What is the significance of the drink offering in Numbers 15:5? Canonical Text and Immediate Context “Also prepare a third of a hin of wine as a drink offering, a pleasing aroma to the LORD” (Numbers 15:5). Numbers 15 interrupts the wilderness narratives with fresh instructions given “after you enter the land” (v. 2). The drink offering (Heb. nesekh, “poured-out thing”) accompanies burnt and grain offerings, emphasizing that Israel’s future worship in Canaan must be fully ordered to Yahweh’s pleasure. Composition, Quantity, and Procedure • Liquid: Fermented wine, a symbol of finished, celebratory produce (Deuteronomy 7:13). • Measure: One-third hin ≈ 1 liter; proportional increases for rams (½ hin) and bulls (½+ hin) in vv. 6–10. • Action: Wine is poured at the base of the altar (Exodus 30:9), never consumed by priests, highlighting total consecration. • Timing: Immediately following the grain offering, sealing the aroma of the burnt offering (Leviticus 23:18). Distinctive Theology within Ancient Near Eastern Practice ANE cultures offered libations to nourish or appease deities; Israel’s libation is declarative, not nutritive. Yahweh “owns the cattle on a thousand hills” (Psalm 50:10-13); the poured wine confesses His sufficiency and Israel’s stewardship. Excavations at Tel Rehov and Khirbet Qeiyafa reveal Late Bronze winepresses and storage jars consistent with the biblical agrarian economy, corroborating the plausibility of routine viticulture by the time Israel entered the land. Symbols of Joy, Fulfillment, and Covenant Gratitude 1. Joy: Wine “gladdens the heart of man” (Psalm 104:15); its outpouring says, “Our joy is Yours first.” 2. Fulfillment: The command presupposes vines already flourishing in Canaan—faith acting on a promise (Numbers 13:23; compare Genesis 49:11-12). 3. Covenant Gratitude: Each libation is called “a pleasing aroma,” echoing Genesis 8:21, where Noah’s sacrifice leads to covenantal blessing. Inclusivity of Worship Verses 13-16 stress “for the native-born and for the foreigner the same law” . The drink offering therefore signals that Gentiles, too, may celebrate Yahweh’s bounty—anticipating Isaiah 56:6-7 and Acts 10:34-35. Typological Fulfillment in Christ • Blood imagery: Wine is the element Messiah lifts at the Last Supper—“This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is poured out for you” (Luke 22:20). • Paul’s echo: “I am already being poured out as a drink offering” (2 Timothy 4:6). The apostle interprets the libation as total life-surrender patterned after Christ’s cross. • Crucifixion scene: John 19:34’s blood-and-water flow reprises Exodus 29:40-41’s daily drink offering, declaring the final, once-for-all outpouring. Eschatological Dimension Isaiah 25:6 looks to “a feast of aged wine” on Zion, fulfilled in Revelation 19:9 at the marriage supper of the Lamb. The Numbers libation is an appetizer of that consummate celebration. Practical Implications for Modern Disciples 1. Whole-life devotion—resources, time, and joy—are to be “poured out” for God’s glory. 2. Anticipatory gratitude—give thanks now for promises not yet visible. 3. Inclusive evangelism—extend the cup of the covenant to every people group. Summary The drink offering in Numbers 15:5 is a tangible proclamation of joyful surrender, covenant confidence, and future hope. It roots Israel’s worship in the certainty of God’s provision, foreshadows the redemptive outpouring of Christ’s blood, and invites every believer to spill out life in sacrificial praise until the final banquet of the King. |
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