A pool called Sent – reading Moses, missing Messiah

by Rob Berman and Michael Sischy, Jews for Jesus South Africa

The Feast of Tabernacles or Sukkot (meaning ‘booths’ in Hebrew) was mandated by the Lord to commemorate the presence and provision of God during Israel’s wilderness wanderings, and it was to be an annual season of joy. Many traditions arose around this celebration, one of which focused on living water. Isaiah tells us, ‘Therefore with joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation’ (Isaiah 12:3). During this feast, the priests would lead a procession from the Temple area down to the pool of Siloam (meaning ‘sent’ in Hebrew; therefore, literally: the pool of Sent). They would draw water from this pool, take it back to the Temple area, circle the altar and pour it out, calling upon God to send rain, the waters of heaven – life-giving water (the Hebrew: Mayim Chayim) – for the season of harvest that was to follow.

What was the source of the pool’s water? The history is fascinating. About 700 years prior, as the Assyrians were preparing to invade Israel, King Hezekiah made preparations to secure the water supply of Jerusalem. He had engineers build a tunnel to bring water from the Gihon spring to this pool. This tunnel still exists, and the cool and refreshing water flows to this day.

During Sukkot, Yeshua gave the most incredible invitation to all who were present that day, enjoying the joy and festivity of the Holy Day. He gave an ‘altar call’, inviting the thirsty to come to Him to have their thirst quenched. But the invitation did not stop there: they would also become a well that would be a source of living water for others.

The political-religious establishment, however, was extremely threatened by Yeshua’s words and sought to arrest him – but the Temple guards sent to arrest Him came back empty-handed, as they were also amazed at His teachings. Nicodemus – one of the religious leaders – tried to correct them, as they were passing judgement on Yeshua before listening to him. Sadly, they had already been blinded by their traditions and interpretation of the words that God gave Moses. They had decided that Yeshua could not be from God as He repeatedly broke the Sabbath injunctions: previously, He had healed a cripple on the Sabbath, and that cripple had taken up his mat and walked. The religious leaders only saw a man carrying a load on the Sabbath and completely missed the miraculous healing of a 38-year-old paralytic.

Yeshua had encountered a phenomenon that was not new to the people of God: they had added to the words God gave Moses and then elevated those words and traditions of men above God’s word, rendering it void. This had blinded them to the truth that the word of God made flesh – Messiah Yeshua – was speaking with them. They were reading Moses but were blinded by their traditions. As a result, they had missed Messiah – the One whom Moses had written about (but before we judge the Pharisees too harshly, we should remember that we, too, can easily get stuck in our traditions – we can read Moses but miss Messiah).

While in the city, Yeshua and His disciples noticed a man who had been born blind. The disciples asked whether this man or his parents had sinned to receive such a judgement. Yeshua told them that the reason was so that God could be glorified. Yeshua then made mud from sand and his spit, put it on the man’s eyes and sent him to go wash in the pool of Siloam. The man obeyed, and suddenly he could see for the first time. How amazing! God’s grace and mercy were displayed. This work of the Lord was a sign pointing to who Yeshua is, a confirmation that He is Messiah, the Saviour of the world, Immanuel: God with us. The sign was a true witness – a testimony.

The man was then questioned by the Pharisees, who could not believe that he was the man who had been born blind. How could Yeshua have healed him? Yeshua was a sinner, as – once again – He had healed a man on the Sabbath. The Pharisees’ preconceived ideas and judgements blinded them to the miracle before them, which pointed to Messiah. The man, however, was a reliable witness and simply testified about Yeshua, ‘One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see’ (John 9:25). Ironically, the man who was born blind was now the only one who could see. He had seen God, and when He found Yeshua again, he bowed down and acknowledged and worshipped the One who had given Him sight and eternal life – the true living water.

Yeshua then warned the Pharisees, telling them that they were, in effect, refusing to come to Him to be healed. They, too, had been given the invitation, but they spurned it, refusing this living water. This was a warning of what religious pride would do to them: it would leave them spiritually blind, cut off from God and in a state of sin, death and perpetual spiritual thirst. Yeshua exhorted them to understand that He had been sent from heaven to bring healing. And after He had risen from the dead, Yeshua sent His disciples/apostles out to invite people to come and drink the living water (the word apostle also means ‘sent one’).

Yeshua had been sent by His heavenly Father so that we could find our way back to God. When Adam and Eve had eaten of the forbidden fruit, God ‘sent’ them out of the Garden, in case they would put forth their hand (‘send their hand’ in Hebrew) to the tree of life and eat of it in their fallen spiritual state. In God’s grace, He sent our parents away so that we could later be redeemed by the One who was sent to make a way back home: Messiah Yeshua.

During this season of Sukkot, let us once again listen to the words, voice and invitation of the One who cried out in the Temple area, ‘If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink’ (John 7:37). Let us heed His words and invitation while we still can, and let us take His words to those who are still thirsty – Jew and Gentile alike.

Let us be the sent ones.