What The Bible Says About Drinking Alcohol, Part III
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Most Christians who believe that the Bible is the Word of God, agree it is sinful to get drunk, but some do not know that the Bible teaches against any drinking of alcohol. Please look with me at the following Scriptures:
Who hath woe? Who hath sorrow? Who hath contentions? Who hath babbling? Who hath wounds without cause? Who hath redness of eyes? They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine. Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright. At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder. Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things. Yea, thou shalt be as he that lieth down in the midst of the sea, or as he that lieth upon the top of a mast. They have stricken me, shalt thou say, and I was sick; they have beaten me, and I felt it not; when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again (Prov. 23:29-35).
The judgment of God is against those who make drinking alcohol a priority and allow it to control their lives. It causes people to disrespect, look down on, and not pay attention to the work of the Lord; it hinders them from gaining understanding and trusting in what God is doing, and it increases ungodly desires.
“But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way; the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they are out of the way through strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble in judgment” (Isa. 28:7).
This verse says that drinking alcohol causes a person to wander or go astray from God’s way because it deceives and misleads. It hinders their spiritual vision and judgment by causing instability and leaving the ways of God.
“His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber. Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain from his quarter. Come ye, say they, I will fetch wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink; and tomorrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant” (Isa. 56:10-12).
Spiritual leaders are to warn of danger, but are hindered by alcohol from seeing, understanding and preaching against false doctrine because they are asleep spiritually. They are controlled more by their selfish emotions and desires than the benefit of others. Even though they have little or no spiritual discernment, they will drink again tomorrow and be deceived into believing that it is an even better day.
“But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself” (Dan. 1:8).
Daniel and his friends asked if they could be put to a test for 10 days to prove they would be in better condition than those who drank alcohol and ate foods contrary to God’s principles. They turned out physically, mentally, and spiritually better than the others, which verified their stand for the things of God.
“Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of the house of God which was at Jerusalem; and the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, drank in them. They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone” (Dan. 5:3-4).
The drinking of alcohol caused the king and his nobles to desecrate the vessels they had taken from the house of God and used them in worshipping idols that resulted in the judgment of God.
Next month, we will look at some more Scriptures that deal with drinking alcohol.
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