Examining Hedonism in Isaiah 5: The Perils of Excessive Drinking

Posted on by Adrian Clark
Four empty wine bottles standing on stone steps along a cobblestone street at dusk

“What sorrow for those who get up early in the morning looking for a drink of alcohol and spend long evenings drinking wine to make themselves flaming drunk. They furnish wine and lovely music at their grand parties— lyre and harp, tambourine and flute— but they never think about the Lord or notice what he is doing. So my people will go into exile far away because they do not know me. Those who are great and honoured will starve, and the common people will die of thirst. The grave is licking its lips in anticipation, opening its mouth wide. The great and the lowly and all the drunken mob will be swallowed up.”
Isaiah 5:11-14 NLT

“Flaming drunk”? Surely a strange adjective to find describing inebriation from the New Living Translation. The words are more genteel in the NIV with “inflamed with wine” or “… Who stay up late in the night till wine inflames them!” from the Amplified. But the versions all agree, describing an occasion marked with debauchery and partying, with probably more going on than can be found in these verses today. In the ancient world, only the wealthy could afford to spend all day, every day, from early in the morning until late at night, getting drunk. These people turned pleasure and drinking into a full-time pursuit. Drunkenness and debauchery were the reasons why these wealthy people got out of bed in the morning. The constant drunkenness brought with it nightly rounds of being “inflamed,” likely indicating participation in sexual immorality.

We notice that the Bible does not condemn the drinking of alcohol, and table wine was a part of Jewish life, with their wines having a lower alcoholic content than would be expected today. In an age with uncertain water purity, wine was sometimes considered a safer option. But drunkenness was frowned upon. Paul, in his letter to the Ephesians, wrote, “Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit,” (Ephesians 5:18). There are other Bible verses, notably Proverbs 31:4-7, “It is not for kings, O Lemuel, to guzzle wine. Rulers should not crave alcohol. For if they drink, they may forget the law and not give justice to the oppressed. Alcohol is for the dying, and wine for those in bitter distress. Let them drink to forget their poverty and remember their troubles no more”. In these verses, we find that those in leadership should show restraint when alcohol is around, because the effect of the drug on a person’s thinking could lead to situations where an injustice could occur. But it is interesting to note that alcohol was suggested as an analgesic for those in distress as a form of end-of-life care, or a remedy for mental health issues. 

But the problem is that the wealthy people of Jerusalem and Judah made pleasure a way of life. They lived to feel good, which is the definition of hedonism. Because of this, they stopped recognising God for His power or what He had provided for them. They served only themselves. Does any of this sound familiar in societies on twenty-first-century Planet Earth? The way of life in Judah was less demanding than it is today. But in my lifetime, I have met people in high-powered jobs, with consequent generous monetary rewards, but with the cost of experiencing high stress levels that have impacted their mental health. Where have these people turned? To the consumption of alcohol, attempting to drown the pain of having to carry on with long, stressful working hours. But even less demanding jobs still have an element of stress, as any bus driver will testify. 

But living life God’s way avoids such debilitating problems, and rather than apply a “sticking plaster” of alcohol, masking the symptoms of stress and anxiety, it is far better to deal with the root causes, turning to God in the process. About the rich people with all their partying, Isaiah pointed out, “they never think about the Lord or notice what he is doing”. This is a poignant moment in Judah’s history because God made a covenant with these people, yet they turned their backs on Him to pursue hedonistic lifestyles. As Isaiah had previously written, Isaiah 5:11 starts with the word “Woe”. What does that mean? Well, one day will come the time when the partygoers will have to face the consequences of their actions. Verse 13 describes their fate: “So my people will go into exile far away because they do not know me. Those who are great and honoured will starve, and the common people will die of thirst”. 

If the people of Judah had repented of their sins and turned to the Lord, then I’m sure that the judgment of exile would have been averted. Their punishment would have been replaced by blessings once more. In our societies today, God is still being spurned and ignored by most. But judgment in their lifetimes is being held back by God’s grace, giving everyone time to repent. Such grace is available right up to a person’s dying moments, but, sadly, after this, God’s grace is no longer available. All that remains is the terrible time before the Great White Throne. 

So we pilgrims reach out to those around us with our testimonies at the ready. God wants everyone to be saved, and He is graciously giving everyone the opportunity to reach out to Jesus who died in their place for their sins. 

Dear Heavenly Father. We thank You that we can access the wine of the Holy Spirit in our lives, and through You, we will live in Your Kingdom forever. Amen.

The Best

Posted on by Adrian Clark

“Jesus told the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” When the jars had been filled, he said, “Now dip some out, and take it to the master of ceremonies.” So the servants followed his instructions. When the master of ceremonies tasted the water that was now wine, not knowing where it had come from (though, of course, the servants knew), he called the bridegroom over. “A host always serves the best wine first,” he said. “Then, when everyone has had a lot to drink, he brings out the less expensive wine. But you have kept the best until now!””
John 2:7-10 NLT

This account of the water turned to wine lacks detail and instead presents the facts accurately and succinctly. But we just don’t know other details such as when the water become wine. As it was being poured into the pots or just when the servant dipped a ladle into the first one? What was going through servants minds as they suddenly realised that this was now wine and not the water they had put there? What were the guests thinking when they found out what had happened? It was one of those occasions when it would have been great to have been a fly on the wall. 

It was convention at such events for the celebration to start off with the best and most expensive wines, which were then followed by cheaper and cheaper varieties as the guests became less discerning. But to the surprise of the “master of ceremonies”, the man in charge of the event, this new batch of wine, supplied to him for a taste, was better than any other he had tasted that day. But the servants knew that it was of no credit to the bridegroom. Jesus had performed a miracle right before their eyes.

Isn’t it just like Jesus? No poor quality answer to a prayer. No half-hearted miracle. Most of the miracles performed by Jesus were for healing, and nowhere do we find that any of His miracles were only partially successful or of poor quality. For example, Matthew 12:15, “But Jesus knew what they were planning. So he left that area, and many people followed him. He healed all the sick among them”. Not only did Jesus heal everyone who came to Him, their healing was total. With God, nothing is second best. The only limitation that God has to deal with is ourselves, our expectations and our faith. There is a verse in Ephesians (3:20) that sums this up. “Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.” What are we asking of God today? What are we thinking about regarding our lives before us? One verse I find very humbling and a wake up call when I have doubts about God and His goodness is from 2 Timothy 2:13, “If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny who he is“. That’s how great our God is. there is no end to His grace and love.

Dear Father God, we worship You today, aware of Your infinite and eternal loving kindness. Amen.

No More Wine

Posted on by Adrian Clark

“The wine supply ran out during the festivities, so Jesus’ mother told him, “They have no more wine.” “Dear woman, that’s not our problem,” Jesus replied. “My time has not yet come.””
John 2:3-4 NLT

There are many Christians who have a problem with Jesus turning water into wine. Mankind’s association with fermented beverages has had good and bad outcomes over the years and to think that the Messiah Himself was at a party where wine was being drunk doesn’t sit easily with them. There is an attempt by some to associate the wine with the Holy Spirit and spiritualise the occasion but this was just a simple celebration at the wedding of a Jewish couple and one of the commodities had run out. A disaster for the host, having the potential to bring down the curtain on an otherwise happy event and leaving his standing in the community trashed.

Mary, Jesus’ mother, came to Him with the news that the wine had run out. Was that with the knowledge that she thought Jesus could fix the problem? Or was it just a comment in a conversation? It wasn’t as though there was a shop somewhere that sold the quantities of wine that would be needed. But Jesus knew what Mary was hinting at. He saw straight through her to discern that she expected Him to perform a miracle. Jesus responded, “Dear woman, that’s not our problem,” and, “My time has not yet come.” Right from that day when the angel Gabriel visited Mary, then a young teenager, with the news that she would bear a child, the Son of God, she knew that Jesus was destined for great things. She watched Him grow up. She, better than most, knew who He was. And perhaps she saw the beginnings of His ministry following His baptism and time in the desert being tempted. She heard about the words John the Baptist had declared about Him, the Lamb of God, and some men were starting to follow Him. All signs that Mary probably associated with the emergence of the Messiah into Jewish society. So Mary was there right at the beginning of Jesus’ life-changing mission, with the faith to see a miracle.

The message for us pilgrims is that God cares for us right where we are. He is not just going to bless us in a church pew or at an altar rail. There is that passage about how God cares in Matthew 10:29-31, “What is the price of two sparrows—one copper coin? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows”. We are all valuable to God and He cared for those people at the wedding. So whatever we are going through today, we can be confident that our Heavenly Father is right in the middle of it. He will stand with us and support us when needed – we just have to reach out to Him and feel His loving kindness flood over us. It doesn’t matter where it is. It could be a palace or a prison cell. An office desk or a supermarket. Wherever we are God is with us.

Dear Father God. We are so grateful that You will never leave us and that You care for us for always. Amen.

Blessed Are Those …

Posted on by Adrian Clark

“You may believe there’s nothing wrong with what you are doing, but keep it between yourself and God. Blessed are those who don’t feel guilty for doing something they have decided is right. But if you have doubts about whether or not you should eat something, you are sinning if you go ahead and do it. For you are not following your convictions. If you do anything you believe is not right, you are sinning.
Romans 14:22-23 NLT

Paul wraps up his discourse on food offered to idols with another word of encouragement. In it he appeals to our consciences. Perhaps a glass of wine might illustrate the point he is making. As a Christian, I might decide that a glass of wine with a meal is not a problem to God, or me. A second or third glass might be, but one on its own is not. But we know that another Christian thinks that all glasses of wine are from the devil, thoughts probably initiated by being brought up in a family where their father regularly got drunk and came home to beat up their mother. So drinking that glass of wine in front of the other believer would cause them difficulties in their faith. The result is that, knowing the sensitivities of the other believer, I will not drink a glass of wine in his or her company, instead sticking to fruit juice or plain water. But Paul said that I am blessed to be able to think there is nothing wrong with that single glass of wine, because I have satisfied myself that, through my relationship with God, I am doing nothing wrong. 

However, if I now venture to having a second glass of wine with my meal, that might be something that I know I haven’t settled with God. Or, for a change, I might take a liqueur with my last coffee. Both situations where my conscience might kick in, because my previous conversations with God haven’t resulted in His approval. So I have now ventured into the realm of committing a sin. The doubts I may have about adding to my alcohol input have become sin. 

There are areas of the Bible where we don’t have a clear black and white set of rules. But neither should there be because we walk with the Holy Spirit. Galatians 5:16-18, “So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses“. 

If I am tempted by that second glass of wine or the end of meal liqueur then I might feel a prompt, a nudge, from the Holy Spirit. This is because when I became a Christian, I gave God permission to place His Spirit within me. Yes, I can overrule Him. But it wouldn’t be very wise. My conscience will only allow me a single glass of wine, and no more. Anything else wouldn’t be right and I’d be sinning. Paul wrote, “Blessed are those who don’t feel guilty for doing something they have decided is right”. We are blessed indeed to have a conscience and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. There is no other religion that can claim their adherents have God Himself living within them. Something precious. Something unique. How can we violate something as wonderful as this?