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Lesson Notes:

(John 7:37-38) – The feast of the new year is a series of three celebrations (Lev. 23:23-44)
unfolding from the first day of Tishri (Sept-Oct) with the Trumpet Festival [Rosh-Ha-Shanah]
sounding the beginning of a new year, an alarm calling every tribe to come together as a single
nation. The tenth day is celebrated as the Day of Atonement, the annual sin offering for the
nation (burnt offering-wholly consumed), one bullock, one ram, seven first year lambs without
blemish, and one goat. (Num. 29:7-11)
The final feast in the trio is Succoth, the celebration of tabernacles, dwelling seven days in a
temporary habitat (booth). Living outdoors in a fabricated booth, away from the comforts of
their homestead, was a physical reminder of the conditions their forefathers experienced
during the pilgrimage through the wilderness to the Promised Land.

The last day of the feast would be the seventh day of residency in the makeshift dwellings. On
that day, as they were depicting the trek through the desert wilderness, Jesus-Messiah
announced, “if any man thirst let him come to me and drink”.
Finding watering holes available along the course of travel was a key factor when plotting a
journey through the wilderness. A significant bonus would be to find a well or cistern as a
source for water, indicating that someone previously made the journey, built a well to make it
possible for future travelers to benefit.
The Messiah used the moment to present Himself as the source of water, (needed provision) in
the wilderness of life. The spirit and life found in His words will create a river of life in the belly,
the hollow cavity in the heart and soul of those that will drink (consume).
(John 7:39) – He was speaking to them about the Holy Spirit, already present in the world. The
physical presence of God represented by the Son of God (God actively present on earth) would soon
physically depart but His spirit already present would remain. The invisible Spirit of God has
always been actively present on the earth but not constantly present in the lives of men.

Teaching Note: The Holy Spirit will be given to men, allowing God to have residence in man.
The living water was a reference to the Holy Spirit, that would take permanent residence inside
the hearts and soul of men. The Holy Ghost would be a constant source of God’s eternal
presence, like the breath God gave to Adam to convert him into a living soul.

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