Return to Index.

The Last Great Day
September 26, 2013

For Christians, the Last Great Day of the Feast of Tabernacles pictures a future time of peace when the Kingdom of God is fully established on earth, a time of peace and joy. It was on this day that Jesus stood in the temple at Jerusalem and proclaimed the following.

John 7:37-39
In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, 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. But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.

Jesus knew then that for all who believe salvation would be possible, that in time the Holy Spirit would come to them, and that with spiritual maturity, the Holy Spirit would flow from them as a life in service to God to benefit mankind is lived. At the time the message was confused with the messenger and there was diverse opinion as to who the messenger was and the value of the message being given.

John 7:40-53
Many of the people therefore, when they heard this saying, said, Of a truth this is the Prophet. Others said, This is the Christ. But some said, Shall Christ come out of Galilee? Hath not the scripture said, That Christ cometh of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was? So there was a division among the people because of him. And some of them would have taken him; but no man laid hands on him. Then came the officers to the chief priests and Pharisees; and they said unto them, Why have ye not brought him? The officers answered, Never man spake like this man. Then answered them the Pharisees, Are ye also deceived? Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him? But this people who knoweth not the law are cursed. Nicodemus saith unto them, (he that came to Jesus by night, being one of them,) Doth our law judge any man, before it hear him, and know what he doeth? They answered and said unto him, Art thou also of Galilee? Search, and look: for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet. And every man went unto his own house.

For those of us Christians who observe the Feast of Tabernacles, most of us can read these verses from John 7 and yet our actions show that our thought processes today are not far removed from the thought of the people at the time. At the time the people questioned whether Jesus was a prophet. Today, collectively as a group, our actions show doubt in the message. For instance, do we really believe that the Holy Spirit can flow from us like the rivers of living water, because Jesus said this would happen. He did not say he hoped for this to happen or he planned for this happen. He said it would happen. So as Christians observing the Feast of Tabernacles, do we really believe what Jesus said? The rivers of living water are mentioned again when New Jerusalem is described, and the reason for the living waters is given.

Revelation 22:1-5
And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.

The river of water is for life and without the Holy Spirit flowing from us we are spiritually dead. In New Jerusalem, the tree of life is found on either side of the river and the leaves of this tree are for the healing of the nations. This image begins to help us understand our calling, and our role today in this diseased world of evil, violence, and corruption. The Holy Spirit flowing through us allows spiritual fruit to be developed. Fruit is the end product of a process that for the tree of life would draw water from the river of water in New Jerusalem and the photosynthesis of the light from the presence of God and Jesus that leads to the healing of the nations. Today in a very small way, we are part of that process. The Holy Spirit has been given to us and we must allow it to flow from us as we live a life in service first to God to benefit mankind. The more we understand the Holy Spirit can flow from us as it flows through us, and the more we live our lives in service to God to benefit mankind, the more we will be able to celebrate what is good, embrace what is good, and do what is good.

All verses are from the King James Version.
This site provided by Tom Laign. To all who may believe differently, I also extend peace and love.
Copyright and Legal Information
Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information