Sukkot - Drawing Living Water ...

                       ... from the wells of y'shu'ah (salvation)!

And on the last day, the great day of the festival, Yahshua stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me, and let him who believes in Me drink.  As the Scripture said, out of His innermost shall flow rivers of living water."  John 7:37, 38

“See, El is my salvation, I trust and am not afraid. 

For Yah, יהוה, is my strength and my song; and He has become my salvation.”

And you shall draw water with joy from the fountains of [y’shu'ah] salvation.  
 Isaiah 12:2, 3

Chag Sukkot Sameach (joyful Sukkot celebration) and Shalom from within my sukkah!

Because this moed (appointed time/”festival”) of YHVH  is such a joyful time and is my very favorite time of year, I would like to share my joy and scripture reading contemplations with you.

It would be great if we could all be sitting in one big sukkah together in Jerusalem reflecting on the Word of Yah together.    
Perhaps not today….but God says that in the end all nations will come together in Jerusalem to celebrate Sukkot.  Under the Messiah’s reign, we will live together with Him in eternal Sukkot, and then even small things like the pots and the bells on the horses will be labeled as set-apart to YHVH.  (Read Zechariah 14)

For those of you who have never celebrated this appointed time of Sukkot, there is no way to describe the joy or the richness or the rest or the liberty and freedom that this week brings. 
You have to experience it for yourselves!
Really!
I know many don't believe that it could be so wonderful!
I have heard many comments from believers who do not observe YHVH's commands regarding His appointed times...comments such as doing so is just legalism and that as believers we have been set free from the law.

To that, I simply say "try it...you might like it!"

It is far from legalism.  It is out of love for my Elohim, my Redeemer, my Living Water, my Salvation (Yahshua, my y'shu'ah) that I obey YHVH's Word.
And the result is much joy, great richness, and tremendous freedom...especially during Sukkot!

How will you know unless you experience it?  :o)

(Sidenote:  When I "simply say try it..." I realize that in our western culture's time schedule, it is not so simple to stick to God's appointed time schedule of Shabbat and the "no work" days during His moedim.  Yes, that is very true.  It is difficult to adjust ourselves and those around us to a different schedule.  But as difficult as it may be, it IS possible...and so enriching and restful and satisfying, and worth whatever was given up to do so.)

For now, as I sit in my sukkah on this autumn day, enjoying resting and reading and snacking in my sukkah, I want to share with you some of the things I am reading.

Let's start with the scripture that opened this post - John 7:37-38.
In John 7, Yahshua traveled to Jerusalem during Sukkot (obeying the command of Yah His Father, by the way...see Deut. 16:16).  It is on the last day of Sukkot, the Hoshanah Rabah or Great Salvation, that this scripture takes place.
Hoshanah comes from two the words hoshi'ah na (save now) in Psalm118:25.  It is a plea to Yah for Him to save His people.
Save now, I beseech You YHVH...

The tradition on this day was for the priest to fetch water (Living Water, Mayim Chaim) from the Siloam Pool, bring it to the Temple, and pour it on the altar.  This would be accompanied by sounds of great jubilation and singing (Isaiah 12:2) from the assembled people. He would then pray for YHVH to send His Messiah to save them (Psalm 118:25, 26)

... Yah, יהוה, is my strength and my song; and He has become my salvation...
Save now, I beseech You YHVH... Blessed is He who is coming in the Name of יהוה!   We shall bless you from the House of יהוה. 

So here is Yahshua, having traveled to Jerusalem for the appointed time of Sukkot, now standing in the midst of the assembly on the last day of the week-long festival, and during the high point of the festival, the water ceremony and the cry for salvation, He proclaims: “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me, and let him who believes in Me drink.  As the Scripture said, out of His innermost shall flow rivers of living water."

Wow! Would that get my attention!  
Would it get yours too?  
It for sure got the attention of the scribes and Pharisees, and it divided the people who heard it (see the rest of the chapter).

What a claim!  Drinking from the wells of salvation, the Mayim Chaim (Living Water) through Yahshua!  
The next verse says that He was referring to the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit) when He spoke these words.

Which exact Scripture was Yahshua quoting when He said "as the Scripture said, out of His innermost shall flow rivers of living water"?

Well, in that answer lies the rest of this blog post. 
Yahshua was not quoting one exact specific verse.  He was speaking generally of many places in the Scriptures that deal with this topic of the Spirit, salvation, and the flow of Living Water.

That topic - the Living Water and Salvation, and how they tie into Sukkot - is what I want to focus on in this particular blog post.

Can you think of scriptures that speak of life-giving waters flowing and of salvation?
(Of course, Yahshua would have been quoting from and pointing to the Tanakh, the Old Testament, since the New Testament had not yet been written or even lived yet for the most part.)

Let's start with another instance in the book of John - the Samaritan woman at the well.  Yahshua said almost the exact thing to her personally during their meeting at the well.

John 4:13, 14
Yahshua answered and said to her, “Everyone drinking of this water shall thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water I give him shall certainly never thirst. 
And the water that I give him shall become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.”


Now let's turn to the Tanakh and read what YHVH had to say through the prophets about Living Water (Yahshua) and Salvation (Yahshua).

Isaiah 55:1 
Here YHVH is speaking directly to Israel in a continuation of Isaiah 54 where He had said to them "For your Maker is your husband, יהוה of hosts is His Name, and the Set-apart One of Israel is your Redeemer....  For a little while I have forsaken you, but with great compassion I shall gather you.... For though the mountains be removed and the hills be shaken, My kindness is not removed from you, nor is My covenant of peace shaken,” said יהוה, who has compassion on you.... No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment you shall prove wrong. This is the inheritance of the servants of יהוה, and their righteousness from Me,” declares יהוה.

And immediately after that comes invitation in Isaiah 55:1...

“Oh everyone who thirsts, come to the waters. And you who have no silver, come, buy and eat. Come, buy wine and milk without silver and without price."  

Reading Jeremiah 2 gives us a better picture of how vital it is for Israel to choose to accept the invitation for YHVH's Living Waters instead of going after their own dried up and broken water sources.

Jeremiah 2:12-13 

Be amazed, O heavens, at this, and be frightened, be utterly dried up,” declares יהוה. "For My people have done two evils: they have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, to hew out for themselves cisterns, cracked cisterns, which do not hold water. 

2:17-19
 “Have you not done this to yourself, by forsaking יהוה your Elohim when He led you in the way?  And now why take the way to Egypt, to drink the waters of Shihor? Or why take the way to Ashshur, to drink the waters of the River?  Your own evil instructs you, and your back-slidings reprove you.


Now look at the situation in Jeremiah 17:12-14:

An esteemed throne, exalted from the beginning, is the place of our set-apart place.   O יהוה, the expectation of Israel, all who forsake You are put to shame. “Those who depart from Me shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken יהוה, the fountain of living waters.” 
Heal me, O יהוה, so that I am healed. Save me, so that I am saved, for You are my praise.

This is why Israel cries out "Save now! Hoshiah na!"

 Look at another place in Isaiah where YHVH speaks directly to Israel...

Isaiah 44:2-6

Thus said יהוה who made you and formed you from the womb, who helps you, "Do not fear, O Jacob My servant, and Yeshurun, whom I have chosen.  For I pour water on the thirsty, and floods on the dry ground. I pour My Spirit on your seed, and My blessing on your offspring, and they shall spring up among the grass like willows by streams of water." 
One says, "I belong to יהוה"; another calls himself by the name of Jacob; another writes with his hand, "Unto יהוה," and names himself by the name of Israel.  
Thus said יהוה, Sovereign of Israel, and his Redeemer, יהוה of hosts, "I am the First and I am the Last, besides Me there is no Elohim."


And in Isaiah 58:11-14

“Then יהוה would guide you continually, and satisfy your being in drought, and strengthen your bones. And you shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.   
And those from among you shall build the old waste places. You shall raise up the foundations of many generations. And you would be called the Repairer of the Breach, the Restorer of Streets to Dwell In.  If you do turn back your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on My set-apart day, and shall call the Sabbath ‘a delight,’ the set-apart day of יהוה ‘esteemed,’ and shall esteem it, not doing your own ways, nor finding your own pleasure, nor speaking your own words, then you shall delight yourself in יהוה. And I shall cause you to ride on the heights of the earth, and feed you with the inheritance of Jacob your father. For the mouth of יהוה has spoken!” 


And in Psalm 36:7-10

How precious is Your kindness, O Elohim! And the sons of men take refuge in the shadow of Your wings. 
They are filled from the fatness of Your house, And You give them drink from the river of Your pleasures. 
For with You is the fountain of life; In Your light we see light. 
Draw out Your kindness to those who know You, And Your righteousness to the upright in heart.
 


Do you see so far how much YHVH wants Israel to know of His refreshing, His provision, His redemption...His Living Waters? 
And do you also see how Israel will reap the benefits in very practical and tangible ways?
Isn't it exciting to read so much of Yah's guidance, through His Spirit, of His people!
And isn't it exciting to know that YHVH had planned all along to provide salvation for His people Himself with His own Strong Right Hand - Yahshua, the Living Water!


Now let's continue to look at what is still to unfold in the seemingly not-so-distant future.  Let's see how these waters, the physical ones and the spiritual ones, are tied together for eternal Salvation...eternal Sukkot with our Redeemer.
(Yes, I am reading YHVH's Word literally.)

Joel chapter 3 begins with "at that time when I turn back the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem"... and when YHVH will bring all the gentiles to the Valley of Jehoshaphat for judgement there for His people Israel and His land of inheritance Israel.

Look at Joel 3:17-21

"Then you shall know that I am יהוה your Elohim, dwelling in Zion, My set-apart mountain. And Jerusalem shall be set-apart, and foreigners shall not pass through her again.  
And it shall be in that day that the mountains drip with new wine, and the hills flow with milk. And all the streams of Judah shall be flooded with water, and a fountain flow from the House of יהוה and water the valley Shittim. 
Egypt shall become a ruin, and Edom a ruin, a wilderness, because of violence done to the people of Judah, whose innocent blood they shed in their land.  
But Judah shall dwell forever, and Jerusalem to all generations. 
And I shall avenge their blood, which I have not avenged. 
And יהוה shall be dwelling in Zion!”

Zechariah 14 speaks of these physical living waters flowing from Jerusalem, and it also speaks of eternal Sukkot.  (And it also speaks of the destruction of those who fought against Jerusalem.)

Zechariah 14:8, 9, 16

And in that day it shall be that living waters flow from Jerusalem, half of them toward the eastern sea and half of them toward the western sea, in summer as well as in winter.   And יהוה shall be Sovereign over all the earth. In that day there shall be one יהוה, and His Name one.

And it shall be that all who are left from all the gentiles which came up against Jerusalem, shall go up from year to year to bow themselves to the Sovereign, יהוה of hosts, and to observe Sukkot [Festival of Booths]. 


Again this picture of future living, healing water flowing from Jerusalem is found in Ezekiel 47...the whole chapter.  Let's look at several verses...

Ezekiel 47
[1] And he turned me back to the door of the House. And look, water was flowing from under the threshold of the House [Temple] toward the east, for the House faced east, and the water was flowing from under the right side of the House, from the south of the altar. 
[9] “And it shall be that every swarming creature, wherever the stream goes, shall live. And there shall be very many fish, for these waters shall go there, and they are healed. And wherever the stream flows all shall live.

[12] “And by the bank of the stream, on both sides, grow all kinds of trees used for food, whose leaves do not wither and fruit do not fail. They bear fruit every month, because their water flows from the set-apart place. And their fruit shall be for food, and their leaves for healing.”

(Interesting point - right after this YHVH declares on oath the borders of this land that He gave to Israel as an inheritance.)


After looking through so much Scripture filled with the theme of YHVH's Living Water of Salvation given to His people Israel (and remember, we believing gentiles are grafted into His people Israel), it is so much easier to see the importance of the words Yahshua cried out to the crowd on that final day of Sukkot.
 “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me, and let him who believes in Me drink.  As the Scripture said, out of His innermost shall flow rivers of living water."

The importance of His words, His claim, would not have been lost on the crowd and for sure was not lost on the religious leaders.

He was claiming to be the fulfillment of all the Scripture regarding YHVH's plan of Salvation, His plan to provide Living Water...to save His people.

That was a huge claim...and according to John 7 many of the people were ready to believe that Yahshua really is what He claims...the Living Water, the Salvation (y'shu'ah), the promised Messiah!

But again, many were not.  

Even with the picture laid out so perfectly and completely before them - all of this taking place during the ceremony of the living water, after having praised Yah for providing and being Salvation and after having cried out "Hoshiah na! Save us now!", the religious leaders refused to admit that Yah answered their cries with the Messiah right there in the midst of Sukkot!

We can look back at it and say, "why were they so blind?"

But we can also say the same thing about some believers today. 
Yes, they see the truth that Yahshua is YHVH's provision of Salvation, the Messiah, the Living Water.  But they cannot accept the truth of the Tanakh for His people today...the truth of Yah's Word - beginning to end - for everyday living.  Why live by the Word of Yah?  Out of love for Him!  Obedience - I obey because I love Him and trust His ways.

Well, I'm getting a little sidetracked now.

Let's go back to the Word...back to the very end.
We've been given a preview of what's to come, and you were probably reminded of it while reading some of the Scriptures from the prophets just now.

Let's look at the Final Eternal Sukkot with the Eternal Living Water!

Revelation 7:15-17
...they are before the throne of Elohim, and serve Him day and night in His Dwelling Place. And He who sits on the throne shall spread His Tent over them.  They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more, neither shall the sun strike them, nor any heat, because the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne shall shepherd them and lead them to fountains of waters of life. And Elohim shall wipe away every tear from their eyes.


Revelation 21:3-6

  And I heard a loud voice from the heaven saying, “See, the sukkah [booth] of Elohim is with men, and He shall dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and Elohim Himself shall be with them and be their Elohim.  
And Elohim shall wipe away every tear from their eyes, and there shall be no more death, nor mourning, nor crying. And there shall be no more pain, for the former matters have passed away.” 
And He who was sitting on the throne said, “See, I make all matters new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and trustworthy.” 
And He said to me, “It is done! I am the ‘Aleph’ and the ‘Tav’, the Beginning and the End. To the one who thirsts I shall give of the fountain of the water of life without payment. 
 
Revelation 22:1, 2  

And he showed me a river of water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of Elohim and of the Lamb. In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
 

And Yahshua Himself says in Revelation 22:12-13

And see, I am coming speedily, and My reward is with Me, to give to each according to his work.  I am the ‘Aleph’ and the ‘Tav’, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.  Blessed are those doing His commands, so that the authority shall be theirs unto the tree of life, and to enter through the gates into the city.


Finally, in verse 17... 
And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And he who hears, let him say, “Come!” And he who thirsts, come! And he who desires it, take the water of life without paying!


May you draw water from the fountains of Yahshua our Salvation...with JOY and gratitude!

Gina

Yeshua...With Healing In His Wings

A Look at Malachi.

Adonai Tz'vaot says, "But to you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings..." Malachi 4:2

"A woman who'd had a hemorrhage for twelve years approached him from behind and touched the fringe (really tzitzit) on his robe. For she said to herself, 'If I can only touch his robe, I will be healed.' Yeshua turned, saw her and said, 'Courage, daughter! Your trust has healed you.' And she was instantly healed." Matthew 9:20-22

Recently, a friend from my church was at a Bible study and heard something that got her curiosity going. When she emailed me about it, my curiosity was also stirred up! The question is about the two scripture references above in Malachi and Matthew and about how they are related.

The simple answer is that the verse in Malachi is a reference to Yeshua the Messiah, and the verse in Matthew demonstrates his healing power.

However, those who know me know that I am seldom satisfied with the short "simple answer" when it comes to the truth of YHWH's Word! And you are right...I am not satisfied with this short answer! There is far too much richness and truth to be discovered about our God if we just dig into this a bit more.

Let me begin with the fact that Yeshua was Jewish, and He kept the Torah (YHWH's Word, which Yeshua IS, so of course He would KEEP it!). Because He was Torah-observant (not Rabbinical-observant), Yeshua would have followed the command (mitzvah) to wear a reminder of YHWH's Torah as a twisted or braided tassel (tzitzit) on each corner of His garment. He possibly would have been wearing a tallit (prayer shawl) with tzitziyot (plural for tzitzit). Whether or not He was wearing a tallit at all times, He definitely would have been wearing tzitziyot on His covering garments. This was commanded in several places (Numbers 15:38-40, Deuteronomy 22:12) by YHWH as a constant reminder to keep His commandments, His Torah, for all His people throughout all generations.

This tallit, or similar covering garment, has four corners which look like wings, and in fact the tallit is sometimes referred to as the "arba kanfot" which means "four wings". Each wing or corner has a tzitzit which hangs down past the regular garment and is visible as a constant reminder to obey YHWH.

When we know this simple basic fact of a life lived within the Torah of YWHW, a new and deeper understanding of the verse in Malachi begins to unfold!
"But to you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its WINGS."
When the woman with the issue of blood touched the hem of Yeshua's garment, she was actually touching the tzitzit on the wing of His tallit, and she was healed in His Righteousness! She was healed through her faith in the Living Word Yeshua, healed when she followed the Word and took hold of it (the Word here represented by the tzitzit)!

As exciting as this is, I cannot stop here...there is so much more to this verse than just reference to physical healing that comes from trusting and obeying Yeshua as the Living Word. Reading the rest of Malachi reveals so much more regarding YHWH's faithfulness as a covenant-keeping God, so much more of His sovereignty and mercy, so much more of His eternal plan for His people!

From the first verse of this book, YHWH states that He is speaking this prophecy directly to Israel through Malachi (1:1). Adonai begins by proclaiming His love for Israel (1:2). He tells Israel that His greatness is known beyond their borders (1:5), from the farthest east to the farthest west (1:11,14). He chastises Israel, as a father chastises His son, because they have scorned Him and not followed Him with their hearts. YHWH reminds His son Israel that His covenant with Levi was one of life and peace, one of fear and awe, one of honesty and uprightness and turning away from sin (2:4-6).

YHWH warns Israel that because of their sin and turning away from Him, He will curse them and make them contemptible before all the world. He warns, "If you won't listen, if you won't pay attention to honoring my Name, then I will send the curse on you." (2:1-2) YHWH continues with "You have wearied YHWH with your words. Yet you ask, 'How have we wearied Him?' By saying that anyone who does wrong is good from YHWH's perspective, and that He is delighted with them." (2:17) Is this the end of hope for Israel (or for Gentiles)? NO! YHWH is a covenant-keeping God!

Directly after this, Yeshua (YHWH is Salvation!) enters the scene!! Chapter 3 begins with news that is horribly-terrifying and tremendously-great at the same time: "'Look! I am sending my messenger to clear the way before me; and the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple. Yes, the messenger of the covenant, in whom you take such delight - look! Here he comes,' says Adonai-Tzva'ot.
But who can endure the day when He comes?
He will be like a refiner's fire...testing and purifying the silver...the sons of Levi, refining them like gold and silver, so that they can bring offerings to YHWH uprightly....'Then I will approach you for judgment; and I will be quick to witness against...those who don't fear me,' says Adonai-Tzva'ot." (3:1-5)

Yes, it is a terrifying thing to fall on our faces in the presence of Holy YHWH. Who can stand? Who can survive? Is there really hope? NO! There is no hope in our ability to do anything to please YHWH or live up to His standard!

The only hope is in His faithfulness as a covenant-keeping God. Israel's only hope is in the Redeemer, the Purifier, the Refiner, Yeshua the Salvation, who brings us back to YHWH!

"'But because I, YHWH do not change, you sons of Jacob will not be destroyed....Return to Me, and I will return to you,' says Adonai-Tzva'ot." (3:6-7)
"Then those who feared YHWH spoke together: and YHWH listened and heard. A record book was written in His presence for those who feared YHWH and had respect for His name. 'They will be mine,' says Adonai-Tzva'ot, 'on the day when I compose my own special treasure.'" (3:16-17)

Once more YHWH speaks of the Day of Judgment, the terrible day when all will burn and nothing will be left but what is of Him (4:1).
And then comes the promise we started wtih: "but for you who fear MY Name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings..." !!!
This is the promise of the Messiah Yeshua for the chosen people of Israel! In the end, Israel will return to their Adonai and repent and know the truth of Yeshua! This is why this verse is so exciting to me...it IS about healing, but so much more than just physical healing!!

Israel, from now until the end, will experience the fulfillment of this prophecy and also what Paul said in Romans 11...
"stoniness, to a degree, has come upon Israel, until the Gentile world enters in its fullness; and that it is in this way that all Israel will be saved. As the Tanakh (Old Testament) says, 'Out of Tziyon will come the Redeemer; he will turn away ungodliness from Jacob and this will be my covenant with them,...when I take away their sins.'" (Paul is quoting Isaiah 59:20-21 here.)

YHWH is Faithful! He speaks of His eternal faithfulness and restoration in so many places in His word. In Isaiah 62, Israel herself, through Jerusalem, is associated with the Light, Righteousness and Salvation of Adonai. "The nations will see your vindication and all kings your glory. Then you will be called by a new name which YHWH himself will pronounce. You will be a glorious crown in the hand of YHWH....You will no longer be spoken of as 'Abandoned' or your land be spoken of as 'Desolate'; rather you will be called 'My-Delight-Is-In-Her' and your land 'Married', for YWHW delights in you." (2-4) RESTORATION!! HEALING!!

(So many places in the Word speak of this important and exciting truth! Some others to study are Isaiah 30:26, Ezekiel 11 and 36, Isaiah 49:5-6,Luke 2:26-32, and many others.)

Finally, in Revelation 21, all of this comes together - the Lamb IS the LIGHT and the SALVATION, and we dwell forever with Him and with YHWH in the new Jerusalem!!! Israel (with hearts turned to the Messiah) and the Gentile believers in Messiah together as the Bride! RESTORATION!! HEALING!!

This is so exciting! I can't wait to see this happen!
And I will never again look at the commandment of wearing tzitziyot in the same way. What rich meaning YHWH puts into every part of His Torah, His mitzvot, His Word! No wonder He is so serious about our following and obeying His Word with all of our hearts!

In the Restoration and Healing of our Salvation, Yeshua...

Gina