DAY #156: John 7:37-52

During the Festival of Shelters, the Jews celebrated the memory of how God protected their ancestors in their travels across the wilderness to the Promised Land, guiding them on their way and providing them with manna and, on one occasion, water from a rock (Exodus 17:1-7). Every day during this festival, except for the last day, a priest stood in front of the Temple with a golden pitcher of water and poured the water on a rock. This commemorated the water flowing out of the rock that gave the Israelites water to drink. They performed this ceremony each day of the festival except the eighth, when they offered public prayers for continued rain.

Thus, on the last day when the water was not poured out, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “If you are thirsty, come to me! If you believe in me, come and drink! For the Scriptures declare that rivers of living water will flow out from within.” Jesus’ words, “Come and drink,” allude to the theme of many Bible passages that talk about the Messiah’s life-giving blessings (Isaiah 12:2-3; 44:3-4; 58:11). By promising to give the Holy Spirit to all who believed, Jesus was claiming to be the Messiah, for that was something only the Messiah could do.

Jesus’ exclamatory invitation generated faith in some of the hearers. Some said, “This man surely is the Prophet” (meaning the Prophet predicted by Moses in Deuteronomy 18:15-18); others said, “He is the Messiah.” But others could not believe. As the crowd argued about Jesus’ identity, they were divided and some wanted him arrested. But his time had not yet come, so no one touched him.

The Temple guards were very likely police under the jurisdiction of the Jewish religious rulers, not the Romans. Some of the Levites were probably assigned this duty. Although sent by leading priests and Pharisees with specific orders to arrest Jesus, the guards returned empty-handed. When asked why they did not bring Jesus, they said, “We have never heard anyone talk like this!” When the guards heard Jesus, they recognized that they were listening to a man like no other, for, in fact, they were listening to the Son of God.

But the Pharisees rejected this simple testimony. They asked these guards if they, like the crowd, were also led astray. If Jesus really were the Messiah, they argued, at least some of the religious rulers would believe in him. And since not a single one of them did, then this man could not be the Messiah. Maybe the crowds believed in him, but the crowds were ignorant. But in judging the people for their supposed ignorance, the Pharisees were judging themselves, for they were ignorant of God and did not know the one he sent.

Nicodemus, who had gone to Jesus earlier and who was one of their own number, asked, “Is it legal to convict a man before he is given a hearing?” Nicodemus attempted to make his fellow Pharisees adhere to the law they claimed to know and to act fairly and justly.

But these Pharisees would not listen even to one of their own. The depth of their real allegiance to the law became clear when their position was threatened by the truth. They retorted sarcastically, “Are you from Galilee, too? Search the Scriptures and see for yourself—no prophet ever comes from Galilee!” The Pharisees and religious leaders were confident that they could reject Jesus as having any claim as the Messiah because of his Galilean origin. But they were wrong on three counts: (1) Jesus was born in Bethlehem, the city of David (Luke 2:4-11); (2) The Scriptures do speak of the Messiah as a “great light” for Galilee (Isaiah 9:1-2); (3) Jonah (2 Kings 14:25) and Elijah (1 Kings 17:1) came from this region.

SO WHAT? (what will I do with what I have read today?)

Jesus is the life-giving water my soul needs to survive. Jesus is the refreshment my parched life needs every day. Jesus quenches that which my soul longs for. Fulfillment, peace, security, forgiveness, purpose, significance, mercy, grace, love....

Oh Lord, help the word get out to the folks in this valley who long for all of the above that it can be found in a personal relationship with Jesus.

"Oh, that men would praise [and confess to] the Lord for His goodness and loving-kindness and His wonderful works to the children of men! For He satisfies the longing soul and fills the hungry soul with good." Psalms 107:8-9 (AMP)

Lord, put on a burden on the hearts of the people of COV for the lost folks of our valley. Break our hearts with the reality of hell. Break our hearts with the reality of living life without You. Give us the courage to share and invite and witness.

"Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news (the Gospel) of the kingdom and curing all kinds of disease and every weakness and infirmity. When He saw the throngs, He was moved with pity and sympathy for them, because they were bewildered (harassed and distressed and dejected and helpless), like sheep without a shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, The harvest is indeed plentiful, but the laborers are few. So pray to the Lord of the harvest to force out and thrust laborers into His harvest." Matthew 9:35-38 (AMP)