Jesus in John: Tabernacles and Dedication

-Introduction

-past Tuesday class – Why does God allow Satan to continue his evil activities? choice, test,

glorification of God

-When we choose to follow God’s ways we glorify God.

-Matt 5:14-16

-Of course, when Jesus was here he certainly glorified God.

-In particular, we find an emphasis on Jesus’ desire to glorify God within John’s account of

the Gospel. Jesus glorified the Father and the Father glorified Jesus.

-John 11:4; 12:23, 27-28; upper room, i.e. John 17:1

-Nobody’s light ever shone brighter to the glory of God than Jesus’.

-So, if we want to continue to progress in letting our lights shine to the glory of God, we need to

continue our efforts to become more like the “light of this world” (John 8:12).

-With this in mind, I want to point out some interesting items from John 7-10.

-John 7:2 – This is the transition in the life of Christ from the Ministry of Withdrawals to the

Later Judean Ministry.

-It had been about 1 ½ years since Jesus had been in Jerusalem.

-It was about 6 months prior the crucifixion. The Later Judean Ministry would include two

of those months – from the Feast of Tabernacles to the Feast of Dedication.

-John 7-10; Luke 10:1-13:21

-Jesus at the Feast of Tabernacles

-The Feast of Tabernacles was one of the “big three” along with Passover and Pentecost.

-It was connected to the general harvest—therefore an expression of thanksgiving—and also

commemorated to the beginning of the wilderness wandering.

-It carried with it the theme of trust—in God’s provisions, in God’s guidance, in God’s

Word (his promises).

-With thoughts toward God’s promises, the Feast also contained a Messianic theme.

-John 7:37-39

-“On the seven days of the Feast, a golden flagon was filled with water from the pool of Siloam

and was carried in a procession led by the High Priest back to the temple. As the procession

approached the watergate on the south side of the inner court three blasts from the…trumpet

connected with joyful occasions were sounded. While the pilgrims watched, the priests

processed around the altar with the flagon, the temple choir singing the Hallel (Pss. 113-118).

When the choir reached Psalm 118, every male pilgrim shook…willow and myrtle twigs tied

with palm in his right hand, while with his left raised a piece of citrus fruit (a sign of the

ingathered harvest), and all cried ‘Give thanks to the Lord!’ three times. The water was offered

to God at the time of the morning sacrifice, along with the daily drink-offering (of wine). The

wine and the water were poured into their respective silver bowls, and then poured out before

the LORD.”

-Ps 113:5-6 – The Jews needed to know Jesus had come from his Heavenly home.

-The people discussed where Jesus was from – John 7:40-42.

-Ps 114:7-8 – imagery of water – God protecting and providing for his people (1 Cor 10:1-4)

-Ps 115:16-18 – Most of the Jews were rendering themselves spiritually dead. They would

exclaim “Praise the Lord” while rejecting Jesus.

-Ps 116:13 – Isa 12:3 – Yet, they didn’t.

-Ps 118:22-24 – The Parable of the Wicked Husbandmen/Tenants – Matt 21:42-45;

Mark 12:10-12; Luke 20:16-18—Acts 4:11-12, 1 Peter 2:7

-v 26 – the triumphal entry - Matt 21:9, Mark 11:9-10, Luke 19:38, John 12:13

-So, we can see that Jesus utilized the scene and practice at the Feast of Tabernacles to

reinforce the truth of his identity. And, he foreshadowed things to come – Acts 2:38-39.

-Rev 22:17

-Jesus at the Feast of Dedication

-As I mentioned already, John 7-10 connects the events at the Feast of Tabernacles with the

events at the Feast of Dedication.

-John 8:12 – One of the 7 “I am” statements—“I am the light of the world.”

-John 9:5

-Notice what Jesus instructs the blind man to do: “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (v 7).

This was the same pool from which the water was taken at the Feast of Tabernacles.

-John 10:22 – Feast of Dedication

-not instituted by God within the Law

-The Jews established this as a way of commemorating events that took place in the inter-

testamental times. Antiochus Epiphanes, a Syrian, took the temple and profaned it with

idolatrous practices. Under the leadership of Judas Macabaeus, the Jews retook the temple

and re-consecrated it to God on 25 Kislev in 164 B.C.

-Also known as The Feast of Lights (Hanukkah – from Hebrew word translated Dedication)

-John 10:22-31

-So, here we have the Light of the world in Jerusalem amidst the Feast of Lights. Unfortunately,

the majority of the Jews blinded themselves to the Light and chose to remain in darkness.

-John 3:19

-Conclusion

-The words and actions of Jesus are powerful in and of themselves. Yet, when you place them

against the backdrop of what the Jews were doing during the Feast of Tabernacles and the Feast

of Dedication, it seems to bring out even more vividness.

-Yet, the Jews who were there in his midst would—in a matter of a few months—see to it that he

was hung upon a cross.

-Yet, we are so fortunate to have the completed, written revelation of God’s will. We are

advantaged to see the whole story.

-And, with it, we see the bright light of Jesus. We see the blessings he offers to the

spiritually hungry and thirsty. We see the full meaning of his sacrifice upon the cross.

-So, the Light of the world still shines. What are you doing in response?

-Matt 5:14-16

-Invitation