Saturday, October 7, 2017

Jesus Celebrated the Feast of Tabernacles

After this, Jesus traveled around Galilee. He wanted to stay out of Judea, where the Jewish leaders were plotting his death. But soon it was time for the Jewish Festival of Shelters, and Jesus' brothers said to him, "Leave here and go to Judea, where your followers can see your miracles! ... Jesus replied, "Now is not the right time for me to go, but you can go anytime. ... You go on. I'm not going to this festival, because my time has not yet come." After saying these things, Jesus remained in Galilee. But after his brothers left for the festival, Jesus also went, though secretly, staying out of public view. ... Then, midway through the festival, Jesus went up to the Temple and began to teach. The people were surprised when they heard him. "How does he know so much when he hasn't been trained?" they asked. So Jesus told them, "My message is not my own; it comes from God who sent me. Anyone who wants to do the will of God will know whether my teaching is from God or is merely my own. ... On the last day, the climax of the festival, Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, "Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, 'Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.'" (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.) When the crowds heard him say this, some of them declared, "Surely this man is the Prophet we've been expecting." Others said, "He is the Messiah." Still others said, "But he can't be! Will the Messiah come from Galilee? For the Scriptures clearly state that the Messiah will be born of the royal line of David, in Bethlehem, the village where King David was born." So the crowd was divided about him. Some even wanted him arrested, but no one laid a hand on him.  John 7:1-3, 6, 8-10, 14-17, 37-44  

Living Water?
Jesus celebrated the Feast of Tabernacles, or Sukkot. I can imagine that He was invited to share meals with various Jews in Jerusalem as they had built their family sukkot shelter and ate their meals there. This Festival was one that Jewish men were required to go to the Temple in Jerusalem—so there Jesus was even though this scripture passage tells us that He didn’t want to go there. He obediently went to the Temple and used that as an opportunity to teach. The Festival is eight days long At the end of the Festival, Jesus announced to the crowd that He would provide living water to anyone who is thirsty. It was the custom to carry water daily from the Pool of Siloam to the Temple alter for the first seven days of the festival. On the eighth day, no water was carried—only empty jars were carried, assuming that the Messiah would miraculously one day fill those vessels with water. It was startling for the Jews there to hear Jesus pronounce "Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, 'Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.'" He was going to provide water? How could that be? That must have raised a lot of questions in their hearts and minds. Who was this Jesus?
Who is Jesus to you?

Prayer ~ Jesus, continue to reveal Yourself to us—and fill us with the Living Water of the Holy Spirit—that we would be renewed and refreshed in Your love and grace.
Daily Bible Reading: Matthew 8; Mark 2
© 2017 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.
All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted.
Biblical search from Blue Letter Bible - http://v3.blueletterbible.org/search.cfm.

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