约翰福音7:37-39

恩惠、平安从父神和救主耶稣基督归于你们所有同感一位圣灵的人。阿们。

37 节期的末日，就是最大之日，耶稣站着高声说：「人若渴了，可以到我这里来喝。38 信我的人就如经上所说：『从他腹中要流出活水的江河来。』」39 耶稣这话是指着信他之人要受圣灵说的。那时还没有赐下圣灵来，因为耶稣尚未得着荣耀。

约翰福音这段经文中所说的节期就是住棚节，最早见于摩西所写的利未记，也是以色列人出埃及之后，在旷野的路上。神吩咐摩西要这样吩咐以色列人，等他们到了应许之地，要如何如何。住棚节是犹太人日历的七月15日开始，连续七天。第八天就是今天经文所说的节期末日，最大之日。住棚节的主要目的是什么呢？利未记23章中记载：“你们要住在棚里七日；凡以色列家的人都要住在棚里，好叫你们世世代代知道，我领以色列人出埃及地的时候曾使他们住在棚里。我是耶和华——你们的神。”（利23:43）

换句话说，住棚节是召集所有以色列人，让他们再一次身体力行地记念神的救恩，带领他们脱离埃及为奴之地，信实地带领他们走旷野，进入应许之地，让他们重温这段与神单独在旷野相处的经历。也是神自己身份和作为的宣告，“我是耶和华——你们的神”，要让以色列的世世代代都知道，不可忘记神。

好，那么在这样的节期背景之下，为什么主耶稣问众人，或者发出邀请说：“人若渴了，可以到我这里来喝”呢？我们从属灵的意思，当然可以直接说，这是指着人灵魂的干渴说的，人的灵魂对救恩、对神自己的需要，而耶稣，这位道路、真理和生命，就是来满足人的这最大的需要。是这样，这确实就是主耶稣高声宣告的信息的本质。

但我们再仔细分析一下细节。弟兄姐妹们，重温以色列人出埃及走旷野的历史，未必都是欢喜快乐的，因为以色列人走在救恩的路上也犯罪，惹神发怒。其中以色列人最明显的罪就是抱怨，之前我们说过，抱怨可不是小事情。他们抱怨的主要是什么呢？一个是没有肉吃，吃的不香，神就降鹌鹑肉，后来天天赐吗哪给他们吃，直到他们进入迦南美地。另一个抱怨的事情是什么？是喝水，水苦，或者快没水喝等等。在旷野的路上，摩西按照神的吩咐，击打磐石、以及吩咐磐石，水就源源不断地流淌出来给他们喝。

约翰福音也特别针对这两件事情来见证主耶稣的作为和身份。我们今天读的福音经文是第七章，而第六章中，约翰告诉我们，主耶稣自己说，祂是生命的粮：“我就是生命的粮。到我这里来的，必定不饿；信我的，永远不渴。……人若吃这粮，就永远活着。我所要赐的粮就是我的肉，为世人之生命所赐的。”（约6:34,51）到了第七章，住棚节的最后一天，也是整个节期的高潮部分，主耶稣高声宣告说：“人若渴了，可以到我这里来喝。”

保罗在哥林多前书10章中如此解释说：“弟兄们，我不愿意你们不晓得，我们的祖宗从前都在云下，都从海中经过，都在云里、海里受洗归了摩西；并且都吃了一样的灵食，也都喝了一样的灵水。所喝的，是出于随着他们的灵磐石；那磐石就是基督。”

摩西是吩咐磐石以及用杖击打磐石让水流出来，主耶稣这样宣告的时候，是告诉人祂就是活水的源泉，祂就是那被杖击打的磐石。而这口渴也是代表着认罪和悔改。这口渴不是说有些人不渴，而是邀请所有人都来喝，都来信耶稣，就像世上活着的人没有一个不口渴的；况且这节期的最后一天，意味着大家都要散去回家乡了，他们需要预备充足的水在路上喝，某种意义上也提醒他们出埃及的旅程。

弟兄姐妹们，我们作为新约的基督徒，不需要守住棚节，但是我们应当明白，我们在地上这一生其实都是过客，真的过客，不是文学上的修辞说法。这地上不是我们的久留之地。无论你的房子再漂亮、再结实、再舒适温馨，都是暂时的。进一步说，无论你的身体保养的再好，都会朽坏，都需要脱去，在基督里等候盼望那将来崭新的、永恒的、不会朽坏的、复活的身体。所以你看，保罗和彼得都以帐棚来比作我们的身体。哥林多后书5:2“我们在这帐棚里叹息，深想得那从天上来的房屋，好像穿上衣服。”彼得后书1:14“因为知道我脱离这帐棚的时候快到了，正如我们主耶稣基督所指示我的。”

从这个层面来说，我们基督徒在地上的一生就是出埃及的旅程，终点不是地上的圣城耶路撒冷，而是天上永存的基业。我们在地上寄居的日子，每一天都是住棚节，住在帐棚里，也像先祖亚伯拉罕，我们的信心之父，到处过寄居的日子，飘无定所，因为我们等候的是天上永存的家园。

因为我们还在地上，还走在旷野当中，还走在门徒训练、信仰培育的旅程当中，我们时常会口渴：需要为罪痛心悔改，需要常常亲近主耶稣，需要时常领受圣灵，祈求圣灵的充满和浇灌。如果我们不承认自己口渴，那说明我们很可能已经失去了属灵的知觉和辨识力，说明我们已经对自己的真实状况麻木不仁了，说明已经病入膏肓，几乎无药可治。同样是约翰，在约翰一书中如此说：“我们若说自己没有犯过罪，便是以　神为说谎的，他的道也不在我们心里了。”（约一1:10）这口渴是持续一生的，就像悔改是基督徒一生的功课和写照一样，就像我们每天喝水，但每天也需要不断喝水一样。需要祈求赦罪的恩典和圣灵的充满、引领。

但你会说，主耶稣不是在约翰福音4章对撒玛利亚妇人说：“人若喝我所赐的水就永远不渴，我所赐的水要在他里头成为泉源，直涌到永生吗？”（约4:14）是的，没错，就像主耶稣在今天的经文中也说：“信我的……从他腹中要流出活水的江河来。”（约7:38）主耶稣应许了，我们领受祂的赦免，领受祂的圣灵，就要永生，而且这圣灵充满的生命也会从我们发出，流淌出去，祝福身边的人。但同时，我们也需要不断地补充自己。这就好比湖泊，必须有新水流进来，才不会变成死水池子，发出恶臭。主耶稣要赐我们活水的江河，意味着我们时刻连结这永远不断绝的源泉。我们必须有活水流进来，才能流出去。我们必须不断地领受赦罪，才能靠着圣灵的能力，不断地赦免其他人，将赦罪和圣灵的恩赐藉着福音的分享带给其他人，包括身边的基督徒。

我们还要知道，这么丰盛的恩赐，让我们这些平安、普通、有血有肉的人领受神的灵，是需要付代价的。谁能够带领不洁的人亲近圣洁至高无上的神呢？只有为人赎罪、钉十字架的耶稣。“那时还没有赐下圣灵来，因为耶稣尚未得着荣耀。”（约7:39）主耶稣什么时候受荣耀？就是在十字架上。同样是在约翰福音，就在耶稣被捕之前，主做了一个很长的祷告，有时被称为大祭司的祷告。其中他说：“父啊，时候到了，愿你荣耀你的儿子。”而耶稣预言自己被害的时候也说，“人子得荣耀的时候到了。我实实在在地告诉你们，一粒麦子不落在地里死了，仍旧是一粒，若是死了，就结出许多子粒来。”（约12:23-24）

弟兄姐妹们，既然我们得了这么大的宝贝，就应该好好珍惜，带着敬畏的心度过地上的日子，满心欢喜等候主耶稣的再来和那将来永恒的家园，复活的生命。不要堵塞这活水的江河，不要消灭圣灵的感动，要常常顺从圣灵的带领，对付情欲和肉体，让神的名在我们身上得荣耀。既然我们连于基督，就是启示录末章告诉我们的新耶路撒冷圣城中的那生命的河，我们就不要惧怕，可以时常得医治，并且圣灵和新妇都亲口说：“来，口渴的也当来；愿意的，都可以白白取生命的水喝。”（启22:17）奉圣父、圣子、圣灵的名。阿们。

John 7:37–39

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, to all of you who share the same Holy Spirit. Amen.

37 On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” 39 Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

The feast spoken of in this passage from the Gospel of John is the Feast of Booths (or Tabernacles). It is first recorded in Leviticus, written by Moses, and it originated while the Israelites were in the wilderness after the Exodus from Egypt. God commanded Moses to instruct the Israelites regarding what they were to do once they entered the Promised Land. The Feast of Booths began on the fifteenth day of the seventh month of the Jewish calendar and lasted for seven consecutive days. The eighth day is the "last day of the feast, the great day," mentioned in today's Scripture. What was the main purpose of the Feast of Booths? Leviticus 23 records: “You shall dwell in booths for seven days. All native Israelites shall dwell in booths, that your generations may know that I made the people of Israel dwell in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.” (Lev 23:42–43)

In other words, the Feast of Booths gathered all Israelites together so that they could once again actively remember God's salvation—how He led them out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, faithfully guided them through the wilderness, and brought them into the Promised Land. It allowed them to relive that experience of being alone with God in the wilderness. It was also a declaration of God’s own identity and work: “I am the Lord your God,” ensuring that generations of Israelites would know Him and never forget Him.

Now, against the background of such a festival, why did the Lord Jesus ask the crowd, or rather, issue this invitation: “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink”? From a spiritual standpoint, we can certainly say directly that this refers to the thirst of the human soul—the soul's need for salvation and for God Himself. And Jesus—who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life—came to satisfy this greatest need of humanity. This is indeed the true essence of the message the Lord Jesus loudly proclaimed.

But let us analyze the details a bit more closely. Brothers and sisters, reliving the history of the Israelites leaving Egypt and walking through the wilderness was not necessarily always a time of joy and happiness. The Israelites also sinned on the path of salvation and provoked God to anger. Among their sins, the most prominent was grumbling. As we have discussed before, grumbling is no small matter. What did they primarily grumble about? One was lack of meat; they found their food unappetizing, so God sent quail, and later provided manna every single day until they entered the good land of Canaan. What was the other major complaint? It was about drinking water—that the water was bitter, or that they were running out of water. On the wilderness journey, according to God's command, Moses struck the rock and spoke to the rock, and water flowed out continuously for them to drink.

The Gospel of John specifically witnesses to the work and identity of the Lord Jesus in light of these two provisions. The Gospel passage we are reading today is from chapter 7, but in chapter 6, John tells us that the Lord Jesus declared Himself to be the Bread of Life: “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. ... If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.” (John 6:35, 51) Then, in chapter 7, on the last day of the Feast of Booths—which was the climax of the entire festival—the Lord Jesus stood up and cried out: “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.”

Paul explains this in 1 Corinthians 10: “For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ.”

Moses spoke to the rock and used his staff to strike the rock so that water would flow. When the Lord Jesus made this declaration, He was telling the people that He Himself is the fountain of living water, that He is the Rock struck by the staff. Furthermore, this thirst represents confession and repentance. This thirst does not mean that some people are not thirsty; rather, it is an invitation for all people to come and drink, for all to believe in Jesus, just as no living person on earth does not experience physical thirst. Moreover, because it was the last day of the feast, it meant that everyone was about to disperse and return to their hometowns. They needed to prepare sufficient water to drink for the journey, which in a sense also reminded them of the journey out of Egypt.

Brothers and sisters, as New Testament Christians, we do not need to keep the Feast of Booths. However, we must understand that our entire life on this earth is actually a journey of passing through—we are true sojourners, and this is not a mere literary metaphor. This earth is not our permanent dwelling place. No matter how beautiful, sturdy, or warm and comfortable your house may be, it is only temporary. Furthermore, no matter how well you take care of your physical body, it will decay and must be put off, as we wait in Christ for that future new, eternal, imperishable, and resurrected body. This is why both Paul and Peter compare our bodies to tents. 2 Corinthians 5:2 says: “For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling,” and 2 Peter 1:14 states: “since I know that the putting off of my body will be soon, as our Lord Jesus Christ made clear to me.”

From this perspective, the earthly life of us Christians is a journey of the Exodus. Our destination is not the earthly holy city of Jerusalem, but an eternal inheritance in heaven. Every day of our temporary residence on earth is a Feast of Booths, as we dwell in tents. We are like our forefather Abraham, the father of our faith, who lived as a stranger and a wanderer, moving from place to place because we are waiting for an eternal home in heaven.

Because we are still on earth, still walking through the wilderness, and still on a journey of discipleship and spiritual growth, we will often experience thirst. We need to grieve over our sins in repentance, we need to draw near to the Lord Jesus constantly, and we need to receive the Holy Spirit regularly, praying for His fullness and outpouring. If we do not admit that we are thirsty, it likely indicates that we have lost our spiritual sensitivity and discernment. It shows that we have become numb to our true condition, meaning we are gravely ill, almost beyond remedy. John writes similarly in his first epistle: “If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” (1 John 1:10) This thirst lasts a lifetime, just as repentance is the lifelong homework and description of a Christian, and just as we drink water daily but must continue to do so every day. We must pray constantly for the grace of forgiveness and the filling and guidance of the Holy Spirit.

But you might ask, didn't the Lord Jesus say to the Samaritan woman in John 4: “whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life”? (John 4:14) Yes, absolutely. Just as the Lord Jesus also says in today's Scripture: “Whoever believes in me... ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” (John 7:38) The Lord Jesus promised that when we receive His forgiveness and His Holy Spirit, we have eternal life, and this Spirit-filled life will flow out from us to bless those around us. At the same time, however, we need to be continually replenished. This is much like a lake: it must have fresh water flowing into it so that it does not become a stagnant, foul-smelling pool. The Lord Jesus desires to give us rivers of living water, which means we must remain connected to this never-failing source at every moment. We must have living water flowing in before it can flow out. We must continually receive forgiveness so that, by the power of the Holy Spirit, we can continually forgive others, bringing the gifts of forgiveness and the Holy Spirit to them through the sharing of the Gospel, including to our fellow Christians.

We must also recognize that for ordinary, fragile, flesh-and-blood people like us to receive such an abundant gift—the Spirit of God—a great price had to be paid. Who could possibly bring unclean people into the presence of a holy, supreme, and sovereign God? Only Jesus, who made atonement for mankind and was crucified on the cross. “Now as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.” (John 7:39) When was the Lord Jesus glorified? It was on the cross. In this same Gospel of John, just before Jesus was arrested, He offered a long prayer, often called the High Priestly Prayer. In it He said: “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son.” And when Jesus predicted His own suffering, He said, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” (John 12:23–24)

Brothers and sisters, since we have received such a great treasure, we ought to cherish it deeply. Let us live out our earthly days with a heart of reverence, filled with joy as we await the return of the Lord Jesus, our future eternal home, and the resurrected life. Do not block these rivers of living water; do not quench the Holy Spirit. Instead, always submit to the guidance of the Holy Spirit, put to death the desires of the flesh, and let God's name be glorified in us. Rev. 22:17“The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.”

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.