Yes, and if I am being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. For the same reason you also be glad and rejoice with me. [Philippians 2:17-18 NKJV]
Under the Law of Moses, daily sacrifices were ordained with a very specific order of service;
“And you shall say to them, ‘This is the offering made by fire which you shall offer to the LORD: two male lambs in their first year without blemish, day by day, as a regular burnt offering. ‘The one lamb you shall offer in the morning, the other lamb you shall offer in the evening, ‘and one-tenth of an ephah of fine flour as a grain offering mixed with one-fourth of a hin of pressed oil. ‘It is a regular burnt offering which was ordained at Mount Sinai for a sweet aroma, an offering made by fire to the LORD. ‘And its drink offering shall be one-fourth of a hin for each lamb; in a holy place you shall pour out the drink to the LORD as an offering. [Numbers 28:3-7 NKJV]
About a gallon of wine was poured out beside the burnt offering. The daily sacrifice was for thanksgiving to God, and the wine was an expression of joy. Paul is using this imagery to describe his captivity.
Paul doesn't consider his suffering to be a sacrifice. Rather, it is the faith of the believers that is described as both the sacrifice and the order of service. His own tribulations are the drink offering that accompanies the sacrifice.
It is how we endure hardship that helps to define our character. We can turn to drugs and alcohol to deaden the pain. We can turn to licentious behavior to distract ourselves. We can fall into a deep depression, void of hope. Or, we can turn to Christ, and count it a joy to suffer with Him.
We speak of Christians, both past and present, who have suffered for the faith, and have endured persecution and even martyrdom. We talk about their sacrifice for God.
But, suffering - even martyrdom - is not a sacrifice. The faith by which we live our lives every day is the true sacrifice. Any suffering, tribulation or persecution we endure for Jesus' sake is the joyful accompaniment to the sacrifice of faith.
Paul said,
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. [Romans 12:1-2 NKJV]
When we are persecuted, let us adopt the attitude of Paul, "We also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance." [Romans 5:3 NKJV]
Whenever I hear about Christians being persecuted and killed for their faith in the world today, my response is to shrink in horror and think, "How can they do that to us?"
But, I think we should adopt a different attitude. Rejoice with those whose lives are being poured out as a drink offering in joyful celebration. Their reward in heaven is great, and their sacrifice is complete. It is we who are still living as a living sacrifice to God.
Father, I thank you that You are the author of joy, and the encourager of our faith. Thank You for the tribulation and persecution that you have promised us. I pray that you will renew our minds that we may be transformed into your image. Give us the grace to receive all hardship with joy, and to rejoice with those who are facing persecution.
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