The concept of a drink offering, or libation, is a ritualistic practice found throughout the Old Testament, where a liquid, often wine, is poured out as an offering to God. However, in certain instances, the Israelites deviated from their covenantal obligations and offered drink offerings to pagan deities, notably the "Queen of Heaven."

The "Queen of Heaven" is a title used in the Old Testament to refer to a goddess worshiped by some Israelites during periods of apostasy. This idolatrous practice is explicitly condemned in the prophetic writings, particularly in the book of Jeremiah. The prophet Jeremiah addresses this issue directly, highlighting the spiritual infidelity of the people of Judah.

In Jeremiah 7:18 , the prophet declares, "The children gather wood, the fathers light the fire, and the women knead the dough to make cakes for the Queen of Heaven. They pour out drink offerings to other gods to provoke Me to anger." This verse illustrates the communal nature of the idolatrous worship, involving entire families in the preparation and offering of sacrifices to this foreign deity. The act of pouring out drink offerings to the Queen of Heaven is depicted as a deliberate provocation against the Lord, demonstrating a profound breach of the covenant relationship between God and His people.

Further condemnation is found in Jeremiah 44, where the prophet recounts the persistent idolatry of the Jewish exiles in Egypt. In Jeremiah 44:17-19 , the people openly admit their allegiance to the Queen of Heaven, saying, "We will certainly do everything we have vowed—we will burn incense to the Queen of Heaven and pour out drink offerings to her, just as we and our fathers, our kings and our officials did in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem." This passage reveals the depth of their apostasy, as they attribute their past prosperity to the worship of this goddess, rather than to the Lord.

The practice of offering drink offerings to the Queen of Heaven is emblematic of the broader issue of syncretism that plagued Israel throughout its history. Despite the clear commandments against idolatry, as outlined in the Mosaic Law, the Israelites repeatedly fell into the worship of foreign gods, adopting the religious customs of surrounding nations. This syncretism was a direct violation of the first commandment, which demands exclusive worship of Yahweh.

The idolatrous offering of drink offerings to the Queen of Heaven serves as a poignant reminder of the Israelites' struggle with faithfulness and the consequences of turning away from the one true God. The prophetic rebukes found in Jeremiah underscore the seriousness of idolatry and the need for repentance and return to covenantal faithfulness.Jeremiah 7:18
The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead their dough, to make cakes to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings to other gods, that they may provoke me to anger.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Jeremiah 44:17-19
But we will certainly do whatever thing goes forth out of our own mouth, to burn incense to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings to her, as we have done, we, and our fathers, our kings, and our princes, in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem: for then had we plenty of victuals, and were well, and saw no evil.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Questions About the Lord's Supper
... body which is broken for you.' First, ' Drink ye all ... is or can be any sacrifice or
offering of Christ ... in the Church of Rome, are superstitious and idolatrous. ...
/.../chapter xx questions about the.htm

Solomon's Temple Spiritualized
... 3. Do but see how God catched the idolatrous Jews, by this ... ministering the gospel
of God, that the offering up of ... 10] This was commanded to the Jews, and their ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/solomons temple spiritualized.htm

CHAP. II. 4-25 (2-23).
... the exile, and in the midst of idolatrous nations, a ... The burning of incense, the
offering of sacrifices, etc ... suffered them to thirst, gave them also to drink. ...
/.../hengstenberg/christology of the old testament/chap ii 25-apr 2-23.htm

The Second Commandment
... earthquake 350 persons, while they were offering sacrifice to ... to have established
the kingdom by idolatrous worship, but ... of bread we cat; we never drink but in ...
/.../watson/the ten commandments/2 2 the second commandment.htm

Antichrist.
... world; that there was such a superstitious, idolatrous, bloody people ... and shall worship
him, they shall drink the wine ... when he gave himself an offering for sin ...
//christianbookshelf.org/bunyan/the riches of bunyan/xxiii antichrist.htm

The Medes and the Second Chaldaean Empire
... for a welcome change in the fortunes of the Jews. ... nation, however, soon returned
to their idolatrous practices, if ... them to excess with meat and drink, he caused ...
/.../chapter iiithe medes and the.htm

The Sibylline Oracles.
... God, and bring in their own idolatrous worship; but ... bless Him before they eat or
drink, and offer ... remarkable as, like one above mentioned, offering no support ...
//christianbookshelf.org/deane/pseudepigrapha/the sibylline oracles.htm

The Mystery
... whose office it is to preside in offering sacrifices ... yet appeared still greater in
its nature to the Jews. ... also; of pomps and works, the idolatrous worship, and ...
//christianbookshelf.org/mede/a key to the apocalypse/the mystery 2.htm

Of Antichrist, and his Ruin: and of the Slaying the Witnesses.
... of the people, and of the priests, offering willingly for ... flesh and blood will loathe
to drink of them ... there was such a superstitious, idolatrous, bloody people ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/of antichrist and his ruin .htm

Christ a Complete Saviour:
... and on the validity of his offering as priest. ... the Jews came to God, the unbelieving
Jews, 'who had ... down fell Abraham's vanity, and his idolatrous fancies and ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/christ a complete saviour .htm

What is the water of life? | GotQuestions.org

What does the Bible say about underage drinking? | GotQuestions.org

Why did Jesus say, “I thirst,” from the cross? | GotQuestions.org

Drink: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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