QUESTIONS OF A GENERATION (7): WHAT IS THE BIG DEAL WITH “DRINKING”?
My dad worked in a place where he got free access to drinks. He had some in his fridge even though he was not so much of a fan. There was one “bad day” at work, and he returned home to his fridge. He drank and got drunk. The last thing he remembered was that he went to the bathroom. It was his neighbour who found him naked and brought him in. He did not know how long he had stayed there.
A dear uncle stopped drinking the day he came back home very late, and his baby girl said, “Useless man… He is drunk again”. This uncle had a wife who had just given birth by cesarean section, and he left her to go celebrate with his friends at a bar. The wound of his wife was still fresh.
Why should I not drink? Is it a big deal? Is it not about my personal choice? What if I am just a social drinker?
There are warnings in scriptures about the impact of wine:
Noah got drunk and cursed his grandchild. His decision to drink was personal, but the impact of it was generational.
Lot drank. It was quite easy for his daughters to get him drunk- not just once but twice in a space of forty-eight hours. He slept with two of his daughters, impregnated them and entered into history as the first case of incest. His habit of drinking may be personal, but it was used by the devil to sponsor nonsense into his life.
There were instances in the scriptures about what wine can do. The popular one for defence is Paul telling Timothy to take a little wine, but forgetting that it was a prescription for medical purposes and not a recreational and habitual thing. Definitely, medicine was not as advanced as it is now.
Then, the claim that Jesus turned water into “alcoholic wine” at a party. There is a little verse there that tells us it was not for intoxication:
John 2:10 NKJV
[10] And he said to him, “Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior. You have kept the good wine until now!”
It did not say when they are drunk. Going by the quantity of wine, they should be drunk. It said, when they are well drunk. Meaning, when they are satisfied.
Also, the word wine there is “Oinos”. It was used a couple of times in the bible to describe both fermented and unfermented wine in negative and positive ways.
One instance of a negative description:
Ephesians 5:18 NKJV
And do not be drunk with wine…
Guess one instance of a positive way:
John 2:10 NKJV
And he said to him, “Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior. You have kept the good wine until now!”
Why is it the good wine? Smiles!
Finally, did Jesus come to fulfil the law and the prophets? What did they say about wine?
The Law says:
Leviticus 10:9 NKJV
“Do not drink wine or intoxicating drink, you, nor your sons with you, when you go into the tabernacle of meeting, lest you die. It shall be a statute forever throughout your generations
What did the Proverbs say?
Proverbs 20:1 NKJV
Wine is a mocker, Strong drink is a brawler, And whoever is led astray by it is not wise.
Do you know the warning for kings?
Proverbs 31:4 ICB
“Kings should not drink wine, Lemuel. Rulers should not desire beer.
What did the Prophets say?
Isaiah 5:11 NKJV
[11] Woe to those who rise early in the morning, That they may follow intoxicating drink; Who continue until night, till wine inflames them!
If you are deciding to follow Jesus, there is something you must learn called consecration. It is a personal demand on your life because your destiny fulfillment demands it.
Beloved, if I were you, if the bible warns me about it, I would not explain it away even if I do not see “Thou shalt not drink” in the 10 commandments.
It is your court. Here is the ball. Make the call.
© temilOluwa Ola, Eruwa.
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