Does God endorse drinking wine?

Wine in the Bible is not the wine of today.

Proverbs 20:1 'Wine is a mocker, Strong drink is a brawler, And whoever is led astray by it is not wise.'

When God showed me this topic to write about, I immediately jumped in and started taking out the bible verses. But, as I read the verses, I got more questions than answers.

I was perplexed by what I felt were biblical contradictions. I couldn’t accept that the Bible can have contradictions, because I know and believe that the Bible is the word of God. And I always say “ The God of the Bible is a God of certainty and not of Probability”. The Contradictions are felt because of the probable interpretations of the verses.

To take you along the path I went till I got the reaffirmation that indeed, the God of the Bible is certainly God of Certainty, I am listing out the verses I read and the doubts that played in my mind. I will write about the revelations about these doubts God was so gracious to reveal to me.

Proverbs 20:1 – Wine is a mocker, Strong drink is a brawler, And whoever is led astray by it is not wise

Genesis 9:21 - One day he drank some wine he had made, and he became drunk and lay naked inside his tent.

Genesis 19:33 - So they made their father drink wine that night. And the firstborn went in and lay with her father, and he did not know when she lay down or when she arose.

Genesis 19:35 - Then they made their father drink wine that night also. And the younger arose and lay with him, and he did not know when she lay down or when she arose.

The above verses from the bible clearly show how good men lose their dignity or commit immoral acts “being led astray by it”. So, I was clear till now. Then comes the following verses that brought about the doubts.

Proverbs 31:6 - Give strong drink to him who is perishing, And wine to those who are bitter of heart.

John 2:8-9 - And He said to them, “Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast.” And they took it. When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom.

I Timothy 5:23 -No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for your stomach’s sake and your frequent infirmities.

If consuming  wine – the fermented variety, or any strong drink for that matter is wrong,

1.         Why would Solomon instruct to drink it in some cases?

2.        Why would Jesus make Wine from water and that too His first miracle in public?

3.        Why would Apostle Paul instruct Timothy to drink some wine?

I read the Tamil translation of the bible and various other versions to see if the meaning is twisted in translation. Alas, it only proved all the more confusing.

While brooding over this and driving, the Holy Spirit revealed that the Wine is like Grape Juice when new. It ferments when kept in storage for a long time. And it was customary for Jews to drink wine or grape juice after a meal – will reveal the science behind this later. And Jesus made wine from water – This wine was new – Unfermented.

So one question met its answer. But a few more questions still linger. I then went to the best place for answers – The Feet of the Lord, in prayer.

What a wonderful time it was – at the Lord’s feet, seeking answers and He in His Grace revealing the answers one by one with instructions to read and comprehend.

The first question to be answered was on why did Paul instruct Timothy to drink a little Wine.

I have had numerous gastric issues due to low stomach acid. Bloating after a heavy meal etc. God revealed that grape juice/wine is acidic. Timothy had indeed been instructed by Paul to drink wine instead of water, because, water after a meal further dilutes the gastric juices and hinders quick digestion. This is accentuated in people with low stomach acid. The Wine helps increase the acidity and also helping wash down the food.

I googled and I understood that the ph level of grape juice is 2.8 – 4, acidic indeed.

The last question was still to be answered.

Proverbs 31:6.

The strong drink is only for the dying. Remember the wars and accidents. Sometimes people are so damaged and bleeding and cannot be saved in wars and accidents. They will die a slow and painful death. This is the only exception the Bible provides, to numb the pain and that too only when you cannot live after the damage your body has gone through.

The wine again is for the Sad / broken-hearted –  because studies have shown that Grape juice/wine is rich in sugar, potassium, iron and antioxidants, which will provide the body with extra energy and act as mood boosters. Grapes contain “Resveratol”, an antioxidant that can improve mood and memory in older adults.

I was so relieved and elated after the revelations. Noah did not aim to ferment the grape juice to help him get high – it happened because he drank a lot of the wine. In today’s world, however, wine is fermented by adding yeast to give a high to the one who drinks it.

Dear child of God, please do not drink alcohol or the wine of the present day that is fermented. Drink Grape juice in moderation when you desire. And the feet of the Lord when approached in humbleness and prayer help’s the brokenhearted to be healed and be filled with Joy more than even wine can – this I write out of personal experience of being healed of a broken heart many a time at His feet.

The Word of God is indeed complete in all aspects and has the answers you seek today.

And for those of you who argue that a daily laborer who toils hard and drinks illicit liquor as it’s cheaper to help him relieve the body aches – God revealed to me that He has kept the necessary solution in the human body itself. When we first do hard labour, it hurts the next day. But over time, the muscles go through a “tear and heal” process and become strengthened so that the pain does not persist for long. Ask any Gym goer who lifts weights – They will say the first week was a nightmare because of the body aches. But persistent training would have helped their body cope with the pain too. What God makes is always wonderful and self-sufficient.

Praise the Lord.

Glory to Jesus.