Return to 7 Feasts IndexTo: "Hebraic Heritage Newsgroup"<heb_roots_chr@geocities.com> Date: Fri, 17 Oct 1997 00:10:40 +0000 Subject: Sukkot water pouring ceremony
From: "Michael Rice" To: "Hebraic Heratige International" <heb_roots_chr@geocities.com> Subject: Water pouring ceremony
Would you please comment on when the water pouring ceremony occurred during Sukkot. Was this performed each evening or during the last day (7th)? I have read that the procession of priests marched around the altar once each day but on the last evening they encircled it seven times. Did the High Priest draw water from the Pool of Shiloah each night or only on the seventh?
>From Eddie: **************
In my book, "The Seven Festivals of the Messiah", I talk about the water pouring ceremony. It reads as follows:
THE DAILY SUKKOT CEREMONY
Each day of the Temple, there was a special ceremony. The priests were divided into three divisions. The first division were the priests on duty for that festival. They would slay the sacrifices found in Numbers 29. At this time, a second group of priests went to the eastern gate of the temple and went to the Motzah Valley, where the ashes were dumped at the beginning of the sabbath. There they would cut willows. The willows had to be 25 feet in length. After this, they would form a line with all the priests holding a willow. About 25 or 30 feet behind this row of priests allowing room for the willows, would be another row of priests with willows. So, there would be row after row of the willows.
The whole road back to the temple was lined with pilgrims as they went to Jerusalem to celebrate the festival as they were commanded by God to do. There would be a signal and the priests would step out with their left foot, and then step to the right, swinging the willows back and forth. Meanwhile, a third group of priests headed by the high priest went out the gate known as the Water Gate. They had gone to the pool known as "Siloam" (John 9:7, 11) which means "gently flowing waters". There the high priest had a golden vase and drew water known as the living water (mayim hayim) and held it in the vase. His assistant held a silver vase containing wine. Just as the priests in the valley of Motzah began to march toward Jerusalem, so did the priests of Siloam. As they marched toward the city of Jerusalem, the willows made a swishing sound in the wind as they approached the city. The word WIND in Hebrew is Ruach. The word SPIRIT in Hebrew is also Ruach. Therefore, this ceremony was symbolic or representative of the Holy Spirit of God coming upon the city of Jerusalem.
As each of the party reached their respective gates, a trumpet (shofar) was blown. Then one man would stand up and play the flute (the flute represents the Messiah). The flute player is called, "the pierced one". The flute is pierced and Yeshua was pierced during the crucifixion (Psalm 22:16, Zechariah 12:10, John 19:34-37, Rev 1:7).
The flute player led the procession. The pierced one blows the call for the wind adn the water to enter the temple. The priests from Motzah swishing the willows come from the temple and circle the altar seven times. The priests that were slaying the sacrifices are now ascending the altar and they begin to lay the sacrifices on the fires. The high priest and his assistant ascend the altar and all the people of Israel are gathered into the courts around there. The people start singing the song MAYIM saying, "With joy we will draw water out of the well of salvation (Yeshua) (Isaiah 12:3, Mishnah Sukkot 5:1). The high priest takes his vase and pours its contents on one of the corners of the altar where the horns are. The two bowls are built in the altar. Each bowl has a hole in it. The water and wine are poured out over the altar as the priests who had the willow start laying the willows against the altar, making a sukkah (a picture of God's covering) .
MESSIANIC UNDERSTANDING
In this we have a picture of Yeshua as He was on the tree. He was on the altar (tree) when His heart was pierced (John 19:34), then the water and blood separated and they were poured out. God through Yeshua was providing the covering (Sukkah) for all those who would believe in Him.
Wine is representative of marriage, blood, covenant, joy and the Messiah in scripture. The priests took the willows to the altar and set them upright on the side of the altar, forming a wedding canopy or chuppah. The high priest will take his golden vessel and pour out the water on the altar. The assistant will pour out his silver vessel of wine on the altar. When Yeshua was crucified on the tree (a type of altar), His side was pierced and out of His heart poured water and blood (John 19:34). Yeshua said that He was the living water being poured out during the ceremony (John 7:2, 37-38).
>From Michael ****************
In John 8 Yeshua proclaimed on the last day that all who would come to Him, out of their bellys shall flow rivers of Living Water. Was this last day the 7th of Sukkot, Hoshanna Rabah or was it the 8th day which was the Holy convocation?
>From Eddie: **************
HOSHANA RABBAH (THE GREAT SALVATION)
Hoshana Rabbah (literally, the great hosanna or the numerous hosannas) is the SEVENTH DAY of Sukkot (Tabernacles). The main ceremony on Hoshana Rabbah is as follows:
#1) The circling of the altar seven times instead of once while
carrying the four species and reciting the hoshana prayers
#2) The beating of the willows
MESSIANIC UNDERSTANDING
In John 7:37-38, Yeshua said, "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"
At this season of Sukkot (Tabernacles), Isaiah 12:3 was often quoted as it is written:
"Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation (Yeshua). Yeshua in Hebrew means "salvation".
The drama of the water pouring ceremony took on a new dimension when Yeshua attended the Feast of Sukkot. On the seventh day of the feast (Hoshana Rabbah), which literally means, "the great hosannas, the great salvation", the festival activities were different from those of each of the six previous days when the priests circled the altar in a procession singing (Psalm 118:25). On the seventh day of the feast, the people circled the altar seven times. That is why the day is called Hoshana Rabbah, as the cry, Save Now! was repeated seven times. Yeshua's statement in John 7:37-39 was said on Hoshana Rabbah.
So, Yeshua said these words on the 7th day of Sukkot.
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