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FEAST OF TABERNACLES: Hoshana Rabbah
The events of John 7:37-40 took place as Yeshua was celebrating the seventh day of the Feast of Tabernacles. This day is known as "Hoshana Rabbah" or the Day of the Great Hosanna. On that day, a chosen priest would lead a procession of people to the Pool of Siloam where they collected water in a golden pitcher. They would then proceed back to the Temple for a water pouring ceremony. This ceremony had three major aspects:
1. It remembered the water that God provided for Israel during their 40 years of wandering in the wilderness.
2. It served as a call for the Lord to send the much-needed winter rains.
3. It was a prophetic call for the Messiah to come and pour out the Holy Spirit on the people (Isa.12:3, Joel 2:28-29).
As the priest and the procession arrived back at the Temple, silver trumpets were blasted to celebrate while members of the priesthood sang. With flutes playing, the crowd would chant the Hallel (Ps.113-118). The large crowd of people would wave their lulav's towards the altar with Messianic fervor and cry out, "Hosanna, save us," as the water was being poured out into the base of the altar. It was likely then, with the people crying out for the Messiah to come and pour out the Spirit, that Yeshua said:
"If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water." (John 7:37-38)
By making this declaration, Yeshua was saying that He was the One that this ceremony was pointing to. He was the Great Hosanna! He was the source of living water. He is the one who brings the latter rains. He was the One who will pour the Holy Spirit out upon mankind. And many in the crowd knew exactly what Yeshua was saying. Some believed Him to be that very Messiah they were looking for. Others did not, causing division among the people (John 7:40-43). Six months later, just prior to Passover, the people would once again wave their lulav's (palm branches) and cry out, "Hosanna" (John 12:12-13). But this time it wasn't done with the crowd facing the holy altar. It was done facing the living altar - Yeshua HaMashiach. Yeshua is the Great Hosanna!
