Pool of Bethesda, John 5:4

Many Bible versions remove or collapse verse #4 from the Book of John chapter 5, claiming it "doesn't belong there." Nothing could be further from the truth! It wasn't until I watched the famous TV show "Chosen," that producers decided to portray Pool of Bethesda as a pagan place that didn't heal! ➡️ "Something within me bubbled" (pun intended) and prompted me to explain.

Ecclesiastes 3:14 “And I know that whatever God does is final. Nothing can be added to it or taken from it. God’s purpose is that people should fear him.”

John 5:1-9 

Jesus Heals a Lame Man 

“1 Afterward Jesus returned to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish holy days. 2 Inside the city, near the Sheep Gate, was the pool of Bethesda, with five covered porches. 3 Crowds of sick people—blind, lame, or paralyzed—lay on the porches 4 waiting for a certain movement of the water, for an ANGEL OF THE LORD came FROM TIME TO TIME and stirred up the water. And THE FIRST PERSON TO STEP IN after the water was stirred WAS HEALED of whatever disease he had.

5 One of the men lying there had been sick for thirty-eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him and knew he had been ill for a long time, he asked him, “Would you like to get well?” 

“7 I can’t, sir,” the sick man said, “for I have no one to put me into the pool when THE WATER BUBBLES UP. Someone else always gets there ahead of me.” 

8 Jesus told him, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk!” 

9 Instantly, the man was healed! He rolled up his sleeping mat and began walking! But this miracle happened on the Sabbath,"

➡️ THE MOST IMPORTANT thing about the miracles and signs performed by Jesus Christ is that whatever happened in the physical realm is SYMBOLIC OF THE SPIRITUAL REALM.

FOR EXAMPLE: When Jesus fed five thousand people with loaves of bread when they were hungry, it was NOT about filling up their stomachs. Yes, their stomachs got filled, but it was not the point. It was only a CLUE for people to understand that Jesus Christ Himself is the BREAD FROM HEAVEN who can satisfy them!

John 6:35 “Jesus replied, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.”

Does that mean people should take a bite of His arm? NO! He was referring to the HOLY SPIRIT, which is given to those who obey Him! (Acts 5:32)

John 6:26 “Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, you want to be with me because I fed you, NOT BECAUSE YOU UNDERSTOOD THE MIRACULOUS SIGNS." 🔥

The same principle applies to John 5:4

THE POOL OF BETHESDA (meaning "The House of Mercy")

The Angel of The Lord is Jesus Christ in a different form. Let's not forget - He is God, and He appeared in different forms throughout the Scriptures: as a burning bush, pillar of fire and cloud, thunder, whirlwind, and as the Angel of The Lord. Please go to my post "The Sevenfold Spirit of God" to learn more. Jesus Christ also transformed during His human lifetime showing Himself in His Glorious Body. And another time He became invisible.

Matthew 17:1-2 “Six days later Jesus took Peter and the two brothers, James and John, and led them up a high mountain to be alone. As the men watched, Jesus’ appearance was transformed so that his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as light.”

John 12:36 “Put your trust in the light while there is still time; then you will become children of the light.” After saying these things, Jesus went away and was hidden from them.”

THE BUBBLING WATER in the Pool that healed represented the HOLY SPIRIT.

➡️ Just as the Bread, the Blood, and the Flesh. ALL points to the Holy Spirit because receiving the Spirit of God is the ONLY way to receive Eternal Life!

John 4:13-14

“Jesus replied, “Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. But those who drink THE WATER I GIVE WILL NEVER BE THIRSTY AGAIN. It becomes a fresh, BUBBLING SPRING WITHIN THEM, GIVING THEM ETERNAL LIFE.”

John 6:63 “THE SPIRIT ALONE GIVES ETERNAL LIFE. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life.”

John 7:39

“(When he said “LIVING WATER,” HE WAS SPEAKING OF THE SPIRIT, WHO WOULD BE GIVEN TO EVERYONE BELIEVING IN HIM. But the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet entered into his glory.)”

1 Corinthians 15:45 “The Scriptures tell us, “The first man, Adam, became a living person.” But the last Adam—that is, CHRIST—IS A LIFE-GIVING SPIRIT.”

John 5:39 “You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me! Yet you refuse to come to me to receive this life."

Acts 2:38 “Peter replied, “Each of you MUST REPENT OF YOUR SINS and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. THEN YOU WILL RECEIVE THE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT." 

The Missing Verse, John 5:4: 

"An ANGEL OF THE LORD came FROM TIME TO TIME and stirred up the water."

John 3:8 “The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are BORN OF THE SPIRIT.”

Luke 12:40 “You also must be ready all the time, for THE SON OF MAN WILL COME WHEN LEAST EXPECTED."

Romans 9:16 “So it is God who decides to SHOW MERCY. We can neither choose it nor work for it.”

Matthew 16:28 “And I tell you the truth, some standing here right now will not die before they see the Son of Man coming in his Kingdom.” (the Holy Spirit baptism!)

John 15:16 “You didn’t choose me. I CHOSE YOU. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name.” 

"THE FIRST PERSON TO STEP IN"

➡️ We are in a RACE! 🏃🏻‍♀️🏃🏻‍♂️ It's the survival of the fittest (spiritually)

1 Corinthians 9:24-25 “Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So RUN TO WIN! All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but WE DO IT FOR AN ETERNAL PRIZE.”

Galatians 5:7-8 “You were running the race so well. Who has held you back from following the truth? It certainly isn’t God, for he is the one who called you to freedom.”

Philippians 3:14-16 “I PRESS ON TO REACH THE END OF THE RACE AND RECEIVE THE HEAVENLY PRIZE FOR WHICH GOD, THROUGH CHRIST JESUS, IS CALLING US. Let all who are spiritually mature agree on these things. If you disagree on some point, I believe God will make it plain to you. But we must hold on to the progress we have already made.” 

Hebrews 12:1 “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And LET US RUN WITH ENDURANCE THE RACE GOD HAS SET BEFORE US."

Romans 11:25 “I want you to understand this mystery, dear brothers and sisters, so that you will not feel proud about yourselves. Some of the people of Israel have hard hearts, but this will last only UNTIL THE FULL NUMBER OF GENTILES COMES TO CHRIST."

Revelation 3:11-12 “Because you have obeyed my command to persevere, I will protect you from the great time of testing that will come upon the whole world to test those who belong to this world. I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take away your crown. All who are victorious will become pillars in the Temple of my God, and they will never have to leave it. And I will write on them the name of my God, and they will be citizens in the city of my God—the new Jerusalem that comes down from heaven from my God. And I will also write on them my new name.” 

Abba Father! 🙌🏼💗