came to know about the cause of her not coming to them for the work. They felt sorry for her disease and sent many of her A Woman with issue of blood friends and relatives also who died of that issue of blood helplessly. They expressed their heartfelt sympathy for her by remaining silent for a while.
Then one of the sewing woman told the others that her husband returned from Capernaum on the previous day with the happy news that there was a healer going round the country side and he was a Galiliean. He happened to touch the daughter of a synagogue ruler by name Jairus. It was his twelve years old daughter who already died by the time the healer Jesus Christ went. He simply touched her and she got up from her death.
This is one of the miracles Christ did. The tailor woman told the entire story about the healer but she could not tell them the name of the healer as her husband also did not know. According to the information, the ruler had gone to the healer and begged Him to go to his house for his daughter was on the verge of death.
Then the sewing woman’s husband saw the healer was going to the house of the ruler.
All the sewing women stopped their work and listened to what she was telling about the healer. She went on saying that the healer was detained on the way. And one thing is certain, a large number of people were gathering wherever
He went. They finally hoped that the healer would go to their village also one day or other. The sewing women continued to hear more about the healer and the ruler and about his daughter. After the girl was raised from her death, she became normal, walking and playing in the garden.
They were surprised at the miracle of Jesus. They understood the healer must be a prophet of God. Another important thing was that the healer asked the ruler not to reveal that incident and expose it to anybody. The fundamental reason for that was the Sadducees and the Pharisees raising baseless allegations against
Jesus and causing unnecessary problems to Him. The women talked about the marvelous act of the healer again and again, and they wished to know his name.
They also wished the healer might come one day or other to their village and heal their diseases. It was their dream only.
The sewing women in a group talking nothing but this incident only. How the dead person was made alive. While they were fully engaged themselves in that hot discussion, all of a sudden all the women fell silent, stopped doing anything and looked through the window towards the dirty winding road that led to Capernaum. They saw a woman almost running towards them as if she was in a hurry of something. After she reached the village she went to those sewing
Offsprings from the Tabernacle women. They crowded together and looking at her as if she were coming closer.
And in a moment one of them recognized that she was no other than Veronica who went to them some years ago once in a week with some cloth to make dresses to the poor and helpless children.
The young woman Veronica came actively on the steps of the house and everybody felt happy to see her after a long time. She appeared to be quite hale and healthy and also quite happy. She came to them almost running to tell the happy news of her healing from the dangerous disease of “issue of blood” from which she had suffered for twelve years. She was healed and continues her social work of going to the sewing women and renewed her old job. By coming to them
Veronica could give them work and then money.
All the women looked at her strangely because she was healed from such disease. They also found much change in her after she was healed. She looked better than before. If any one of them could remember her last appearance, she would certainly find that change as she looked white and her eyes sunken and dark circled.
But by looking at them Veronica enquired whether they recognized her. She said she was Veronica, their old friend but not a ghost to stare at.
She told them, she was healed from her disease of the issue of blood by a Master. He further cautioned her that she was healed by her own faith, her faith towards Him (God). All the while they were in their surprise and in their imaginary world. Now they broke their silence came near to her and began to hug her and kissed her. They felt comfortable and asked her as how all her healing took place. Actually they took it for granted, that she would have died because of that disease.
Now all the women fell extremely happy over her recovery and humbly requested her to tell how it happened. Veronica began to tell the story again to them. She said she heard about Jesus of Nagarite for some years. The women were surprised to hear the name of Jesus for the first time. Then Veronica continued. He was a Galilean. She had heard some time ago all over Capernaum about Jesus, how He had been opening the eyes of the blind, causing the deaf to hear and healing all kinds of diseases all around Capernaum.
She continued, she touched Him as He was walking. Her simple touch of A Woman with issue of blood the hem of His garments healed her dangerous disease. Prior to this, she used all kinds of medicines prescribed by the doctors. She suffered with the disease for twelve long years. That issue of blood never stopped. By understanding her pathetic story and suffering and mental agony, she might have undergone during that period, we cannot but feel sorry for her pitiable condition.
She lost all hope of her recovery. Her family members and relatives came to a conclusion that she would die soon. She was just thirty two years old at that time. Veronica continued her testimony with the women regarding her healing.
Just at that time she came to know about Jesus that He was coming to the town of Capernaum. She got a new hope and she would not die any more.
Then Veronica went to the place of Jesus and trying all means to meet Him.
There was a large crowd around Him. She could not see the face of Jesus. She wanted to touch His garments at last. But one thing was wrong with her. She was an unclean woman “Levitically.” So she should not go and touch Him in that condition. Any way she waited for some time. She felt like an untouchable leper for some time. At last she firmly decided to touch him of if she could get the chance to talk with Him, for her it was most welcome. Before she took this decision of meeting Jesus she told her family members about the healing of Jesus but her relatives laughed at her. without caring them she went secretly to meet
Jesus. She wished to try her luck to meet Jesus. He was walking and she went near him. She seized the opportunity and touched the hem of His garments. When there was a large crowd and all kinds of sick people surrounded Him.
The sewing women patiently heard the entire story till the end. They heard the story in complete silence and wonder. They were all astonished over the miracles of Jesus, particularly done to Veronica. Actually when the tips of the fingers of Veronica touched the hem of Jesus, then there was a flash of light on her face. She somehow believed with faith that her disease of the issue of blood had been healed. She really felt healthy blood through her body. She hopefully, understood she had been healed.
As the women listened to Veronica, one of them asked her whether Jesus spoke with her or whether she felt the presence of Him. Veronica replied that when she touched Him, “And Jesus immediately knowing in himself, some power had gone out of him turned and said "who touched my clothes?” When Christ questioned the disciples who touched Him, they said they did not know who had touched Him.
Offsprings from the Tabernacle
Then the woman Veronica saw all that and terribly afraid of Jesus and went to him, trembling and fell before Him and confessed all the truth. Christ was happy at her openness. He looked at her with the most loving eyes and said "daughter, your faith has made you well, go in peace and be healed of your disease."
The story of the woman of the ‘issue of blood’ is mentioned in the three gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke. It is said her disease was healed only with her faith towards God and finally she told her story to the people like the sewing women. What had been done by the woman that came in fear and trembling?
Then she fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth. In this contact we as readers or as writers think seriously whether there is anything or anybody who could explore the depth of this simple story or what God appeared to be saying through this story with that remarkable belief and incident of healing, we must know about God’s infinite knowledge of every human being.
As God did miracles in those days on the people of all diseases, we must not doubt that He can do the same miracles even today. But we cannot say what kind of miracles He is doing. So, by writing about a faithful woman, I must also as a writer develop faith in Jesus Christ. In the same way people by reading about faithful men and women they must develop faith in Jesus Christ. That depends upon each individual how one takes things into consideration.
God knew this young woman Veronica. He knew not only her prime need of physical healing of her issue of blood but also her long years of feeling of uncleanliness and the humiliation in the public. The woman also knew that with her particular personality, she got the same idea that she was healed first by touching garments. God also knew she would not keep her remarkable story without telling others. Here the Master and the healer are God himself.
God wanted us to be perfectly whole. Jesus knew her as she was. In the same way He knew who we are. God is available to every one of us and knew every one of us inside and outside. This woman’s faith made her wholesome. She has no plan but she casually went and touched Him and now she was a changed woman.
The Samaritan woman
11
THE SAMARITAN WOMAN
There are three Samaritans in the Bible who secured a place with their noble work and good character. They are a good Samaritan, a Samaritan leper and a Samaritan woman. The first one was a good Samaritan. He stood as an example to the dictum "Love thy neighbor as thyself.” By helping a stranger who was seriously wounded and robbed on the highway between Jerusalem and Jericho.
He gave him the first aid and kept him in an inn. The distance between Jerusalem and Jericho is about 22 miles.
The second one was a leper boy. One day ten lepers found Jesus near Jericho and shouted at him to have mercy upon them. Then Jesus told them to meet the priest. But while they were going to the priest they were healed on the way itself.
Nine out of ten felt happy among them and went on their way. The tenth boy being a Samaritan, came back to Jesus, thanked Him and fell on his face in gratitude. Christ loved his gratefulness and blessed him.
The third one is a Samaritan woman about whom I am writing here now.
One day she went to the well of Jacob to draw water. Before she reached the well, she found Jesus sitting on the well to her surprise. She understood Him as Messiah repented from her sinful life. In addition to that she was able to bring a large number of people from that Samaritan village to Jesus which Jesus felt like harvest. This is the story of the Samaritan woman in a nutshel. With this noble and notable work she was recognized by Jesus and secured a place in the Bible.
This Samaritan woman was living in a small village Sychar near Samaria city. In that village, her house was a small cottage built with mud and so on. One morning she opened her house door and looked into the street to find out the movement of the people. She wanted to go to the well of Jacob to fetch water. The well was dug about two thousand years ago. She did not want to come across people on the way because they would comment about her sinful character.
She also did not like women in groups because they would talk about her immoral past life. So when there was no movement of anybody she would come to the well for water. And the well was about half a mile distance from her house.
Offsprings from the Tabernacle
She led the life of a harlot in the past. Therefore, people speak unpleasant words against her and she wanted to avoid all such things whenever she went to fetch water.
The woman moved quickly in that narrow street with her water pot (jar). She walked with her wornout slippers which produced some unpleasant sound, and also wornout clothes all of which indicated her poor and unhappy life. She was once beautiful and must be very attractive but all that was gone from her.
While going, she went on speaking to herself in that hot sun and then it was changed into humming of some pastoral music. She continued that humming till she reached the well. And also while walking towards the well, she watched the country side of the valley, the Sheckem and then blow Samaria city and finally the hated Holy mountain of Jews. She looked at the Holy mountain of Morea.
The woman seemed to have recollected all these things in her walk and finally she was about to reach the well. But to her surprise she saw a man sitting on the well, who was no other than a Jew, Jesus Christ. She stopped a while and at last came to the well. The well appeared to be very old because of its age. The woman decided not to speak with the man until He speaks with her.
She looked at Him, and confirmed He was a Jew. There was no good relationship between the Jews and Samaritans at that time. The Jews looked down upon them and they didn’t even dare walk line with Samaritans. She happily filled the pot with cool water and was about to go from the stranger (Jesus) before He spoke to her. Actually Jesus with His disciples was going from Jerusalem to Galilee. And this Samaria is almost in between the two towns. Due to long walk and hot sun, He became tired and thirsty. Jesus remained near the well and the disciples went to the town to bring bread for Jesus. So, Jesus was sitting alone there and He must be looking for some woman to come and give water.
Accidentally this Samaritan woman came. As He was thirsty He asked that woman “Give me water to drink” Jesus asked her with all courtesy.
It was quite clear with His appearance that He was a Jew. Having not understood His courteous approach she simply stared at Him it seemed. But He looked at her so kindly and weary that He needed water at once. And Jesus in His very appearance, did not show even an iota of displease or insulting of the Samaritan woman. She then politely asked Him how a Jew could have water from a Samaritan woman. Jesus went on looking at her for some time and then replies “If you know the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, give me to drink, The Samaritan woman you would have asked Him and He would have given you living water. The woman did not understand what exactly Christ said and unable to talk with Him.
Again Jesus went on looking at her so that she would give Him water.
She wanted to go away ignoring Jesus but she could not, she smiled at Him and said, “you have nothing to draw water, and the well was too deep where would He get the drinking water”.
The woman became bold enough to speak with Jesus. She questioned Him again, “Are you greater than our father Jacob who gave us this well, and drank from the well, then his sons and his cattle?” He stopped smiling any more and spoke to her in a tender voice, “Everyone who drinks of this water pointing to the well will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never thirst”.
These words somehow changed the attitude of the woman. She changed the pose of her standing and became a bit attentive to the words of the stranger (Jesus). “The water that I shall give him shall become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life”. Then the Samaritan woman thought He was talking of some extra ordinary things. So that she need not come every day to that well, walking half a mile.
Jesus became a bit serious and told her to come with her husband for the water. She was shocked at His remark and said she had no husband. For that Jesus said she had five husbands. Jesus would have laughed at her words but checked
Himself. Then she thought for a while how He could know her life. Then she humbled herself before Jesus and thought very high of Him. She questioned herself who was this stranger? Who was this hated Jew? Who could be so kind and at the same time so cruel? He was not cruel at all but He was a great prophet.
She confirmed only prophet of God would know what her past life was.
Now she understood Him in a different way fully believed that He was a prophet and did not say anything further but of her fathers, how they worshipped on that nearby mountain and how people said they must go to Jerusalem to worship God. She looked at the mount Morea and talked within herself that she was able to convince Him and pleased within herself. She changed her topic before the stranger. Jesus stood up, looked at Jerusalem and then at mount Morea.
Finally He looked at her softly and called her in a tender voice. She was somehow trembled at His voice and heard what He said. People need not worship the Father neither on the mountain nor in Jerusalem.
The Samaritan woman
The Samaritan woman wished to speak out something in order to please Him and make Him happy. She could not explain why but she wished to see Him in gladness regarding her. Her inner conscious must have praised him to do so as He is God. Her feeling of extreme happiness at the presence of Jesus, she never felt such rapture before in her life. She represented the entire humanity before Christ.
Her feelings were our feelings. Her repentance was our repentance. Finally, she was going to speak on our behalf with Jesus.
But still her words trembled while she was speaking with Jesus. She addressed Him in a polite manner, and said, “Sir, I know that the Messiah is coming. He who is called Christ. And when He comes He will show us all things” Jesus must have felt very happy at the intelligent saying of that woman a harlot of a small village, could speak about the coming Messiah”.
Then Christ answered her by saying, “I who speak to you am He”. At these words she became almost spellbound! The blood at her face was almost dried.
And in such conditions she said, “you - you- are – the Christ? "I who speak to you am He", He repeated again. "Christ" is a Hebrew word meaning 'the Saviour', Jesus the Greek word means the 'the anointed'.
The words of Jesus appeared very strange to her. She went too far in her imagination and understanding. Perhaps she could not get words to speak with Him. Her mind seemed to have stopped working because she met a prophet, no, not a prophet but God Himself. Just at that peak time came His disciples who went to the city to bring bread to Jesus. They saw Jesus was talking with a woman.
They saw it was a serious conversation between them. They were surprised at that but nobody was dare enough either to speak with Jesus or with the woman. But they asked Him to eat the bread. But Christ answered, He at enough and He was no more hungry. For this reply they wondered who must have brought Him bread.
But here, Christ means spiritual food.
Jesus answered the disciples in an understandable manner, "my meat is to do the will of Him that sent me, and to finish His work". According to His tatement, God sent Him to change as many gentiles as possible towards Him.
And now the Samaritan woman brought many people from the city of Samaria by confessing her sin and a good number of people heard Him and believed Him.
An ordinary rustic harlot would mobilize may be even thousands towards Christ and it made Him happy.
Offsprings from the Tabernacle
Now this woman was different. God saved her from her sins. Her mind was completely filled with Jesus. She understood something in His words. She confessed and felt extremely happy and could talk with Messiah, of whom she was dreaming and every believer was dreaming that He would come and tell them many things about how they should live as a true Christian, about salvation etc., She was thinking that the whole world appeared to have changed before her as she herself had changed completely. She was in her imaginery world. She forgot her water pot.
She ran from the well, leaving Jesus and His disciples at the well. She wentintothe Samaria city and told the people whoever came to her and looked at her face. She appealed to them, "come and see a man who told me all that ever I did" Her open confession convinced them and many people in groups to come to see Jesus and heard what He said. On the strength of her witness to Jesus, made the city run to Jesus.
Jesus was very happy for bringing many people to God from Samaria city which is not possible for that Samaritan woman. In such condition, the disciples came and requested Christ to eat. He replied, that He ate enough and no more hungry. The people of that Samaria town were very much impressed by the preaching of Jesus and requested Him to stay with them for some days more, and He stayed for two days with them and preached there and went to Galilee.
Then after four years of this incident Philip the evangelist, one of the disciples happened to visit Samaria on God's work. And the evangelist Philip was surprised at the growth of believers in that city and it was only the result of the whole hearted effort of the Samaritan woman.
Many pages have been written about the Samaritan woman, her transformation, her repentance from the immoral life. And for two thousand years, she has been talked about in the churches about her meeting of Jesus and able to talk with Him personally with her repentance, she walked to the spiritual life with her wonderful change in her life. She could switch on the light in Samaria and coused many people in that city to walk in the light of God. But in this connection we have to think seriously about Jesus. Normally Jesus must have actually waited at the well with the presumption that somebody would come and recognize Him and give Him water to quench His thirst.
But by accident He found a woman, an ordinary woman, an immoral woman who became faithful in His presence. And finally this harlot woman remained as The Samaritan woman a person, a trustworthy for the fulfillment of His work of bringing as many people as possible from Samaria towards God.
From this wonderful story we have to understand by looking and studying the story of a Samaritan woman from a Bible. This story was told by three apostles out of four, Mathew, Mark and Luke. As per the story God would do wonderful things even through ordinary and ignominous people like the Samaritan woman. She was no doubt an unimportant and infamous woman, and a simple, uneducated harlot of a small village near Samaria town. Such an ignominous woman was elevated to a complete personality by Jesus Christ. He knew what kind of life she led. He knew, what respect she had among her villagers particularly. But still when she said that she saw the Messiah and asked them to come and see, and secondly, said the ‘He told me whatever I did'. These two points touched the hearts of the Samaritans and they ran to Jesus in large groups and listened to Him.
Then, Jesus also if He did not say about the living water, even the Samaritan woman would not have stayed there near well for such long time. But Jesus mention of living water prompted her to stay and made a request for the water.
She boldly talked with Jesus, that led her to repentence and became faithful to Jesus Christ, could it be God is saying “Don’t expect truly a troubled heart to ask for forgiveness in faith at the outset. Don’t expect a quick response from someone by life. Wait, be patient, give me time to treat that hard shell only I know how."
For those who feel they are too far gone for God to care about them, and to mind them. We only have care to remember the woman at the well, outside
Sychar. An immoral woman, much aged, unkept with dirty hair and a dirty heart.
Yet, the Son of God took great and tender care with her. He ignored (as He did always) all the bigoted prejudice of His day, not only did He talk all the time she needed. He pursued her like no one even who had been under the earthly life; can end sink too low for the Son of God to seek after. Above all, we find in His ministry, that Jesus would never before openly declare Himself, to be the Christ.
He made the most dispised woman as important to the people of her village. They really honoued her words because she openly spoke the truth about herself. 'He spoke about me I ever did'. Her open confession led her to repentence, and made her as one of the great woman characters in the Holy Bible.
Jesus never respected persons, but He always respected the hearts” of the persons. Amen.
Offsprings from the Tabernacle