“On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink”. John 7 v 37
Growing up in a western culture it is easy for us to miss the significance of all the details recorded in the Bible and understand the context in which events took place. When we go beyond the surface and gain a greater knowledge of the historical context we find we begin to look at the Bible from a whole new perspective. The Jewish tradition was full of festivals and each had a specific meaning. Each one was attached to their history and it was a way to look back, celebrate and be thankful for how God had delivered them, provided for them, protected them and shown his faithfulness time and time again.
The feast here in John 7 is the feast of Booths. This occurs after the harvest has been completed and before the beginning of the new agricultural year. It includes the well-deserved rest from one's labor and sincere rejoicing in what God has done in providing for his people. vs 37 “On the last day of the feast, the great day,” This was the climax of the festival - The water pouring ceremony. Let me describe it to you. This all took place in the temple square - about 1/4 mile by 1/4 mile - It would have been packed with people. The priests carried the water from the pool of Siloam. As they were walking they were singing the words of the Halel Psalms (113-118), “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord” and praying “send the rain, send the rain!”
Then the priest on duty poured out the contents of two silver (the metal of redemption) bowls. This was an act of prayer and an expression of dependence upon God to pour out his blessing of rain upon the earth. This was not merely a cry for physical rain, but it was a deep prayer for the Messiah to come. They wanted deliverance. So here are the Jews looking for God, looking for hope, looking for a future, looking for blessing, looking for a saviour and in the middle of this Jesus stand up and declares: “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.” He basically shouts, “I am everything you are looking for. All you are praying for, longing for, all of this work and effort, I am your deliverance, I am your provider so come to me.” And yet the religious leaders were so busy doing and trying to get right with God by their own performance they could not even recognise him when he was standing right in front of them.
It’s the same for us today, we get so busy putting our faith in what we are doing that we miss Jesus right in the midst. He is the very life that you need. It all comes from Him, it does not come from any other source. Not your education, qualification, bank balance, family, reputation, effort or anything else.
Today he is your redeemer. He is the true source of life. He wants his living water to flow into every area of our lives.
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Who Do You Say I Am Series – Exchange Church Belfast 2020