“But, beloved, BE NOT IGNORANT OF THIS ONE THING (capitals mine), that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.”

2 Peter 3:8

As many of you know I am a big fan of Hal Lindsey, who explains Biblical prophecy in a very simple, easy to understand manner. The fact that he also is an expert in ancient Greek and Latin makes his interpretations of our current English translations even more relevant to the actual meaning of the Bible as it was originally written in Greek. His current study verse by verse on the Book of John amazed me as to its potential prediction as to the timing of the Lord’s Return. By the way, the entire study can be watched on YouTube (HalLindsey.com) or Daystar TV.

The relevant location in the Bible for this article is chapter 4 of the Book of John. If you recall, here Jesus meets up with a Samaritan woman at a well in Samaria. The outcome of their discussion led her to accept Him as the Messiah and go to tell others in her town about him resulting in many more coming to believe in Jesus as their Promised Savior. In order to highlight the story, I would like to explain the various occurrences listed in John 4.

Basically, Jesus left Judea (without His disciples) and went to Galilee. While the shortest route from Judea to Galilee was through Samaria, most Jews would not take that route as they viewed the Samaritans as “gentiles” even though they were of Jewish lineage. The reason for this was they did not recognize Jerusalem where the Temple stood as the place of the Holy Temple but rather a mountain in Samaria was where they worshipped. Obviously, the Jews held disdain for the Samaritans for what they viewed as an unholy view. They avoided the “gentile” Jews. But Jesus did not!

“There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink. Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, asketh drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans.”

John 4:7-9

To which, Jesus responded:

“Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knowest 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

Let me step back a moment. Here Jesus having travelled the route through the desert was thirsty. He asked a “gentile” woman for a drink of water since she had a bucket at the well. She was amazed a Jew, who normally would not talk or deal with Samaritans, was asking for her to give Him a drink. And, He basically said if she only knew who He was, she would have asked for living water, i.e., water to save her soul. Since He had no bucket and the well was deep, she questioned how He could get “living” water. Jesus then explained what He meant to her:

“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  (capitals mine) shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water SPRINGING UP INTO EVERLASTING LIFE (capitals mine).”

John 4:13-14

In other words, Jesus was telling the woman if she only accepted His offer of “water”, she would have everlasting life. She would be saved! At that point she asked him for her salvation. Jesus then said for her to go call her husband. When she said she had no husband He amazingly told 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.” (John 4:17-18).

Jesus knew her life story and the fact He was able to tell her of her background convinced her. He was a prophet.

“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 4:25-26

She then departed and told her neighbors about Jesus, and many believed in Him as the prophesied Messiah. They wanted to hear more, and they asked Him to stay with them and He stayed with them for TWO days, not one or three, but TWO.

“So when the Samaritans were come unto him, they besought him that he would tarry with them: and he abode there two days.”

John 4:40

“Now after two days he departed thence, and went into Galilee (Israel). For Jesus himself testified, that a prophet hath no honour in his own country.”

John 4:43-44

So how does Chapter 4 of John give us a hint as to when Jesus will Return? Please take a moment and look back at the verses above to answer this question:

1. Jesus left Israel and travelled to the “gentile” world of Samaria.
2. His disciples were not with Him
3. When He met up with a “gentile” woman, He asked for water to drink.
4. There was disbelief and questions as to why He would even talk to her.
5. He told her exactly about her background.
6. She believed in Him
7. He told her the story of salvation that by believing in Him she would have everlasting life.
8. She then went out and told others in the “gentile” world of her city about him.
9. They came to Him and asked Him to stay with them.
10. He did for TWO DAYS and then went back to Israel.

Does this sound familiar? God Promised Abraham, Issac and Jacob a Savior to come from their Jewish lineage, the Promised Messiah. Jesus was born a Jew, taught and did miracles in front of the Jewish people. But they did not accept Him exactly as He predicted “…that a prophet hath no honour in his own country.” (John 4:44). He departed this world after the Crucifixion and Resurrection. But He then quickly sent the Holy Spirit, basically to the Gentile world (and believing Jews) that they might be saved. However, the Bible is replete with statements about His Second Coming where He will rule with Justice, Peace and Righteousness from Jerusalem, the capital of Israel.

The fact in John 4 that Jesus left Israel for two days to spread His Word with the “gentiles” and then will return to Israel after the two days should put us all on notice. What if the Scripture at the beginning accurately predicted Jesus leaving the Jews/Israel for two days (or two thousand years) AND then coming back to the Jews/Israel after the two days (or two thousand years) to rule from Jerusalem? Since there is much debate as to when Jesus was actually crucified (27-33 AD?) and we don’t know if the Bible refers to the Gregorian solar calendar we use today (2024) or the Hebrew lunar calendar (today 5784) the Jews use, we cannot know the actual “…day or hour of his return” BUT “…the generation would know” tells me we are very close to the TWO day/TWO thousand years of Jesus’s Return at His Second Coming.

I don’t know about you but with the increasing chaos in the world today, the signs of all those things prophesied to happen in the last days, but God’s Promise of Revelation 3:10 to all Believers:

“Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I ALSO WILL KEEP THEE FROM THE HOUR OF TRIBULATION (capitals mine), which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.”

God wants us take comfort in knowing He is with us to protect us. He also asked us to “…therefore comfort one another with these words.” Tell your friends and family the signs are near and all they must do is accept the gift of Salvation Jesus gave to all who have faith in him as their Savior; repent of their sins; and, ask for forgiveness and they will spend eternity in Heaven with Jesus Christ.

May God Bless you as we anxiously await His Soon Return!