Welcome to Van Life Devotions. Last week I visited The Brisbane Synagogue. This historic building was built in 1885. The earliest Jews in Australia came as British prisoners in the late 18th century. For the next 100 years, economic opportunity and social freedom attracted Jewish immigrants, mainly from England and Germany. Refugees from Poland and Russia came in the 1890s and early 20th century. When Hitler came to power, Australia allotted an extra 15,000 visas for “victims of oppression”. Today the Australian Jewish population is approximately 112,000 – the ninth largest in the world.
It is in the month of October that one of the Jewish festivals is celebrated. The Feast of Tabernacles is a week-long festival that remembers the 40-year journey of the Israelites in the wilderness. Throughout the week, Jews, back in ancient times as well as many today, observe this time by building and dwelling in temporary shelters, just like the Hebrew people did while wandering in the desert. In the time of Jesus, the Jews would sleep in them. Today, the Jews who observe this Festival mainly eat in them during that week. In Jerusalem there would be thousands of makeshift tents. It was and still is a joyful occasion as it is a reminder of when God led the Israelites by his presence in the Sinai desert as they lived in tents and that the Lord provided for their every need.
There were a couple of symbolic happenings during this week. First, the Priest would pour water over the alter inside the Temple as a symbol of Israel’s hope for future rains to produce an abundant harvest. It was during the height of this ceremony, on the final day of the feast, that Jesus chose to stand up and say in a loud voice: “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” (John 7:37-38 NIV). The Apostle John interpreted this to be the Holy Spirit flowing through those who spiritually thirst for God.
There was also another symbolic happening during this week. The four golden oil-lamps in the Court of Women that stood 75-feet high, and the candelabras were lit as a reminder of the pillar of fire that had led the Hebrews in their wilderness journey. The light was so bright that it is said to have illuminated the entire city. It was during this festival that Jesus declared: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12 NIV).
I trust that this festival that our Jewish friends still celebrate gives you some context why Jesus said what He said. For Christians, Jesus is the Light of the World who has now blessed us with His Holy Spirit flowing through us.
Prayer:
Dear God, thank you for the rich symbolic history of our faith. May You come and fill me with river of living water – your Holy Spirit. I acknowledge You are the light of the world. Please help me to reflect Your light wherever You place us. O God, preserve us who travel; surround us with your loving care; protect us from every danger; and bring us in safety to our journey’s end; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
David Moyes
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