John 7:37-52 Living Waters
Joel 2:28-32, Acts 2, Exodus 17, Psalm 118
Picture the throng in Jerusalem on the final day of the feast. Thousands upon thousands, they recite the halel psalms 115-118 in unison while the musicians play making a roar of praise to God. They follow intently the procession of priests and musicians going out from the temple to the pool of Siloam and then back through the water gate. Read Psalm 118:22-29. The high priest brings the pitcher to the altar and raises a hand for silence. As the echoes die away the high priest pours the water out at the altar, signifying the life of God at the place of sacrifice. In this moment a voice rises up out of the crowd crying out, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink.Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” Reference Isaiah 44:3.
Jesus had previously turned water into wine and had told the woman at the well about living water and now he is declaring the fulfillment of the prophecy in Joel 2:28-32. This was brought to completion on Pentecost. Acts 2:1-4.
Some of the people believed in Jesus and some didn’t. Those who believed saw his works and heard his teaching. They had eyes to see and ears to hear. Those who did not believe cited their presumption about Jesus’ birthplace even though they were at the temple where Jesus had been dedicated and there was a searchable record that showed Jesus’ lineage and birthplace. (The priests who opposed him were fully aware of this.) It was then, and is now that those who reject Christ must reject knowledge and act on presumption to maintain unbelief. C.S. Lewis, Lee Strobel, Josh McDowell and many others have found that looking into the claims of Christ with honesty leads to the conclusion that he is who he says he is, the savior of the world.
The temple guards return to the priests empty handed. Their mission failed because Jesus’ teaching was unlike anything they had heard before. These men stood in the temple day after day listening to all the rabbis teaching. When they said Jesus was different they knew what they were talking about.
The reply of the Pharisees was harsh but as Proverbs 17:12 says, “Better to meet a grizzly robbed of her cubs than a fool hellbent on folly.” They weren’t any nicer to Nicodemus who merely suggested that they ought to be reasonable rather than rash. Revelations 21:5-6, “He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life.”
brotherpayne 