The last, the great day of the Feast

 

The last day, the great day of the feast     division   John 7v 37-53.

 

From the Bible Studies we learn:

The Feast of Tabernacles, or Sukkot, was officially scheduled for the fifteenth day of the Jewish month of Tishrei, and it lasted for seven days, Leviticus 23v39-43.

The purpose of the Feast of Tabernacles was to: 1. Remember the past by recalling God’s provision for His people.  2. Keep an eye on the present by giving thanksgiving for the ingathering of crops.  3. Look to the future with a plea for upcoming rains.

 

The Feast of tabernacles took place at the end of the dry season in Israel.  In Israel, the rainy season begins in mid-October and ends in mid-April. In mid-April, the dry season begins and sometimes there is absolutely no rain for six months straight! The Feast of Tabernacles began at the end of the dry season, and this festival lasted for seven days, plus the added eighth day of rest.

Hoshana Rabbah was the final and most important day of the Feast of Tabernacles.  Every day during the feast there was a water ceremony, Isaiah 12v3.  The crowd would shake their lulavs and sing the Hallel Psalms, Psalms 113-118.  Rabbah means great and Hoshana (Hosanna) means God save us please! This was also a prayer for salvation from sin, for Hoshana Rabbah was understood by the Jews to be the absolutely final chance to have one’s sins for the year forgiven.  

On Hoshana Rabbah, in the midst of this water pouring, trumpet blasting, palm waving, psalm chanting joyous throng, in the presence of all 24 divisions of the priesthood, Jesus cried out in the Temple courts and spoke, John 7v37-38. See also Jeremiah 2v13.

 

“In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying. If anyone thirst, let him come unto me and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake He of the Spirit, which they that believe on Him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)”

 

The significance of this would not be lost on a Jewish audience, particularly within the precincts of the temple.  The thirst is the need of every Israelite for whom He is the fountain of living waters-Jeremiah 2v13.  The prophet Isaiah in chapter 12v2-3 said “Behold God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid: for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song; He also is become my salvation.  Therefore, with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.”  There is no doubt that Jesus is claiming to be the God of their salvation (and therefore their Messiah).  He equates the living water with believing in Him.  In a gospel which presents the thought of water as being important to life, and therefore to spiritual life, there is a progression of thought here.  In chapter four He spoke of a well of water that would continually satisfy the individual-John 4v14; now He says that water will become a river flowing out of the inwards of the person to the blessing of all around.  This is interpreted as the Spirit who would come when Jesus was glorified.  Jesus is pointing here to a day of unfettered spiritual power, which would be the experience of all believers.  Never has there been a day like the present one, when the Divine person of the Holy Spirit indwells believers.  They are not only satisfied within themselves, but they become a reservoir of joy and hope to others.   This message is very important for the people of His day as well as for ours.  Jesus stood, He normally sat down when He was teaching.  On this occasion He stood.  He also cried with a loud voice-normally He was very soft spoken-Isaiah 42v2; Usually He was not loud, but on this occasion He was very loud, for they must hear.

 

Verses 40-53    division among the people

This brought a division among the people as well as among the Pharisees.   The truth of God will always bring in division amongst people.  Not that it is intended to do so, but this is the inevitable consequence of truth spoken into hearts embracing error.  Sadly this is the hallmark of the world in which we live. “Many of the people therefore, when they heard that saying said, Of a truth this is the Prophet; others said this is the Christ. But some said, shall Christ come out of Galilee.  Hath not the scripture said? Christ cometh of the seed of David and out of the town of Bethlehem where David was. So there was a division among the people because of Him and some of them would have taken him, but no man laid hands on Him.” 

Confusion reigned out of ignorance. They didn't even know  that he was born in Bethlehem.  Their rulers and teachers had not done their work.  In some there was even murderous intent, wanting to rid themselves of  one whom they considered to be an imposter.  Others embraced Him and there was confusion in the company. One thing that was missing was true heart repentance.  Lingering doubt prevented them from taking Him into custody.  The same was true of the officers from the Pharisees sent to arrest him.  They were so astonished at what they heard and could not bring themselves to arrest Him, saying, “Never man spake like this man!”

The proud Pharisees brushed this off as deception, insulting the officers as well as the people saying they were gullible, and under Divine curse.  Amazing how fallible men can take upon themselves the status of speaking for God, when they know nothing of God themselves.  One of them, Nicodemus, whom we have met already protested about judging a man before properly hearing him.  They trashed this with another falsehood, that no prophet could come from Galilee-Jonah was from Galilee, as was probably Hosea.  Also the whole tenor of the Old Testament scriptures, according to Matthew 2v23 was that the Messiah “shall be called Nazarene”.   But what issue is it to men who decide their own brand of religion, whether they are accurate or not, just as long as people accept it?  At least one of them, Nicodemus, was beginning to open his eyes to the truth.