What About Deuteronomy 14:26?

In a response to a Daily Visit with God I wrote based out of Proverbs 20:1 and the subject of wine, a man commented back to me, “But what about Deuteronomy 14:26?” The verse reads, Deuteronomy 14:26 (KJV)

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,

My first thought would be, “What about the preponderance of passages that tell us of the evils of drinking?”

What about, Genesis 9:20-21 (KJV)?

And Noah began to be an husbandman, and he planted a vineyard:

And he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent.

What about Numbers 6:3 (KJV)?

He shall separate himself from wine and strong drink, and shall drink no vinegar of wine, or vinegar of strong drink, neither shall he drink any liquor of grapes, nor eat moist grapes, or dried.

What about Judges 13:4 (KJV)?

Now therefore beware, I pray thee, and drink not wine nor strong drink, and eat not any unclean thing:

What about Proverbs 20:1 (KJV)?

Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.

What about Proverbs 23:31-32 (KJV)?

Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright.

At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder.

What about Isaiah 5:11 (KJV)?

Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; that continue until night, till wine inflame them!

What about Isaiah 28:7 (KJV)?

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.

What about Habakkuk 2:15 (KJV)?

Woe unto him that giveth his neighbour drink, that puttest thy bottle to him, and makest him drunken also, that thou mayest look on their nakedness!

There are so many passages that give a clear and compelling argument against the drinking of alcohol that reason says every passage that seems to approve of it should be reconsidered. Even if we are not able to give a definitive understanding of those passages, good sense says they are not condoning and approving of drinking any sort of alcoholic drink.

I am reminded of the question the Pharisees asked the Lord, Matthew 19:7 (KJV)

They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away?

The Pharisees were looking for a (Biblical) way to approve of divorce. Jesus gave them no such leave. His answer to them was that, though Moses recognized divorce as a reality in his world, God did not approve it and it was still sin. Though the souls of men may “lust” after wine and strong drink along with their meals, it is not approved and it is still sin.

• ·       Given that the Bible speaks clearly of the evil of drunkenness
• ·       Given that the habit of drinking alcohol so easily slips into drunkenness and
• ·       Given that the Bible tells us to be filled with the Holy Ghost instead of being drunk with wine

It is foolish to argue in favor of any view of the Bible that approves of the use of alcoholic drink, including wine.

Bible Wines

Dr. Rick Shrader has written a piece in response to John Macarthur's article, written to the Young, Restless and Reformed crowd warning them against encouraging the drinking of alcoholic wine.  Dr. Shrader's piece is researched, balanced and scholarly. I would recommend you read it here.

Bible Wines

Marvin McKenzie

In the fields

Spirit Filled?

The new group in the spiritual scene is now classified as the young, restless and reformed. This group of new preachers seem to be building the fastest growing churches now in America on the concept of being "socially liberal but theologically conservative."
Now enter John MacArthur. He would be the last one to be considered young and restless. But his theology, it seems to me, has been applauded by this new group. Until now.

In an effort to perhaps mentor this young, restless and reformed group MacArthur has written a series of blogs warning of some of their weaknesses. MacArthur is not so socially liberal as the new young group. Recently he wrote to warn them concerning their fondness of alcoholic beverages. I first heard of this through a friend who had attended a Driscoll conference in Seattle. During a break, my friend said Driscoll encouraged the attendees to have lunch at a nearby bar and to be sure to buy someone in the bar a beer.

Back to MacArthur. In response to his blog, numerous of the "YRR" crowd has blogged back. And not in repentance. One, who has just finished a book entitled, Spirit Filled, which suggests to be about the biblical reasons drinking is not sinful, wrote back in scathing words. He said that MacArthur's audience is "mostly graying, mostly fundamentalists and mostly Baptists." This YRR preacher was apparently in diapers when MacArthur made his statements about the blood of Christ and it's efficacy in atonement. Fundamental Baptists wrote MacArthur off way back then. His following is certainly not Fundamentalists and most certainly not fundamental Baptists.

However, when Baptist preachers did react to MacArthur's statements on the blood, though sone reacted without having all the facts, and I am sure many reacted aggressively in their own forums, to my recollection, none wrote with the flippant and rebellious attitude of the author of "Spirit Filled." There is an arrogance and pride in this young crowd that is as destructive and dangerous as anything I have seen in my years of the ministry. Little to nothing is sacred to this group. They have rebelled against their mentors. They have rejected the faith of their fathers. They have spurned the counsel of their elders.

May God open their eyes to repent and return.

Marvin McKenzie
In the fields