The Season of Our Joy

By F. Scott Nickerson

“He who has not seen the joy of the Water-Drawing Celebration (at Sukkot) has never seen joy in his life” – Mishnah Sukkah 5.1

This expression from the Mishnah is a statement about one of the major themes of Sukkot, our Feast of Ingathering this month. Though not part of our Torah instructions, the water libation ritual was accompanied with music and dancing during the nights of Sukkot, in keeping with the Torah’s directive, “You shall rejoice in your feast (Sukkot)” (Deut 16:14).

One reason the water libation ceremony was so popular during the 2nd Temple period was the accompanying ceremony of the water drawing, which took place in the evening at the pool of Siloam for the next morning’s libation. The ceremony of this water-drawing was a jubilant occasion. As the ceremony took place, Levites played lyres, trumpets, harps, cymbals and other instruments while other Levites sang. Men of faith danced and sang through the night and priests blew the shofar three times.

In John chapter 7, Yeshua not only observed the festival of Sukkot, he used it to announce his messianic claims. “Now the feast of the Jews, the Feast of Booths, was near. 3 Therefore His brothers said to Him, “Leave here and go into Judea, so that Your disciples also may see Your works which You are doing. 4 For no one does anything in secret when he himself seeks to be known openly.  If You do these things, show Yourself publicly to the world.”  John 7:2-4    

Perhaps a million Jewish pilgrims from all around the region would be at the Feast of Tabernacles in Jerusalem in those days.  What better opportunity would there be for Yeshua to present Himself as Messiah than at the festival of Sukkot? 

In the middle of the festival, Yeshua began to teach.  He taught that true learning and teaching

does not glorify the teacher but the One who sends the teacher.  Yeshua taught about healing on the Sabbath and righteous judgment. Yeshua begins to cry out that He has been sent from the Father. Many in the crowd believed in Him. The Pharisees sent officers to seize Him, but even they listened to Yeshua and were astonished at His teaching.

And finally, at the water-drawing ceremony on the 7th day of Sukkot, Yeshua said this:

“Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Yeshua stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. 38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.” John 7:37-38

Yeshua also spoke these words in John 15:11, “These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.”

Yeshua Himself stood up in the crowd gathered for the water drawing and proclaimed that He Himself was the source of living water, just like He did for the Samaritan woman at the well.

When we have the Messiah of all Israel alive in us and celebrate His feasts, we have complete joy.  We also have shalom that passes all understanding. His Kingdom becomes real and alive and NOW. 

In the book of Nehemiah, the Fall Feasts are being restored and celebrated by the Israelites back in the Land for the first time since the time of Joshua.  First, on the 1st day of the 7th month, the Torah was read aloud to the people.  Nehemiah 8:2 reads, “Then Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly of men, women, and all who could understand when listening, on the first day of the seventh month.”  Then in Nehemiah 8:8 “They read from the book, from the law of God, explaining and giving insight, and they provided understanding of the reading.”

The people wept when they heard the words of the Torah.  Nehemiah spoke to the people,

“Do not be grieved, for the joy of Yahweh is your strength.” (Nehemiah 8:9-10)

“Then all the people went away to eat, to drink, to send portions, and to celebrate with great rejoicing, because they understood the words which had been made known to them.” (Nehemiah 8:12)

In Nehemiah 8:13-18 the Feast of Booths (Sukkot) is restored.  “The sons of Israel had indeed not done so from the days of Joshua the son of Nun to that day. And there was exceedingly great rejoicing” 

The Season of our Joy is soon upon us.  How much more should we be glad and rejoice in our day, since we have the Messiah of Israel leading us to restore our long lost Festivals.  Let us rejoice greatly as the Israelites did in Nehemiah’s day after 1,000 years of not doing so.  It’s been far longer since the tribes of Ephraim Israel celebrated the Festivals of Yahweh. We weep with joy and celebration when we realize the significance of these Festivals and our coming back (shuva) to the holidays of our God.

May the JOY of YAHWEH be your strength! 

Chag sameach Sukkot!