Hoshanna Rabbah: Symbol of Faith and Hope for Salvation
Hoshanna Rabbah is a special day, the seventh and final day of the Sukkot holiday, which concludes a week of joy and thanksgiving to God for His mercy and blessings. This day is imbued with profound meaning, rooted in a prayer for salvation and well-being. The word “hosanna” itself means “save now!” – a heartfelt cry to God, hoping for His help and deliverance. We see in this festival a foreshadowing of the coming Savior – the Messiah Yeshua.
The Feast of Tabernacles was established as a remembrance of how God cared for the people of Israel in the wilderness after the Exodus from Egypt. For seven days, Jews lived in temporary shelters – sukkahs – to remind themselves of God’s protection during their journey. The book of Leviticus states: “Live in temporary shelters for seven days… so that your generations will know that I made the Israelites live in temporary shelters when I brought them out of Egypt” (Leviticus 23:42-43).
This holiday reminds us that God protected His people during their most challenging moments, and today we can see how He continues to guard and guide us through our own life’s wilderness. But Hoshanna Rabbah carries a prophetic significance as well. This day symbolizes the anticipation of the Messiah, who will bring eternal salvation.
In Scripture, water often symbolizes refreshment, life, and the power of the Holy Spirit. On the last day of the festival, Yeshua spoke these pivotal words: “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him” (John 7:37-38). These words point to the spiritual essence of the holiday – the true water that every soul thirsts for is the presence of the Holy Spirit, refreshing and renewing us.
Hoshanna Rabbah is a day when we turn to the Lord with a plea for salvation. “Hosanna!” is a call that reminds us that our salvation comes from Him alone. Just as the people of Israel depended on God’s guidance in the desert, we too depend on Him, our Leader and Savior. The Gospel of Matthew recounts: “The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David!’ ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’ ‘Hosanna in the highest heaven!'” (Matthew 21:9)
When we cry “Hosanna,” we confess our need for salvation and acknowledge that it is possible only through Yeshua, our Messiah. Hoshanna Rabbah calls us to turn our gaze back to God, to surrender our worries, sorrows, and fears. This day is filled with hope for God’s mercy, which can pour over us like rivers of living water.
May each of us today say with confidence in our heart: “Hosanna! Save us, Lord!” And may the Lord, in response to our prayer, pour out His Spirit and His blessing upon us.