Hoshana Rabbah, Yeshua, and the water drawing ceremony of Sukkot
Hoshana Rabbah is an ancient Jewish custom of drawing water that took place on the seventh day of the festival of Sukkot (Also known as the Feast of Tabernacles.) The name means "The Great Salvation."
An illustrated image of two priests performing the water drawing ceremony of Hoshana Rabbah (AI Image: The Ancient Way)
It's on this day that Yeshua stood in the temple at the end of Sukkot and declared these words:
On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Yeshua stood up and cried out loudly, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture says, ‘out of his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’”
—John 7:37-38
The mention of living water takes us back to so many passages in the Hebrew Bible. We remember the words of the prophet Isaiah as he proclaimed the Lord's salvation:
Behold, God is my salvation! I will trust and will not be afraid. For the Lord Adonai is my strength and my song. He also has become my salvation.”
With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.
In that day you will say: “Give thanks to Adonai. Proclaim His Name! Declare His works to the peoples, so they remember His exalted Name.
—Isaiah 12:2-4 (go read the rest of this passage!)
As this great week of joy comes to an end, we celebrate our Father's mercy and goodness to bring the hostages home.
We praise Him for every good thing He bestows upon us.
We give Him thanks for the living water He has placed within us.
May His great name be exalted forever!
🙏 🙌
