What is a drink offering? It is a final topping over the sacrifice. At the end of the burnt offering, oil or wine was poured which vaporized and was an aroma pleasing to God.
- Numbers 15: 3-5, 6-7. “With each lamb for the burnt offering or the sacrifice, prepare a quarter of a hin of wine as a drink offering….Offer it as an aroma pleasing to the LORD”.
- Genesis 35:14 – God speaks to Jacob and blesses him saying that kings will come out of him. Jacob set up a stone pillar at the place where God had talked with him, and he poured out a drink offering on it; he also poured oil on it.
- Mark 14-3-9. Mary “broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head”. When people rebuked her, Jesus said “She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial”. The two step action was (i) breaking of the jar (ii) pouring of the perfume
Paul’s life as a drink offering.
2 Timothy 4: 6, 7: But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry. For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near.
Again in Philippians 2:17 Paul says: Yes, and if I am being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith. He was pouring out his life for God’s service. Although Paul was educated under Gamaliel, a respected Pharisee highly respected by people (Acts 22:3), He considers everything as rubbish, that to gain Christ” (Phil 3:7-8).
Philippians church was the first church Paul planted in Macedonia. They were persecuted and their faith was tried. Instead of boasting about his establishment of the church, Paul says that he was being poured out as a drink offering.
The greatest drink offering poured was by Jesus. Jesus gave even his last drop of blood for us.
An average human being has 5-7 liters of blood. Jesus said in Luke 22:20 “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood”. The sacrifice of Jesus fulfilled the need of a drink offering. His blood literally poured out when the soldier pierced His side with a spear (John 19:33). So great was His love.
Ephesians 5:2 “Walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God”. The divine encounter with the Lord changed Paul inside out. He did not stay in the same place after being saved. He wanted both Jews and the Gentiles to know the power of the risen Lord. Galatians 5:24. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there.
To ponder: Let us examine ourselves today. Can we say like Paul that we have offered ourselves as a drink offering? We all have experienced his divine love but have we done anything beyond that? Have we crucified ourselves – fleshly desires on the cross? Are we pouring ourselves for others? Can we say like that we have offered ourselves as a drink offering?
In Romans 12:1 Paul asks us to offer ourselves as a living sacrifice saying “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God–this is your spiritual act of worship.” When Paul says that He was poured as a drink offering to the Lord, it shows his intensity, commitment and determination to use all his time and energy for the Lord. It is a consecration and a sacrifice that is poured out willingly.
Prayer: Thank you, Jesus for pouring out your blood as a drink offering. Help us to die for our carnal desires and pour out our lives for others, that we may also say like Paul that we are poured out as a drink offering. Amen
MEMORY VERSE:
Romans 12:1
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God–this is your spiritual act of worship.”
ரோமர் 12:1.
‘அப்படியிருக்க, சகோதரரே, நீங்கள் உங்கள் சரீரங்களைப் பரிசுத்தமும் தேவனுக்குப் பிரியமுமான ஜீவபலியாக ஒப்புக்கொடுக்கவேண்டுமென்று, தேவனுடைய இரக்கங்களை முன்னிட்டு உங்களை வேண்டிக்கொள்ளுகிறேன்; இதுவே நீங்கள் செய்யத்தக்க புத்தியுள்ள ஆராதனை.’
Shared by: Viji John
3-19-2015
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