Ever wonder way the Samaritans did not receive the Holy Ghost on the same day that they accepted the gospel and got water baptized in Jesus’ name? If so, me too.
What I found interesting about the Samaritan account is that unlike the Jews and Gentiles the Samaritan’s complied with the salvation components on two separate occasions.
Upon hearing and believing the gospel the group was immediately water baptized in Jesus’ name by Philip the Evangelist. I wondered why Peter and John were sent for in order to impart the Holy Ghost. Considering Philip was full of the Holy Ghost why didn’t God just use him? I felt in my spirit that I was missing something. So, I questioned God about it.
A short while later I came across the scripture in Luke where the Apostle John (who accompanied Peter into Samaria) was rebuked by Jesus for asking if he and other disciples should call down fire and consume the Samaritans when they would not receive Jesus. (Luke 9:52-56)
Immediately the realization hit me. God gave John a front row seat to witness exactly what Jesus meant when He said “I have come not to destroy men’s lives but to save them.”
Yes, the Samaritans did receive fire from Heaven but not to destroy them. The fire come down from Heaven was in the form of the Holy Ghost that the Samaritan people needed in order for them to be saved. I can just imagine tears of joy rolling down John’s face when he realized that these very people would have lost the opportunity to be saved if Jesus had allowed him to have his way.
What I found interesting about the Samaritan account is that unlike the Jews and Gentiles the Samaritan’s complied with the salvation components on two separate occasions.
Upon hearing and believing the gospel the group was immediately water baptized in Jesus’ name by Philip the Evangelist. I wondered why Peter and John were sent for in order to impart the Holy Ghost. Considering Philip was full of the Holy Ghost why didn’t God just use him? I felt in my spirit that I was missing something. So, I questioned God about it.
A short while later I came across the scripture in Luke where the Apostle John (who accompanied Peter into Samaria) was rebuked by Jesus for asking if he and other disciples should call down fire and consume the Samaritans when they would not receive Jesus. (Luke 9:52-56)
Immediately the realization hit me. God gave John a front row seat to witness exactly what Jesus meant when He said “I have come not to destroy men’s lives but to save them.”
Yes, the Samaritans did receive fire from Heaven but not to destroy them. The fire come down from Heaven was in the form of the Holy Ghost that the Samaritan people needed in order for them to be saved. I can just imagine tears of joy rolling down John’s face when he realized that these very people would have lost the opportunity to be saved if Jesus had allowed him to have his way.