If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. John 7:36 (MSG)
If Anyone Thirsts Let Him Come To Me – Written In Dust Series – Part 2
Go to PART 1 | PART 2 | PART 3 | PART 4 | PART 5 | PART 6 | PART 7
The Jewish community of Jesus time, celebrated around ten major festivals each year. They went for at least a week and involved particular practices and traditions, eating a lot of food, and drinking a lot of wine.
Yep. Wine has always played a major part in the history of our faith.
The festival of Tabernacles, also called “Sukkot” was the last of the Autumn feasts, and of the year. Which is significant, because it was the first feast before winter, before the rains would (hopefully) come and water the seeds planted in autumn so that come summer, there would be food to eat. No rain in winter, no food in summer. Pilgrims from all over the country would pour into Jerusalem, making for themselves tents called “Sukkots,” and settle in for days of – you guessed it – prayer and ritual and food and wine.
The Sukkots served as a reminder of the Israelites ancient trek through the wilderness (Exodus) and God’s provision on the journey.
In the desert, in the dust, waiting for rain, praying for food, hoping to live on. (Bookmark this part.)
The festival went for around eight days, during which the religious leaders taught about water and thirst: water was spirit, and thirst and was spiritual longing, and how God would quench their thirst both physically and spiritually.
The feast would come to a point on the eighth day when the priest would pour a jug of water and a jug of wine together on the altar, while everyone chanted:
“Hosanna! Hosanna.”
We're not talking about a timid or reserved culture here. The Jewish community knew how to throw a feast, and they gave themselves to the process and ritual with vigor and joy.
Imagine throngs of people who had been eating and drinking for eight days straight, who were praying and hoping and believing for the rains to come and turn the dust into soil into harvest, chanting:
Hosanna!
Hosanna!
This is where things get interesting. Because it was at this moment of the feast where John records that Jesus shouted above the noise of the crowd and said:
“If anyone thirsts let him come to me and drink. Rivers of living water will brim and spill out of the depths of anyone who believes in me this way, just as the Scripture says.” (John 7:36-37.)
It’s not just the dust of the earth that needs water to produce life.
It’s not just our bodies that need water to sustain life.
The essence of who we are needs it, too.
Living water. From deep within our dust-bucket-jars-of-clay lives.
Can you see what’s happening here? Talk about drama! Divine timing! Creating a scene and having something to say! This could be why Jesus told his disciples earlier in chapter 7 that it wasn’t his time yet to go to the festival. Perhaps he was waiting for this very moment, when all were shouting, “Hosanna! Hosanna!” – God save us! God save us! – to say:
I can get the job done.
And the reaction?
Mayhem.
Some called him a prophet. Some, the Messiah. Others said, “The Messiah doesn’t come from Galilee, does he? Don’t the Scriptures tell us that the Messiah comes from David’s line and from Bethlehem, David’s village?” So there was a split in the crowd over him. Some went so far as wanting to arrest him, but no one laid a hand on him.” (John 7:41-44).
The temple police brought news of Jesus declaration to the Head Pharisees, who were so angry they demanded to know why the police hadn’t dragged Jesus to them right then and there so that he could be judged and dealt with.
“Have you heard the way he talks? We’ve never heard anyone speak like this man.” (John 7:46). Replied the Police.
Nicodemus (remember him?) stood up for Jesus at this moment and said something you need to remember:
“Does our Law decide about a man’s guilt without first listening to him and finding out what he is doing?”
But the head leaders wanted Jesus gone. And they went about to get the job done.
Go to Part 3 – Collateral Damage »
Written by Lizzy Milani
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