“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.  Now Jacob’s well was there” (John 4:5-6a).

The Spirit of the Lord wants to share with us today a spiritual reality taken from a natural environment called Sychar (or Shechem originally).  Our text tells us Jesus went there to rest from His journey to Galilee and passed through Samaria on His way.  He rested at Jacob’s well near Sychar.

The location of Jacob’s well is significant for us for it is located in a very fertile valley between two mountains:  Mount Ebal to the North and Mount Gerizim to the South.  It is located on a water-summit with streams issuing from the numerous springs that flow to every slope of the valley, with spreading vegetation in all directions (see Smith’s Bible Dictionary [Shechem].

Christ specifically chose this location to give us a picture of the “living water” that He gives; as He said to the Samaritan woman: “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” (John 4:10).

Between Two Mountains

This place of which we speak where was Jacob’s well, lies between two mountains that are very close in proximity to each other:  Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim.  These two mountains represent the pronouncements of blessings and curses (see Deut. 27:11; and Joshua 24:23-25).

The Oak of Moreh at Shechem

Blessings and cursing were also spoken to Abraham when he was called by God to go to the Land of Canaan (see Genesis 12:1-7).  Abraham’s first place of encampment was by the Oak at Moreh at Shechem.  Moreh means “teacher.”  So the first place we abide is in the place of teaching.  Shechem means “shoulder.”  The government of the Lord is upon His shoulder (Isaiah 9:6).  So in this place of refreshing and rest we are taught the government of the Lord.  We are taught obedience to His Word, His will and authority.

The Eternal Place of Blessing

The water at Shechem was an aquifer that flowed forever.  It was Jacob who dug the well, and nourished himself and all the generations to follow; but even when the people of Israel were not in the land (during their sojourn in Egypt for over 400 years); yet that water was still there.  Christ, the giver of living water abides forever.  Were the Church to go into apostasy, false doctrine or lose its way (as it has often); yet, Christ will always be there for the people of God to return. Christ is the place of Blessing.  He is the eternal fountain of living water, Christ is the ever flowing aquifer, as He said, “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” (John 4:14).

And elsewhere Jesus said: “He that believeth on Me, as the Scriptures hath said, out of his belly (or innermost being) shall flow rivers of living water” (John 7:37-38).