Know: Read John Chapter 7

Note: Mark keywords, including pronouns and phrases. (The Christ, feasts, believe, sign)

Ask questions: (Use tools such as interlinear bibles to search the original meaning of words- free tool here) For example:

• Who was the Spirit given to?

• What are the feats mentioned?

• When was the Spirit given?

• Where?

• Why?

• How was the Spirit given?

Observation: Read Exodus 15:22-25, Exodus 16:2-4, Exodus 17:2-6, Exodus 19-31

What: What does today’s study reveal to you about the nature of God? What truth do I need to apply to my life today?

The Golden Candlestick

“I AM the light of the world.” John 8:12

Positioned opposite the Table of Shewbread, it was lit by seven lighted lamps with a continual supply of oil poured into them. Made of one solid piece of gold, it speaks of the deity of Christ and of the church because, through them, the Divine nature of Christ would be revealed. “You are the light of the world.” (Matthew 5:15-16) 

The Greek word for “oil” is “charisma,” translated as “anointing.” Christ is the Anointed One, and the believers of Christ are "anointed ones,” continually burning with the Spirit and God’s anointing. Without the light from the Candlestick, The Holy Place would remain in shadow, but the light produced highlighted the Table and the Alter of Incense. The ministry of the Holy Spirit is the Oil that continually burns with a believer highlighting Christ in a dark world. 

John 7 opens with Jesus’ biological brothers rejecting him as Christ (the Anointed One) because of their unbelief. When Jesus had given the religious leaders enough time to speculate and talk, he arrived in Judea and challenged their thinking. Next, a heated debate arose among religious leaders about the validity of Jesus as Christ, yet the wonderment of his knowledge of the scriptures caused them to marvel. His understanding of scriptures declared the Father, revealed by the Spirit. His teaching was not to reveal Moses or to add to their self-righteousness. Instead, his teaching pointed away from self-righteousness. The religious leaders were so focused on their ability to keep the law (self-righteousness) that they failed to see God incarnate before them.

Their anger had first been provoked over a man healed on the Sabbath, so Jesus used just one example of Moses’ law (circumcision) to make His point that their arguments were hypocritical, considering they would circumcise on the Sabbath. Jesus is the Sabbath rest who took away the oppression of one man, and the religious found offense with his demonstration of true rest when they would perform a work of the law on a day reserved for “no work.” Ironically, God commanded that every Jewish child be circumcised on the eighth day as a sign of His covenant with Abraham. The eighth day was the first day of a new week following the passing of a completed week. “Eight” is the number of new beginnings and signifies our new life in Christ. The circumcision on the eighth day symbolized our deliverance from the old creation.

Diving deeper, let’s see the contrast between Moses’ law and the Spirit.

After God had delivered His people from Egypt and had parted the Red Sea for them to cross to safety (before manna was provided), the people began to complain about their thirst. (Exodus 15:22-25). The law had not yet been given at this point. The covenant, which was still in place and had not been altered, was the covenant God had made with Abraham- the covenant of everlasting grace and blessing. It was unconditional. There was no punishment in response to their complaints. When they arrived in Marah, they found only bitter water. God showed Moses a tree, and when he cast it into the waters, the waters turned sweet. (Jesus is the Tree of Life who turns bitter into sweet).

A couple of chapters later, in Exodus 17, they encountered another water shortage. When the people began to grumble and complain over their thirst, God told Moses, “Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock in Horeb; and you shall strike the rock, and water will come out of it, that the people may drink.” Exodus 17:6

Moses struck the waters with the same rod he used to strike the Nile River and turn it into blood- the first sign of judgment against the Egyptians. Blood signifies judgment- the rod was a rod of judgment. The cross represents the rod. When Jesus was beaten and scourged, He was the rock that was struck. The rod of judgment fell on him because the law demanded judgment. When the people complained, they were not punished because the law had not yet been given. Instead, God provided water for the people. When Jesus, the Rock of Ages, was struck, all the judgment of the law fell on Him, and in so doing, he reversed the curse and provided rivers of living water from the Spirit of God.

In Exodus 19-31, God wanted to enact a New Covenant with His people to set them apart as a Kingdom of Priests. For two months after the exile from Egypt, the people had lived solely under the covenant of grace made with Abraham. Before, they had only known bondage and slavery, but God delivered them and showered them with blessing, health, and provision; He overlooked their complaints, protected them, and loved them. All He required of them was that they trust Him and not look back.

God wanted to offer them a new Covenant of grace, but they rejected it and asked for a lesser covenant based on their faithfulness and goodness. “All that the Lord has commanded us, we will do.” Exodus 19:8

In response, God backed away; how the people saw God changed. God appeared to His people as terrible and fierce for the first time, so even Moses feared. God changed the way he related to His people. From Egypt to Sinai, God had been close to them; after the law was given, no human being, except the High Priest, could approach God because no one in their self-righteousness measured up to His holiness. After the law was given, if they complained, they died.

Which covenant was the better?

In Exodus 20-31, God gave Moses the 10 Commandments and instructions for building the Tabernacle, which would be God’s dwelling place. The Tabernacle was proof that God wanted to dwell with his people, every piece of it a shadow of redemption through Jesus Christ. After Moses received the instructions, he came back down Mt. Saini with the two stone tablets but stopped short of reaching the bottom.

The people had broken the first commandment, “You shall have no other Gods before me. You shall make no graven image.” The people had convinced Aaron to make them a golden calf to worship using the gold they took from the Egyptians. Now, because of the judgment of the law, three thousand people had to die at the hands of the Levites (priests). Because Moses stopped before reaching the bottom of the mountain, the rest of the people were spared- that was God’s mercy.

Let’s go back to John.

“On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”  But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.” John 7: 37-39

On the day of Pentecost (Acts 2), fifty days after Jesus was resurrected, one hundred twenty disciples were in the upper room waiting for the promise of this Holy Spirit, which Jesus had foretold in John (and other passages). Suddenly, a mighty, rushing wind blew through, tongues of fire landed on each of them, and the Holy Spirit filled the people. Where only the prophets and certain kings of Old experienced the Holy Spirit coming upon them, every person experienced the Spirit indwelling them.

The next thing we see is Peter preaching the Gospel, and three thousand people were saved.

Thus, “the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.” 2 Corinthians 3:6

DAILY QUESTION

How does Jesus deal with our sin today?