Did you know it is in the Feast of Tabernacles according to the Hebrew tradition? This celebration saw the waving and celebration with branches, feasts, dwelling in booths, and other later traditions such as pouring out of water. It is one of the three main feasts in the Hebrew calendar, Passover and Feast of Weeks (Pentecost) being the other two. Jesus’ story is that His death occurred at Passover, His Spirit, the Holy Spirit, was poured out in Pentecost, and so the expectation was/is His fullness will be revealed at Tabernacles (see John 7 and note the waving of branches etc as He entered Jerusalem). It is against this backdrop you can imagine the excitement when Jesus came to the temple during Taberacles…and said this!
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 7:37-39)
Jesus referring to scriptures in Isaiah, and painting a picture of Him being our source of water and refreshing in a dry and barren land. But the contrast for the Jews at the time was stark, here they are remembering a feast by decreed by a most Holy God, one who in their mind was in fact inapproachable light, and who even Moses was not allowed to see His face, and now someone who calls Himself God says, come! And this is not the first or last time He made such an open invitation.
It may be wonder though, even though we know of the Scriptures about the torn veil so we can enter into the Holy of holies, coming to Him if we are heaven laden etc., and Jesus invitation to intimacy, is there something that holds us back?
Even if we are spiritually dry? We have perhaps tasted on the freely flowing aspect of His presence, and His Spirit, but now find church an act of obedience more than encounter. Our soul cries out for His water, but does something truly hinders us from going and pursing to the One who can quench your thirst?
Do we truly come in to His presence, or do we wait at the door? Or do we feel we can fully enter to His throne, crying out for His Spirit? Maybe our shame or caution or failing or tiredness prevents us? I wonder do we really feel free to come freely to Him, or is there a bit of Esther in us when coming to the King? Consider this passage from the book of Esther in the Bible.
So Hathach returned and told Esther the words of Mordecai. Then Esther spoke to Hathach, and gave him a command for Mordecai: “All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces know that any man or woman who goes into the inner court to the king, who has not been called, he has but one law: put all to death, except the one to whom the king holds out the golden scepter, that he may live. Yet I myself have not been called to go in to the king these thirty days.” So they told Mordecai Esther’s words.
And Mordecai told them to answer Esther: “Do not think in your heart that you will escape in the king’s palace any more than all the other Jews. For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”
Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai: “Go, gather all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast for me; neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will fast likewise. And so I will go to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish!”
So Mordecai went his way and did according to all that Esther commanded him. Now it happened on the third day that Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the king’s palace, across from the king’s house, while the king sat on his royal throne in the royal house, facing the entrance of the house. So it was, when the king saw Queen Esther standing in the court, that she found favor in his sight, and the king held out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand. Then Esther went near and touched the top of the scepter.And the king said to her, “What do you wish, Queen Esther? What is your request? It shall be given to you—up to half the kingdom!” (Esther 4:9-5:3)
We are all probably very aware of the story of Esther, and what happens next, how the Jewish people are rescued from a sentence of death through her intercession, and the wisdom of Mordecai. In this scene, though, we perhaps see how many may approach the throne of Jesus Christ, the King of kings.
Even though she was the king’s chosen, beautiful bride, in her mind the laws of what happened if anyone approached the king uninvited would always apply. Perhaps understandably in some sense, but her husband’s (Ahasuerus or Xerxes I the king of the greatest empire of the day) response perhaps revealed her initial thoughts were based on fear, rather than trusting the relationship she had with him (her husband), or her identity as the chosen bride.
In fact she figured it was probably best someone else was given the challenge as surely she would die. And even when it was clear that perhaps she had no choice, she did so asking many to intercede for her just to even enter his presence, let alone ask him anything. And when she did ask it was in a bit of a gradual and indirect way. All the time her husband the king, was all to willing to give her what she wished, she however did not appear to think she was worthy or able to ask.
I understand that perhaps I am being a bit unfair on Esther, given they way of things back then was different, particularly for women. And also that today that we live on the other side of the Cross of Christ, and that in His act of sacrifice we are in fact fully able to enter God’s presence. However (and perhaps it is only me), but it seems that while we know that, the other laws in the Bible that existed for the Hebrews, or the ones we make for ourselves about God, can make us approach Him with a little fear or reluctantly or not at all.
The Old Testament is full of stories, and in some parts of the New Testament, of what happened to those who approached God in an appropriate way, or about His warning of doing so, the apparent strict rules that applied, and these seems to carry more weight at times, than the knowledge we are covered by His blood (the Lamb of God), and that as believers Christ even lives in us, and fully loves us. This approach we apply especially when we sin or do something we think is wrong, or due to our background/past.
Some of the self imposed laws that hinder us approach Him could look like, ….well He is holy and I certainly don’t feel that way… or, He didn’t answer then, so why now…or, am I truly worth to receive…or, what happens if He doesn’t answer, …or, I am sure there are more important things people need help for, ….or, is this really eternal,…or, shouldn’t I be content in all things….. or, at least I am saved so that all that matters……or, I am tired….. or, I am to busy to come and wait, …the list goes on.
But God’s response is simply … come! As the Bible says.
For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:15,16)
Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. (Hebrews 10:19-22)
Jesus came not just for our salvation, but restore us to a full and intimate relationship with the fullness of the Godhead, one like that of a loved son and daughter. We know this, but our heart can sometimes deceive us into thinking more about our approach to Him based on one truth, that He is an inapproachable light and power, without embracing the other truth, that Christ has made the way for us to run into the fullness of His glory, into the very throne room of God, and ask with expectancy.
Let us not be like Esther, forgetting that the King of kings is firstly our Beloved, and while we are to be in awe of Christ, we are not to approach Him with fear and in-trepidation, but run into His open arms.
This is the power of the Cross, that we now have eternity in the presence of God, and to not ask for His fullness, means living short of His promises for us by our own actions.
And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, (Ephesians 5:18,19)
So, consider this encouragement in this season of the Feast of Tabernacle, do as Jesus did, find your personal dwelling place with God, perhaps even a quiet place, and ask for Him to quench your thirst for Him, and to pour out His Spirit afresh upon you. He would simply love us to do just that, so that we are continually filled by the Holy Spirit…with fountains flowing from within, and rains falling from above.
Oh, and by the way, while embracing His presence join with the Bride and the Holy Spirit, and say come, Lord Jesus, come. For the Feast of Tabernacles heralds His return, and He will indeed to so, let us live our loves with this expectancy, and while watching for this to occur, let us also come to Him in the spirit, and be filled by His Spirit.
And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely. (Revelations 22:17)
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