The Desire of Ages
by Ellen G. White
Chapter 49: At the Feast of Tabernacles
This chapter is based on John 7:1-15, 37-39.
Three times a year the Jews were required to assemble at
Jerusalem for religious purposes. Enshrouded in the pillar of cloud, Israel's
invisible Leader had given the directions in regard to these gatherings. During
the captivity of the Jews, they could not be observed; but when the people were
restored to their own land, the observance of these memorials was once more
begun. It was God's design that these anniversaries should call Him to the
minds of the people. But with few exceptions, the priests and leaders of the
nation had lost sight of this purpose. He who had ordained these national
assemblies and understood their significance witnessed their perversion. {DA 447.1}
The Feast of Tabernacles was the closing gathering of the
year. It was God's design that at this time the people should reflect on His
goodness and mercy. The whole land had been under His guidance, receiving His
blessing. Day and night His watchcare had continued. The sun and rain had
caused the earth to produce her fruits. From the valleys and plains of
Palestine the harvest had been gathered. The olive berries had been picked, and
the precious oil stored in bottles. The palm had yielded her store. The purple
clusters of the vine had been trodden in the wine press. [448] {DA 447.2}
The feast continued for seven days, and for its celebration
the inhabitants of Palestine, with many from other lands, left their homes, and
came to Jerusalem. From far and near the people came, bringing in their hands a
token of rejoicing. Old and young, rich and poor, all brought some gift as a
tribute of thanksgiving to Him who had crowned the year with His goodness, and
made His paths drop fatness. Everything that could please the eye, and give
expression to the universal joy, was brought from the woods; the city bore the
appearance of a beautiful forest. {DA 448.1}
This feast was not only the harvest thanksgiving, but the
memorial of God's protecting care over Israel in the wilderness. In
commemoration of their tent life, the Israelites during the feast dwelt in
booths or tabernacles of green boughs. These were erected in the streets, in
the courts of the temple, or on the housetops. The hills and valleys
surrounding Jerusalem were also dotted with these leafy dwellings, and seemed
to be alive with people. {DA
448.2}
With sacred song and thanksgiving the worshipers celebrated
this occasion. A little before the feast was the Day of Atonement, when, after
confession of their sins, the people were declared to be at peace with Heaven.
Thus the way was prepared for the rejoicing of the feast. "O give thanks
unto the Lord; for He is good: for His mercy endureth forever" (Psalm
106:1) rose triumphantly, while all kinds of music, mingled with shouts of
hosanna, accompanied the united singing. The temple was the center of the
universal joy. Here was the pomp of the sacrificial ceremonies. Here, ranged on
either side of the white marble steps of the sacred building, the choir of
Levites led the service of song. The multitude of worshipers, waving their branches
of palm and myrtle, took up the strain, and echoed the chorus; and again the
melody was caught up by voices near and afar off, till the encircling hills
were vocal with praise. {DA
448.3}
At night the temple and its court blazed with artificial
light. The music, the waving of palm branches, the glad hosannas, the great
concourse of people, over whom the light streamed from the hanging lamps, the
array of the priests, and the majesty of the ceremonies, combined to make a
scene that deeply impressed the beholders. But the most impressive ceremony of
the feast, one that called forth greatest rejoicing, was one commemorating an
event in the wilderness sojourn. {DA 448.4}
At the first dawn of day, the priests sounded a long, shrill
blast upon their silver trumpets, and the answering trumpets, and the glad
shouts of the people from their booths, echoing over hill and valley, welcomed [449]
the festal day. Then the priest dipped from the flowing waters of the Kedron a
flagon of water, and, lifting it on high, while the trumpets were sounding, he
ascended the broad steps of the temple, keeping time with the music with slow
and measured tread, chanting meanwhile, "Our feet shall stand within thy
gates, O Jerusalem." Psalm 122:2. {DA 448.5}
He bore the flagon to the altar, which occupied a central
position in the court of the priests. Here were two silver basins, with a
priest standing at each one. The flagon of water was poured into one, and a
flagon of wine into the other; and the contents of both flowed into a pipe
which communicated with the Kedron, and was conducted to the Dead Sea. This
display of the consecrated water represented the fountain that at the command
of God had gushed from the rock to quench the thirst of the children of Israel.
Then the jubilant strains rang forth, "The Lord Jehovah is my strength and
my song;" "therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of
salvation." Isaiah 12:2, 3. [450] {DA 449.1}
As the sons of Joseph made preparation to attend the Feast
of Tabernacles, they saw that Christ made no movement signifying His intention
of attending. They watched Him with anxiety. Since the healing at Bethesda He
had not attended the national gatherings. To avoid useless conflict with the
leaders at Jerusalem, He had restricted His labors to Galilee. His apparent
neglect of the great religious assemblies, and the enmity manifested toward Him
by the priests and rabbis, were a cause of perplexity to the people about Him,
and even to His own disciples and His kindred. In His teachings He had dwelt
upon the blessings of obedience to the law of God, and yet He Himself seemed to
be indifferent to the service which had been divinely established. His mingling
with publicans and others of ill repute, His disregard of the rabbinical
observances, and the freedom with which He set aside the traditional
requirements concerning the Sabbath, all seeming to place Him in antagonism to
the religious authorities, excited much questioning. His brothers thought it a
mistake for Him to alienate the great and learned men of the nation. They felt
that these men must be in the right, and that Jesus was at fault in placing
Himself in antagonism to them. But they had witnessed His blameless life, and
though they did not rank themselves with His disciples, they had been deeply
impressed by His works. His popularity in Galilee was gratifying to their
ambition; they still hoped that He would give an evidence of His power which
would lead the Pharisees to see that He was what He claimed to be. What if He
were the Messiah, the Prince of Israel! They cherished this thought with proud
satisfaction. {DA 450.1}
So anxious were they about this that they urged Christ to go
to Jerusalem. "Depart hence," they said, "and go into Judea,
that Thy disciples also may see the works that Thou doest. For there is no man
that doeth anything in secret, and he himself seeketh to be known openly. If
Thou do these things, show Thyself to the world." The "if"
expressed doubt and unbelief. They attributed cowardice and weakness to Him. If
He knew that He was the Messiah, why this strange reserve and inaction? If He
really possessed such power, why not go boldly to Jerusalem, and assert His
claims? Why not perform in Jerusalem the wonderful works reported of Him in
Galilee? Do not hide in secluded provinces, they said, and perform your mighty
works for the benefit of ignorant peasants and fishermen. Present yourself at
the capital, win the support of the priests and rulers, and unite the nation in
establishing the new kingdom. [451] {DA 450.2}
These brothers of Jesus reasoned from the selfish motive so
often found in the hearts of those ambitious for display. This spirit was the
ruling spirit of the world. They were offended because, instead of seeking a
temporal throne, Christ had declared Himself to be the bread of life. They were
greatly disappointed when so many of His disciples forsook Him. They themselves
turned from Him to escape the cross of acknowledging what His works revealed—that
He was the Sent of God. {DA
451.1}
"Then Jesus said unto them, My time is not yet come:
but your time is alway ready. The world cannot hate you; but Me it hateth,
because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil. Go ye up unto this
feast: I go not up yet unto this feast; for My time is not yet full come. When
He had said these words unto them, He abode still in Galilee." His
brothers had spoken to Him in a tone of authority, prescribing the course He
should pursue. He cast their rebuke back to them, classing them not with His
self-denying disciples, but with the world. "The world cannot hate
you," He said, "but Me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the
works thereof are evil." The world does not hate those who are like it in
spirit; it loves them as its own. {DA 451.2}
The world for Christ was not a place of ease and
self-aggrandizement. He was not watching for an opportunity to seize its power
and its glory. It held out no such prize for Him. It was the place into which
His Father had sent Him. He had been given for the life of the world, to work out
the great plan of redemption. He was accomplishing His work for the fallen
race. But He was not to be presumptuous, not to rush into danger, not to hasten
a crisis. Each event in His work had its appointed hour. He must wait
patiently. He knew that He was to receive the world's hatred; He knew that His
work would result in His death; but to prematurely expose Himself would not be
the will of His Father. {DA
451.3}
From Jerusalem the report of Christ's miracles had spread
wherever the Jews were dispersed; and although for many months He had been
absent from the feasts, the interest in Him had not abated. Many from all parts
of the world had come up to the Feast of Tabernacles in the hope of seeing Him.
At the beginning of the feast many inquiries were made for Him. The Pharisees
and rulers looked for Him to come, hoping for an opportunity to condemn Him.
They anxiously inquired, "Where is He?" but no one knew. The thought
of Him was uppermost in all minds. Through fear of the priests and rulers, none
dared acknowledge [452] Him as the Messiah, but
everywhere there was quiet yet earnest discussion concerning Him. Many defended
Him as one sent from God, while others denounced Him as a deceiver of the
people. {DA 451.4}
Meanwhile Jesus had quietly arrived at Jerusalem. He had
chosen an unfrequented route by which to go, in order to avoid the travelers
who were making their way to the city from all quarters. Had He joined any of
the caravans that went up to the feast, public attention would have been
attracted to Him on His entrance into the city, and a popular demonstration in
His favor would have aroused the authorities against Him. It was to avoid this
that He chose to make the journey alone. {DA 452.1}
In the midst of the feast, when the excitement concerning
Him was at its height, He entered the court of the temple in the presence of
the multitude. Because of His absence from the feast, it had been urged that He
dared not place Himself in the power of the priests and rulers. All were
surprised at His presence. Every voice was hushed. All wondered at the dignity
and courage of His bearing in the midst of powerful enemies who were thirsting
for His life. {DA 452.2}
Standing thus, the center of attraction to that vast throng,
Jesus addressed them as no man had ever done. His words showed a knowledge [453]
of the laws and institutions of Israel, of the sacrificial service and the
teachings of the prophets, far exceeding that of the priests and rabbis. He
broke through the barriers of formalism and tradition. The scenes of the future
life seemed outspread before Him. As one who beheld the Unseen, He spoke of the
earthly and the heavenly, the human and the divine, with positive authority.
His words were most clear and convincing; and again, as at Capernaum, the people
were astonished at His teaching; "for His word was with power." Luke
4:32. Under a variety of representations He warned His hearers of the calamity
that would follow all who rejected the blessings He came to bring them. He had
given them every possible proof that He came forth from God, and made every
possible effort to bring them to repentance. He would not be rejected and
murdered by His own nation if He could save them from the guilt of such a deed.
{DA 452.3}
All wondered at His knowledge of the law and the prophecies;
and the question passed from one to another, "How knoweth this Man
letters, having never learned?" No one was regarded as qualified to be a
religious teacher unless he had studied in the rabbinical schools, and both
Jesus and John the Baptist had been represented as ignorant because they had
not received this training. Those who heard them were astonished at their
knowledge of the Scriptures, "having never learned." Of men they had
not, truly; but the God of heaven was their teacher, and from Him they had
received the highest kind of wisdom. {DA 453.1}
As Jesus spoke in the temple court, the people were held
spellbound. The very men who were the most violent against Him felt themselves
powerless to do Him harm. For the time, all other interests were forgotten. {DA 453.2}
Day after day He taught the people, until the last,
"that great day of the feast." The morning of this day found the
people wearied from the long season of festivity. Suddenly Jesus lifted up His
voice, in tones that rang through the courts of the temple: {DA 453.3}
"If any man thirst, let him come unto Me, and drink. He
that believeth on Me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow
rivers of living water." The condition of the people made this appeal very
forcible. They had been engaged in a continued scene of pomp and festivity,
their eyes had been dazzled with light and color, and their ears regaled with
the richest music; but there had been nothing in all this round of ceremonies
to meet the wants of the spirit, nothing to [454]
satisfy the thirst of the soul for that which perishes not. Jesus invited them
to come and drink of the fountain of life, of that which would be in them a
well of water, springing up unto everlasting life. {DA 453.4}
The priest had that morning performed the ceremony which
commemorated the smiting of the rock in the wilderness. That rock was a symbol
of Him who by His death would cause living streams of salvation to flow to all
who are athirst. Christ's words were the water of life. There in the presence
of the assembled multitude He set Himself apart to be smitten, that the water
of life might flow to the world. In smiting Christ, Satan thought to destroy
the Prince of life; but from the smitten rock there flowed living water. As Jesus
thus spoke to the people, their hearts thrilled with a strange awe, and many
were ready to exclaim, with the woman of Samaria, "Give me this water,
that I thirst not." John 4:15. {DA 454.1}
Jesus knew the wants of the soul. Pomp, riches, and honor
cannot satisfy the heart. "If any man thirst, let him come unto Me."
The rich, the poor, the high, the low, are alike welcome. He promises to
relieve the burdened mind, to comfort the sorrowing, and to give hope to the
despondent. Many of those who heard Jesus were mourners over disappointed
hopes, many were nourishing a secret grief, many were seeking to satisfy their
restless longing with the things of the world and the praise of men; but when
all was gained, they found that they had toiled only to reach a broken cistern,
from which they could not quench their thirst. Amid the glitter of the joyous
scene they stood, dissatisfied and sad. That sudden cry, "If any man
thirst," startled them from their sorrowful meditation, and as they
listened to the words that followed, their minds kindled with a new hope. The
Holy Spirit presented the symbol before them until they saw in it the offer of
the priceless gift of salvation. {DA 454.2}
The cry of Christ to the thirsty soul is still going forth,
and it appeals to us with even greater power than to those who heard it in the
temple on that last day of the feast. The fountain is open for all. The weary
and exhausted ones are offered the refreshing draught of eternal life. Jesus is
still crying, "If any man thirst, let him come unto Me, and drink."
"Let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water
of life freely." "Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give
him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a
well of water springing up into everlasting life." Revelation 22:17; John
4:14. {DA 454.3}
Click here to read the next chapter:
"Among Snares"
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