What Does the Bible Say About Drinking Part 1

499 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 2Sa 11:13 Now when David called him, he ate and drank before him; and he made him drunk. And at evening he went out to lie on his bed with the servants of his lord, but he did not go down to his house.” In the next couple of days I am going to be looking at some of what the Bible says about drinking alcohol. Before I begin I want to speak to those who are recovering alcoholics. May God bless your sobriety, may He continue to give you the strength to say no to even one drink, because you know that in your situation, one drink is too many. In this portion of 2 Samuel, we see that David has tried twice to entice Uriah to go home and sleep in his bed. It was his hope that if Uriah would do this, David's sin with the now pregnant Bathsheba would be covered, but it didn't happen as David planned, so now David decides to play the alcohol card. Get the man drunk, that will turn his “no” button into a “go” button and surely Uriah would make his way home and spend the night with Bathsheba. That's one of the problems with alcohol. All it takes is two or three drinks and our ability to say “no” is greatly hindered! The Bible states this fact clearly in Eph 5:18, “ And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess;” (What is excess if not the inability to say no?) Having been a part of the “bar scene” for many years before my conversion to Christ, I can tell you that there is an interesting phenomena among drinkers. We all have a tendency to urge others to join in the festivities. Dangerous drinking games and challenges are issued to get others to join in the “so-called” fun. But the Bible has strong words for those who encourage others to get drunk. Think about this before you dangle that drink in front of someone or mock that person who refuses to participate in your debauchery. Hab 2:15,16 says, “Woe to him who gives drink to his neighbor, Pressing him to your bottle, Even to make him drunk, That you may look on his nakedness! 16 You are filled with shame instead of glory. You also-drink! And be exposed as uncircumcised! The cup of the LORD'S right hand will be turned against you, And utter shame will be on your glory.” Plying others with alcohol for the purpose of turning off their “no” button invites the wrath of God into your life and exposes you as uncircumcised. It puts you in the camp of the unbeliever. This is how far David had fallen and he would pay the price of broken fellowship with God until he came to repentance through the preaching of Nathan. Father, thank You for holding out hope for repentance and forgiveness for our sins. Grant this gift to those who earnestly seek it today.