“On the last and most important day of the festival, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone is thirsty, he should come to Me and drink! The one who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, will have streams of living water flow from deep with him.”
– John 7:37-38 (HCSB)
The last of the LORD’s feasts that the people of God were instructed to participate and remember, was The Feast of Tabernacles. The feast was a two-fold celebration, for remembering God’s past goodness and provision during their wilderness wanderings, and it commemorated the present goodness of God and His provision for the harvest. It is a festival of joy, where they would perform a water ceremony each of the seven days of celebration. The high priest would draw a quart of water with a golden pitcher from the Pool of Siloam, and bring the water sacrifice to the Temple, as a visual representation of prayer for rain over their harvest. The people would dance and worship the Lord, celebrating all that He had done for them, and all that He would do for them in the year ahead.
It was at the climax of the festival that Jesus stood and made a bold proclamation, drawing attention to whether anyone understood the significance of the ceremony itself – He is the fulfillment of provision. Jesus shouted out to the crowd, that all could come to Him if they were thirsty and He would give them living water. Jesus shouts out His Messiahship, proclaiming all who believe in Him will “joyfully draw water from the springs of Salvation” just as the prophet Isaiah declared. (ref. Isaiah 12:3)
I love how the Complete Jewish Bible translates Jesus’ words, “If anyone is thirsty, let him keep coming to me and drinking!”
Keep coming.
Keep drinking.
Jesus is the Messiah – our Saviour, Who pours out the Holy Spirit on all who believe. He will keep pouring the Spirit out on all who are thirsty, even today. Fresh water is available for all who thirst for Him each and every day.
Are you thirsty for Him?
Are you thirsty for more?
May we be women who keep coming to Him, trusting Him alone for our provision and fullness of Joy.
Wonderful devotional. Interesting to learn the complete Jewish Bible translation ".... let him keep coming to me and drinking!" To understand and live that we have a relationship with Christ. It's always, we need to continue coming to Christ and drinking.