Tag Archives: Drunkenness

BIBLE, BIBLE QUESTIONS, CHRISTIAN LIVING

WHAT IS THE PARABLE OF THE WINE BOTTLE? — BOB PRICHARD

The weeping prophet Jeremiah told the parable of the wine bottle to the nation of Israel. Israel turned away from God repeatedly, and did not realize the consequences of disobedience. They thought they would continue to prosper, but God warned them that judgment was coming. He spoke of Israel saying, “This evil people, which refuse to hear my words, which walk in the imagination of their heart, and walk after other gods, to serve them, and to worship them, shall even be as this girdle, which is good for nothing. For as the girdle cleaveth to the loins of a man, so have I caused to cleave unto me the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah, saith the LORD; that they might be unto me for a people, and for a name, and for a praise, and for a glory: but they would not hear” (Jeremiah 13:10-11). Their pride was their downfall.

Jeremiah told them: “Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Every bottle shall be filled with wine: and they shall say unto thee, Do we not certainly know that every bottle shall be filled with wine? Then shalt thou say unto them, Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will fill all the inhabitants of this land, even the kings that sit upon David’s throne, and the priests, and the prophets, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, with drunkenness. And I will dash them one against another, even the fathers and the sons together, saith the LORD: I will not pity, nor spare, nor have mercy, but destroy them” (Jeremiah 13:12-14). There may have been a common proverb about Israel that “every wine bottle shall be filled,” indicating that Israel would be very prosperous. God wanted Israel to know, however, that the wine of God’s wrath would fill the wine bottle. 

How fitting that Jeremiah described God’s wrath upon a disobedient nation with destruction as that which comes in drunkenness. Israel thought it would enjoy the pleasures of a full wine bottle, but God warned that the wine bottle brings destruction, as fathers and sons dashed together for destruction. The carnage on today’s highways by the drunk driver is testimony to the fact that the wine bottle still brings destruction. The effects of the use and abuse of alcohol are devastating to families daily in our nation. Those who use alcohol hurt not only themselves but family, friends, and other innocent victims caught in the wake of destruction associated with drinking. Solomon warned, “Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise” (Proverbs 20:1).

Despite Israel’s wickedness, God offered hope if they would listen to his admonition.  “Give glory to the LORD your God, before he cause darkness, and before your feet stumble upon the dark mountains, and, while ye look for light, he turn it into the shadow of death, and make it gross darkness” (Jeremiah 10:16). The warning continued, however, “But if ye will not hear it, my soul shall weep in secret places for your pride; and mine eye shall weep sore, and run down with tears, because the Lord’s flock is carried away captive” (Jeremiah 10:17). History tells us that unrepentant Israel went into captivity. Pray that our nation will repent of its pride and wickedness.

BIBLE QUESTIONS, CHRISTIAN LIVING

WHY DID PAUL ADVISE TIMOTHY TO “USE A LITTLE WINE”? — BOB PRICHARD

Timothy was Paul’s “son in the faith” (1 Timothy 1:2). He carried heavy responsibilities for teaching, evangelizing, and building up the church. Paul told him, “Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity” (1 Timothy 4:12). No doubt Timothy took this responsibility to heart, and wanted to make sure that he did nothing that might detract from his mission or hurt his influence. Among those things that would hurt his influence was the use of wine. Paul had warned, “Be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18). He also warned that drinking wine could be a stumbling block to a brother (Romans 14:21).

In his first letter to Timothy, Paul gave qualifications for elders or bishops, and deacons. Among the qualifications for an elder was that he should be one who is “not given to wine” (1 Timothy 3:3). Likewise, the deacon was to be one “not given to much wine” (1 Timothy 3:8). Clearly, Timothy understood the dangers of using wine, and knew that he should avoid its use. Why then, would Paul follow his admonition to Timothy, “keep thyself pure,” with the command,  “Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach’s sake and thine often infirmities” (1 Timothy 5:22-23)? The obvious answer is that Paul was suggesting to Timothy that he, because of his particular medical problems, should use a “little” wine strictly for medicinal purposes.

The water available in the first century was often polluted and unfit for consumption, especially by someone with medical problems, as Timothy must have had. It was a common practice to add a little wine to water to let the alcohol in the wine kill the bacteria, and make the water drinkable. Timothy must have been suffering health problems because he was avoiding all use of wine, and drinking unfit water. Paul’s admonition to “drink no longer water,” meant “stop drinking only water” (NIV). Paul’s command to Timothy was not a general green light for all Christians to “use a little wine,” but was specific to Timothy’s need and circumstances, for his medical problem. The nature of medicine is that you should take it when necessary. It is not only usually bad for you when you do not need it, but sometimes even life threatening. Medicine usually works as a toxin, or poison in the system, to force the body to respond and restore an imbalance caused by illness. No one should ever take another person’s medicine without competent medical authority.

Timothy’s hesitancy to use even a “little wine” for a medical purpose shows that he understood the dangers of alcohol (which was not nearly as potent as today’s alcohol). No Christian concerned about his or her influence or physical and mental health will use alcohol for any purpose other than medicinal purposes (but not self-medication)! Alcohol is useful for medical purposes because it is a good solvent. Alcohol dissolves chemicals, minerals and homes.  Casual use of alcohol costs our society in illness, injury, and violence. Fortunate is the home that has never been hurt by someone using alcohol.

CHRISTIAN LIVING

REMEMBER OTIS? — BOB PRICHARD

If you are a follower of the old “Andy Griffith Show,” you will well remember Otis, the town drunk, who periodically checks himself into jail to sleep off his hangover. Otis is a lovable character, who never hurts anybody else, although he doesn’t know how to handle the bottle.

One show had an interesting development. Otis received a letter from his brother, telling him he was coming to visit. Otis had foolishly told his brother that he was a deputy sheriff, and didn’t know what to do. Andy, who always tried to accommodate anyone, offered to let Otis become a temporary deputy, only while his brother was in town. The catch was that Otis had to stay sober. Of course, his wife wouldn’t believe it was true until he destroyed his hidden liquor at home.

Everything went according to plan when his brother came, and Otis was even strong enough to refuse to drink on duty when his brother asked him to go get a drink. Otis wanted to make sure that his brother knew that he was a success, not the failure that his brother expected him to be.

But then something completely unexpected happened. Otis kept expecting to get caught in his masquerade, but then his brother did the unimaginable. As Otis looked on in surprise, his brother came into the jail drunk, and checked himself in just like Otis did every weekend. The brother was appropriately sorry as Otis lectured him on how he had let down the whole family by his actions.

Andy’s lesson to Otis was that he shouldn’t have been so self-conscious about trying to impress others. But I believe there was another lesson. Otis had the chance to see himself as he really was. He had a chance to hear, “Thou art the man.”

You see, when King David stole Uriah’s wife, and then had Uriah killed to cover up his sin, he thought he really had covered up everything. But then Nathan told him a story about a rich man who took a poor man’s one ewe lamb to feed a traveling visitor. David was incensed about this man’s wickedness and vowed a fourfold retribution, and that the man should die. Nathan boldly concluded, “Thou art the man” (2 Samuel 12:7). To his credit, David responded in penitence, and accepted his punishment. But Otis never changed. He never reformed. He could see how his brother embarrassed him, but he never saw himself. How about you? Have you had a “Thou art the man” experience? How did you respond?

CHRISTIAN LIVING

“AND THE PIG GOT UP” — BOB PRICHARD

Benjamin Hapgood Burt (1880-1950) wrote the following song in 1933:

“One evening in October, when I was one-third sober,

An’ taking home a ‘load’ with manly pride;

My poor feet began to stutter, so I lay down in the gutter,

And a pig came up an’ lay down by my side;

Then we sang ‘It’s all fair weather when good friends get together,’

Till a lady passing by was heard to say:

‘You can tell a man who “boozes” by the company he chooses’

And the pig got up and slowly walked away.”

Many have made light of the sin of drunkenness. Dean Martin, the singer and actor, joked, “You’re not drunk if you can lie on the floor without holding on.” Humorist Robert Benchley (1889-1945) was scolded by a friend, “Don’t you know alcohol is slow poison?” Benchley replied, “So who’s in a hurry?”

Drinking alcohol is no joke, however. The drinker likes to overlook the lives ruined and ended by the drunk driver, and the families destroyed by alcohol. Solomon said, “Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise” (Proverbs 20:1). Alcohol deceives every day, because the drinker sees neither the damage he causes, nor the foolishness he spouts. Over two hundred years ago, Samuel Johnson said, “One of the disadvantages of wine is that it makes a man mistake words for thoughts.”

Solomon also said, “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 not sick; they have beaten me, and I felt it not: when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again” (Proverbs 23:30-35).