The Feast of Tabernacles was near. If you want to understand what Jesus is saying and doing in this chapter, then you need to understand the Feast of Tabernacles.

This feast was commanded in Deut. 16. The feast lasted for seven days--during which time the people would live in tents-- as a reminder of the days that they spent wandering in the wilderness. This feast was the harvest festival. And so every year as you rejoiced in God's provision in the harvest, you would also remember the time when God provided for his people in the wilderness. You would remember the manna that God gave, and the water that came from the rock.

Jesus has just finished teaching that HE is the true bread from heaven. HE is the one who feeds his people with true spiritual food. He taught this at the Passover. Then he spends several months in Galilee waiting for the proper time. Now, at this next feast--the Feast of Tabernacles-- Jesus is ready to teach his people once again.

He goes up to the feast in secret, and doesn't start to teach until the middle of the feast. When the people marvel at his learning, they ask (v15) In other words, Jesus has never studied with a Rabbi-- how can he have learned this great wisdom? But Jesus says (v16-18) Jesus was sent to glorify the Father; therefore he speaks what he has learned from the Father.

A dispute breaks out among the Jews. Some say that this is Christ. Others reject him outright.

Then we come to our text: v37-39

On the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles, the priests would hold a special ceremony in which they would draw water, as a reminder of how Moses drew water from the rock when the Israelites were wandering in the wilderness. The people would gather 'round. Many would have drunk nothing all day in anticipation of this special moment. Imagine all these thirsty people gathered there-- waiting for the moment when they could drink from this special water.

And Jesus upstages them. Do you wonder why the priests didn't like Jesus? He was constantly taking all of their rituals and teachings and applying them to himself! But Jesus stands up during this last day of the Feast, and he cries out for all to hear: "If anyone thirsts, let him come to ME and drink!"

Just imagine yourself as one of the priests: you are preparing for this special ceremony; all the people are gathered 'round eagerly anticipating what YOU will do; and then this Jesus--who's been causing trouble at EVERY feast for the last couple years-- stands up and distracts them.

But, what is worse, he claims to offer the REAL living water!

Jesus just stole the show!

But let's look more closely at what Jesus says: Jesus is using two themes that are very familiar in the gospel of John: 1--coming to Jesus and believing in him 2--the living water, which is tied to the Holy Spirit

First we need to understand what Jesus is saying: v38--"He who believes in me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water."

1. What is the river of living water? John explains that the river of living water is the Holy Spirit. Those who believe in Jesus will receive the Holy Spirit once Jesus is glorified. Remember what Jesus said to the Samaritan woman? He met her at the well, and said, "whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life." (Jn 4:13) Here Jesus explains that the living water is the Holy Spirit. You see, if you believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, then the Holy Spirit comes to you as a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life. And remember that this is the Feast of Tabernacles. This is a ceremony where they are remembering how God provided water in the wilderness. Paul speaks of this in 1 Cor 10. Paul says that the Israelites were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. That they drank of that spiritual rock that followed them, And that rock was Christ. Why does Paul say this? Because Jesus had already said it here. Jesus is claiming to be that rock from which the living water flows.

2. Where does the river of living water come from? Are you familiar with the song, "I've got a river of life flowing out of me..."? Well, that song is VERY misleading. Because Jesus does not say that the river of living water will flow out of YOU. The river of living water flows from the heart of JESUS. Whose heart is referred to in v38? Grammatically, it could go either way. "his heart" could refer back to "he who believes in me" OR it could refer to Jesus. So the only way to resolve the question is to look at what Scripture Jesus is referring to.

And here we are stuck. Because Jesus does not give us a direct quote. He is paraphrasing several passages from the OT. Look at Isaiah 44:3 Speaking to his Servant, God says, "For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit upon your descendents, and my blessing on your offspring." God is speaking to his Servant--and his Servant in Isaiah is ultimately our Lord Jesus Christ. God promises the Spirit to those who are descended from Jesus.

Isaiah 58:11 says this: "And the Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy your desire in scorched places, and make your bones strong; You shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail." Who is the "you" in this passage? The next verse says that "You shall be called 'the Repairer of the Breach'" And is referring again to the Servant of the LORD. HE is the one whose waters NEVER fail! But since the context is the Feast of Tabernacles, and the way in which God provided water in the wilderness, then Ezekiel 47 is probably the passage that was at the front of Jesus' mind (read 1-12) Ezekiel 40-48 describes the new temple that will one day be built. But the dimensions of this temple are too big to fit in the earthly Jerusalem. But here in ch 47, a river starts to flow from the altar. It starts off as a little creek--but gradually grows and grows until it is a mighty river. And this river brings healing to all that it touches. v12 is key "their water flows from the sanctuary"

Is there a fountain of life welling up in your heart? Yes. But where does that fountain come from? It comes from a river that flows from the temple.

Okay. Now we are ready to put the pieces together.

Jesus is the temple. That was the very first thing that Jesus did in Jerusalem back in ch 2: he proclaims himself to be the true temple. From the temple--which is Jesus himself--flows the river of living water (who is the Holy Spirit) As we have seen before, water is a picture of the Spirit. The Spirit hovered over the waters at the creation. The Spirit descended upon Christ at his baptism (John 1). Jesus said that we must be born of water and the Spirit (John 3). Jesus offered living water to the woman at the well (John 4). Now Jesus declares that HE is the source of the river of living water that will flow into the hearts of his people. And John says explicitly in verse 39: (read)

So those who would partake of the living water, those who would receive the Holy Spirit, must come to Jesus and believe in him.

Notice what happens. (Verses 40-44) Even those sent to arrest Jesus are overwhelmed by his answer (45-46) And when the Pharisees berate them for their weakness, Nicodemus stands up for Jesus. Quietly at first-timidly, perhaps-but John shows us that Jesus' Word has such power as to sway even the rulers of the Jews.

3. Where does the living water go from here? Now that Jesus has declared himself to be the source of living water, watch what happens: John 9--Jesus heals the man born blind. How does he do it? He spits on the ground, and makes clay with the saliva, anoints the man's eyes, and then sends him to wash in the pool of Siloam. In other cases, Jesus merely speaks, and the person receives his sight. Why does he use the complicated procedure? Jesus, who is the living water, uses saliva and the pool of Siloam to open this man's eyes. He is using pictures to show his disciples that he is indeed the living water. In John 13, Jesus washes his disciples feet. The living water is not to be used selfishly. As Jesus explains in our passage in John 7, "The one who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory; but he who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and in him there is no falsehood." If you have received the gift of the Holy Spirit, then use that gift to serve Christ and others. You remember that Peter doesn't like the idea of Jesus washing his feet. After all, foot-washing was a task for slaves! But Jesus says to him: "If I do not wash you, you have no part with me." Remember, Jesus is trying to teach them that he is the Living Water. He is the source of that River of Life. If he does not wash you, then you do not belong to him. The River of Life must flow from Jesus to you.

Then we come to the passion of Christ. We come to his crucifixion. And there on the cross, in John 18:28, it says, "After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, I thirst!" Wait a second! What is this referring to? What Scripture says that Jesus must thirst? Psalm 22:15 says this: "My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue clings to my jaws; you have brought me to the dust of death."

The Living Water has dried up. Jesus, who had offered Living Water to others, has none left for himself!

The fire of God's wrath has dried up the fountain of Life.

"I thirst"

Ah, but John's gospel doesn't stop there! John 19:34 says "But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water." And John immediately adds: "He who saw it has borne witness-his testimony is true, and he knows that he is telling the truth-that you also may believe."

Why did blood and water come out? Commentaries have wrestled with this one for centuries. The early Fathers understood the answer: they saw this connection! The Living Water was flowing again! From that pierced side flowed the blood and water that would wash you clean.

After all, Jesus had said, "unless I wash you, you have no part with me" Jesus had said, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink"

There, at the cross, the prophecy of Ezekiel 47 began to be fulfilled. The river of life began to trickle down the body of Christ--the true temple. And when he ascended to the right hand of the Father, and as he poured out the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost, that River of Life grew and GREW until it became a mighty river, flowing from the heart of Jesus Christ, to the hearts of his people.

And because that Living Water now flows in you, you, as one body, have become the Temple of the Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ is THE Temple, who is the source of the River of Life. And since you are in Christ, you now have that same River of Life, welling up in your hearts, bringing life and peace to your weary soul.

You need to drink deeply of this Living Water. You will never run out! How do you drink?

1--as you worship together as a body--hearing the Word of God, praising Him with Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, and partaking in the Lord's Supper

2--as you worship together in your families--reading, and praying, and singing together with joy for what Christ has done for you

3--as you worship God in all that you do--keeping your heart and mind focused upon Christ in reading the Word, constant prayer, and fellowship with one another.

Let us pray.

Copyright © 2003 Peter J. Wallace