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Chapter 49
At the Feast of Tabernacles
THREE times a year the Jews were required to assemble at Jerusalem for religious purposes.
Enshrouded in the pillar of cloud, Israel's invisible Leader had given the directions in
regard to these gatherings. During the captivity of the Jews, they could not be observed;
but when the people were restored to their own land, the observance of these memorials was
once more begun. It was God's design that these anniversaries should call Him to the minds
of the people. But with few exceptions, the priests and leaders of the nation had lost
sight of this purpose. He who had ordained these national assemblies and understood their
significance witnessed their perversion.
The Feast of Tabernacles was the closing gathering of the year. It was God's design that
at this time the people should reflect on His goodness and mercy. The whole land had been
under His guidance, receiving His blessing. Day and night His watchcare had continued. The
sun and rain had caused the earth to produce her fruits. From the valleys and plains of
Palestine the harvest had been gathered. The olive berries had been picked, and the
precious oil stored in bottles. The palm had yielded her store. The purple clusters of the
vine had been trodden in the wine press.
The feast continued for seven days, and for its celebration the inhabitants of Palestine,
with many from other lands, left their homes, and came to Jerusalem. From far and near the
people came, bringing in their hands a token of rejoicing. Old and young, rich and poor,
all brought some gift as a tribute of thanksgiving to Him who had crowned the year with
His goodness, and made His paths drop fatness. Everything that could please the eye, and
give expression to the universal joy, was brought from the woods; the city bore the
appearance of a beautiful forest.
This feast was not only the harvest thanksgiving, but the memorial of God's protecting
care over Israel in the wilderness. In commemoration of their tent life, the Israelites
during the feast dwelt in booths or tabernacles of green boughs. These were erected in the
streets, in the courts of the temple, or on the housetops. The hills and valleys
surrounding Jerusalem were also dotted with these leafy dwellings, and seemed to be alive
with people.
With sacred song and thanksgiving the worshipers celebrated this occasion. A little before
the feast was the Day of Atonement, when, after confession of their sins, the people were
declared to be at peace with Heaven. Thus the way was prepared for the rejoicing of the
feast. "O give thanks unto the Lord; for He is good: for His mercy endureth
forever" (Ps. 106:1) rose triumphantly, while all kinds of music, mingled with shouts
of hosanna, accompanied the united singing. The temple was the center of the universal
joy. Here was the pomp of the sacrificial ceremonies. Here, ranged on either side of the
white marble steps of the sacred building, the choir of Levites led the service of song.
The multitude of worshipers, waving their branches of palm and myrtle, took up the strain,
and echoed the chorus; and again the melody was caught up by voices near and afar off,
till the encircling hills were vocal with praise.
At night the temple and its court blazed with artificial light. The music, the waving of
palm branches, the glad hosannas, the great concourse of people, over whom the light
streamed from the hanging lamps, the array of the priests, and the majesty of the
ceremonies, combined to make a scene that deeply impressed the beholders. But the most
impressive ceremony of the feast, one that called forth greatest rejoicing, was one
commemorating an event in the wilderness sojourn.
At the first dawn of day, the priests sounded a long, shrill blast upon their silver
trumpets, and the answering trumpets, and the glad shouts of the people from their booths,
echoing over hill and valley, welcomed the festal day. Then the priest dipped from the flowing waters of the Kedron a flagon of
water, and, lifting it on high, while the trumpets were sounding, he ascended the broad
steps of the temple, keeping time with the music with slow and measured tread, chanting
meanwhile, "Our feet shall stand within thy gates, O Jerusalem." Ps. 122:2.
He bore the flagon to the altar, which occupied a central position in the court of the
priests. Here were two silver basins, with a priest standing at each one. The flagon of
water was poured into one, and a flagon of wine into the other; and the contents of both
flowed into a pipe which communicated with the Kedron, and was conducted to the Dead Sea.
This display of the consecrated water represented the fountain that at the command of God
had gushed from the rock to quench the thirst of the children of Israel. Then the jubilant
strains rang forth, "The Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song;"
"therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation." Isa.
12:2, 3.
As the sons of Joseph made preparation to attend the Feast of Tabernacles, they saw that
Christ made no movement signifying His intention of attending. They watched Him with
anxiety. Since the healing at Bethesda He had not attended the national gatherings. To
avoid useless conflict with the leaders at Jerusalem, He had restricted His labors to
Galilee. His apparent neglect of the great religious assemblies, and the enmity manifested
toward Him by the priests and rabbis, were a cause of perplexity to the people about Him,
and even to His own disciples and His kindred. In His teachings He had dwelt upon the
blessings of obedience to the law of God, and yet He Himself seemed to be indifferent to
the service which had been divinely established. His mingling with publicans and others of
ill repute, His disregard of the rabbinical observances, and the freedom with which He set
aside the traditional requirements concerning the Sabbath, all seeming to place Him in
antagonism to the religious authorities, excited much questioning. His brothers thought it
a mistake for Him to alienate the great and learned men of the nation. They felt that
these men must be in the right, and that Jesus was at fault in placing Himself in
antagonism to them. But they had witnessed His blameless life, and though they did not
rank themselves with His disciples, they had been deeply impressed by His works. His
popularity in Galilee was gratifying to their ambition; they still hoped that He would
give an evidence of His power which would lead the Pharisees to see that He was what He
claimed to be. What if He were the Messiah, the Prince of Israel! They cherished this
thought with proud satisfaction.
So anxious were they about this that they urged Christ to go to Jerusalem. "Depart
hence," they said, "and go into Judea, that Thy disciples also may see the works
that Thou doest. For there is no man that doeth anything in secret, and he himself seeketh
to be known openly. If Thou do these things, show Thyself to the world." The
"if" expressed doubt and unbelief. They attributed cowardice and weakness to
Him. If He knew that He was the Messiah, why this strange reserve and inaction? If He
really possessed such power, why not go boldly to Jerusalem, and assert His claims? Why
not perform in Jerusalem the wonderful works reported of Him in Galilee? Do not hide in
secluded provinces, they said, and perform your mighty works for the benefit of ignorant
peasants and fishermen. Present yourself at the capital, win the support of the priests
and rulers, and unite the nation in establishing the new kingdom.
These brothers of Jesus reasoned from the selfish motive so often found in the hearts of
those ambitious for display. This spirit was the ruling spirit of the world. They were
offended because, instead of seeking a temporal throne, Christ had declared Himself to be
the bread of life. They were greatly disappointed when so many of His disciples forsook
Him. They themselves turned from Him to escape the cross of acknowledging what His works
revealed--that He was the Sent of God.
"Then Jesus said unto them, My time is not yet come: but your time is alway ready.
The world cannot hate you; but Me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works
thereof are evil. Go ye up unto this feast: I go not up yet unto this feast; for My time
is not yet full come. When He had said these words unto them, He abode still in
Galilee." His brothers had spoken to Him in a tone of authority, prescribing the
course He should pursue. He cast their rebuke back to them, classing them not with His
self-denying disciples, but with the world. "The world cannot hate you," He
said, "but Me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are
evil." The world does not hate those who are like it in spirit; it loves them as its
own.
The world for Christ was not a place of ease and self-aggrandizement. He was not watching
for an opportunity to seize its power and its glory. It held out no such prize for Him. It
was the place into which His Father had sent Him. He had been given for the life of the
world, to work out the great plan of redemption. He was accomplishing His work for the
fallen race. But He was not to be presumptuous, not to rush into danger, not to hasten a
crisis. Each event in His work had its appointed hour. He must wait patiently. He knew
that He was to receive the world's hatred; He knew that His work would result in His
death; but to prematurely expose Himself would not be the will of His Father.
From Jerusalem the report of Christ's miracles had spread wherever the Jews were
dispersed; and although for many months He had been absent from the feasts, the interest
in Him had not abated. Many from all parts of the world had come up to the Feast of
Tabernacles in the hope of seeing Him. At the beginning of the feast many inquiries were
made for Him. The Pharisees and rulers looked for Him to come, hoping for an opportunity
to condemn Him. They anxiously inquired, "Where is He?" but no one knew. The
thought of Him was uppermost in all minds. Through fear of the priests and rulers, none
dared
acknowledge Him as the Messiah, but everywhere there was quiet yet earnest discussion
concerning Him. Many defended Him as one sent from God, while others denounced Him as a
deceiver of the people.
Meanwhile Jesus had quietly arrived at Jerusalem. He had chosen an unfrequented route by
which to go, in order to avoid the travelers who were making their way to the city from
all quarters. Had He joined any of the caravans that went up to the feast, public
attention would have been attracted to Him on His entrance into the city, and a popular
demonstration in His favor would have aroused the authorities against Him. It was to avoid
this that He chose to make the journey alone.
In the midst of the feast, when the excitement concerning Him was at its height, He
entered the court of the temple in the presence of the multitude. Because of His absence
from the feast, it had been urged that He dared not place Himself in the power of the
priests and rulers. All were surprised at His presence. Every voice was hushed. All
wondered at the dignity and courage of His bearing in the midst of powerful enemies who
were thirsting for His life.
Standing thus, the center of attraction to that vast throng, Jesus addressed them as no
man had ever done. His words showed a
knowledge of the laws and institutions of Israel, of the sacrificial service and the
teachings of the prophets, far exceeding that of the priests and rabbis. He broke through
the barriers of formalism and tradition. The scenes of the future life seemed outspread
before Him. As one who beheld the Unseen, He spoke of the earthly and the heavenly, the
human and the divine, with positive authority. His words were most clear and convincing;
and again, as at Capernaum, the people were astonished at His teaching; "for His word
was with power." Luke 4:32. Under a variety of representations He warned His hearers
of the calamity that would follow all who rejected the blessings He came to bring them. He
had given them every possible proof that He came forth from God, and made every possible
effort to bring them to repentance. He would not be rejected and murdered by His own
nation if He could save them from the guilt of such a deed.
All wondered at His knowledge of the law and the prophecies; and the question passed from
one to another, "How knoweth this Man letters, having never learned?" No one was
regarded as qualified to be a religious teacher unless he had studied in the rabbinical
schools, and both Jesus and John the Baptist had been represented as ignorant because they
had not received this training. Those who heard them were astonished at their knowledge of
the Scriptures, "having never learned." Of men they had not, truly; but the God
of heaven was their teacher, and from Him they had received the highest kind of wisdom.
As Jesus spoke in the temple court, the people were held spellbound. The very men who were
the most violent against Him felt themselves powerless to do Him harm. For the time, all
other interests were forgotten.
Day after day He taught the people, until the last, "that great day of the
feast." The morning of this day found the people wearied from the long season of
festivity. Suddenly Jesus lifted up His voice, in tones that rang through the courts of
the temple:
"If any man thirst, let him come unto Me, and drink. He that believeth on Me, as the
scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water." The
condition of the people made this appeal very forcible. They had been engaged in a
continued scene of pomp and festivity, their eyes had been dazzled with light and color,
and their ears regaled with the richest music; but there had been nothing in all this
round of ceremonies to meet the wants of the spirit, nothing to
satisfy the thirst of the soul for that which perishes not. Jesus invited them to come and
drink of the fountain of life, of that which would be in them a well of water, springing
up unto everlasting life.
The priest had that morning performed the ceremony which commemorated the smiting of the
rock in the wilderness. That rock was a symbol of Him who by His death would cause living
streams of salvation to flow to all who are athirst. Christ's words were the water of
life. There in the presence of the assembled multitude He set Himself apart to be smitten,
that the water of life might flow to the world. In smiting Christ, Satan thought to
destroy the Prince of life; but from the smitten rock there flowed living water. As Jesus
thus spoke to the people, their hearts thrilled with a strange awe, and many were ready to
exclaim, with the woman of Samaria, "Give me this water, that I thirst not."
John 4:15.
Jesus knew the wants of the soul. Pomp, riches, and honor cannot satisfy the heart.
"If any man thirst, let him come unto Me." The rich, the poor, the high, the
low, are alike welcome. He promises to relieve the burdened mind, to comfort the
sorrowing, and to give hope to the despondent. Many of those who heard Jesus were mourners
over disappointed hopes, many were nourishing a secret grief, many were seeking to satisfy
their restless longing with the things of the world and the praise of men; but when all
was gained, they found that they had toiled only to reach a broken cistern, from which
they could not quench their thirst. Amid the glitter of the joyous scene they stood,
dissatisfied and sad. That sudden cry, "If any man thirst," startled them from
their sorrowful meditation, and as they listened to the words that followed, their minds
kindled with a new hope. The Holy Spirit presented the symbol before them until they saw
in it the offer of the priceless gift of salvation.
The cry of Christ to the thirsty soul is still going forth, and it appeals to us with even
greater power than to those who heard it in the temple on that last day of the feast. The
fountain is open for all. The weary and exhausted ones are offered the refreshing draught
of eternal life. Jesus is still crying, "If any man thirst, let him come unto Me, and
drink." "Let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the
water of life freely." "Whosoever drinketh 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." Rev. 22:17; John 4:14.
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