Shabbat Message - October 3, 2026
Psalm 118 Give thanks to Adonai; for he is good,
for his grace continues forever.
2 Now let Isra’el say, “His grace continues forever.”
3 Now let the house of Aharon say, “His grace continues forever.”
4 Now let those who fear Adonai say, “His grace continues forever.”
5 From my being hemmed in I called on Yah; he answered and gave me more room.
6 With Adonai on my side, I fear nothing —what can human beings do to me?
7 With Adonai on my side as my help, I will look with triumph at those who hate me.
8 It is better to take refuge in Adonai than to trust in human beings;
9 better to take refuge in Adonai than to put one’s trust in princes.
10 The nations all surrounded me; in the name of Adonai I cut them down.
11 They surrounded me on every side in the name of Adonai I cut them down.
12 They surrounded me like bees but were extinguished [as quickly] as a fire in thorns; in the name of Adonai I cut them down.
13 You pushed me hard to make me fall, but Adonai helped me.
14 Yah is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.
15 The sound of rejoicing and victory is heard in the tents of the righteous: “Adonai’s right hand struck powerfully!
16 Adonai’s right hand is raised in triumph! Adonai’s right hand struck powerfully!”
17 I will not die; no, I will live and proclaim the great deeds of Yah!
18 Yah disciplined me severely, but did not hand me over to death.
19 Open the gates of righteousness for me; I will enter them and thank Yah.
20 This is the gate of Adonai; the righteous can enter it.
21 I am thanking you because you answered me; you became my salvation.
22 The very rock that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone!
23 This has come from Adonai, and in our eyes it is amazing.
24 This is the day Adonai has made, a day for us to rejoice and be glad.
25 Please, Adonai! Save us! Please, Adonai! Rescue us!
26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of Adonai. We bless you from the house of Adonai.
27 Adonai is G-d, and he gives us light. Join in the pilgrim festival with branches all the way to the horns of the altar.
28 You are my G-d, and I thank you. You are my G-d; I exalt you.
29 Give thanks to Adonai; for he is good, for his grace continues forever.
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Yesterday, we shared about the Water Pouring Ceremony that took place on the last day of Sukkot called Hoshana Rabbah. Again, we just observed that seventh day on yesterday. Today, we observe the Eighth Day Celebration (Shemini Atzeret).
Returning to Yeshua’s time, on Hoshana Rabbah the priests had drawn water from the Pool of Siloam. The Pool of Siloam was the symbol of the “wells of salvation”, and the priest would go and draw the holy water for the Water Pouring Ceremony while the other priests recited, "With joy you shall draw water from the wells of salvation" (cf. Isaiah 12:3). The procession of priests would return to the Temple singing Hallel (Psalm 113-118) as part of this ritual. It is important to remember that John 7:37-39 lets us know Yeshua was there too! “Hoshana Rabbah,” Yeshua stood and cried out, "If anyone is thirsty, let him keep coming to me and drinking! Whoever puts his trust in me, as the Scripture says, rivers of living water will flow from his inmost being!”
The next day, during the Eighth Day celebration, Yeshua proves that He is the fulfillment of Psalm 118. The day after Hoshana Rabbah, the Messiah heals on the Shabbat. It is the Eighth-day festival, a High and Holy Shabbat, and Yeshua (the source of living water, the true High Priest, and our salvation) heals a man blind from birth. And guess where the man was sent to be healed? The Pool of Siloam, the same pool of water for the Water Pouring Ceremony, "the wells of salvation." John 9:6-7 says that the Messiah spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, put the mud on the man’s eyes, and said to him, “Go, wash off in the Pool of Shiloach (Siloam)!” (The name means “sent.”) So he went and washed and came away seeing.
The pool of water that was the symbol of the wells of salvation became a healing stream for the blind man who was born blind so that G-d’s power might be seen at work in him through Yeshua (cf. John 9:3). There is no coincidence in these two points:
Wells of salvation—Yeshua, who offers living water (streams of living water that would flow from within so we may never thirst again), sends the man to the symbol of the wells of salvation (the Pool of Siloam) to be healed, delivered from blindness.
The Hebrew word for salvation is ישועה (pronounced yeshuah), which is similar to the Messiah’s name, Yeshua. Yeshua (יֵשׁוּעַ) comes from the same Hebrew root word as the common noun for salvation, yeshuah (יְשׁוּעָה), and both words trace back to the Hebrew root yasha (יָשַׁע), which means "to save," "to deliver," or "to rescue."
As soon as the man was touched by Yeshua then went to wash his eyes in the Pool of Siloam as directed, he was delivered and could now see. Yeshua (who is our salvation, who still offers living water (Holy Spirit)) healed the blind man physically, and the man’s spiritual eyes were opened too, so much so that he twice answered the Pharisees about his miraculous healing by the prophet and encouraged them (the spiritually blind holy men who sought to kill Our Messiah) to consider becoming the prophet’s disciples too! What great faith was exercised by the man who was blind but now could see. The Most High is still opening blind eyes today through His Son, Yeshua, who was the rejected cornerstone. Rejected by many, especially the religious leaders of that time, yet the Messiah gave His life so that all could have eternal life and full access to the Most High. We are saved from the penalty of sin through Yeshua the Messiah (cf. John 3:16-17; Hebrews 4:16). HalleluYAH🔥 Can you see it?
Today, as we celebrate this Eighth Day festival, it is an excellent time to testify of Yeshua and share this miraculous story with others who need a Savior and a drink of living water (Holy Spirit). This eighth day immediately follows Sukkot, symbolic of our moving as believers from temporary booths (sukkahs), this temporary home, which is dissolving and preparing to transition into an eternal, permanent home with the Most High. How do we know this? Revelation 21:3-4 says, “I heard a loud voice from the throne say, 'See! G-d’s Sh’khinah is with mankind, and he will live with them.' They will be his people, and he himself, G-d-with-them, will be their G-d. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There will no longer be any death, and there will no longer be any mourning, crying, or pain; because the old order has passed away.” We await this final state of eternal rest in the presence of G-d.
What a glorious time that will be, Family. ❤️
Chag Sameach
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