Joh 7:38 | KingComments | STEP | The last, the great day of the feast is the eighth day ( ). The Feast of Booths is the only feast with such a day. On that great day, the Lord Jesus speaks with a loud voice about the Holy Spirit. It is remarkable that in connection with the Feast of Booths the Holy Spirit is spoken about. We would rather expect this in connection with the Feast of Weeks, i.e. Pentecost, which is also among the feasts instituted by Yahweh ( ; ; see also ). But neither the Passover nor the Feast of Weeks or Pentecost has an eighth day and what this day represents is precisely what characterizes this Gospel according to John. The eighth day speaks of a new beginning after a completely closed period of seven days, a beginning without an end. In the cycles of feasts, the Feast of Booths points forward to the period of the realm of peace in which God fulfills all His promises to Israel and God’s blessing through Israel for all creation. That blessing will be heralded by an outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon all mankind ( ). All those who enter the realm of peace are born again of water and Spirit ( ) and the Holy Spirit will come upon them as the source of refreshment. By speaking of “the last day” of the Feast of Booths, the coming of the Holy Spirit is connected to the realm of peace, because that is what the Feast of Booths refers to. By speaking of “the great day” the focus is turned on the period after the realm of peace, eternity, which is also called “the day of God” and “the day of eternity” ( ). That is the eighth day, the day that refers to the time after the realm of peace, which is eternity. After the realm of peace a new beginning comes, a new heaven and a new earth that have nothing to do with the old world. That is why it is completely in accordance with this Gospel, which speaks so uniquely of the Lord Jesus as the eternal Son. What He, Who is the eternal Son, brings, comes from eternity and leads to eternity. That is why it is so appropriate that He speaks of the Holy Spirit on the last day of the Feast of Booths, the eighth day. With the coming of the Holy Spirit on earth, a completely new period has begun, which will never come to an end. Everyone who now receives the Holy Spirit has been brought into a new and never-ending position (eighth day). Whoever has received the Holy Spirit has received the first fruit of what is present everywhere and enjoyed in eternity. Today there is already a new family on earth that is connected to Him in heaven through the Spirit. That family belongs where He already is. The believers are still in , but no longer of the world. They no longer belong to the first creation, but to the new world that the Lord Jesus created. While they wait for the revelation of the Son of Man, they have the Spirit Who helps them on earth and Who shows the glory of the Lord Jesus that He now has. The Lord Jesus is offering these great blessings here to anyone who is in need, who is thirsty. It also only provides for one’s own need. People are not invited to drink for others, but for themselves. That is the starting point to teach others afterward ( ). The condition for partaking of itis faith in Him. Faith is faith in a Person, in Christ, and that faith in Him is closely related to Scripture and the living water spoken of in Scripture. In Scripture we can read about living water in, for example, Ezekiel 47 ( ) where it is mentioned in view of the millennial realm of peace. Here the Lord says that this living water will flow from the innermost being of him who believes. What in the realm of peace will be a refreshment for creation, is from the believer a refreshment for others in the present time and will soon be on the new earth for its inhabitants. The Holy Spirit wants to use the believer as someone from whom blessing for his environment comes forth. That blessing is to show Who the Lord Jesus is, because that is what the Holy Spirit does ( ). That by living water the Holy Spirit is meant is not a fabrication of people, but is clearly stated here by God’s Word itself. The Holy Spirit will come in those who will believe in the Lord Jesus ( ). The Spirit has been active on earth since creation ( ), but He did not yet live on earth. He could only come to live on earth after the Lord Jesus had returned to heaven after completing the work the Father had given Him to do. As dwelling places of the Spirit, the body of the individual believer and the church as a whole are mentioned ( ; ). The purpose of the coming of the Holy Spirit on earth is to be a Witness of the glorified Lord in heaven. So, the Lord Jesus had to be glorified first. The meaning of the sentence “the Spirit was not yet” is not that the Spirit did not yet exist. The Spirit is God and has no beginning, never came into being. He is the eternal Spirit ( ). The point is that He did not yet dwell on earth. He has dwelled on earth since the day of Pentecost.

‏ John 7:38

The Promise of the Holy Spirit

The last, the great day of the feast is the eighth day (Lev 23:36). The Feast of Booths is the only feast with such a day. On that great day, the Lord Jesus speaks with a loud voice about the Holy Spirit.

It is remarkable that in connection with the Feast of Booths the Holy Spirit is spoken about. We would rather expect this in connection with the Feast of Weeks, i.e. Pentecost, which is also among the feasts instituted by Yahweh (Lev 23:15; Deu 16:9-10; see also Acts 2:1). But neither the Passover nor the Feast of Weeks or Pentecost has an eighth day and what this day represents is precisely what characterizes this Gospel according to John.

The eighth day speaks of a new beginning after a completely closed period of seven days, a beginning without an end. In the cycles of feasts, the Feast of Booths points forward to the period of the realm of peace in which God fulfills all His promises to Israel and God’s blessing through Israel for all creation. That blessing will be heralded by an outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon all mankind (Joel 2:28). All those who enter the realm of peace are born again of water and Spirit (Jn 3:5) and the Holy Spirit will come upon them as the source of refreshment.

By speaking of “the last day” of the Feast of Booths, the coming of the Holy Spirit is connected to the realm of peace, because that is what the Feast of Booths refers to. By speaking of “the great day” the focus is turned on the period after the realm of peace, eternity, which is also called “the day of God” and “the day of eternity” (2Pet 3:12 ; 18). That is the eighth day, the day that refers to the time after the realm of peace, which is eternity.

After the realm of peace a new beginning comes, a new heaven and a new earth that have nothing to do with the old world. That is why it is completely in accordance with this Gospel, which speaks so uniquely of the Lord Jesus as the eternal Son. What He, Who is the eternal Son, brings, comes from eternity and leads to eternity. That is why it is so appropriate that He speaks of the Holy Spirit on the last day of the Feast of Booths, the eighth day.

With the coming of the Holy Spirit on earth, a completely new period has begun, which will never come to an end. Everyone who now receives the Holy Spirit has been brought into a new and never-ending position (eighth day). Whoever has received the Holy Spirit has received the first fruit of what is present everywhere and enjoyed in eternity.

Today there is already a new family on earth that is connected to Him in heaven through the Spirit. That family belongs where He already is. The believers are still in, but no longer of the world. They no longer belong to the first creation, but to the new world that the Lord Jesus created. While they wait for the revelation of the Son of Man, they have the Spirit Who helps them on earth and Who shows the glory of the Lord Jesus that He now has.

The Lord Jesus is offering these great blessings here to anyone who is in need, who is thirsty. It also only provides for one’s own need. People are not invited to drink for others, but for themselves. That is the starting point to teach others afterward (Jn 7:38). The condition for partaking of itis faith in Him. Faith is faith in a Person, in Christ, and that faith in Him is closely related to Scripture and the living water spoken of in Scripture.

In Scripture we can read about living water in, for example, Ezekiel 47 (Eze 47:1-9) where it is mentioned in view of the millennial realm of peace. Here the Lord says that this living water will flow from the innermost being of him who believes. What in the realm of peace will be a refreshment for creation, is from the believer a refreshment for others in the present time and will soon be on the new earth for its inhabitants.

The Holy Spirit wants to use the believer as someone from whom blessing for his environment comes forth. That blessing is to show Who the Lord Jesus is, because that is what the Holy Spirit does (Jn 16:14). That by living water the Holy Spirit is meant is not a fabrication of people, but is clearly stated here by God’s Word itself. The Holy Spirit will come in those who will believe in the Lord Jesus (Eph 1:13).

The Spirit has been active on earth since creation (Gen 1:2), but He did not yet live on earth. He could only come to live on earth after the Lord Jesus had returned to heaven after completing the work the Father had given Him to do. As dwelling places of the Spirit, the body of the individual believer and the church as a whole are mentioned (1Cor 6:19 ; 1Cor 3:16; Eph 2:22). The purpose of the coming of the Holy Spirit on earth is to be a Witness of the glorified Lord in heaven. So, the Lord Jesus had to be glorified first.

The meaning of the sentence “the Spirit was not yet” is not that the Spirit did not yet exist. The Spirit is God and has no beginning, never came into being. He is the eternal Spirit (Heb 9:14). The point is that He did not yet dwell on earth. He has dwelled on earth since the day of Pentecost.