See also Proverbs 23:29-35. The most dangerous drug in our country is alcohol. It is the most dangerous for a number of reasons:-

• Its availability.
• Its acceptance.
• The horrible affect it has on those who drink it.

It is causing homes to unravel; it is causing havoc in our country. The adverts are slick and cunning. They are the best advertisements. They spend millions to make drink seem appealing. The vast majority of people in this country drink. Britons spend £17.5bn “down at the pub”. Almost half the money spent on leisure outside the home is spent on drinks at the pub. It is seen as normal and harmless. What does the Bible have to say about the battle for the bottle?

1. The misery of the bottle (Proverbs 23:29)

When the Bible uses the word “wine”, it is not always intoxicating. There is a time when the grape is fermented. We are to leave this type of wine alone as it can cause misery.

“Strong drink” – The people in the Old Testament knew how to make intoxicating drink. This type of strong drink is condemned in the Bible. Strong drink was used as a narcotic for those who were sick. See Proverbs 31:6. A leader of any kind is supposed to abstain from strong drink as they may make wrong decisions while under the influence.

“Wine” (grape-juice) – It is called new wine. It is a wine that has been pressed from the grape on the cluster. See Isaiah 65:8. This wine has to distill to make it intoxicating. This was done so they could experience the narcotic effects.

“Wine” – This is a generic term that may be intoxicating or not intoxicating. Isaiah 16:10 & Proverbs 20:1.

Did Jesus turn water into intoxicating drink? It has been a subject of much debate. It would be no likely that Jesus turned the water into the fruit of the vine rather that the distilled version. The Christian is to take wine at the Lord’s Supper. Was it the fruit juice or intoxicating? In the New Testament the church are rebuked for becoming intoxicated when having the wine. It seems more likely that this wine was supposed to be of the “grape-juice” variety but some had substituted this for the distilled version. Jesus refused wine mingled with myrrh. It was a narcotic for those who were dying.

• Alcohol has bought great misery (“woe”) into this world.
• It brings contention (fights, divorce, murder, crime, etc) to the world.
• There is foolishness (“babbling”).
• There is mutilation and death (“wounds without cause”). We have drunk-drivers who mutilate or kill themselves or others. In the UK, 30% of injuries to pedestrian victims of road traffic accidents – and more than half of those to drivers, have been linked by separate research to alcohol consumption.
• There is mental anguish. “The red eyes”. The body reacts to this poisoning.
• There are health problems (vs. 31-32). It is like a serpent’s bite. Alcohol abuse is a form of poisoning. Why else does someone throw up? It affects the liver, heart, mind and muscles of the body. It is a sickness rather than a disease. You do not sell a disease over the counter!
• The immorality factor (vs. 33). When a person drinks restraint is taken away. Alcohol removes our restraint. We can no longer tell what is right and wrong.
• The instability factor (vs. 34). A person can’t walk straight. A drunk is not funny. He is out on control. It is not funny when a drunk drives.
• The insensitivity factor (vs. 35). A drunk person could be beaten and not be aware of the pain.
• The addiction factor (vs. 35). The drunk can’t wait to waken up so they can drink again. There are 17 million alcoholics in USA.
• There is the national disgrace factor (Proverbs 31:4-5). Even judges and kings are addicted to the bottle. Why is more not being done to stop it? The breweries are raking it in.

2. The mockery of the bottle (20:1)

Alcohol has mocked people throughout the world. Alcohol promises much but delivers little. We drink for happiness and become miserable. We drink for bravery and become afraid. We drink to feel heavenly and end up becoming hellish. We drink for life but end up in death. There is another side to alcohol and it is not the images we see in the adverts. We are being deceived.

• We celebrate the birth of a baby by drinking alcohol.
• An athlete will not get far in his or her career if they drink alcohol.
• At the Christmas and New Year party there is a continuous flow of alcohol.
• The alcohol industry brings in billions but the cost to business, hospital, crime and taxes is far higher. It does not pay economically. Even if it did, it would not be worth the misery. It is a mockery.

3. The mastery of the bottle

The position of a god-fearing man and woman should be total abstinence. See Proverbs 23:31. Do not be in the company of the drinking crowd. See Proverbs 23:20. Run away from them! This does not mean that we are not to witness to them. See Leviticus 10:9-10. Aaron and the priesthood were to avoid strong drink. If they did they would be struck down dead. We are priests of God according to the New Testament and our body is the temple. We are to look after our body.

See Romans 14:21. The law of love will stop us from drinking strong drink. Moderation is not the answer to controlling strong drink. Are we hurting others? Will my drinking cause others to stumble? I may be able to handle it, but someone I know may not be able to. The cause of alcoholism is alcohol! There is perhaps one out of five who will suffer from the results of strong drink. The law of love will abstain from strong drink. Do you have this love in your life? Total abstinence will not harm you or others. To master the bottle do not even touch the bottle! Getting drunk is the Devil’s substitute for being filled with the Spirit. If it has already got a hold on you then you need to hand the reins over to Jesus. He has the power to overcome anything. God will not fail you. Jesus is a friend of sinners.

Categories: Proverbs