The First Angel’s Message part 2
Two types of Wine
In part two, we will study the term “wine” in scripture and learn that the Bible does not support the consumption of alcohol.
1. Based on Revelation 14:7, we are commanded to give glory to God. What is one meaning of giving glory to God? 1 Corinthians 10:31
Note: It is clear that a part of giving glory to God covers what we eat and drink. Let us ask this question and answer it from scripture: ‘Lord, what shall I drink?’
Note: “Wine” in the Bible can be referred to as new or fresh grape juice and it can also mean the fermented alcohol. In the Hebrew, there are two words used to distinguish them. The word tîyrôsh is used for new, unfermented wine. The word yayin is generally used for fermented wine, but there are some exceptions (See Isaiah 16:10). In the New Testament, there is only one Greek word used for both the fresh grape juice and the fermented beverage: it is oinis. To understand the difference, you have to look at the context of the passage which gives away the meaning. When the terms old and new wine are mentioned (Luke 5:37-39), the ‘old wine’ obviously refers to the fermented beverage and the ‘new wine’ refers to the fresh grape juice.
2. Does the Bible condone drinking fermented wine? Proverbs 20:1; 23:20, 21; Ecclesiastes 10:17
3. What were the sins of the antediluvian world, and how will it be in these last days? Matthew 24:37-39; Genesis 6:1-2, 5
Patriarchs and Prophets, 101: Since the first surrender to appetite, mankind have been growing more and more self-indulgent, until health has been sacrificed on the altar of appetite. The inhabitants of the antediluvian world were intemperate in eating and drinking. They would have flesh meats, although God had at that time given man no permission to eat animal food. They ate and drank till the indulgence of their depraved appetite knew no bounds, and they became so corrupt that God could bear with them no longer. Their cup of iniquity was full, and He cleansed the earth of its moral pollution by a flood.”—[Christian Temperance and Bible Hygiene, 42, 43] Counsels on Health, 108-110, 1890 {CD 147.2}
“A similar condition of things exists now. That which is lawful in itself is carried to excess. Appetite is indulged without restraint. Professed followers of Christ are today eating and drinking with the drunken, while their names stand in honored church records. Intemperance benumbs the moral and spiritual powers and prepares the way for indulgence of the lower passions… {PP 101.3}
Note: We will now show from the Bible how alcohol negatively affects the body and why we should not drink it.
4. Why did Daniel and the three Hebrews not partake of the king’s dainties and wine? Daniel 1:5, 8
5. What sin caused Belshazzar’s kingdom to fall? What is one application of these vessels? Daniel 5:1-5, 23; 2 Corinthians 4:6, 7; 1 Corinthians 6:19, 20
6. What effect does alcohol have on your mind and moral reasoning? Deuteronomy 29:6; Proverbs 31:4, 5; Revelation 1:5, 6
Here are some other ways drinking alcohol or fermented wine negatively affects your body.
a) Speech – 1 Samuel 1:12-16; Proverbs 23:30, 33
b) Walking/Motor Skills – Isaiah 29:9 (Note: The context of Isaiah 29 is speaking about God pouring out judgment but the principles about alcohol are still there).
c) Hangover – Proverbs 23:29-35; Genesis 9:20-25 (Noah set a bad example for his children)
d) Leads you into sexual sin – Genesis 19:30-38; Exodus 32:1-9
7. Many claim that Jesus served fermented wine at the marriage feast in Cana in John 2:1-11. Based on what we have covered, are we to believe that Jesus was bartending and serving alcoholic beverages? Habakkuk 2:15; Mark 1:24 w/ John 10:10; Mark 15:15, 23; Ephesians 5:18
“The wine which Jesus made was not fermented liquor. Such wine is a cause of drunkenness and many great evils, and God had forbidden its use. He says, “Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.” “It biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder.” Proverbs 20:1; 23:32. {SJ 53.3}
Steps to Jesus (adapted from Step to Christ), 53: “The wine used at the feast was the pure, sweet juice of the grape. It was like that which the prophet Isaiah calls “the new wine in the cluster;” and he says, “A blessing is in it.” Isaiah 65:8. {SJ 53.4}
Bible Echo, 1899: “The wine created by Christ at the marriage feast in Galilee was the best wine that those present had ever tasted. But it was entirely free from all fermentation. Christ Himself had forbidden the use of fermented drink, saying, “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 forever throughout your generations; and that ye may put difference between holy and unholy, and between clean and unclean, and that ye may teach the children of Israel all the statutes which the Lord hath spoken unto them by the hand of Moses.” {BEcho September 4, 1899, par. 1}
8. Others claim that Paul says it is okay to ‘drink moderately’ and “use a little wine for thy stomach’s sake.” They also say that it is okay to use wine during the communion service for it is blessed. Read 1 Timothy 5:23 and 1 Corinthians 10:16. Is this wine mentioned fermented or unfermented beverage? Isaiah 65:8
Bible Echo 1899: “Fermented liquor confuses the senses and perverts the powers of the being. God is dishonoured when men have not sufficient respect for themselves to practice strict temperance. Fermented wine is not a natural production. The Lord never made it, and with its production He has nothing to do. Paul advised Timothy to take a little wine for his stomach’s sake and oft infirmities, but he meant the unfermented juice of the grape. He did not advise Timothy to take what the Lord had prohibited.” {BEcho September 4, 1899, par. 2}
9. Still doubtful about the Bible’s prohibition of alcohol, many people use science to suggest that there are health benefits found in drinking wine. Below are a few excerpts from science articles. We will see that these articles CONTRADICT themselves on whether or not consuming alcohol is good for the body. They will also reveal that consuming whole grapes and grape juice is BETTER than drinking alcohol.
(a) https://www.healthline.com/health-news/red-wine-may-benefit-gut-health
Why Red Wine Is Better Than White Wine for Gut Health
If you’re going to drink alcohol, make it red wine.
Researchers in the United Kingdom say that people in their study who drank red wine had healthier levels of bacteria in their gut than people who drank other types of alcohol.
They also found drinking red wine was associated with lower body mass index — a measure of obesity — and lower levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol.
Alcohol — including red wine — can raise your chances of several types of cancer.
“The less alcohol you drink, the lower your risk of cancer,” the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states.
The agency also says long-term alcohol use can lead to problems with your heart, liver, gut, and memory. It can also lead to social problems, such as lost productivity or unemployment.
They also recommend that people who don’t drink alcohol don’t start — “for any reason.”
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heart-disease/in-depth/red-wine/art-20048281
Does grape juice offer the same heart benefits as red wine?
Possibly. Some research studies suggest that red and purple grape juices may provide some of the same heart benefits of red wine, including:
Reducing the risk of blood clots
Reducing low-density lipoprotein (LDL, or “bad”) cholesterol
Preventing damage to blood vessels in your heart
Helping maintain a healthy blood pressure
Keep in mind that it’s also beneficial to eat whole grapes — not just drink grape juice. Some research suggests that whole grapes deliver the same amount of antioxidants that are in grape juice and wine but have the added benefit of providing dietary fiber.
10. As we close, what pointed warning does God give to us regarding drinking alcohol? What hope is left for us? Galatians 5:19-21; 1 Corinthians 6:9-12