40 Days in the Book of JOHN
Dr Jim Brown's TruNorth Devotional
40 Days in the Book of JOHN
Day 15 | THE PROMISE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT | John 7:37-39
40 Days in the Book of JOHN
Day 15 | THE PROMISE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT | John 7:37-39
THE PROMISE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
John 7:37-39
“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.”
This event took place during the annual seven-day Feast of Booths (aka “Tabernacles”) – which occurred in October as the Jews celebrated and gave thanks for the harvest. The Pharisees were already plotting to have Jesus arrested (for making himself equal with God), and thus the passage reads: “On the last day.”
If you were being sought by a group who wanted you arrested and killed, would you have shown up where they were and shouted out to the crowd as Jesus did?
Well, Jesus did and said: “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.”
These three words – thirst, come and drink - summarize the Gospel invitation. The thirsty soul feels a need, then comes to the Savior and drinks.
Then Jesus goes on to say – as he did with the woman at the well – that belief in Him would provide “living water” for one’s soul. No one fully understood the depth of Jesus’ comments at this time, but Jesus was talking about the promise of the coming of the Holy Spirit at the Day of Pentecost, which we read about in Acts chapter 2.
Today, we followers of Jesus have the Holy Spirit – the living water – within us. We need never thirst for the Lord as He is with us always.
Prayer: Lord, thank You for this marvelous promise – to meet the thirsty needs of our souls. You have provided a way for all of us thirsty people to come and drink, and you have provided Living Water, the Holy Spirit, who resides with us forever. Thank You, Amen.
John 7:37-39
“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.”
This event took place during the annual seven-day Feast of Booths (aka “Tabernacles”) – which occurred in October as the Jews celebrated and gave thanks for the harvest. The Pharisees were already plotting to have Jesus arrested (for making himself equal with God), and thus the passage reads: “On the last day.”
If you were being sought by a group who wanted you arrested and killed, would you have shown up where they were and shouted out to the crowd as Jesus did?
Well, Jesus did and said: “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.”
These three words – thirst, come and drink - summarize the Gospel invitation. The thirsty soul feels a need, then comes to the Savior and drinks.
Then Jesus goes on to say – as he did with the woman at the well – that belief in Him would provide “living water” for one’s soul. No one fully understood the depth of Jesus’ comments at this time, but Jesus was talking about the promise of the coming of the Holy Spirit at the Day of Pentecost, which we read about in Acts chapter 2.
Today, we followers of Jesus have the Holy Spirit – the living water – within us. We need never thirst for the Lord as He is with us always.
Prayer: Lord, thank You for this marvelous promise – to meet the thirsty needs of our souls. You have provided a way for all of us thirsty people to come and drink, and you have provided Living Water, the Holy Spirit, who resides with us forever. Thank You, Amen.