TNP - IS ANYONE THIRSTY? (Part One)

TNP – March 29, 2012-Ezekial 47 “The River of GOD”

David - Shared that the theme for the week was “Is Anyone Thirsty? 

This was taken from reading about the Feast of Tabernacles and the Beit ha Shuavah (the Water Pouring Ceremony) on the last day of the festival.

When Jesus raised his voice and cried out Is anyone thirsty?

Is Anyone Thirsty?

On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “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.” But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.               John 7:37

The Promise of the Holy Spirit

As part of the Feast of Tabernacles they would carry water each year from, the pool of Siloam and pour it out against the corner of the altar by doing so, they were symbolically, prophetically, acting out the scene referred to in this scripture found in Ezekiel Chapter 47.

47 Then he brought me back to the door of the temple; and there was water, flowing from under the threshold of the temple toward the east, for the front of the temple faced east; the water was flowing from under the right side of the temple, south of the altar. ² He brought me out by way of the north gate, and led me around on the outside to the outer gateway that faces east; and there was water, running out on the right side.

³ And when the man went out to the east with the line in his hand, he measured one thousand cubits, and he brought me through the waters; the water came up to my ankles. ⁴ Again he measured one thousand and brought me through the waters; the water came up to my knees. Again he measured one thousand and brought me through; the water came up to my waist. ⁵ Again he measured one thousand, and it was a river that I could not cross; for the water was too deep, water in which one must swim, a river that could not be crossed. ⁶ He said to me, “Son of man, have you seen this?” Then he brought me and returned me to the bank of the river.

⁷ When I returned, there, along the bank of the river, were very many trees on one side and the other. ⁸ Then he said to me: “This water flows toward the eastern region, goes down into the valley, and enters the sea. When it reaches the sea, its waters are healed. ⁹ And it shall be that every living thing that moves, wherever the rivers go, will live. There will be a very great multitude of fish because these waters go there; for they will be healed, and everything will live wherever the river goes.    … ¹² Along the bank of the river, on this side and that will grow all kinds of trees used for food; their leaves will not wither, and their fruit will not fail. They will bear fruit every month because their water flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for medicine.”

Jesus said this on the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles. 

The Feast of Tabernacles is indicative of our temporary dwelling on this earth, it corresponds to the end of the wilderness for the Israelites  The wilderness was between Egypt (a type of this carnal world) and the promised land, Beulah land, or Heaven.  The wilderness was a place of freedom and of total dependence on God, a season to experience his provision and his goodness during difficult times.

Joel chapter 2 says in the last days I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh. So Jesus waiting until the last day speaks prophetically about the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the last days (of our temporary lives here on earth as outlined above.) 

This was again confirmed by Peter in the book of Acts 2 when he says, “this is that” which was spoken by the prophet Joel…

¹⁷ ‘And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God,
That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh;
Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
Your young men shall see visions,
Your old men shall dream dreams.
¹⁸ And on My menservants and on My maidservants
I will pour out My Spirit in those days;
And they shall prophesy.
¹⁹ I will show wonders in heaven above
And signs in the earth beneath:
Blood and fire and vapor of smoke.
²⁰ The sun shall be turned into darkness,
And the moon into blood,
Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord.
²¹ And it shall come to pass
That whoever calls on the name of the Lord
Shall be saved.’

Don M - Shared out of the Eric Johnson book on living out of inheritance rather than performance. Amos 3:7 God doesn't do anything without first revealing to his servants the prophets.  We prayed the Hosea passage out over Kevin and in our lives.

Doug K On Sunday morning a visiting speaker who knew nothing about how we were led ot pray on Thursday night, decided to change his plans and stay over through Sunday. He preached that Sunday morning about the river of God and quoted both John 7 and Ezekiel 47. He even talked about the act of Jesus pouring out the water at the corner of the altar. 

The water for the libation ceremony was drawn from thePool of Siloam (Hebrew: Breikhat HaShiloah‎) in the City of David and carried up the Jerusalem pilgrim road to the Temple. The joy that accompanied this procedure was palpable. (This is the source for the verse in Isaiah: "And you shall draw waters with joy from the wells of salvation" (Isa. 12:3).

Below is an article I found discussing this link between the two events. 

Other blogs by Taavi...
The Road Not Traveled
At Home in MN