"Lingering" Over Wine

Services

Sunday - 9:15 AM Sunday School, 10:30 AM Worship Service

by: Denise Robinson

02/16/2021

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I am skipping a few verses in Ch. 23 about the discipling of children. We have similar verses previously; the only difference here is that Solomon clearly advocates beating a child if (notice I said "if") it will save them from death/hell. Instead, our verses for today speak to the overindulgence of alcohol and Solomon opens with a series of questions:


Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has strife? Who has complaining? Who has wounds without cause? Who has redness of eyes? Those who linger late over wine, those who keep trying mixed wines. Do not look at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup and goes down smoothly. At the last it bites like a serpent, and stings like an adder. Your eyes will see strange things, and your mind utter perverse things. You will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea, like one who lies on the top of a mast. “They struck me,” you will say, “but I was not hurt; they beat me, but I did not feel it. When shall I awake? I will seek another drink.”   (Prov. 23:29-35)

Notice that the admonition is not to "linger" over wine or try "mixed" wines (which would refer to drinking cup after cup where new wine is mixed with old). The other warning is to avoid drinking when the wine seems to "sparkle." He's not talking about champagne; he's talking about when the mere looks of alcohol seem enticing. Then you know there's a problem. 

Meditation: Although Solomon is writing about alcohol, these same words could be said about many things in our lives: gambling, pornography, drugs, money, sexual attraction, social media, etc. Has there ever been something in your life that seemed to "sparkle," but turned out to be harmful or addictive? As human beings, there are things that "entice" us, things we spend too much of our money on or too much time doing. If these words seem uncomfortable to you, spend some time in reflection thinking on Solomon's words.
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I am skipping a few verses in Ch. 23 about the discipling of children. We have similar verses previously; the only difference here is that Solomon clearly advocates beating a child if (notice I said "if") it will save them from death/hell. Instead, our verses for today speak to the overindulgence of alcohol and Solomon opens with a series of questions:


Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has strife? Who has complaining? Who has wounds without cause? Who has redness of eyes? Those who linger late over wine, those who keep trying mixed wines. Do not look at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup and goes down smoothly. At the last it bites like a serpent, and stings like an adder. Your eyes will see strange things, and your mind utter perverse things. You will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea, like one who lies on the top of a mast. “They struck me,” you will say, “but I was not hurt; they beat me, but I did not feel it. When shall I awake? I will seek another drink.”   (Prov. 23:29-35)

Notice that the admonition is not to "linger" over wine or try "mixed" wines (which would refer to drinking cup after cup where new wine is mixed with old). The other warning is to avoid drinking when the wine seems to "sparkle." He's not talking about champagne; he's talking about when the mere looks of alcohol seem enticing. Then you know there's a problem. 

Meditation: Although Solomon is writing about alcohol, these same words could be said about many things in our lives: gambling, pornography, drugs, money, sexual attraction, social media, etc. Has there ever been something in your life that seemed to "sparkle," but turned out to be harmful or addictive? As human beings, there are things that "entice" us, things we spend too much of our money on or too much time doing. If these words seem uncomfortable to you, spend some time in reflection thinking on Solomon's words.
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