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The Great Day of the Feast
John 7:37 “On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.”
"On the last day, the
great day of the feast"
The Feast of Sukkoth (Tabernacles or Booths)
The Feast of Tabernacles, known in Hebrew as “Sukkoth”
(Booths), also called Ingathering (end of the year). It was
the last of the divinely appointed "moadeem" (sacred
festivals) under the O.T. It was made to commence on the
15th day of the 7th month (5 days after yom kippur)
The Jews were commanded to make little booths beside their
houses to dwell in throughout the week of the feast and they
do this to the present day. They make their booths with
thatched (branches and leaves woven together) so that it
would not be permanent, but temporary. The roofs had space
in-between the thatches so that at night they could look up
and see the stars which was a reminder of the 40 year
wanderings of their fathers in the wilderness.
They also had to leave enough space in the walls so that the
wind could blow through and as they felt the wind they were
reminded how that their fathers were exposed to the perils
of the wilderness for 40 years and were yet preserved by
God.
During N.T. times the priests, for each of the first seven
days of the feast in Jerusalem, would go down to the pool of
Siloam in a religious procession with large water jugs and
there at the pool of Siloam they would fill the water jugs
and come up the many steps to the Temple mount commemorating
the long expected anticipation of the promise given through
the prophet Isaiah (Heb. Yeshayahu):
Isa 12:1-4 “And in that day you will say: "O LORD, I will
praise You; though You were angry with me, your anger is
turned away, and You comfort me. Behold, God is my
salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; 'For YAH, the
LORD, is my strength and song; he also has become my
salvation.'" Therefore with joy you will draw water from the
wells of salvation. And in that day you will say: "Praise
the LORD, call upon His name; declare His deeds among the
peoples, make mention that His name is exalted.”
As they approached with the water jugs the people would
burst forth in singing the "Hallel Psalms" (Ps 113-118) and
as the people were praising the Lord they would pour out
these water jugs upon the Pavement and as the water poured
they were reminded of how God miraculously provided water in
the wilderness out of the Rock, and will also one day pour
water from heaven on their thirsty souls through the
Messiah.
On the Eighth day, the last day, called "the great day of
the feast" the priests made no procession and poured no
water onto the pavement and this too was very significant,
because it symbolized the fact that God had fulfilled the
promise to their fathers, He had now brought them into this
land that was well watered, flowing with milk and honey,
they no longer needed the miraculous supply out of the
Rock.
It was on this day the last day that Jesus stood and cried
out: "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."
It is interesting to note that it was on this day that they
sang the marvelous “hallel psalms” of praise, which conclude
with this passage Ps. 118:22 “.. and You have become my
salvation, the Stone which the builders rejected has become
the chief cornerstone .. and blessed is He who comes in the
name of the Lord.”
The historical background sheds much light on the meaning. Jesus, their promised Messiah was standing in their midst as they were performing the ceremony and WAS fulfilling the Scripture and the promise spoken through Isaiah that the Lord would become their salvation (incarnate) and the water was always used as a symbol in Judaism as that which “comes from above” and is identified with Messiah “the coming One” (Heb. Haba”) throughout.
Bibliography on Ancient Customs
The Art of Ancient Egypt, Revised
by Robins, 272 Pages, Pub. 2008
© Bible History Online (http://www.bible-history.com)
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