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The Wine of Deuteronomy 14:26

Discussion in 'Other Christian Denominations' started by standingfirminChrist, May 1, 2008.

  1. standingfirminChrist

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    From "Wine in the Bible and the Scriptural Case for Total Abstinence" by Leighton G. Campbell; Brentwood Publishers pp 90-93:

    We have learnt from our study of Numbers 28:7 and the other texts relating to it, that the Scriptures themselves endorse the fact that the word usually translated "strong drink" in the Old Testament (shekar, shakar, shecar), does not always refer to a strong alcoholic or intoxicating substance. We have also learnt from a study of this word, that "sweet drink" is an alternative rendering, depending on the context. Kitto's Cyclopedia sums this up:

    Shakar is a generic term, including palm-wine and other saccharine beverages, except those prepared from the vine.

    Numbers 28:7 should therefore read:

    And the drink offering thereof shall be the fourth part of an hin for one lamb: in the holy place shall thou cause the sweet drink (unfermented palm-wine) to be poured unto the Lord for a drink offering.

    In the Bible God never approves of alcoholic beverages. Let us consider the following text:

    Do not drink wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: [it shall be] a statute for ever throughout your generations: And that ye may put difference between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean; And that ye may teach the children of Israel all the statutes which the LORD hath spoken unto them by the hand of Moses. (Leviticus 10:9-11)


    Notice how abstinence from alcohol is essential for being able to discriminate between clean and unclean, the text goes on to read:

    And Moses spake unto Aaron, and unto Eleazar and unto Ithamar, his sons that were left, Take the meat offering that remaineth of the offerings of the LORD made by fire, and eat it without leaven beside the altar: for it [is] most holy: (Leviticus 10:12)

    Regarding the prohibition of leaven in all offerings by God in Leviticus 2:3-14, Professor Moses Stuart states:

    The great mass of the Jews have ever understood this prohibition as extending to fermented wine, or strong drink, as well as to bread. The word is essentially the same which designates the fermentation of bread and that of liquors.

    Here we can see that leaven (fermented dough) was regarded as the same as vinous fermentation; therefore fermented wine, strong drink, and leaven were all prohibited before the altar of the Lord "for it is most holy."

    The next passage reads:

    And thou shalt bestow that money for whatsoever thy soul lusteth after, for oxen, or for sheep, or for wine, or for strong drink, or for whatsoever thy soul desireth: and thou shalt eat there before the LORD thy God, and thou shalt rejoice, thou, and thine household, (Deuteronomy 14:26)

    Those proponents of moderation with respect to intoxicating beverages might suggest that this text sanctions and encourages the drinking of beer and alcoholic wine. To be fair, it appears to be so, but this is not the case. In examining this passage we will learn that the book of
    to be continued...
     
  2. standingfirminChrist

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    ... continued from last post.
    Deuteronomy furnishes us with a perfect example of the following:

    (a) A correct understanding of the generic words which are used for "wine" and "strong drink" respectively.
    (b) A proper application of the law of context.
    (c) A complete understanding of God's view on the subject of drinking.

    Now in returning to the text, we will see that the Bible itself conclusively refutes any suggestions whatsoever that this text endorses the use of alcoholic drinks.

    We have already learnt in our studies that the words translated "wine" (yayin) and "strong drink" (shekar) here are generic, and may refer to fresh grape juice and a sweet pleasant drink which was unfermented. What kind of beverage is this verse referring to? Since it may be argued that this text can be interpreted according to one's own particular bias. The answer is very simple. Deuteronomy 29:6 explains:

    Ye have not eaten bread, neither have ye drunk wine or strong drink: that ye might know that I [am] the LORD your God. (Deuteronomy 29:6)

    Here this passage proves that the "wine" and "strong drink" in chapter 14:26, cannot be the same as that mentioned here! The inspired text later goes on to explain in no uncertain terms exactly what kind of wine the Jews did drink. It reads:

    Butter of kine, and milk of sheep, with fat of lambs, and rams of the breed of Bashan, and goats, with the fat of kidneys of wheat; and thou didst drink the pure blood of the grape. (Deuteronomy 32:14)

    Here Moses names among the many blessings of the Lord, pure fresh grape juice, known as "the blood of the grape," which was highly esteemed. We will now take a look at some comments on this. Adam Clarke's Commentary states:

    Red wine, or the pure juice of whatever color, expressed from the grapes, without any adulteration or mixture with water: blood here is synonymous with juice. This intimates that their vines should be of the best kind, and their wine in abundance, and of the most delicious flavour.

    The Reverend B. Parsons also gives an interesting explanation:

    Red was considered the best juice; pure, that which was unfermented and unmixed; thick that which had been boiled or spissated; or, rather, that the juice was very thick, saccharine, or sirupy. The text, therefore, means thou didst drink the purest, the sweetest, and the richest blood, or juice, of the grape.

    We thus learn from examination of these three passages (Deuteronomy 14:26; 29:6; 32:14) that the children of Israel in their wilderness wanderings were blessed with the most finest and nutritious delicacies from God. They did not eat bread as part of their regular diet, but were blessed with manna (Deuteronomy 8:3,16; 29:6). They did not drink intoxicating wine (Deuteronomy 29:6), but drank the sweet, unfermented and pleasant juice of other fruits (Deuteronomy 14:26).

    We also learn that God approved of unfermented drinks of health giving character, these were highly esteemed among the Jews. We also learn a vital and valuable lesson that the original words used for "wine" and "strong drink" may refer to an intoxicating substance as well as a non intoxicating one, and that these must be judged in context.
     
  3. dan e.

    dan e. New Member

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    oh my goodness....let's all just get over the fact that we differ on these issues.

    This is not a matter of salvation folks!!!:BangHead:
     
  4. Rubato 1

    Rubato 1 New Member

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    I'll drink to that. Ginger ale, of course.
     
  5. Matt Black

    Matt Black Well-Known Member
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    Oh dear me, here we go again!:rolleyes: SFIC, has anyone told you the Crusades ended in 1291?
     
  6. Agnus_Dei

    Agnus_Dei New Member

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    Or that Prohibition ended in 1933 here in the US...

    InXC
    -
     
  7. standingfirminChrist

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    Crusades may have ended in 1291, and Prohibition in 1933, but the Word of God abideth ever, and His army should still be taking a stand against that which has deceived so many and carried their souls to hell.
     
  8. Tom Bryant

    Tom Bryant Well-Known Member

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    wine never carried anyone's soul to hell. Their sin did.
     
  9. standingfirminChrist

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    Wine is the cause of the sin of drunkenness. God's Word commands abstinence.

    At the last it biteth like a serpent and stingeth like an adder.
     
  10. Matt Black

    Matt Black Well-Known Member
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    Er...no. Wine is not the cause of the sin of drunkeness any more than having a car is the cause of the crime of speeding; drinking too much wine is the cause of the sin of drunkeness just as driving your car too fast is the cause of the crime of speeding. Following your reasoning would lead to automobile ownership being banned to stop speeding.
     
  11. NaasPreacher (C4K)

    NaasPreacher (C4K) Well-Known Member

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    Wow - I thought man's sinful nature and sinful choices were the cause for his sin.
     
  12. rbell

    rbell Active Member

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    Tell that to the folks on here that question others' salvation in these type threads...:tear:
     
  13. trustitl

    trustitl New Member

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    The sin of drunkenness is not caused by drinking too much wine. If I was to force someone to drink too much wine they would become intoxicated but would not be in sin.

    The source of sin is the flesh and submitting our wills to the lusts therof. Coming up with a law that "Thou shalt not drink" will not deal with the lusts of the flesh. Only receiving the circumcision made without hands can do that!

    Col 2:11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ.

    Gal. 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
    25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

    The Womens Christian Temperance Union meant well when they tried to outlaw alcohol, but it revealed that the only way to produce temperance is through the Holy Spirit of the Livng God.

    Many men are trying to stop viewing pornography be putting filters on their computers or letting others view their internet history. It is time we begin trusting the Spirit to produce what theses laws cannot!
     
  14. Amy.G

    Amy.G New Member

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    AMEN!

    [​IMG]
     
  15. standingfirminChrist

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    There is no need to come up with a law that says "Thou shalt not drink;" the law is already there:

    Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, [when] it moveth itself aright. (Proverbs 23:31)

    What is needed is faithful Christians who will uphold the law.
     
  16. EdSutton

    EdSutton New Member

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    I'm pretty sure there are at least 10 threads I can find on the BB that we could import in their entirety, to this one, and save all the usual suspects the efforts of posting and the problem of being "rounded up".

    No wait! Can't do that! Some of them are found in the "Baptist Only" sections. :rolleyes:

    Ed
     
  17. Linda64

    Linda64 New Member

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    Wine is not the cause of the sin of drunkenness? You should have told that to my husband (who is now deceased). If the wine had not been available for him to lust after, then he probably would be alive today. Wine deceived him like it deceives all who are led astray. He was told that "moderate drinking is ok---just don't get drunk". To make such a statement as "wine is not the cause of the sin of drunkenness is simply ludicrous!

    If the temptation is not there, nobody would be tempted. For someone who believes that all wine in the Bible is fermented and encourages "moderate drinking" you are contradicting yourself. How does a person get drunk? What causes the temptation to drink in the first place? Temptation isn't the sin:

    James 1:13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:
    James 1:14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
    James 1:15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

    If the wine wasn't there to tempt, there would be no drunkenness. That's not rocket science, Matt.
     
  18. NaasPreacher (C4K)

    NaasPreacher (C4K) Well-Known Member

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    You really think that temptation is the cause for sin? So if I am addicted to porn it is porn's fault?

    Wow! Now that's what I call liberty - Its not even "The devil made me do it." Now I have the freedom to say - "Wine made me drink it. Wine made me abuse it. Wine made me a drunk!"

    Its not my fault!!
     
  19. standingfirminChrist

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    Wine is a deceiver (Proverbs 20:1). God's Word commands abstinence from it (Proverbs 23:31). If one believes 'just one drink' doesn't hurt, that one has already been deceived by the very thing that they say can't bring about sin.

    Proverbs 5 teaches us not even to go on the same street as the thing that entices one to walk contrary to God's Holy Word. Wine does just that. It causes men to walk on a street that man should be avoiding altogether.
     
  20. webdog

    webdog Active Member
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    At least here you admit wine causes sin...and is not sin.

    Food leads to gluttony...eating food is not sin either.
     
    #20 webdog, May 2, 2008
    Last edited by a moderator: May 2, 2008
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