Genesis: Abraham, Covenant, and Promise

Wine, its Condemnation & Commendation

Transcript: AI Transcript

Professor: John Weaver

Subject: Old Testament Studies

Genre: Sermon

Dictation Name: JW01060 🔗

Date: 2003-01-22

Synopsis: John Weaver examines the biblical teaching on wine, showing that Scripture consistently condemns its abuse (drunkenness) while commending its proper use as a gift and blessing from God. He argues that wine itself is not evil, but sin resides in the human heart. The lecture surveys Old and New Testament passages to demonstrate that wine is a staple of life, a token of God's blessing, a symbol of the Messianic age, a source of cheer, a medicine, and a provision for the dying. He notes that total abstinence was required only in exceptional cases (priests on duty, Nazarites during their vow, rulers in moments of judgment). The application is that Christians must condemn abuse while enjoying all things, including wine, within God's ordained boundaries.

[John Weaver] Now, in this that I declare unto you, I praise you not that you come together, not for the better, but for the worse. For first of all, when you come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions among you, and I heartily believe it. For there must also be sex among you that they who are approved may be made manifest among you when you come together, therefore, into one place.

[John Weaver] This is not the Lord's supper. For in eating, everyone taketh before other his own supper, and one is hungry, and another is drunken. What? Have you not houses to eat and to drink in, or despise you the church of God, and shame them that have not? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you in this? I praise you not. For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus, the same night in which he was betrayed, took bread. And when he had given thanks, he breaketh and said, Take eat.

[John Weaver] This is my body which is broken for you, this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup when he had supped, saying, This cup is the New Testament in my blood. This do you as often as you drink it in remembrance of me. For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you do show the Lord's death till he come. Wherefore, whosoever shall eat this bread and drink this cup of the Lord unworthily shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation, or condemnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.

[John Weaver] For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world. Wherefore, my brethren, When you come together to eat, tarry one for another. And if any man hunger, let him eat at home, that you come not together unto condemnation, and the rest will I set in order when I come."

[John Weaver] Now, I ask that you look very closely at your lessons, and if you will look at lesson number seven, you will notice Roman numeral number seven there is the elements. And I deal with bread, azumas there, which is literally the unleavened bread. And then I began to deal with letter B there, wine. The second element in the Lord's table is wine. And then I lay down certain principles of interpretation. But if you will look at the bottom of the second page, I merely by introduction today want to reemphasize these propositions or these principles that I laid down last week. Philosophy.

[John Weaver] Nothing matter or materialistic is evil in and of itself. That is pure paganism. Sin is in the human heart. Sin must be dealt with in the heart. And so money, wine or whatever it is, anything matter or material is not evil and is not sinful in and of itself. All abuse of anything, even food, comes from our evil and sinful propensities. So to begin with this morning, I want you to look at wine in its condemnation or the abuse of it.

[John Weaver] Now, drunkenness, vileness, lewdness, and all acts associated with the abuse of alcohol in any form are repeatedly condemned in the Scriptures. If you would turn very quickly in your Bibles, to 1 Corinthians chapter 6. I want you to notice verses 9 through 11, and let me lay down something that is highly important. 1 Corinthians chapter 6, verse 9. Notice what the apostle says. Know you 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." Now, notice verse 11,"...and such were some of you.

[John Weaver] But you are washed, but you are sanctified, but you are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God." Now, let me say it very plainly. There is no such thing as a Christian drunkard. There is no such thing as a Christian drunkard, nor is there any such thing as a Christian becoming a drunkard. Because these two are opposites, Paul said, if a man is a drunkard, he shall not inherit the kingdom of God. He's unconverted. You say, well, Pastor, I know a man who used to be a Christian, and now he's nothing but a drunkard. No, you don't.

[John Weaver] John said in 1 John 2, 19, they went out from us that it might be made manifest that they were not of us, for had they been of us, no doubt they would have continued with us. Now, there are plenty of Christians who may have used to have been drunkards, but after God saved them, they are no longer drunkards. There is no such thing as a Christian drunkard, and the Apostle Paul is making that very clear. He says that anyone who continues in that sin gives clear evidence that he's unconverted and that he's not a Christian.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to turn in your Bibles to the book of Proverbs, chapter 20 and verse 6. Notice, if you would, how clearly the Bible talks about the abuse of wine and alcoholic beverages. The Word of God says, wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging, and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise. Now, why in this instance does the Bible say that wine is a mocker?

[John Weaver] Because he who is intoxicated with it readily scoffs at that which is holy. usually inebriated, intoxicated, drunken men, have absolutely no regard for that which is holy and that which is righteous. But that's not all. He not only says that wine is a mocker, but he says strong drink is raging. Now, the word raging there literally means boisterous, because he who is drunk or inebriated with strong drink in his desolate madness breaks all of the limits of morality and propriety. And God says that anyone who is deceived by wine or strong drink, that is, anyone who is brought under a slavish desire and subjection to it, is not wise at all. And so the Word of God condemns the abuse of it.

[John Weaver] But I want you to turn over to Proverbs 23 and verse 21. Because God tells us that the abuser of alcohol and the abuser of rest shall pay dearly for that abuse. In Proverbs chapter 23 and verse 21, the Bible says, for the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty and drowsiness shall close the man with rags. Now notice drowsiness and gluttony and drunkenness All of these things are used to bring one to poverty.

[John Weaver] Now, is it a sin to be drowsy? What is he talking about? Does that mean when you begin to almost fall asleep and in your state of drowsiness that you're sinning? No. But he's talking about perpetual drowsiness. He's talking about a lazy, indolent, slothful person who will not work. So drowsiness Gluttony, which is an abuse of food, and drunkenness, which is an abuse of wine and alcohol, shall bring a man to poverty. The individual who is the slave to alcohol, like the individual who is the slave to food and a slave to rest, shall have absolutely nothing. If you will look in Proverbs chapter 26 and verse 9, You'll find that drunkenness not only brings poverty, but it brings pain as well. In Proverbs 26 and verse 9, the Word of God says, As a thorn goeth up into the hand of a drunkard, so is the parable in the mouths of fools. As a thorn goeth up into the hand of a drunkard, in other words, He staggers, he falls down, and he falls among the thorns and the briars and the sticks, and they pierce him many times, bringing not only poverty, according to Proverbs 23, but pain in Proverbs 26 and verse 9.

[John Weaver] Now, I ask that you turn back in your Bibles to Proverbs 23. For the classic passage dealing with the drunkard and those that abuse wine and alcohol, is found in this passage. Notice Proverbs 23, beginning there with verse 29. Who hath woe? Who hath sorrow? Who hath contentions? Who hath babbling? Who hath wounds without cause? Who hath redness of eyes? 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 color in the cup, when it moveth itself aright, at the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder.

[John Weaver] Thine eye 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."

[John Weaver] Now this is a perfect picture of the drunkard, the abuser of wine and alcohol. He has woe, the Bible says, he has wounds, he has poverty, he has pain, and he is enslaved to his own desire.

[John Weaver] Now notice, if you would please, in verse 30, when he asks the question, who has all these things, the answer is given They that tarry long at the wine, not the ones who use it properly, but the ones who abuse it, those who tarry long, those who are enslaved to it. Now, notice he says, and they that go to seek mixed wine. What in the world is mixed wine? Well, in Bible times, many men took spices and mixed it with wine. Not only giving it a different flavor, sometimes possibly a better flavor, but usually the reason the spices were mixed with the wine was not to give it an added flavor, but to give it an added potency.

[John Weaver] That is to make it more powerful, to make it more intoxicating. That way they could get drunk quicker. And so he talks about these individuals that carry along the wine, and they that seek this mixed wine that will make them drunk quicker. Now, notice verse 31. Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth its color in the cup, when it moveth itself aright.

[John Weaver] Now, an interesting thing is, and if you will study any Bible encyclopedia, you will come up with this. I had known it for some time, but this verse is really a perfect picture of what is known as green wine.

[John Weaver] Now, I'm not a winemaker, and I did not know anything about fermentation until I began to study. But I found out that there is, in the wines in the Bible, a first and a secondary fermentation. But this First fermentation here is spoken of as green wine. In other words, the wine has not completed the process of fermentation. And when it talks about the bubble, literally the gas bubble or the wine moving itself right in the cup, it's talking about individuals who drink wine that has not finished fermenting.

[John Weaver] Everybody has heard of winos. And a wino is a drunkard, an individual who drinks wine continually. Did you know that winos develop a fungus in their stomach lining because of that abuse of alcohol?

[John Weaver] Now, every one of us probably have had funguses at one time or another. And if you know anything about a fungus, one of the main things it does is what? Itch. It itches. I've got a question. If you've got a fungus growing in your stomach lining and your stomach is itching, how do you scratch it? Huh? The only way you can scratch it is by drinking what is known as green wine. And the wino then will take this green wine, which is still not finished fermenting, and will drink it, and it will still be bubbling, quote-unquote, in his stomach, thus scratching the fungus that he has. The only problem with drinking green wine is it is extremely deadly. It will kill.

[John Weaver] And that is why verse 32 says, at the last It bites like a serpent and stings like an ant. So here's the man who is enslaved to wine, who abuses it, who then uses green wine to scratch the stomach lining, and ultimately the green wine will end up killing him.

[John Weaver] Now, drunkenness in the Bible is usually associated with idolatry, adultery, and uncleanness. In fact, the Bible tells us that some people are so enslaved to wine, according to Joel chapter 3 and verse 3, they are willing to sell their own daughters into prostitution and slavery just for a drink. The Bible tells us also in the book of Habakkuk chapter 2 and verse 15, of some men with their evil desires. when they offer their wine or their alcohol to others, only that they may look upon their own nakedness.

[John Weaver] So God pronounces a curse then upon individuals who give alcoholic beverages to people in order to make them drunk, in order to commit some lewd or wicked or vile act. Extremely condemned in the Word of God.

[John Weaver] Now, any way you look at it, The abuse of wine is wrong, it's sinful, it's ungodly, it's condemned by God, and anyone who abuses that which God has given will receive the unfailing judgment of God. So the abuse of wine is condemned in the Word of God. Now, the remainder of my time I want to spend showing you wine and its commendation in the Word of God.

[John Weaver] That is the proper use of it. Now, this morning, I do not have time to ask you to turn to all of these scriptures. I'm going to quote a number of scriptures. I'll be giving you this lesson tonight, already printed out, in order that you might look up the scriptures for yourself. But I want you to listen to me very carefully as I talk about the commendation of wine in the Word of God. Throughout the Bible, wine is regarded as a necessity of life.

[John Weaver] In no way is it counted as a luxury. It was a necessary part of even the simplest meals. In Genesis 14 and verse 18, when Melchizedek met Abraham, the priest of God brought forth bread and wine. In Judges chapter 19 and verse 19, You remember there the Levite who was traveling with his wife. No one would take him in.

[John Weaver] Finally, the old man came along and he says, don't lodge in the street. Why are you out here? And he said, no man has invited me in, and yet I have provender for my ass, and I have bread and wine for my wife and I. And of course, he said, come on in. In 1 Samuel 16, verse 20, it was Jesse, the father of David, that sent bread and wine to King Saul. In Isaiah chapter 55, when God is talking about the gospel feast, He said, Hold that him who is athirst, yea, let him come and drink freely. Yea, let him come and buy milk and wine and that without price. According to 2 Chronicles chapter 11 and verse 11, wine was an indispensable provision for a fortress So whenever a fortress was built, it was stocked with wine. According to the Bible in Lamentations 2 and verse 12, Zechariah chapter 9 and verse 17, wine was drunk by all classes of people and all ages, including the very young. In Lamentations chapter 2 and verse 12, the young are asking the parents there, where is the bread and where is the wine?

[John Weaver] Wine in the Bible is bracketed with grain as a basic staple in Genesis 27 and verse 28. And the failure of the wine crop or its destruction by foreigners or by the enemies was always taken as a terrible calamity and as the judgment of God. In Deuteronomy 28 verses 30 and 39, Isaiah 62 verse 8, Isaiah 65, 21, Micah 6, 15, Zephaniah 1, 13, and many others. Anytime the wine crop was destroyed, it was taken as the judgment of God.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to begin and turn with me to a number of scriptures because, first of all, I want you to see that wine is commended in the Bible in that it is a special token of God's blessing. If you would look very quickly in your Bibles to the book of Isaiah, chapter 65, Isaiah, chapter 65. And notice, if you would please, at verse eight, and God is speaking and he says this, Thus saith the Lord, as the new wine is found in the cluster and we will be dealing with terms tonight. And I'll show you what the word for new wine is. As the new wine is found in the cluster, and one saith, Destroy it not." Now notice,"...for a blessing is in it. So will I do for my servants' sake, that I may not destroy them all." A blessing is in it. Look in your Bibles, if you would, to Genesis chapter 27. Genesis 27 and verse 28. Jacob. is blessing Esau, and he says, therefore, or blessing Isaac, who he thought was Esau.

[John Weaver] And so he's giving Isaac this double inheritance, this double portion, this spiritual blessing. And he says, therefore, God give thee of the dew of heaven and the fatness of earth and plenty of corn and wine. Now, remember, this is a spiritual blessing. And so the spiritual blessing upon this head is the plenty of corn and wine. Look in your Bibles to Deuteronomy chapter 7 and verse 13. Deuteronomy 7 and verse 13.

[John Weaver] Talking about how God will love His people, and He will love thee, and bless thee, and multiply thee. He will also bless the fruit of thy womb, and the fruit of thy land, thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil, the increase of thy kind, the flux of thy sheep, and the land which ye swear unto thy fathers to give thee. So here, wine is given along with children as being the blessing of God.

[John Weaver] Look in your Bibles, if you would, please, to the book of Amos. Chapter 9 and verse 14. And let me say this about these passages. I am being very selective, I'm giving you a limited number because of time. There are a multitude of verses that I could give, but I think these are sufficient. Amos 9 and verse 14, God says, and I will bring again the captivity of my people of Israel.

[John Weaver] And they shall build the waste cities and inhabit them, and they shall plant vineyards and drink the wine thereof, and they shall also make gardens and eat the fruit of them." Now, in every one of these passages that I have just read, it has marked wine out as a blessing of God. If you would turn back in your Bibles to the book of Proverbs, chapter 3, you'll notice another instance. That's where God promises the blessing of wine. Proverbs chapter 3, and notice if you would there, beginning with verse 9. Proverbs 3, verse 9.

[John Weaver] Honor the Lord with thy substance and with the firstfruits of all thine increase. So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine. The same thing is taught in Joel chapter 2 and verse 19.

[John Weaver] Now, I could multiply the Scriptures, but a question comes to my mind because I have read the same literature that you have read, and I have heard the same sayings that you have heard. But my question is this. If the Bible calls wine in so many places the blessing of God, and it is given as a special token of God's blessing, How can then we properly refer to it as the devil's juice? It is not the devil's juice, it is God's gift. Men abuse it, but the Bible claims it as the special blessing of God.

[John Weaver] Secondly, why it is commended in that an extraordinary abundance of it is a token of the Messianic age. Now, everybody understands about the coming of Messiah. But in the Bible, when God promises a superabundance of wine, it is referring to the Messianic age. For instance, look first of all back in your Bibles to the book of Amos, chapter 9. Notice this context. I just read one verse just a moment ago. But Amos, chapter 9, beginning with verse 13. This is a messianic promise.

[John Weaver] Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that the plowman shall overtake the reefer, and the treader of grapes him that soweth seed, and the mountain shall drop sweet wine, and all the hills shall melt. Notice the mountain shall drop sweet wine, an abundance of it. And I will bring again the captivity of my people of Israel, and they shall build the waste cities and inhabit them, and they shall plant vineyards and drink the wine thereof, and they shall also make gardens and eat the fruit of them. And I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them, saith the Lord thy God."

[John Weaver] Turn in your Bibles, if you would, to the book of Joel, chapter 3. Back one book, Joel chapter three, and notice they're beginning with verse 18. And it shall come to pass in that day that the mountain shall drop down new wine and the hill shall flow with milk and all the rivers of Judah shall flow with waters and a fountain shall come forth of the house of the Lord and shall water the valley of Shittim. Egypt shall be a shall be a desolation and Edom shall be a desolate wilderness for the violence against the children of Judah, because they have shed innocent blood in their land. But Judah shall dwell forever and Jerusalem from generation to generation. For I will cleanse their blood that I have not cleansed for the Lord dwelleth in Zion. One other, if you would turn over to the book of Zechariah, chapter nine. Notice if you would, beginning with verse 16.

[John Weaver] Here is another passage that refers to the abundance of wine as being emblematical of and symbolical of the Messianic age. Zechariah 9, verse 16. And the Lord their God shall save them in that day as the flock of his people, for they shall be as the stones of a crown lifted up as an ensign upon his land. For how great is his goodness, and how great is his beauty, corn shall make the young men cheerful, and new wine the maids. So wine is commended in the Bible in that an extraordinary abundance of it is a token of the Messianic age. Thirdly, in the Bible, wine is commended in that it is given, listen carefully, to cheer the hearts of God and men. Now, I would not have said that if the Bible did not say that.

[John Weaver] But if you will turn back, first of all, to Psalm 104 and look at verses 14 and 15. Psalm 104, verses 15, 14 and 15. Psalm 104, verse 14.

[John Weaver] And this whole passage is talking about God. Notice verse one. Bless the Lord, O my soul. And then he's telling everything that God does. Verse 14. He calls it the grass to grow for the cattle and herb for the service of man that he may bring forth food out of the earth and wine that make it glad the heart of man and oil to make his face to shine and bread, which strengthens man's heart. Now, he says he's given wine to make glad the heart of man, oil to make his faces shine, and bread which will strengthen him.

[John Weaver] Now, if you will turn back in your Bibles to the book of Judges, chapter 9, and look at verse 13. Judges, chapter 9. And verse 13.

[John Weaver] And the vine said unto them, Should I leave my wine, which cheereth God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees? Notice the wine cheers God and man. Evidently, then, this has reference to the drink offerings that were included in the sacrifices, such as in Leviticus 23 and verse 13. It is called in a cheering of the heart of God. Now, you find as you read through Scripture, and we're not going to take time to do it this morning, but you find as you read through Scripture that a moderate, a temperate cheering of the heart of man by wine is not condemned, nor is it considered reprehensible. 2 Samuel 13, verse 28, Esther 1.10, Psalm 104, verse 15, Zechariah 9.15, Zechariah 10.7, And then in chapter 10 in verse 19, that is emphasized again, a feast is made for laughter and wine maketh merry. So once again, as you look in the Bible, you find that a moderate and a temperate gladdening of the heart by the use of wine is not condemned.

[John Weaver] In fact, there are a number, I should say, a multitude of godly men and women in the Bible. who used wine properly and were not reproved for doing so. There was Melchizedek and Abram in Genesis 14, verse 18. There was Isaac and Jacob in Genesis 27, verse 25. There was Jesse and Saul in 1 Samuel 16, 20. There was Abigail and David, 1 Samuel 25, verse 18. There were the Israelites who came with Perfect heart to make David king over Israel in 1 Chronicles 12, 38 through 40. There were Solomon and Hiram in 2 Chronicles 2, 10. Hezekiah in 2 Chronicles 32, 28.

[John Weaver] Nehemiah was cupbearer to Artaxerxes, Nehemiah 2, 1. And as cupbearer, Nehemiah had to taste everything that Artaxerxes drank. There was Esther. In Esther 5, 6, and 7, 1, there was Paul and Timothy. In 1 Timothy 5, 23, there's Daniel. In Daniel 10, 2 and 3, in chapter 6, verse 4. And then, of course, there was the Lord Himself in Luke 7 and verse 34. So nowhere in the entirety of Scripture is the proper and the moderate use of wine or alcoholic beverages looked down upon or condemned.

[John Weaver] Fourthly, Why it is commended in Scripture for its medicinal properties, both externally and internally. If you would turn to Luke chapter 10. Here is a story that everyone is familiar with, and I'm sure that probably anyone that has ever done any home doctoring or ever seen an old war movie knows that alcohol is used to kill germs and to cleanse. So this Good Samaritan in Luke chapter 10, verse 34, when he found this man who was beaten and left for dead, the Bible says he went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine and set him on his own beast and brought him to an inn and took care of him. So here is wine used externally then as a cleanser. If you would turn in your Bibles to 1 Timothy chapter 5 and look at verse 23, you will see it is commended there to be used internally. 1 Timothy 5 and verse 23, the apostle told Timothy, drink no longer water.

[John Weaver] But use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and thine orphaned infirmities." So wine then is commended as it has medicinal properties both externally and internally. Fifthly, wine is commended for those who are depressed or dying. If you will look back to the book of Proverbs chapter 31, You will notice this in verses 6 and 7. Proverbs 31, verses 6 and 7. Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish and wine unto those that be of heavy heart. Let him drink and forget his poverty and remember misery no more. Of course, verse 7 is not Recommending drunkenness, of course, not drunkenness is sin, but it is recommending that which we talked about while ago about making his heart merry. Not drunkenness, not tipsiness, but just simply a gladdening of the heart. So he says, give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, that is, those who are about to die and wine unto those that be of a heavy heart. So it's commended then for those who are depressed and those who are dying.

[John Weaver] Sixthly, wine is commended by expressing the exceptional instances of abstinence. Now listen carefully to what I just said. Wine is commended by expressing in the Bible the exceptional instances of abstinence. There were times when certain people had to abstain. What were some of those? Well, for instance, look in Proverbs 31, verses 4 and 5. Kings and rulers were to abstain during times of momentous judgment and discernment. It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, nor for princes strong drink, lest they drink and forget the law and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted. So when there was a time that called for judgment, when there was a time that called for discernment, than those rulers who were in authority that had to deal with the law were called upon at that time to abstain. If you will look in your Bibles to the book of Leviticus, chapter 10, and incidentally, if it was not during that particular time, according to the Bible, rulers and princes could drink moderately.

[John Weaver] But in the book of Leviticus, chapter 10, you will find that the priests As long as they were in the tabernacle or in the temple ministering, then they were commanded to abstain. In Leviticus chapter 10 and verse 8, And the Lord spake unto Aaron, saying, Do not drink wine nor strong drink, thou nor thy sons with thee, when you go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest you die. It shall be a statute forever throughout your generations.

[John Weaver] Now, there's some that have supposed and whether this is true or not, I don't know. But some have supposed that the sin of Nadab and Abihu in verses one and two, when they offered strange fire, they did so because they were drunk. That may be true. I don't know. I don't think there's any way that you could prove it. But anyhow, while they were ministering, The priests were to abstain. However, according to Numbers chapter 18, verse 12 and verses 27 through 29, if they were not ministering, they not only could drink wine, but the Bible says that they were to have the best wine. Numbers chapter six, if you would turn there very quickly, you will find that there was another group who was to abstain.

[John Weaver] And that was those who had taken upon themselves the Nazarite vow. Numbers chapter 6, notice verses 1 through 4. And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When either man or woman shall separate themselves to vow a vow of a Nazarite, to separate themselves unto the Lord, he shall separate himself from wine and from strong drink, and shall drink no vinegar of wine or vinegar of strong drink, neither shall he drink any liquor of grapes, nor eat any moist grapes or dried." He could not even have the grapes, much less the wine that came from them. All the days of his separation shall he eat nothing that is made of the vine tree from the kernels even to the husk. So it's very obvious that the Nazarite during this time of vow Had to abstain, however, look at verse 20. After his vow was over and the priest shall wave them for a wave offering before the Lord. This is holy for the priest with the wave breast and heave shoulder.

[John Weaver] And after that. The Nazarite may drink wine, in other words, after his vow was over, then he could go back to drinking wine again. So the Bible then commends it by pointing out the exceptional instances that there was to be total abstinence. Seventhly, and I'm not going to deal with this because I already have, but I'm pointing it out, wine is commended in the Scripture by the condemnation of its abuse. The abuse is always condemned, but not wine in and of itself. And then eighthly, wine is commended in the Scripture by its being given for ceremonial and ecclesiastical uses. When I say that, I mean when God commended those priests to include wine in the sacrifices when they were to use wine for the drink offerings.

[John Weaver] When our Lord instituted, the Lord suffered. He used the elements from the Passover. And as I shall bring later on, maybe not tonight, but probably next week, wine was very definitely used in the Passover. And our Lord took the elements, the unleavened bread and the wine, and He began the Lord's Supper. And therefore, the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 11, verse 21, did not tell those Corinthians to stop using wine. Rather, he told them to stop abusing it.

[John Weaver] And the word drunken, when he rebukes them for being drunken, is metheo in the Greek, and literally it means to be soaked or saturated with drink. So he told them to stop being soaked and saturated with drink.

[John Weaver] Now, on the one hand, as you read through the Bible, you see wine and alcoholic beverages condemned, and that is always in reference to the abuse. On the other hand, as you read through the Bible, you find wine and alcoholic beverages commended. That is, when it is used properly and biblically and within the framework that the Lord has ordained it.

[John Weaver] Now, what are the applications? Well, two mainly. The biblical position in view of wine is to view it as God says it, as His gift and as His blessing. And it is to be used as it is commanded and commended. But at the same time, everyone must detest and despise the abuse of it by wicked and sinful men. In other words, we must hold a proper total view while at the same time despising the abuse of it. The same thing is true even in regards to sex. The Bible says, that marriage above all is honorable, but foremongers and adulterers God will judge. Now, there are two other passages that I want you to look at.

[John Weaver] I ask that you turn, first of all, to 1 Corinthians chapter 3. I'm going to make a statement, and I believe it is an extremely biblical statement. I don't believe anyone can disprove it. 1 Corinthians chapter 3 and verse 21-23. Notice, Paul says, therefore, let no man glory in men. Notice this statement. For all things are yours, whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come, all are yours.

[John Weaver] And you are Christ, and Christ is God. Now, notice he emphasizes twice, all are yours. Everything belongs to the Christian. Everything.

[John Weaver] Now, turn, if you would, please, 1 Timothy chapter 6. 1 Timothy chapter 6. And notice, if you would, verse 17. 1 Timothy 6 and verse 17. Paul says, charge them that are rich in this world that they be not high minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, notice, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy. In reality, dear friend, only a Christian can use and enjoy all things the way God has ordained them to be. Only a Christian can use and enjoy food without becoming a glutton. Only a Christian can use wine without becoming a drunkard. Only a Christian can use risk without becoming a slothful indolent sluggard. Only a Christian can use pleasure and give God the honor and the glory for it without becoming a pleasure seeker and pleasure oriented. Only a Christian can use and enjoy marriage the way God has ordained it. Because God has given us all things and in Him it is His grace that keeps us and sustains us and orders us and directs us.

[John Weaver] It is not in man, but it is in God. And it is God, the Bible says, who has given us richly all things to enjoy. Your position, according to the Bible, must be that you must condemn always the abuse of anything But you must always commend what God commends and use in the way that God commands that it be used. Shall we pray? Heavenly Father, we submit our minds to your word. Your word is divinely inspired. It is infallible. It is authoritative. From thy word, O Lord, we have no recourse. We must either fall upon it or be crushed by it. We must either submit or rebel, and I pray, Lord, that you would help us to be biblical, to take the total, complete view of thy word on every subject and order our thoughts accordingly. Lord, if there are some here who are drunkards, I pray that you will convict them and convert them. If there are some here, Lord, who would try to wrest this Scripture and try to make it to be a license to rebel and sin, I pray that you would convict them and convert them.

[John Weaver] Lord, help us at all times to understand We are responsible to not only hear but apply Thy Word, and never to misuse it and never wrest it out of its context. Give us grace that we may serve Thee acceptably with reverence and godly fear. In Thy name we pray, Amen.