Sukkot and Living Water

Bank of the Dan Spring

 Robbie and I hiked through the Tel Dan National Park that was once the dwelling place of the tribe of Dan. The Dan Spring, fed by the melting snow of Mt. Hermon as well as underground springs, was roaring all around us as we walked the different paths viewing ruins from ancient civilizations. While standing mesmerized at the crashing water, the words of Yeshua came roaring into my soul, “Rivers of living water will flow from within.”  The picture I was getting was of the power of the Holy Spirit that is to operate within the believer. Christ said He had to go away so He could send God’s spirit to empower us just as the Holy Spirit had empowered Him. It is a well of living joy. The banks around us were full of fragrant foliage that only water can bring--what a picture of the work of the Holy Spirit.

Ancient Canaanite Gate

Wall of the flour mill at Tel Dan

  

In the New Testament, we read that Jesus went up to the temple courts to teach on the last and greatest day of the Feast of Tabernacles and loudly proclaimed, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him."  By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive” (John 7:37-39 and see all of chapter 7 and John 4:14). Jesus used culture and the events of the feast days for his powerful proclamation.

Sukkot is celebrated for 7 days. It is also known as the Feast of Tabernacle and Feast of Booths that is right after Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. The 3 make up the Fall feasts and is one of the 3 feasts required for Jews to go to Jerusalem to worship. Sukkot was a time of joyful celebration that included a daily water libation ceremony; a law which Moses transmitted but which is not recorded in the Torah. This water was drawn on the evening beforehand, amidst great fanfare and singing. In fact, the Talmud states that "one who has not witnessed the Festival of the Water Drawing has not seen joy in his lifetime!" (Talmud, Sukkah 53).

Debris from the waters

For 7 days, the followers of Jesus and others listening for different reasons had seen the huge water celebration: the going back and forth to draw the water to pour upon the altar and the prayers for rain on the coming planting season.

Then He shouts on the last day, “COME TO ME AND DRINK.” He was saying, “I am the fulfillment. You need me for your planting season. And when you drink, My living water will bring life and you will have strength enough to do the work of my Father” (quotation mine). Oh Church, come to Him and drink. I leave you with the scripture that the Jews use during the water libation: Isa 12:3,

“With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.”

Remember the song "The River of God sets my feet to dancing. The River of God fills my heart with cheer..."
Reference:

http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/14794-water-drawing-feast-of