Bible Teachings Against Drunkenness

I Samuel 30:16, 17; Isaiah 28:1-4, 7; Galatians 5:19-21

GOLDEN TEXT: “Strong drink shall be bitter to them that drink it.”—Isaiah 24:9

THE Scriptures are opposed to drunkenness resulting from the use of strong drink, and to intemperance of every kind. In addition to pointing out the evils of literal drunkenness the Bible employs its characteristics to illustrate various kinds of symbolic intoxication, such as the intoxication of pleasure, of riches, etc. Drunkenness is also employed in some of the prophecies as a symbolism of the reeling to and fro of the present evil world order as it totters to its fall. (Isa. 24:20) The unholy union of church and state is depicted in the book of Revelation by a harlot woman uniting with the kings of the earth, and it is said that all nations drank the wine of her fornication.—Rev. 14:8; 18:3

The portion of our lesson taken from I Samuel, well illustrates how the use of strong drink results in irresponsibility and defeat. The enemies of Israel, flushed with temporary victory, tarried to indulge in a drunken revelry and this gave David an opportunity to destroy them. While this portion of the lesson is a literal statement of fact, yet it serves well to illustrate the symbolic meaning of drunkenness employed in some of the remaining portions of the lesson.

The Golden Text is taken from a chapter which is a prophecy of present chaotic world conditions, national, political, and religious. Verse 10 (the one following the Golden Text) declares, “The city of confusion is broken down: every house is shut up, that no man may come in.” The “city of confusion” is apparently another name for symbolic Babylon of Revelation, for the name Babylon means confusion. The confusion of Babylon has been caused by her use of the wine of false doctrines.

Babylon’s doctrine that Christ’s Kingdom was operating through the church-state governments of Europe not only confused her, but bewildered the kings with whom she committed spiritual fornication.

And how “bitter” that wine must be to her now in view of her utter failure to maintain such an institution of harlotry! Some of both the spiritual and political participants in this unholy alliance are now trying to rise in their still drunken stupor, but the prophecies reveal that even though they may be able to stagger on a few steps more, the end of the way for the counterfeit Kingdom of Christ is at hand, and in its place Christ and His pure and faithful church—the Lamb’s wife—will rule for a thousand years.—Rev. 21:2-4, 9,10; 20:6

Isaiah 28:1-4,7, presents further drunkenness of spiritual Babylon, her leaders being here identified as the “drunkards of Ephraim.” In verse seven these are spoken of as the “priest and the prophet” who have “erred through strong drink” and who are “swallowed up of wine.” Because of this, it is further stated that they are “out of the way,” and “err in vision.” Also, the prophet continues, “they stumble in judgment.”

Thus the characteristics of literal drunkenness are graphically used by the Lord to describe the effect upon these false religious leaders of the wine of false doctrines. For the most part all of Babylon’s doctrines have been false, causing the people to err on practically every fundamental teaching of the Bible. And how seriously they have erred in vision, and how very far they have been turned out of the way!

Instead of one God, they have had three gods. Instead of teaching that the wages of sin is death, they have taught that the wages of sin is eternal torment. Instead of teaching that God will restore paradise upon the earth, they have taught that the earth will be destroyed. Instead of teaching that the church’s reign with Christ is a future one, and encouraging Christians to wait for their heavenly Bridegroom and to their future union with Him in he real Messianic Kingdom, the have taught that Christians show d now conquer the world through union with earthly governments.

No wonder Christendom is confused. No wonder the symbolic earth reels to and fro like a drunkard. How thankful we should be that soon a new day will dawn when all the individuals who have participated in the revelry of spiritual intoxication will awaken and have their vision cleared up for them under the healing and enlightening influences of the Sun of Righteousness.

Galatians 5:19-21 lists drunkenness as one of the works of the flesh. While it is difficult to understand how a follower of the Master could be addicted to literal drunkenness, all who have named the name of Christ need to be on the alert against becoming intoxicated with the spirit of the world, the love of ease or of wealth, or along any line, for intoxication dims spiritual vision, confuses spiritual objectives and leads away from God and from the doing of His will.

How beautiful in contrast is the fruit of the Spirit as listed by the apostle “love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.” “Against such”, says Paul, “there is no law.” (Gal. 5:22-24) It requires the pure wine, or doctrines of the truth, received into a good and honest heart, to produce such a wholesome fruitage. Christians, then, should be careful in their study of the Bible that they might rightly divide its teachings, and be guided by them, thus showing themselves approved unto God.—I Tim. 2:15

QUESTIONS:

Is there more than one kind of drunkenness referred to in the Bible?

How do the characteristics of literal drunkenness illustrate the effect of false doctrine in the lives of the professed followers of Christ?

What do the Scriptures mean by the “wine” of Babylon’s “fornication”?

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