The water libation tradition had developed during the Feast of Tabernacles. This fall Feast celebrated God’s presence and provision with His people in the Exodus. It was a pilgrimage festival, which meant, if possible, a devout Jew would travel to Jerusalem and the Temple to celebrate the Feast.
Jesus was a controversial figure; some saw Him as the Messiah, while many others doubted Him. By His third year of ministry, the Pharisees openly opposed Him. At this time, Jesus went to the Temple during the celebration of Tabernacles. There, amid controversy, He taught at the Temple. Many wondered if He was the Messiah.
Jesus Added to the Water Libation Offering
During the Feast of Tabernacles, a tradition developed of asking God to provide rain for the next season. On the first seven days of the Feast, a priest would take a golden pitcher to the pool of Siloam. Worshippers followed with palm branches, chanting the Hallel Psalms, Psalm 113 -118. The priest would fill the pitcher with water at the pool, then return to the Temple with the worshippers. At the Temple altar, the priest poured out the water while praying for God to provide water as He had in the wilderness.
On the last day of the Feast, instead of the water offering, the people prayed for continued rain. It was then that Jesus made an unusual announcement. John 7: 37 On the last day, the climax of the festival, Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, “Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! 38 Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’ ” 39 (When he said “living water,” he was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in him. But the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet entered into his glory.) [1]
With this statement, Jesus claimed to give only something God could provide. Thus, inferring that He was the Son of God. This was a chance for Jesus to tell the crowd He was the Messiah, as He inserted Himself as the climax and fulfillment of the tradition.
A Divisive Truth
Symbolically, the water libation tradition represented God’s provision and deliverance during the Exodus. Now God was providing Jesus to deliver the people rivers of living water through what He would do on the cross. This work enabled the Holy Spirit to live within all believers. The people understood the tradition, but many refused to understand Jesus as the Messiah.
John 7: 40 When the crowds heard him say this, some of them declared, “Surely this man is the Prophet we’ve been expecting.” 41 Others said, “He is the Messiah.” Still others said, “But he can’t be! Will the Messiah come from Galilee? 42 For the Scriptures clearly state that the Messiah will be born of the royal line of David, in Bethlehem, the village where King David was born.” 43 So the crowd was divided about him. 44 Some even wanted him arrested, but no one laid a hand on him.[2]
While the Jews had put this tradition into place to remember what God had done, they missed Jesus as the fulfillment. Let us pay attention to what Jesus promises to provide and trust that He will give us living water. To learn more, listen here:
https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/jesus-said-i-am-the-light-of-the-world
[1-2] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation . Tyndale House Publishers.