More Feast of Booths Excitement

In the sermon today, I mentioned that by the time of Jesus several traditions not mentioned in Leviticus 23 had become attached to the Feast of Booths.  One of these traditions was the drawing of water from the Pool of Siloam by the High Priest that was taken to the silver basin in the Temple.  John 7 tells us that Jesus had journeyed to Jerusalem for the Feast of Booths and had declared on the same day and likely at the same time that the High Priest drew the water, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink."

A modern day sukkah or booth from Jerusalem

The Gospel of John wants us to understand that the rituals and symbols of the Old Testament find ultimate fulfillment in the life and work of Jesus.  For example, in John 2 Jesus is compared to the temple because Jesus is now the place where the forgiveness of sins and atonement can be found.  So when Jesus promises to provide drink for those who thirst, He is actually taking the symbolism of the Feast of Booths onto Himself.  

However, in addition to the water drawing ceremony there was another ceremony connected with the Feast of Booths that Jesus claims for Himself.  On the last day of the Feast of Booths, as the sun set, the feast was concluded when four seventy-five foot golden lampstands set up in courtyard of the temple were lit.  Each of the sixteen bowls of the four lampstands held ten gallons of oil.  According to the mishnah, "There was no courtyard in Jerusalem that was not lit up with the light."  The Israelites would dance while the Levites played music.  

The lighting of the lampstands was thought to symbolize the glory of God that had filled the tabernacle and the temple.  After the destruction of the first temple by the Babylonians the glory of God had left the temple.   Later prophets would speak of the return of God to Jerusalem and His glory returning to the temple.  Zechariah 14:7 says that when the Lord returns to Jerusalem there will neither be day nor night, but at evening time there shall be light.  Verse 8 will go on to talk about living waters flowing out of Jerusalem.   It is likely then that Zechariah 14 is the inspiration for these two ceremonies, both connected with the future return of the Lord to Jerusalem.  There were four lampstands topped with four bowls to symbolize that when the glory of the Lord returns, His light will reach all four corners of the world.  

If we read on in John's gospel, we are told in chapter 8 verse 12 that Jesus says, "I am the light of the world.  Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."  Again Jesus is claiming the symbolism of the traditions associated with the Feast of Booths.  Here Jesus is declaring that the glory of God has returned to the temple only it is Himself.  Interestingly, John 8:20 tells us Jesus spoke these words in the treasury which was located in the courtyard where the golden lampstands were placed.