Messiah in Sukkot Chapter 13
- When hope is at its highest point in the year
- Sacrifice, call to redemption, and welcoming of the Spirit
- As to the Symbology…
- The witness of the Two silver funnels
When hope is at its highest point in the year:
Scripture Reading #1. Scripture readings would include 1 Kings 8, where the Temple was consecrated and the Ark of the Covenant was followed by the Shekinah (Glory Cloud) that came to dwell in the Temple.
Scripture Reading #2. Also read Zechariah 14, which is a prophetic reference to the future Day of the Lord when the Presence of the Holy One and His Messiah will tent (dwell) with men upon the earth. Needless to say on Sukkot the messianic hope of the nation of Israel is at its highest and most emotional level of all the times of the year.
Sacrifice, call to redemption, and welcoming of the Spirit:
Exact Timing of the Water and the Burnt Sacrifice: When the priest with the Gold Pitcher of Water returned to the Temple, he timed it so that he arrived just as pieces of the sacrifice were being laid on the great Altar of Burnt-offering toward the close of the ordinary Morning-Sacrifice service.
The Call to Redemption: At the close of the morning sacrifice a threefold blast of the “Silver Trumpets” (silver is the metal of “redemption”) was mandated at this time.
As to the symbology…
Life of the Spirit: The trumpets are wind instruments. This indicates the breath-life of the Spirit moving through the instrumentation of the Messiah (and us), to manifest Adonai our Father and our God’s (eternal) priestly intentions.
Water of Purification: The water is mixed in with the wine. The water is the word of forgiveness that the Messiah ben Yosef asked God the Father for on our behalf (1, 2, 3, 4), The request was granted at the time of Messiah’s sacrificial death (טהרה על-ידי רחיצת מים, בהצהרה-the water of of the word of purification).
Sacrifice of Redemption: The wine represents both the redemptive sacrifice of the Messiah our korban Pesach and the gift of the new *life of the Spirit of the Holy One. We receive the Gift of the Spirit after we have accepted the Messiah’s sacrifice for sin.
Gift of Eternal Life: The wine represents, therefore, more than the sacrificed (physical) life (blood) of Messiah for our redemption. The wine also represents the new eternal life of the Spirit that our heavenly Father gives to all who believe (cf. Seder: Cup of Redemption). The new life of the Spirit—the indwelling Presence of the Spirit of the Holy One—is the New Spirit (רוח חדשה) and New Heart (לב חדש) that Adonai Avinu promised to Am Israel (cf. “Feast of Redemption“).
Administration of Grace: The Water Gate speaks of governance (administration). This particular gate is of great importance for it speaks of the administration of grace (chesed) that the Spirit of the Holy One administers to redeemed humanity. This gate was incorporated into the Mid-Slope wall above the Gihon Spring.
Exact Time when new Life of the Spirit was available: A three-fold blast of the “Silver Trumpets” is a witness that once the Sacrifice of the Messiah (the Sacrifice) was complete the new life of the Spirit was immediately made available (Call to Redemption) at the altar to all who would believe (Welcoming reception of the Spirit).
The witness of the Two silver funnels:
The Two Silver Funnels: From the Water Gate, Shaar Mayim, near the East Gate (also called the Golden Gate), the priest passed straight into the Court of the Priests. Here he was joined by the priest who carried the wine for the drink-offering. Together, the two priests ascended up “the rise” of the altar and turned to the left. At the altar there were two silver funnels. Both funnels possessed narrow openings that lead down to the base of the altar. One funnel was wider than the other.
The Wider Silver Funnel: The wine was poured in the wider silver funnel (the funnel to the East).
The Narrower Silver Funnel: At the same time, the water was poured into the narrower silver funnel with the smaller opening (the funnel to the West).
The Priest with the Water raised His Hand; At the conclusion of the ceremony the people shouted to the priest with the water to raise his hand, so that they might be certain that he poured the water into the silver funnel (i.e. the funnel of the redemptive work of the Spirit). The people required the raising of the priest’s hand as proof. This was due to Alexander Jannaeus, the Maccabean king-priest (about 95 BCE), previously pouring the sacred water upon his feet; rather than through the silver funnel (he did this in a fit of anger at the Prushim; this act caused a riot where six thousand people died).