Sukkot and the Water of Siloam
Today is the first day of Sukkot. Perhaps you know it as The Feast of Tabernacles or The Feast of Booths. Sukkot commemorates God’s faithful provision after He delivered Israel from Egypt. In their dependency on God, they made temporary shelters, or booths, during their wilderness wanderings.
There is much to learn from this festival; I want to highlight the ritual, the Water of Siloam. Daily, the High Priest led a procession to the pool of Siloam, where he filled a gold pitcher with water. Back at the Temple, he poured the water out before the Lord.
This ceremony was a time of song and dance based on Isaiah 12:3. “With joy shall you draw water out of the wells of salvation.”
On the 7th day, entering the temple, the High priest was given a silver pitcher of wine. He lifted the wine in one hand and the water in the other hand. As he poured them out, the water and the wine mingled into one flow.
Isn’t that an awesome picture of when the Centurion stabbed Jesus at Calvary? From His side flowed water and blood!
This ritual mirrors prophetic passages such as:
“I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; it is melted within my breast” (Psa 22:14).
“Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors” (Is 53:12).
In the middle of the Feast of Tabernacles, Jesus went up and taught in the temple. “Now on the last and greatest day of the feast, Yeshua stood and cried out, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink! He who believes in me, as the Scripture has said, from within him will flow rivers of living water.” ( John 7:37-38).
Jesus called Himself the Living Water; later He stated His blood would be poured out in atonement for our sins (Mat 26:28; Mar 14:24; Luk 22:20).
There is no Temple; no blood sacrifice is offered to atone for sins. Have you ever considered why God allowed the sacrifices to cease? Either it is because He is impotent or cruel or because He has Himself provided the Lamb to atone for mankind’s sins.
Did you know there are over 300 prophecies in the Old Testament about the coming Messiah? The only way to fulfill all prophecies was by a Divine act; it is humanly impossible to meet all the conditions laid out in Scripture.
52 years ago, I met the Maschiach, who cleansed me from sin and gave me a reason to live.
Have you met the promised Messiah? Have you come to the fountain for cleansing from your sins?
I pray during these next seven days, you will join in the celebration of God’s provision of Yeshua HaMaschiach, who shed His blood to bring you peace with God.
