Biblical Warnings about Wine

Articles

Derek Long
05/20/18 - Wine

Biblical Warnings about Wine
By Derek Long
The word “wine” is used to refer to different substances
throughout the Bible. There are passages which speak of wine as something to be enjoyed as a blessing from God. Ecclesiastes 9:7 says, “Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart; for God has already accepted your works.” There are also passages which warn about wine and the harm it causes (Ephesians 5:18). Obviously, we are talking about two different substances if the Bible condemns its use in certain passages and commends its use in others. At times the Bible refers to the unfermented juice of the grape as wine. In fact, the Bible will even speak of wine in the cluster and in the winepress both of these must be unfermented (Isaiah 16:10; 65:8). At other times the Bible refers to wine as an intoxicating beverage to be avoided.
The consumption of alcoholic wine is very prevalent in our society among religious and non-religious individuals. Most people see nothing wrong with consuming alcoholic beverages as long as it is done “in moderation.” Our views of right and wrong must not be determined by the culture around us but by what the Bible teaches (Romans 12:2). Let’s examine some of the Biblical warnings about the consumption of alcoholic wine. Leviticus 10:8-11 - God gives instruction for the priests not to drink wine or intoxicating drink when coming into the tabernacle of meeting. They need to be able to distinguish between holy and unholy, unclean and clean, and teach the children of Israel God’s statues. We can see a warning here about how the consumption of alcohol hinders our ability to make proper moral judgments and teach God’s law. We are not priests under the Old Law but we still need to be able to make wise decisions and should heed this warning of scripture. Proverbs 20:1 - We are warned, “Wine is a mocker, strong drink is a brawler, and whoever is led astray by it is not wise.” The consumption of alcohol does not make one wiser. Instead, alcohol mocks the individual and makes a fool out of people who normally would not be foolish. Alcohol has the potential to lead one astray. We need to stay away from things which lead us away from God.
Proverbs 23:29-35 - We are given a list of the things which come as a result of drinking alcohol - woe, sorrow, contentions, complaints, wounds without cause, and redness of eyes. No right thinking individual would want anything mentioned in verse 29 but when we begin to consume alcohol we are signing up to receive such problems. Verse 31 issues some sound advice, “Do not look on the wine.” If the Bible teaches us not to look on the wine, it is teaching us to not consume it in any amount. Wine leads one to experience pointless suffering. Drinking wine is also addictive. One may suffer tremendously for drinking wine and then go right back and seek more. Proverbs 31:4-7 - Lemuel is given advice from his mother about the need to avoid wine and intoxicating drink. She reminds her son wine causes one to forget the law. As Christians, we certainly cannot afford to forget God’s law.
Therefore, we must abstain from drinking alcohol. Alcohol is often used to help one forget their problems but the righteous do not need to turn to alcohol to avoid their problems but need to go to God with their problems (1 Peter 5:7; Ephesians 5:18). Hosea 4:11 - “Harlotry, wine, and new wine enslave the heart.” We are given warning about the addictive nature of alcohol. We need to not be enslaved to some substance but instead be the servants of God.
Ephesians 5:18 - Wine leads to dissipation. Dissipation is “squandering of money, energy, or resources.” Dissipation refers to dissipated (overindulgence in sensual pleasures) living. The consumption of alcoholic wine is pictured as being a waste throughout the Bible. Instead, the Bible teaches us to be filled with the Spirit.
1 Peter 4:3 - Participating in drunkenness, revelries, and drinking parties all result in us walking in the will of the Gentiles and doing evil. Some claim the Bible only condemns drunkenness but here are three separate terms referring to three different levels of consumption of alcohol and all are condemned. We need to stay away from something which the Bible warns about as often as it does alcohol.