Libation

Back in August I wrote about Corona Borealis as the crown rightly belonging to the King of kings. There is another idea associated with that asterism. The early Arabs saw it as a dish. The meanings of the names of two of its stars support that idea.

The alpha star, which we call Gemma, was Al Phecca, whose root means a flask, and to pour. The beta star, Nusakan, means pour out as a libation.

A libation is the pouring of wine or other liquid in honor of a deity. The constellation Serpens stretches toward Corona, the serpent attempting to attain for himself that which is due only to God—crown and worship.

In two situations in the Bible, libations and crowns seem to be connected.

In 1 Chronicles 11 we find this beautiful story: David had just been crowned king, and he and his men were holed up in the stronghold while the Philistine garrison was in Bethlehem. David said with longing, “Oh, that someone would give me a drink of water from the well of Bethlehem.” Three of his men broke through the camp of the Philistines in order to get that water. When they gave it to David, he wouldn’t drink it, but poured it out to the LORD.

At the end of his life, the apostle Paul spoke of himself as being poured out as a drink offering, and anticipated receiving a crown of righteousness (2 Timothy 4:6).

People drinking wine sometimes use the word libation facetiously, but wine-drinking is a serious part of the cult of Bacchus, whose worship includes drunkenness and debauchery. People even use the terms Baccanal, Bacchanalia, baccant, and bacchante to describe such behavior and the people engaged in it, perhaps without knowing its real significance. This is a matter for consideration, because honoring any false god is actually worship of the serpent and his angels, and treason against God.

In the Bible, people pour out to God wine, oil, water, animal blood, tears, prayers, and their souls. God pours out upon the righteous the rain and His Spirit. He pours out upon the wicked His fury, the curses written in the law, and human blood. Revelation 16 describes the pouring out of the bowls of God’s wrath: loathsome sores; sea, rivers and springs turned to blood; fire; darkness; and Armageddon.

Isaiah prophesied that Messiah would pour out His soul to death, bearing the sin of many (Isaiah 53:12). For those who receive it, Jesus’ sacrifice staunches the flow of God’s wrath, and brings instead His poured out blessing.