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.… Continue Reading
Tag Archives: Drunkenness
WHY DID PAUL ADVISE TIMOTHY TO “USE A LITTLE WINE”?
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.… Continue Reading
REMEMBER OTIS?
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.… Continue Reading
“AND THE PIG GOT UP”
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.”