Jesus, The Rejoicing In The House of Water Drawing

The Feast of Tabernacles pictures Christ and the work of the Holy Spirit as our Rest and our Refreshing. He came to tabernacle in us through the power of the Holy Spirit. Two events during Tabernacles were the drawing out of water and the lighting of golden lamp stands throughout Jerusalem - two beautiful types of the ministry of Jesus and the Holy Spirit to the believer - illumination and refreshing.   The celebration of the water pouring was observed during the evenings of the feast by an impressive light ceremony in the Temple. It was known as the Simchet Bet Hasho'ayva, or  "The Rejoicing of the House of Water Drawing," When we draw out the water of salvation it is always a celebration of joy and rejoicing.

By Chris McDonald

         The life of the Messiah is pictured in the feasts of Israel. We have just concluded our study on the Feasts of Tabernacles which typifies the ministry of Messiah during the upcoming Millennial Reign after the Great Tribulation. Just as the four spring feasts - Passover, Pentecost, Unleavened Bread, Firstfruits depicted the Messiah's ministry during His first advent, the fall feasts - Trumpets, Atonement and Tabernacles depict Messiah's ministry during his Second Advent which is still yet future and unfulfilled.

          The Feast of Tabernacles is known by at least two names in Scripture. Most often it is referred to as Sukkot or "Tabernacles." The English word "tabernacle" is from the Latin tabernaculum meaning "booth" or "hut." It acquired this name from the biblical requirement for all Israelites to dwell in tabernacles or temporary shelters during the holiday. It was to be an annual reminder of God's provision during the 40-year wilderness sojourn when Israel lived in similar shelters. This final feast of the year is known in Scripture also as the "Feast of Ingathering", for it was observed after all crops had been harvested and gathered.

Exodus 23:16 - And the feast of harvest, the first fruits of thy labors, which thou hast sown in the field: and the feast of ingathering, which is in the end of the year, when thou hast gathered in thy labors out of the field. 

Exodus 34:22  - And you shall observe the feast of weeks, of the first fruits of wheat harvest, and the feast of ingathering at the year's end. 

        The Feast of Tabernacles was celebrated with great joy. The joy was twofold, for it commemorated God's PAST goodness and provision during Israel's wilderness sojourn, and it commemorated God's PRESENT goodness and provision with the completion of harvest.   Because of the joy associated with the Feast of Tabernacles, it became the most prominent of Israel's holidays. It was referred to simply as "the holiday" by the ancient rabbis. The importance of the Feast of Tabernacles is also seen in its inclusion as one of the three pilgrim feasts. Three times during the year, all Jewish males were required by the Lord to appear before Him in the Temple (Unleavened Bread, Feast of Weeks, and Tabernacles). These were known as Pilgrim Feasts because of the required pilgrimage to Jerusalem. During the Feast of Tabernacles, the people brought their tithes and offerings to the Temple, for they were not to "appear before the Lord empty-handed"

Deut. 16:16  - Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the Lord thy God in the place which he shall choose; in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles: and they shall not appear before the Lord empty: 

            In the days of the Temple, the Feast of Tabernacles was viewed with great awe, for it was during the Feast of Tabernacles that Solomon dedicated the newly built Temple to the Lord. At that ancient observance of Tabernacles, the Shekinah glory of the Lord descended from Heaven to light the fire on the altar and fill the Holy of Holies.  During the Feast of Tabernacles, the intense anticipation of RAIN came to be reflected in the temple services. Each morning of Tabernacles, a water libation (sacrificial pouring out of a liquid) was offered to the Lord as a visual prayer for rain. Shortly after dawn each morning, while the many sacrifices were being prepared, the high priest was accompanied by a joyous procession of music and worshipers down to the Pool of Siloam. The high priest carried a golden pitcher capable of holding a little more than a quart of water. He carefully dipped the pitcher into the pool and brought it back to the Temple Mount. At the same time, another procession went down to a nearby location south of Jerusalem known as Motza where willows of the brook grew in great abundance. They they gathered the long, thin willows and brought them back to the temple. At the Temple, the willows were placed on the sides of the altar so that their tops formed a canopy of drooping branches over the altar. Meanwhile the high priest with the water from the Pool of Siloam had reached the southern gate of the Temple. It was known as the WATER GATE because of this ceremony. As he entered, three blasts of the silver trumpets sounded outside the Temple, and the priests with one voice repeated the words of Isaiah:

Isaiah 12:3 - Therefore with JOY you will draw water from the  WELLS OF SALVATION

        The high priest slowly proceeded then to the stone altar in the Inner Court of the Temple and ascended the right side of the ramp. At the peak, he turned to the left where there were two silver basins which drained to the base of the altar. One was reserved for the regular drink offerings (libations of wine) and one for the water libations during this feast. As the high priest raised the golden pitcher to pour out the water offering, the people shouted, "Raise your hand!"  As the high priest poured out the water libation before the Lord, a drink offering of wine was simultaneously poured into the other basin. Three blasts of the silver trumpets immediately followed the pouring and signaled the start of the Temple music. The people listened as a choir of Levites sang the Hallel (i.e. the praise Psalms 113-118). At the proper time, the congregation waved their palm branches toward the altar and joined in singing: "Save now, I pray, Oh Lord; O Lord, I pray, send now prosperity" (Psalms 118:25). At the same time the priests, with palm branches in hand, marched once toward the altar.

        Psalm 118 was viewed as a messianic psalm and as such gave the feast a messianic emphasis. This is why Jesus was greeted by the crowds shouting Hosanna (Hebrew for "SAVE NOW" in 118:25) and waving palm branches on His triumphal entry into Jerusalem (Matthew 21:8-9; Luke 19:38; John 12:13). They viewed Him as the Messiah King, come to deliver ("save now" Israel in fulfillment of Psalm 118.) This feast in type is soon to be fulfilled when Jesus will once again appear before Israel who will welcome her King and He will rule and reign a thousand years. Glory to God.

Psalm 118:25  - Save now, I beseech thee, O Lord: O Lord, I beseech thee, send now prosperity. 

Matthew 21:8-9  - And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strewed them in the way. [9] And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest. 

Luke 19:38  - Saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest. 

John 12:13  - Took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord. 

          They hailed Him with the Messianic imagery of palm branches from the Feast of Tabernacles. This same imagery is in view in Revelation 7:9-10 where redeemed saints worship, with palm branches in hand, around the throne of God and of the Lamb:

Rev. 7:9-10  - After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; [10] And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. 

           This custom of carrying branches and singing psalms during the Feast of Tabernacles is of ancient origin. It dates back at least to the time f the Maccabees, some 165 years before Christ (cf. Mac. 10:6-7). The water-drawing ceremony is also from antiquity. 

Simchet Bet Hasho'ayva, or  "The Rejoicing of the House of Water Drawing,"

            Our journal entry gets it name from the celebration of the water pouring which was observed during the evenings of the feast by an impressive light ceremony in the Temple. It was known as the Simchet Bet Hasho'ayva, or  "The Rejoicing of the House of Water Drawing." 

            As the second evening of Tabernacles approached, the people crowded into the vast outer court of the Temple known as the Court of the Women. On this occasion a barrier was raised to divide the men from the women. In the center of the court stood four towering menorahs (lamp stands), each with four branches of oil lamps. Their wicks were manufactured from the worn-out linen garments of the priests. Each menorah had four long ladders leading up to the lamps which were periodically refilled by young priests carrying large pitchers of olive oil. The Feast of Tabernacles began in the middle of the lunar month when the harvest moon was full and the autumn sky was clear. The outline of the surrounding Judean hills was clearly visible in the soft moonlight. Against this backdrop, the light of the Temple celebration was breathtaking. All night long, the elders of the Sanhedrin performed impressive torch dances, while the steady yellow flames of the menorah oil lamps flooded the Temple and the streets of Jerusalem with brilliant light. Soon after the celebration was underway, a group of Levites gathered in the Inner Court in what was known as the Court of the Israelites. Once formed, the group of Levites moved through the Nicanor Gate to stand at the top of the 15 steps leading down to the Court of the Women. 

            The sound of Temple flutes, trumpets, harps, and other stringed instruments swelled as the Levites sang the 15 Psalms of Degrees (Psalms 120-134). With each new psalm they descended to the next step. This celebration was repeated every night from the second night until the final night as a prelude to the water drawing the next morning. Nothing in ancient Israel compared to this light celebration. It was so spectacular that the ancient rabbis said, "He that hath not beheld the joy of the drawing of the water (the Simchet Bet Hasho'ayva celebration) hath never seen joy in his life (Sukkah 5:1). The light celebration was reminiscent of the descent of the Shekinah glory in Solomon's day and looked forward to the return of the Shekinah glory in the days of the Messiah:

Ezekiel 43:1-6  - Afterward he brought me to the gate, even the gate that looked toward the east: [2] And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east: and his voice was like a noise of many waters: and the earth shined with his glory. [3] And it was according to the appearance of the vision which I saw, even according to the vision that I saw when I came to destroy the city: and the visions were like the vision that I saw by the river Chebar; and I fell upon my face. [4] And the glory of the Lord came into the house by the way of the gate whose prospect is toward the east. [5] So the spirit took me up, and brought me into the inner court; and, behold, the glory of the Lord filled the house. [6] And I heard him speaking unto me out of the house; and the man stood by me. 

Jesus Is The Light of the World

        One of the aspects of this feast - the burning of the oil lamps - typifies Christ as the light of the world. Jesus is the light. Without Him we are in darkness. Without Him to lead us, our way becomes crooked. We cannot make it in this life without Him. His light dispels all the power and darkness in our lives caused by the enemy. Glory.  Ironically, John recorded that it was the day after the Feast of Tabernacles (the eighth day), which was considered a Sabbath, when Jesus returned from the Mount of Olives to teach in the Temple (John 8:2; cf. 7:2, 37). As the Pharisees came to entrap Him, Jesus first proclaimed,

 "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life." (John 8:12) 

            The Pharisees did not question the meaning of His statement. They knew it was a Messianic claim, for they immediately called Him a liar. They were familiar with the many titles in Scripture which ascribed LIGHT to the Messiah. He is called the "Star Out of Jacob," the "Light of Israel," the "Light of the Nations (Gentiles)," a "Refiners Fire," a "Burning Lamp," and the "Sun of righteousness." He was the "Pillar of FIRE by Night," that lighted Israel's way in the wilderness. He is the Light of the world.

        Later that day, the Messiah reinforced this same truth when He healed the blind man. As He did so, He repeated, "As long as I am in this world, I am the light of the world." (John 9:5). The Pharisees were again angered at Jesus. The issue continued to be His Messiahship (John (9:22). This time however, they chose to find fault in that He had healed the blind man on the eighth day, which was considered a Sabbath by Scripture (John 9:14). Although there were no Mosaic laws against the act of healing on the Sabbath, the traditions of the Pharisees classified it as work and therefore forbade it. 

John 9:22  - These words spake his parents, because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had agreed already, that if any man did confess that he was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue. 

        The Word of God Is The Light

Ps 119:105 - Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.

        Not only is Jesus the Light of the world, but the WORD He speaks and has given us is LIGHT. It is a lamp unto our feet and a LIGHT for our path. If we will feed on His word, His word will help keep us from the darkness. Remember this. Satan cannot possess nor touch the child of God EXCEPT for the areas of darkness we leave unchecked and UNREPENTED of. When we allow darkness in our life which is basically disobedience to God's word, Satan gains access to traffic in that area and do whatever he so desires to do. You can rebuke him all you want and he isn't going to "buke" until you bring that situation in the dark to the light of God's word, confess it, repent of it, and turn from it. When you do that, then Satan will lose his stronghold on you. 

Jude 1:6 - And the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their own home-- these he has kept in darkness (this is their domain), bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day.

        Light and darkness cannot co-exist. When you come into a dark room and turn on the light, the light dispels darkness. When you are outside at night and see a house with a light on inside, the light from that house dispels the darkness - even outside the house! But the darkness never dispels the light inside the house. Get the picture? The LIGHT OF GOD'S WORD will always dispel darkness. The WORD OF GOD  will also expose darkness. We tend in the church to use the word to expose everyone else's darkness but our own. When we hear a sermon and feel convicted, our first response is "Boy, I sure know so-and-so needs to hear that one." NO SO-AND-SO DON'T - WE DO!!!! When the Holy Spirit exposes your sin it is because of the love of the Lord Jesus and His great desire to keep us out of the darkness! People who love darkness are people who condemn themselves. People who love darkness rather than light are people who spurn conviction. When we do that, we make a recipe for destruction.

John 1:5 - The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.

John 3:19-21 -  This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.  Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.  But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God."

John 12:35 -  Then Jesus told them, "You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. The man who walks in the dark does not know where he is going.

John 12:46-50 - I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness. "As for the person who hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge him. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save it. There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; that very word which I spoke will condemn him at the last day. For I did not speak of my own accord, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and how to say it. I know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say."

Rom 13:12-14 The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.
13 Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.

1 Cor 4:5 Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men's hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God.

Eph 5:8-11 -  For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.

Col 1:13-14 -  For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves,  in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

1 Pet 2:9 - But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

        We As Believers Are Also Called to Be LIGHTS

Matt 5:14-16 - "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

        We are called to reflect the light of Jesus to the world around us. The only way we can do that effectively is if we ourselves are in union with HIM. Too many Christians worry about "witnessing" to their lost employees and employers and work buddies when they themselves are not in union with the one they are witnessing for. We cannot give away what we don't have. Most of the time many people don't want to be told anything about Jesus - they want to SEE JESUS IN US!! The only way Jesus will be seen in us is if we allow the WORD of God to change us and destroy the darkness that keeps us from the true light of the eternal. Should we witness? Absolutely. Should we pass out tracts? Absolutely. Should we go door-to-door. If the Lord tells you to, then GO. But the early church's power in seeing the church grow was not through door-to-door evangelism. It was done because the early church had JESUS formed inside them and everywhere they went - their homes, their jobs, the grocery stores, people felt the POWER OF THE RISEN CHRIST IN THEM - the HOLY GHOST. I mean Peter couldn't even walk down the street without his shadow falling on people and healing them. NOW THAT'S A WITNESS!

        We need to be careful how we talk. I have learned through the years I have hurt my own witness by what I have said to others more than any other thing I could have done. People listen to what you say. If you are telling dirty jokes, slurring others, cursing, down-talking authority, that makes a impact of people. If you are always negative, cynical, critical, angry, depressed, backbiting, gossiping, then you are a bad witness for the Lord Jesus. STOP TELLING PEOPLE YOU ARE  A CHRISTIAN if you do those things!  Like Van Crouch said, become an atheist and help us in reverse (SMILE). Seriously, we need to watch our conduct to others. That's why Jesus said our words would be a huge part of our judgment when we get to heaven. How many of us will lose our crowns (and in some cases our souls!) because of our tongues? We need to allow the Holy Spirit to help us bridle our tongues and speak only PRAISE and POWER, FAITH, LOVE, HOPE, ENCOURAGEMENT, FORGIVENESS and let people see Jesus live in us.

        Secondly, we need to live what we preach or teach. Words are a dime a dozen. People watch what we do as well. We need to be careful of the places we go, the things we do and the associations we make. The world is our stage. We are to be an example of Christ. An ambassador. The early church was separated, not legalistic in their approach to witnessing. They didn't visit the same movie houses, the same ballgames, the same bars, the same honky-tonks, celebrate the same pagan holidays (I WONT GO THERE), drink the same liquor, smoke the same cigarettes, tell the same stories - THEY WERE SEPARATE. And for us to be a LIGHT to a world that sits in DARKNESS, we need to take inventory of the validity of our witness for Christ. We don't have to be a Rhodes scholar to be an effective witness. We don't have to be a preacher, teacher or deacon to be a witness. We need to be endued with power from on high and be a source of LOVE to this world. The world so desperately needs to see Christians walking in the agape love that separates us from the heathen. It's what Jesus said would be the earmark of his disciples - LOVE, not power, but LOVE!

John 13:35 - By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

        This is the crossroads between LIGHT AND DARKNESS - LOVE! John said that if we don't abide in love, then we can claim we're abiding in light all we want - but we are in DARKNESS!

I Jn 2:9-11 - Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness. Whoever loves his brother lives in the light, and there is nothing in him to make him stumble. But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness; he does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded him.

        This is probably the NUMBER ONE reason people don't buy into our definition of Christianity in the modern church today. We don't love people. We judge them. We try to make everyone just like us and when they don't fit into our molds, we isolate them and kill them with all sorts of slander, innuendo, gossip, hatred, backbiting and whispering. Whispering in the first chapter of Romans is listed along side homosexuality, murder and stealing as sins that God hates. But it is done in the church to a degree that if you don't fit into the "click" in most churches, people will talk about you behind your back. THIS IS NOT LOVE! People go through trials and tribulations. They struggle to find their way and instead of finding love they find judgment at the church. Then we as Christians smugly sit back and laugh and smirk at the those who attend bars to find solace. We hold our head up high and think "I'm better than that because I've never went to a bar." No, you're not better, you're in worse shape than they are! They are closer to the Kingdom of God than you. At least they are looking for a place to find answers to their problems. You are already deceived into thinking you don't have any problems. 

        Many would say well, going to a bar will destroy your witness. Folks, if JESUS HIMSELF went to a bar when He was walking on this earth, it would not have threatened HIS witness for the Father. No, He wouldn't have gone there to get drunk or partake in the swill of life, but the sin around Him didn't threaten Him because He was so in LOVE WITH HIS FATHER, nothing could deter Him from that. We are threatened by the sin around us because we are not so sure we really love God like we should. So when we see others at the bar, it makes us feel better about our own condition, but the truth is, we're worse off than they are - because they know what their condition is. The truth is people go to the bar because they seek acceptance and understanding and advice. THEY SHOULD BE COMING TO OUR CHURCHES INSTEAD OF THE BARS!!!!!!! But what they find at the church is judgment, partiality and bigotry. That's what is destroying our witness. 

        Don't tell me you're a Christian and walking in light and you hate your brother. Don't tell me you love God and your racist and can't worship with people of another color. Don't tell me you love the Lord Jesus and smirk and make jokes about the Jewish people. (YOUR SAVIOUR IS A JEW) Don't tell me you have the love of God in you and you can't forgive. You're a liar. The darkness, as John said, has BLINDED YOU. You don't know where you are going. You are walking around in darkness. When we are in the light and walking in love, there is NO DEFENSE and there is NO OFFENSE. True agape love never seeks to defend itself and true agape love never causes offense. It is this type of love that if we will embrace will never cause us to stumble. Glory to God!

        We Must Be Struck Blind Before We Can See.

John 9:39-41 - Jesus said, "For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind." Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, "What? Are we blind too?" Jesus said, "If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.

        More than just a Messianic claim, Jesus' claim to be the "light of the world" carried a reference to the Temple light celebration. The celebration was still vivid in their minds. They had just celebrated it six nights in a row. The light that JESUS offered (i.e. salvation Isa. 49:6) would light not just the Temple, it would light the whole world. He Himself was the source. GLORY!!

Isaiah 49:6  - And he said, It is a light thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that you may be my salvation unto the end of the earth. 

         When the Messiah spoke of Himself as the light of the world, He referred to salvation and forgiveness of sin He offered to all those who put their trust in Him. As it was spoken by the Lord through the prophet Isaiah, "I will give YOU as a light to the Gentiles, That YOU should be My salvation unto the ends of the earth'" (Isa. 49:6). He offers that light to men today: "He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life" (John 8:12). Have you experienced the life-changing light of the Messiah, or are you still walking in darkness?

        You see Jesus told the Pharisees that the greatest judgment upon a person is that even though you see with your natural eyes you are blind to the things of God. He said to be able to see God you must become blind to yourself and the things of this world. Jesus told the Pharisees that if a person admitted they were blind then they would not be guilty of sin, but if a person claims to see, their guilt remains. What did He mean? He meant that our self-righteousness blinds us to our need for God. It hinders the grace and the mercy of God to deal with our hearts and lives and change us. It makes us feel we don't need to repent and confess our sins to God and be cleansed by the precious blood of the Lord Jesus. It makes us think that we are more important in our own eyes than we really are. When we think we are something in our own eyes we are usually deluded into believing God feels the same way about us. When we admit we are blind without Christ, THEN the glory of God can truly touch us and change us and cause us to really see. See what you may ask? See our need for God. See our utter helplessness without him. See our true condition. See others the way God sees them. See a lost and dying world that so needs us to be witnesses and lights to those around us. See our failures as God sees them - sin - and then repent of those sins and receive grace and cleansing. See the value in others and stop being so negative and critical and understand that our treatment of others will be brought into account on judgment day. See the Lord Jesus Christ in ALL HIS GLORY and know that His Light is able to set us free from the darkness within us.

Matthew 6:21-24 - For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. [22] The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. [23] But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!  [24] No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. 

        When our eye is single (in love and in union with JESUS) our body is full of light (JESUS). But if we are double-minded and have split allegiances between God and this world or even our church standing, then our body is full of darkness. And if the LIGHT that is us is DARK, then how great is that darkness. And that is what religious pride will do to you - it will make you think you are full of light when in fact you are full of darkness. 

Many who claim to leading others into the light are themselves full of darkness. Before we can lead others, we must take inspection of our own lives and see that we too are not blind. Before we can lead those in darkness to light, we must be there ourselves:

Rom 2:19-24 - if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light for those who are in the dark, an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of infants, because you have in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth-- you, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal? You who say that people should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? You who brag about the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law? As it is written: "God's name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you."

Luke 6:39-42- He also told them this parable: "Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit? A student is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher. "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,' when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.

        The modern church spends a lot of effort trying to remove the sawdust out of the world's eyes and we have a HUGE PLANK in our own. How can we tell the world Jesus loves them with our fighting, bickering, division, arrogance, and self-righteousness that reeks in every corner of Christendom. That is not an indictment against the whole church for there is a TRUE body of believers who love Jesus with all their heart and soul. The church here in America is spoiled rotten like a bunch of children who whine, moan and scream when we don't get our way. 

        Not too long ago my dad who sings with a Southern Gospel group was in a recent concert when the promoter got up before the singing and took 30 minutes to bash the homosexuals and lesbians of America. All he talked about was how bad the homosexuals were and how hot hell was and that they would burn there forever. This same gentleman had a pack of cigarettes in his front pocket, looked like he had drunk half of the Jack Daniels' supply at the local liquor store and reeked of spiritual arrogance. While it's true that if a homosexual doesn't repent, he will miss eternity with God, it's also true that those in spiritual religious darkness are headed for the same place!!!!!! We cannot be a teacher of those in the dark if we are in darkness too!!!! To do that is to find both the teacher and the student in the ditch!! Jesus said, "will they not both fall into a pit?"

        On a similar tone, during that same meeting one of the groups performing got up and was just so discouraged they never got to sing in anything other than "dead" churches. Well, why was the church dead? If the group was performing in the power and unction of the Holy Ghost I bet that church wouldn't be dead when they left! Glory. When the light comes in, DARKNESS HAS TO FLEE! When the light comes, sickness has to go. When the light comes, demons shake. When the light comes, all of hell trembles. When the light comes, all powers and principalities must submit. YOU ARE THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD! Jesus is that LIGHT that is within US CHURCH and if we hide our light it will be hid to those who are in darkness!

2 Cor. 4:3-6  - But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. [5] For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake. [6] For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 

        The problem is stated in verse 5 of this passage - WE PREACH NOT OURSELVES! When we start promoting ourselves, then we are promoting darkness. There is no light in man outside the Lord Jesus. The gospel is the light. For God has COMMANDED the light to shine OUT OF DARKNESS, which is the same light that shines in our hearts, to GIVE LIGHT of the knowledge of the GLORY OF GOD, in the face of Jesus Christ. Tabernacles celebrated this same GLORY that descended upon the Temple in Ezekiel's day. It's the same Shekinah Glory that lives in us. It's the glory that can set people free. It can them free from drugs, it can set them free cigarettes, it can set them free from immorality, it can set them free from lust, it can set them free from religion, it can set them freeeeeeee!!!!..GLORY!

The Plight of Laodicea is Our Plight Today

Rev 3:17-19 - You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent.

Acts 9:3-9 - As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?" "Who are you, Lord?" Saul asked. "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting," he replied  "Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do." The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.

        Laodicea said, "I am rich, and do not need a thing." When you are blind, that is how you feel. It is very common today to find this type arrogance in the church - and it doesn't matter what denomination you belong to - it's all over. The Baptists feel their numbers and money have inoculated them from needing the Holy Spirit. The Pentecostal realm feels because "we believe in speaking in tongues and the gifts of the Spirit," that it is inoculated from the discipline of the Word and walking in humility and love. Where the Methodist and the others fit in I don't know. I was raised Baptist and have worked in the Pentecostal work so I can't say (SMILE). But what I do know is this. As Paul was struck blind on the Damascus Road and fell to the ground not being able to see, we must also become BLIND that we may SEE. We must be struck down by the Lord Jesus so that when we open our eyes again - we only see HIM. We only see HIS HEART. We only see HIS VISION. We only see HIS BODY. We only see HIS CREATION. We only see HIS LOVE for others. We only see HIS POWER, not ours. We only see HIM. We only see HIM. Looking unto JESUS, the author and finisher of our faith. We cannot look to the church for there is no salvation or light in the "CHURCH." JESUS is our source of LIGHT.

Jesus and the Rivers of Living Water. 

        In the gospel of John we see an event in the life of Jesus during the Feast of Tabernacles. The year was around A.D. 30. It was Hoshanah Rabbah, the last day, the great day of the Feast of Tabernacles. As the people intently watched the priests conduct the service, a loud voice rang out from the crowd. The priests glared in consternation, and the people whipped around in great surprise to see who dared interrupt the service. They saw a young Galilean in His early 30s, the one whom many held to be a great rabbi, a prophet, or even the Messiah. He boomed:

John 7:37-39  -  If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. [38] He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. [39] (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.) 

John 4:14  - But whosoever drinks of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. 

         The sound of His words produced silence, then ecstasy. The religious leadership was infuriated, indignant, and threatened. Some wanted to kill Him.

John 7:44  - And some of them would have taken him; but no man laid hands on him.

        The authoritative claim was understood by all, believed by some, spurned by others. Some thought He was claiming to be "THE PROPHET," that Moses had predicted would appear within Israel. He was. However, in their theology, they believed the prophet was not the same individual as the Messiah. Some believed He was claiming to be the Messiah - and, of a truth, He was. However, still others debated this notion with, "Has not the Scripture said that the Christ (the Messiah) comes from the seed of David and from the town of Bethlehem. So John recorded, "There was a division among the people because of Him."

John 7:40-44  - Many of the people therefore, when they heard this saying, said, Of a truth this is the Prophet. [41] Others said, This is the Christ. But some said, Shall Christ come out of Galilee? [42] Hath not the scripture said, That Christ cometh of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was? [43] So there was a division among the people because of him. [44] And some of them would have taken him; but no man laid hands on him. 

        The fall out among the religious was great. The Priests and Sadducees called an emergency meeting. It was a meeting of the chief priests, those 24 priests who were head over the 24 divisions of the priesthood (1 Chron. 24:1-19). They were aristocratic Sadducees who controlled the TEMPLE worship. The Pharisees controlled the SYNAGOGUE worship. These two groups, usually at great odds over theology and engaged in religious power struggles, were united in their hatred of Jesus. They summoned the officers to give an account as to why they had not arrested Jesus. The officers were Levites who patrolled the Temple compound and enforced Temple law. They were the security force, the Temple guard, whose responsibility it would have been to arrest Jesus for interrupting the service. A few days earlier, the officers had been commanded to arrest Jesus (John 7:14, 30-32), but not they had missed the perfect occasion. In their arguments they had been stunned by his statements and spoke in summation the greatness of the Feast of Tabernacles:

John 7:46  - The officers answered, Never man spake like this man. 

        The hope for all humanity are these living waters. Water is a type of the Holy Spirit. When Jesus spake these words He was foretelling the great Pentecostal outpouring that would occur after He would ascend to heaven. This is spoken of in the book of Acts. Just as the religious of that day tried to stop it then, the religious of this day are trying to stop those waters now. The baptism in the Holy Spirit will change your life! The baptism in the Holy Spirit will revolutionize your Christian walk with God unlike anything you have ever experienced as a Christian. The baptism in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking with other tongues will set you free! It is the power of the Holy Spirit. It is the power of God. It is the unction, the power, the dunamis, the flow of God to the believer from CHRIST. Everything we get today under the New Covenant is given to us BY THE SPIRIT.

         There are three types of water sources in the land of Israel. Huge, rock-hewn collection tanks, known as cisterns, are used to collect rainwater during the rainy months. Massive cisterns, capable or holding millions of gallons of water, still exist today at the Masada stronghold. However, cisterns are the least desirable and valuable water source in Israel - they can easily become contaminated or stagnant and are not replenish able until the next rainy season.  Wells are a more valuable water source. They provide fresh, replenished water, but even they can dry up during a drought. They most valued water source in Israel are the brooks and rivers which are fed by springs (such as those at Ein Gedi). These were known in the Bible as "living waters" or, in other words, waters with movement. The Lord used this truth to illustrate Israel's rebellion and idolatry:

Jeremiah 2:13  - For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water. 

We Must Draw Out of the Wells of Salvation The Water of the Holy Spirit!

        When Jesus addressed the people in the Temple on the last day of the feast, He alluded to the same fact. He said, "He who believes on Me, as the scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water (John 7:38). This was the purest water, the most valued water, and water that would never dry up. Ancient Jewish theology connected the water-drawing ceremony with the Holy Spirit. "Why do they call it, 'the house of drawing'? Because they draw the Holy Spirit" (Gen. Rab. 70:1) And again, "Why is the name of it called, the drawing out of water" Because of the pouring out of the Holy Spirit according to what is said: 'With joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation'" (Ruth Rab. 4:7). They believed the Holy Spirit came upon them and manifested Himself through great JOY! Jesus' reference to water was used with the exact same connotation and connection. "But this spoke concerning the SPIRIT, whom those believing in Him would receive." (John 7:39)

        The outpouring of the Holy Spirit is relation to salvation was a much-repeated theme of the Old Testament prophets:

Ezekiel 11:19  - And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh: 

Ezekiel 36:27  - And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them. 

Ezekiel 37:14  - And shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the Lord have spoken it, and performed it, saith the Lord. 

        And the outpouring of the Holy Spirit for the believer was also a much-repeated theme of the Old Testament:

Isaiah 28:11-13  - For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people. [12] To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear. [13] But the word of the Lord was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken. 

Joel 2:28-29  - And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: [29] And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit. 

        Peter quoted Joel's passage on the Day of Pentecost. When you embrace the Holy Spirit, you are with JOY DRAWING OUT of the wells of salvation. You cannot receive the Holy Spirit without being saved. The Holy Spirit is but a blessing of salvation. He is not an 'it' or a 'force' or an abstract theological idea. He is GOD. When you get saved, He comes into your heart to LIVE within you every day, convicting of sin, convincing of righteousness and judging the enemy within you to make a living VESSEL FOR GOD, a TABERNACLE if you would. When He comes, He brings JESUS WITH HIM! The life of Jesus is produced in your heart by the power of the Holy Spirit. The fruit of the Spirit, the anointing of the Spirit, the grace of the Holy Spirit, the communion of the Holy Spirit.

        After you are saved however, you need power. And when you get saved, if you will believe, Jesus will baptize you with the Holy Ghost and that WELL within you will become RIVERS OF LIVING WATER! Glory of God. And it is a river of life! We used to sing a little chorus not too long back that went "I got a river of life flowing out of me, makes the lame to walk and the blind to see, opens prison doors, sets the captives FREE, I've got a river of life flowing out of me." GLORY. That river is the same water they poured out on the Feast of Tabernacles. That is why they called it the Rejoicing of the House of Water Drawing cause when they drew it out - THEY WORSHIPPED!

The Holy Spirit is a Worshipper In You

              People who are full of the Holy Ghost are people who WORSHIP. They are people who SING. They are people who DANCE. They are people who TALK IN TONGUES. They are people who are not afraid to CRY and lay out before God and moan, and groan in the Spirit and mourn over the lost and hurting. They are people who are not afraid to RUN, LEAP, SHOUT and glorify the name of the Lord. I know being a Christian is not about emotion, but honey when you get full of God you won't be able to contain yourself! You won't be able to keep sitting on that cold pew every Sunday listening to that cold sermon from that dead, cold preacher who is probably telling you all of this is foolish and probably of the devil. OH GLORY TO GOD. Honey, when you draw out of the wells of salvation, you won't be worrying any longer about what Susie is wearing at church, or what car did Jim drive to church, or what does Linda do that causes her to have all that money. You'll be so caught up in the LORD you won't have time for all that mess. You'll want to find every possible opportunity you can find to WORSHIP!!!!!!!!!! the LORD!!!!!!!!!!

            Why? Because the Holy Ghost in you is a WORSHIPPER! And He is wanting to flow through you to a lost and dying world and to those in the Body of Christ who need to taste of the living waters. When you taste these waters, you will rejoice. It will be a time of rejoicing of the house of water drawing. It will be a time of shouting. It will be a time of praise. It will be a time of freedom!

John 4:20-24 - Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem." Jesus declared, "Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.
24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth."

        If you are not a worshipper you are not in tune with the Holy Spirit. God is a SPIRIT and He is only touched when we worship him by our spirits, which if we are saved, indwelt by the HOLY SPIRIT. The Holy Spirit is actively worshipping the LORD through US! When you are praying in tongues, you are worshipping the Lord IN THE SPIRIT. (For more on this see my brother Todd's great treatise on Prophetic Worship at Threemacs.org)

The Promise of Rain

            The other aspect of this great celebration was the anticipation of RAIN. This expectation was at its annual high during the "Rejoicing of the House of Water Drawing."  Jewish tradition held that it was on this day that God declared whether there would be rain for the coming year's crops. The Feast of Tabernacles occurs at Israel's change of seasons and marks the beginning of the winter rainy season. One may be surprised to learn that Jerusalem receives as much precipitation as London, England (20 inches). The major difference is that Jerusalem's rainfall occurs between November and March. These refreshing rains bring necessary moisture for working the soil and the sprouting of new crops. If for some reason the weather patterns are such that several weeks of rainfall are missed, a dire water shortage can quickly develop for the coming year's crops. Because the Feast of Tabernacles is observed at this important junction when the anticipation of rain is at its highest, the two have become inseparably connected. Even today, the prayers of rain remain an important part of Tabernacles' observance. Consequently, on this final day of the feast, the Temple water-pouring ritual took on great importance. Water was the foremost thought on every one's mind. 

            On the other six days of this feast, the silver trumpets gave THREE blasts. On this day the trumpets gave THREE SETS OF SEVEN blasts. On the other six days, the priests made but ONE circuit around the altar. On this day, the priests made SEVEN. As they marched around the altar, they sang the Hosanna verse (Psalm 118:25) and the people waved palm branches. For these reasons, the day was known as Hoshanah Rabbah, or "Great Hosanna". Thoughts of rain for the coming year and messianic fervor (Psalms118) were at their highest pitch   Just as they waited for rain during the Feast of Tabernacles, I believe the church of the Lord Jesus Christ is awaiting a true RAIN of the Spirit of God. 

James 5:7-9 - Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord's coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord's coming is near. Don't grumble against each other, brothers, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!

            We have seen sprinkles here and there and maybe a shower but we have not YET seen the outpouring of God's Spirit like we are about to see. Believe what I say to you. What you are witnessing around the world right now is but a mere preview of what is ahead. Not only are the rains coming to the BODY corporately, but I believe each one of us will experience the rains individually as well. When we embrace the living waters the next step in our blessing are the RAINS of the Holy Spirit!  The only thing that will hinder this celebration in your life is unbelief and a religious spirit. You need the illumination of the Light of Jesus and the life-giving power of the living waters of the Holy Spirit. You need to be praying in tongues every day, every minute, every second you can. You need to let it flow all over you, in you, through you, underneath you, over you and out of you to a world waiting for a drink. There is a drought on right now in the Body of Christ and it is a drought brought on by our unbelief. 

            James predicts that the Lord will send us the former (spring) and the latter (FALL) rains. Yet in his address he warns us not to grumble against each other or we will be judged. We are seeing a drought right now in many areas of the church, especially in the Western Church, of the true move of God's Spirit. Activity does not mean there is life there. Huge buildings and lots of money does not necessarily mean that all is well. And that is how we view success in our churches. But how many souls are being saved, how many people are being healed, how many people are being baptized in the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking with other tongues, how many people are getting delivered???  We see God heal on national television and many in the church mock the move of God or the man of God through whom God is working and using. We hear about someone speaking in other tongues and many in the church spurn it and call it of Satan. We hear about a deliverance and many in the church want PROOF because they seek to justify their unbelief in the supernatural of God. There is a drought because our unbelief and it has stopped the RAINS from coming. 

            We need to REPENT as the church and do what Peter told us to do in Acts - RETURN TO GOD. For when we REPENT and TURN TO GOD we will see the rains come and the TIMES OF REFRESHING from the Lord! We need those rains. We must have those rains. We can't live without those rains. We need the Holy Spirit! We need Him to show us Jesus and show us our condition without HIM. We need to rend our hearts and see heaven open. We need to repent of our division and complaining and murmuring like Israel in the wilderness. We need to repent of our selfishness and covetousness. It's alright to be covetous of the things of God, but the spirit of covetousness in the church today is not for God, it's for the power, prestige and recognition of the WORLD. We need to repent of who we ARE, because who we are is the biggest hindrance to what God is trying to do in the earth. When we get out of the way and allow the Lord Jesus to live it and produce it through us - THEN WE SEE THE REJOICING OF THE HOUSE OF WATER DRAWING. It is coming back to the Body of Christ. We are going to see the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

Acts 3:19-21 - Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,
20 and that he may send the Christ, who has been appointed for you-- even Jesus. He must remain in heaven until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets.

In Closing

        The rejoicing of the house of water drawing. That is what is ahead of the Body of Christ. The power of the word and the Spirit is going to return to us and return shortly. When it does, we are going to rejoice! Are you walking in the light today? Walking in the light means that you do not hide from the Lord but you have confidence in knowing that if you have sinned or you have weaknesses in your spiritual condition, His is just and faithful to forgive you of ALL sin and CLEANSE you from all unrighteousness. It's having the ability and CONFIDENCE in knowing that He cares for you no matter your situation or condition. If you're lost today, you are living in darkness but the Lord Jesus is sending out a light to you today. He loves you and wants to save you! You are most valuable to Him. He died for you. If you gain the whole world and lose your soul, the exchange will not be in your favor. That's how precious you are to God. 

        If you've been saved, have you tasted the living waters of the Baptism in the Holy Spirit? Have you felt the torrent of Holy Ghost power that only Jesus can give. Do you need a REFRESHING today? Do you need to REST in Jesus and allow the Holy Spirit to produce that rest in you? Are you waiting for the RAIN?? Are you hungry for the move of God? Are you wanting the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on your church, on your life? Glory to God. Believe me when I tell you, if you are hungry for it, then God will fill that desire. That's really all He is looking for - a hungry heart and soul. You reading this journal is not a mistake. I pray it has quickened that hunger and thirst in you to seek more of God in this hour. Another year has come and gone and the holiday season is upon us already in 2000. Time is quickly fading and the priorities of the church must get in line with the priorities of the Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost. We must be in union with HIM.

I Jn 1:5-10 - This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.

Heavenly Father, we thank you for sending your Son Jesus Christ to die on a cross that we might receive the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. We thank you that you have elected to TABERNACLE in us through the Holy Spirit. We are so hungry Lord for more of you and desire to see your glory manifested in all the earth - beginning with each one of your children. Let us taste the rejoicing of the house of the drawing of water. Let us with JOY draw water from the wells of your salvation, then let the living waters of the Spirit flow through us to a dying world. Let us be in agreement with you so when the rains of the Spirit start to fall, we can rejoice in seeing every vessel filled. We thank you for that Lord Jesus...In your name, Amen.