"Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise."
Proverbs 20:1
Part 3
Yesterday: The Foolishness of Being Deceived by Wine or Strong Drink
“Strong drink is raging.” (b)
“And whosoever is deceived thereby.”
“Is not wise.”
The answer to your problems is never found inside a bottle. Do not be tricked by alcohol’s deceptions.
Today: Who does the Bible Say Should Not Drink Alcohol?
We learned yesterday that “kings and princes” and anyone who is a leader of people should not drink. If they do, they might very well “forget the law and pervert judgment.” In this, they are hurting themselves and those who they are supposed to be leading.
Who else should not drink?
Are you called to be a Man of God? Wine and strong drink are not for prophets or priests…and pastors and deacons are not allowed to be drunkards (1 Timothy 3:3 and verse 8).
“And the LORD spake unto Aaron, saying, Do not drink wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the tabernacle of the congregation[1], lest ye die: it shall be a statute forever throughout your generations: And that ye may put difference between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean” (Leviticus 10:8-10).
“But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way; the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they are out of the way through strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble in judgment” (Isaiah 28:7).
Are you trying to live a godly life as God’s child? Alcohol will not help you.
“Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God” (Galatians 5:19-21).
Are you trying to remain filled with the Holy Spirit of God? “Wine and strong drink” are not for you.
“And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18).
Are you a born-again child of God? “Wine and strong drink” is not for believers…
“Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Corinthians 6:9-10).
The consistent teaching of the Scriptures is we believers are to be living under the control of the Holy Spirit and not under that of alcohol. We are never to be under the influence of any substance that will potentially control us. As Paul taught the Corinthians,
“All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any” (1 Corinthians 6:12).
Paul’s conclusion is that he will not let anything that is potentially habit-forming into his body where it could control him! When it comes to “substance abuse,” the only guarantee that we have that it will not control us is complete temperance. We must never allow these things into our bodies. Remember, those who are deceived by “wine and strong drink” are foolish!
Quote: “It seems hard to believe that men of the greatest abilities, as well as the ignorant, should render themselves fools and madmen, merely for the taste or excitement produced by strong liquors”[2] (Matthew Henry).
If you or a family member drinks, you can get help from godly pastors in Bible-believing, Bible-preaching churches. Find a church that teaches the Bible near you. Seek out a pastor that can help you.
Extra Bible Reading: Proverbs 23:29-35.
[1] The “tabernacle of the congregation” is the tent and courtyard where the priests prepared and offered sacrifices to God.
[2] Henry, M., & Scott, T. (1997). Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary (Pr 20:1). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems.