The Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot) takes place on October 2nd and 3rd this year. It was during a Feast of Tabernacles almost 2000 years ago that some strange events occurred in Jerusalem that had eternal consequences.
In the eighth chapter of the Gospel of John, the story of the adulterous woman is recounted. The Rabbis confronted Jesus as to her fate. Jewish law called for her to be stoned to death. The law specified that the adulterer should also have been judged and put to death -- but the woman stood alone before the accusers. This was a trap to discredit the Messianic claim Jesus had made just 24 hours earlier. If he ignored the law, which called for death by stoning, they would not only have proved that he could not have been the Messiah, but would have put him in danger of also being stoned to death as well. Jesus' solution was unique. He did not debate them. He simply commanded: "He who is without sin, cast the first stone." He then stooped down and began to write in the sand. Surely the people that gathered to observe this spectacle thought this very strange, but one by one the accusers dropped their stones and left.
This begs the question, what did Jesus write in the sand?
Some think Jesus wrote their sins in the sand. Others think Jesus was writing Scripture. Is there some way of knowing for sure what he wrote and what meaning this holds for mankind? Surely if this woman was spared by Jesus from certain death, would he not be willing to save us as well?
The answer lies in the understanding of the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot) that was going on at the time Jesus was confronted about the adulterous woman (John 7:2). There were two outstanding features which characterized the Temple service during the Feast of Tabernacles -- the pouring of water in the Temple and the brilliant illumination of the Temple (Feast of Lights).
John 7:37 tells us that on the last day of the feast, Jesus cried out, saying, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.'' (John 7:38) Jesus' statement about living waters goes hand in hand with the ceremony that was taking place within the Temple and is a key in understanding what Jesus wrote in the sand. In the Temple, the service centered around a ritual of the water-pouring which lasted six days and climaxed on the seventh (Hoshanah Rabah, the day of the Great Hosanna) with a ceremony of messianic significance called the Feast of the Rejoicing of the House of the Water-Pouring (Simcha Bet Ha-sho-evah).
The highlight of the ceremony came when the priest dramatically poured water over the Altar of the Temple. The Talmud indicates that the multitudes responded with tremendous joy, because they understood the Messianic significance of Isaiah 12:3: "With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation." "salvation" is the Hebrew name "Yeshua" -- the name of Jesus. The people understood that, on a spiritual level, there was more going on then just the outpouring of temporal water -- it was a ceremony that spoke of the Messiah's appearance. They were elated. However, in the context of this feast, the Rabbis interpreted Jesus' declaration (John 7:38) as a Messianic claim, and so plotted to trap him.
The climactic water-pouring ceremony (on the last day of the feast) involved three divisions of priests. The first division would slay and prepare the sacrifices. The second division went out of the Temple through the East Gate to the valley, where they dumped the ashes from the sacrifice after each Shabbot service. There, they cut down willows measuring 25 feet in length. The priests then would line up shoulder to shoulder in courses 30 feet apart, all holding their willows. The road back to the Temple would be filled with pilgrims waving palm branches and chanting the Hallel (Psalms 113-118). The closing words of Psalm 118 are "Ana Adonai Hoshiana'' ("Save now, I beseech thee, O Lord...Blessed be He that cometh in the name of the Lord...''). The words "Save now''
(in Hebrew, "Hoshiana'') is why this day was known as the "Great Hosanna'', a day of prayer and great rejoicing for the speedy salvation through the Messiah. This is reminiscent of Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem where the people waved palm branches and shouted "Hosanna to the Son of David,'' meaning "Save us, Son of David.''
The priests would then start their return journey. When they stepped to the left, the willows would be moved to the left; when they stepped to the right, the willows would be moved to the right. Meanwhile, the third group (led by the High Priest and his assistant) exited out the Water Gate to the pool known as the Pool of Siloam (Shiloach - Pool of Gently Flowing Waters). There the High Priest drew the water known as "Living Water'' into a golden vase. His assistant carried a silver vase containing wine. As the priests with the willows marched, the High Priest and his group made their way from the pool back to their respective gates.
As they walked, the willows would make a swishing sound, like the wind. The word for wind in Hebrew is Ruach (Spirit). It must have sounded like the wind (Spirit) approaching the city (a picture of Pentecost). A Shofar (horn) was blown as they reached their respective gates, and then a man stood up and played the flute. It was the flutist who led the pilgrims up to Jerusalem to worship as the call went out, "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord.'' The word for flutist in Hebrew is "Hala'', meaning "Pierced One''. The "Pierced One'' led the people up to the Temple and sounded the call for the Ruach and the Water to enter the Temple. This Pierced One is certainly a reference to Messiah Jesus, whose hands, feet and side were pierced on the cross.
The priests with the willows entered the Temple and circled the Altar seven times, swishing the willows back and forth. The priests began laying their willows against the Altar, making a Succah (a tabernacle). The other group of priests, those who slew the sacrifices, then ascended to the top of the Altar and laid the sacrifices on the Altar. The people gathered in the courts and the area around the Temple. The High Priest took his vase and poured it on one corner of the Altar where the horns were. There were two bowls built into the corner of the Altar, each with a hole in it. There the water from the gold vase (living water) and the wine from the silver base were poured out over the Altar.
This is a picture of Jesus on the cross. He was our sacrifice on the Altar of the cross; and when they pierced his heart, the water and the blood that had separated were poured out. It was of His blood that Jesus spoke at the last supper. Jesus said "Take this cup (the cup of redemption) and drink from it. This is the blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.''
It was at the height of this Messianic fervor at the Festival of the Water-Pouring that Jesus proclaimed "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.'' It was a clear Messianic claim. The Rabbis could not have missed it. They themselves would have been teaching on everything that dealt with the festival for almost a month before the actual event. They would have cross-referenced the scriptures, and every reference to "`living water'' would have been tied to the Feast of Succoth.
Let us return to our question. What did Jesus write in the sand?
I believe the answer lies in Jesus' fulfillment of an obscure prophesy (Jeremiah 17:12-13). "A glorious throne, exalted from the beginning, is the place of our sanctuary.'' The sanctuary was a reference to the Temple. We are told that Jesus was in the Temple (John 8:2) when the adulterous woman was brought to Jesus. The Temple was the focal point of the celebration outlined above. The next verse says "`O LORD, the hope of Israel, all who forsake you will be put to shame. Those who turn away from you will be written in the dust because they have forsaken the LORD, the spring of living water.''
Remember, the Rabbis who were trying to trap Jesus did not believe He was the Messiah. But these men, because this passage dealt with living waters and was associated with the ceremony in the Temple, were teaching this very passage in Jeremiah. These were the same men who just 24 hours earlier had rejected Jesus' call that "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.''
When Jesus said "You who are without guilt, cast the first stone'', they were deeply convicted ("all who forsake you will be put to shame.'') One by one, they dropped their stones as Jesus wrote their names in the dust ("Those who turn away from you will be written in the dust because they have forsaken the LORD, the spring of living water'').
How does this relate to each of us.
Jesus did not come to condemn the world but to save it. Jesus asked the adulterous woman: "Who accuses you?'' "No one, sir'', she replied. "Then neither do I condemn you,'' Jesus declared. "Go and sin no more.'' (John 8:11) Jeremiah 17:14 concludes "Heal me, O LORD, and I will be healed; save me, and I will be saved, for you are the one I praise.''
Do you want to be saved and healed? Have you committed sins that you feel are to shameful to be forgiven? Neither does Jesus condemn you. He wants to save you, if only you will open the door to Him.
"Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. "To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne." (Rev 3:20-21)
He will come in, and your life will be gloriously changed forever. The old shall be washed away, and you will be made new.
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." (2 Cor 5:17)
Where is your name written? Is it written in the dust of the earth or in the Lamb's Book of Life? The choice is yours. Jesus is willing to forgive all your sins (no matter how grievous), to come into your life as Lord and Savior, to make you a new creation, and to take you to heaven when you die. "He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels." (Rev 3:5)
As the attacks on the World Trade Center demonstrate, we do not know when our end will come. It could be just one heartbeat away. If we die without the forgiveness of sins that Jesus purchased for us on the cross, our eternal destination is fixed. Come to the fountain of living waters. Drink from the wells of salvation, that you may live forever with Jesus.
"Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into
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