On Saturday we went as a family to a local Messianic congregation to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot).  It was such a joyous occasion.  Our daughter loves it when we visit this congregation as she loves the Messianic dancing and is always involved.

At the Feast of Tabernacles, on the Great Day of this 8-day Feast, was a spectacular water drawing ceremony.  Water from the pool of Siloam gushed out and was offered to God as a drink offering.

Jesus attended this Feast and on the Great Day, as the water was gushing He cried out in the Temple:

“If anyone thirsts, let Him come to Me and drink.  He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water!” (John 7:37-38)

Can you imagine what the people must have thought?  Here was water gushing forth in a joyous celebration of this living-giving fluid.  In the Middle East in the first century water was not always easy to find and so it was symbolic of life and of God’s blessing.  There would have been a procession of people, singing and playing flutes.  And in the midst of this celebration here is Jesus standing in the Temple crying out for people to come to Him and drink.  He promised them mayim chayim – living water.

So we see that the Feast of Tabernacles, as all of the Jewish Feasts, point to Christ.  In verse 39 John explains that :

“But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy  Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.”

We see that the water gushing forth is a picture of the Holy Spirit.  That the great truth played out by this Feast is that when we put our faith in Jesus and are baptized in His Holy Spirit, rivers of living water will flow from us.

May we all go to Jesus and drink of Him! And may rivers of living water flow from our hearts!

In the name of Yeshua, our Messiah, Amen