Proverbs 20:1:
1 WINE IS a mocker, strong drink a riotous brawler; and whoever errs or reels because of it is not wise.
Some who read this blog are waiting for me to say what a sin drinking is. Others are waiting to see if we say that drinking is ok. What WILL we say? We'll say exactly what the Word of God says! "Wine" here is the Hebrew word, "yayin", which means: wine, fermented grape, intoxication. This word is used 141 times in the Bible. Melchizedek brought wine (Genesis 14:18), it was considered among the people's riches (Ezekiel 27:18), it was given to those troubled with problems (Proverbs 31:4-7), it was used to make merry without intoxication (1 Samuel 13:28), it was used in rejoicing before the LORD (Deuteronomy 14:26), it was used as an offering to the LORD (Exodus 29:40), it was part of Jacob's blessing (Genesis 27:28). The word is all over the Bible and it is NOT just grape juice! This is what the verse says about wine, though. It says that wine is a "mocker", the Hebrew word, "luwts", which means: to make mouths at, to scoff, to scorn, to talk arrogantly, to deride. "Strong drink" is the Hebrew word "shekar", which means: an intoxicant, intensely alcoholic liquor; which is "raging", the Hebrew word "hamah", which means: to make a loud sound, to be in great commotion or tumult, to growl, to roar, to cry aloud, to be in an uproar. Adam Clarke's commentary says this:
It deceives by its fragrance, intoxicates by its strength, and renders the intoxicated ridiculous.
The Bible does not say that drinking these is wrong, but it DOES say this in Ephesians 5:18:
18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery; but be ever filled and stimulated with the [Holy] Spirit.
The command of God's Word is to NOT GET DRUNK! It also says to put a knife to your throat if you are given to appetite (Proverbs 23:2)! Let's find out what God's Word has to say and do it! As a former bartender, before I was born again, I can tell you truthfully that every person I have ever known who said or thought: "I can handle my drinking" COULD NOT! Let's fall in love with Jesus (Luke 10:27), hide His Word in our hearts so that we DON'T sin against Him (Psalm 119:11), receive forgiveness for the times we DO miss it( 1 John 1:9), and live THIS life to be a blessing to others (Genesis 12:2)! The rest WILL take care of itself! AMEN!
IN Galatians 4 Paul is telling the people that for a Gentile believer to try to keep the Law and the feasts as a way of pleasing God is all wrong! To keep the Feasts as a way of identifying with our Jewish brothers and sisters in Jesus (Yeshua) is great and can be very rewarding! But to think that we can add to our free gift of Salvation by keeping the Law just simply puts us in bondage all over again! Verse 9:
9 Now, however, that you have come to be acquainted with and understand and know [the true] God, or rather to be understood and known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and beggarly and worthless elementary things [of all religions before Christ came], whose slaves you once more want to become?
Verse 31:
31 So, brethren, we [who are born again] are not children of a slave woman [the natural], but of the free [the supernatural].
THAT is who we are! So let's act like it! AMEN!
In Esther 5-6 we see how God's Word works concerning those who do us wrong! Haman, who should have been happy that he was so honored to be invited to the Queen's banquet, couldn't even enjoy his happiness because of his intense hatred for and jealousy of Mordecai! Proverbs 7:14-16 tells exactly what happened to Haman:
14 Behold, [the wicked man] conceives iniquity and is pregnant with mischief and gives birth to lies.
15 He made a pit and hollowed it out and has fallen into the hole which he made [before the trap was completed].
16 His mischief shall fall back in return upon his own head, and his violence come down [with the loose dirt] upon his own scalp.
Shalom in Him!
