As we celebrate the Solemnity of Pentecost, there are some striking facts we come across. The day on which Jesus stood up and declared his global invitation to new life and salvation was the Feast of Tabernacles. The 2023 attack on Israel coincided with Simchat Torah, coming toward the end of the weeklong Jewish festival of Sukkot, which is also known as the Feast of the Tabernacles and is a time of autumnal thanksgiving.

The message of the Feast of Tabernacles is about the future – the second coming of the Messiah, which will be a joyous day for those who know him. When the Messiah comes, he will collect the harvest for the Father’s Kingdom.

In the synagogues, people often read from the Book of Zechariah, specially chapter 14 that foreshadows the return of the Messiah. It speaks of the Messiah’s reign, God’s exaltation of Jerusalem, overcoming Israel’s enemies, and all nations pilgrimaging to God’s Holy City. During the Festival of Booths, the Jewish people also pray for other nations, inviting them to come to Jerusalem to celebrate together, since God already commanded Moses and the Hebrews to include the foreigner in their feasts (Deuteronomy 16:14).

Coming back to that day in time when our Lord made this important declaration; the word tells us that on the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood up and exclaimed, “Let anyone who thirsts come to me and drink. As Scripture says: Rivers of living water will flow from within him who believes in me.”

The question to ask is, “Would anyone have been hungry after such a joyous feast.” While the physical body was being appeased with food and drink the spiritual body was languishing. We yearn for the life giving Spirit. We who have the first fruits of the Spirit, also groan within ourselves as we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. Until we are filled with the Holy Spirit we experience a sort of orphan spirit where no matter how much we practice and are preached to, we still feel far away from God.

Jesus has to speak over our lives and when we are filled with the Holy Spirit, the lights are turned on and we begin to see things the way God sees them. We are gifted with a new heavenly perspective. Praise and worship are a natural outcome. Springs of living water begin to flow from within our hearts. Indeed the real feast begins. We are satisfied and renewed in the Spirit.

PRAYER: Abba Father, we yearn for the life giving Spirit to flow into our being and give us new life. Amen.