Israel: The Water Libation Ceremony

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Water Libation Ceremony Every morning of the seven-day Feast began with a water pouring ritual, the "water libation" ceremony. The High Priest would lead a procession of priests, musicians, and joyful worshippers from the Temple to the Pool of Siloam* from which the Priest would draw water with a golden pitcher. After filling the pitcher, the crowd returned to the courtyard area of the Temple through the Water Gate--named in reference to this daily ritual. Then, as the Priest poured the water into a basin at the foot of the altar he lifted prays to the God of Israel. First, he prayed for rain for the harvest in the coming year. And then he prayed for God to send His Messiah soon. * The Pool of Siloam was created during the first temple era, approximately 700 B.C., by King Hezekiah. …show more content…

The first purpose of the water libation ceremony was to thank the LORD for the current harvest and to ask Him to provide abundant rain for the crops in the coming year. Keep in mind that Israel was an agrarian society for which the autumn and spring rains were a matter of life and death. In addition, the water libation ceremony served as a reminder of God's provision of water for their ancestors in the wilderness. Second and more importantly, the water libation ceremony was prophetic of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. In Jewish tradition, the waters of Siloam were referred to as the "wells of salvation", based on Isaiah 12:3. And it is with these waters that the kings of the House of David, from whom the Messiah would come, were anointed. Thus the pouring out of water on the altar was symbolic of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the coming Messianic Age.

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