In John 7:2 we read that Jesus went to Jerusalem to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. Feast of Tabernacles celebrates God’s dwelling among man and is the last of the 7 Biblical feasts found in Leviticus 23.
John 7:37-39:
“And on the last, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink! Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture says, streams of living water will flow from within him. This spake he of the Spirit, which they that believed in him should receive; for the Spirit was not yet there, because Jesus had not yet been glorified.”
While this is beautiful in its own right, it takes on even more meaning when we understand the cultural context. One ceremony within the Feast of Tabernacles is the ‘Beit Hashuvah’ or ‘House of Water-Publications’, and was performed daily throughout the week of the feast.
While sacrifices were taking place in the temple, a group of priests went through the east gate of the temple to a nearby valley to trim willow branches. These branches were about 7.5 meters long; the priests formed a column, each holding a branch. As they returned to the temple, they walked side by side, swaying the branches together.
This waving in unity with the branches created a rushing wind, symbolic of the Holy Spirit. While this was going on, the High Priest and his assistant exited the Temple through the Water Gate to the Pool of Siloam and filled a golden pitcher with water, known as ‘Mayim Hayim’, or ‘Living Water’. The Assistant filled a silver pitcher with wine. Note: Silver in the OT always stands for justice and gold for purity and holiness.
The priests with the willow branches walked around the altar 7 times while animals were being sacrificed. Then they placed their branches on top of the offering, forming a tent or sukkah over the offering. While this was taking place, the High Priest poured out the living Water on the sacrifice, while his Assistant poured out the wine, and the people chanted Isaiah 12:3 together:
“Then shalt thou draw water with joy from the wells of salvation.” (The Hebrew word used here is Yeshua, salvation, as that means the name Jesus or Yeshua)
And so Jesus, Yeshua, cried out with a loud voice that He was the Fountain of living Water, on that last day of the feast. Everyone who listened understood that He said He was that celebration in the flesh. So they wanted to arrest Him (7:44), and others marveled.
But wait, there’s more!
During the week of the Feast of Tabernacles and the Living Water, the priests read several passages about the Living Water, and on the day after the feast, which was the 8th day (Shemini Atzeret), there was a celebration called ‘Simchat Torah’ or ‘Rejoice in the Torah Word)’.
All week the whole land was celebrating Tabernacles, God dwells with man. Each of these 7 days they also celebrated that He is the Living Water, by the Spirit, seen in the wind caused by the willow branches, and on the 8th day everything came together and rejoiced in the Word.
John 8:1-2 says that the next morning, the day after the feast, on the 8th day while celebrating the day of ‘Rejoicing in the Word’, Jesus came into the temple and a woman, caught in adultery, was brought to Him, and he was asked:
“…the law Moses commanded us to stone such; Thou then, what sayest Thou?” This they said to tempt Him, that they might have something to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote with his finger on the ground.”
“But when they continued to ask Him, He rose up and said to them, ‘Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her. And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. But when they heard this, and were convinced in their consciences, they went away one after another, beginning from the oldest to the last; and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst of them.” John :5-9
What then did He write?
For centuries people have wondered that, but the answer lies in the Feast itself. For in all the 7 days of the Feast of Tabernacles, among other things, one passage was read, namely Jeremiah 17:12-13:
“Throne of glory, exalted of old, place of our sanctuary, O Lord, all that forsake Thee shall be put to shame; those who turn aside shall be written in the earth (their names), because they forsook the fountain of living water, the Lord.”
The writing of names in the dust of the earth contrasts with the writing of the believers’ names in the Book of the Living, and Jeremiah makes the point that their names, or their lives, which are written in the earth, are doomed and be forgotten, as a breeze blows dust from the earth.
This explains why they were all convinced in their consciences (all who leave You will be put to shame), from the oldest (who had the most authority, most sins, and the one who would initiate the execution order for the woman) to the youngest.
But notice the verses after this, verses 14 and 15, for this is what the woman received when Jesus told her that He did not condemn her:
“Heal me, Lord, and I shall be healed; help me, and I will be helped, for Thou art my praise! Behold, they say unto me, Where abideth the word of the Lord? Let it come!”
If that doesn’t give you awe of God, then wait, because there’s even more.
The Feast of Tabernacles was also called the “Feast of Dedication,” the “Feast of Lights,” and “The Season of Rejoicing” because Solomon completed the dedication of the temple on this feast. It was then the custom to place 4 large lamps in the temple, the largest of which was called the ‘Light of the World’.
That is why Jesus said in John 8:12, “I am the light of the world.” His statements about the ‘Source of living waters, the Light of the world, and the writing in the ground, are now much more alive! I hope this is a blessing to you. Every time I read those chapters it touches me and I wanted to share that with you.