A Thought on Strong Drink

²⁶ Give me your heart, my son, And let your eyes delight in my ways. ²⁷ For a harlot is a deep pit And an adulterous woman is a narrow well. ²⁸ Surely she lurks as a robber, And increases the faithless among men. ²⁹ Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions? Who has complaining? Who has wounds without cause? Who has redness of eyes? ³⁰ Those who linger long over wine, Those who go to taste mixed wine. ³¹ Do not look on the wine when it is red, When it sparkles in the cup, When it goes down smoothly; ³² At the last it bites like a serpent And stings like a viper.
³³ Your eyes will see strange things And your mind will utter perverse things. ³⁴ And you will be like one who lies down in the middle of the sea, Or like one who lies down on the top of a mast.
³⁵ “They struck me, but I did not become ill; They beat me, but I did not know it. When shall I awake? I will seek another drink.” (Proverbs 23:26-34)

This section of Proverbs pairs two snares: prostitutes (23:26-28) and wine (23:29-34). Since believers obviously are not to cohabit with prostitutes under any circumstances, the context of the passage dictates that believers should not drink alcohol under any circumstances either. This is the meaning of 23:31: Do not look on the wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup . . . .  (23:31a).

This refers to fermentation and thus forbids the drinking of alcohol because it is as venomous as a serpent (23:32).

  

Two other issues are involved with this subject. First, our mandate to be careful not to put a stumbling block in a weaker Christian's path obviously is a factor. Second, I need all of the brain cells I have!



 

Sharing the Gospel in a Cross-Cultural Context: A Cautionary Tale

When we share the Gospel with people from cultures other than our own, we must be aware of their worldview so as to share the good news about Jesus in such a way that they can understand.

Take for example the Mongolians who turned to Christianity during the era of Genghis Khan (ca A.D. 1162-1227):

• The Mongolian word for “Jesus” was “Yesu”

 • “Yesu” sounded like the word for “nine,” the Mongols’ sacred number  

• “Yesu” was similar to the name of Genghis Khan’s father, Yesugei

• The Mongolians considered Jesus to be a powerful shaman because He triumphed over death

• The Mongolians considered the cross sacred because they saw it as a symbol of the four directions of the world

• Mongke Khan, the grandson of Ghengis Khan, once told a priest, “Just as God gave differed fingers to the hand so has He given different ways to men.” God had given Scripture to Christian, but He had given holy men and shamans to the Mongols.

Because the missionaries to the Mongolians were not aware of their beliefs, they did not explain the Gospel in a way that they could understand. For this reason, the Mongolians really did not become believers, but mistakenly placed their faith in something that was not Christianity.

May we learn to avoid this common pitfall!

He Had Never Heard of Jesus

A few years ago, a friend shared with me an unforgettable missions experience. As he taught Vacation Bible School in a neighborhood, one of the little children looked puzzled as the missionary began to share about Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection.

"Who is Jesus?" exclaimed the young boy. "I've never heard of him before. Does he live around here?"
 
How shocked was the missionary to encounter a 9 or 10 year old boy who never had heard the Gospel, and how amazed I was to learn that this story occurred in . . . Memphis, Tennessee.

May we never assume that the people around us understand the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We must be ready at all times to share the good news of eternal life in such a way that people can understand, turn from their sins, and trust in Jesus as their Boss! 

Cat Fur and God's Holiness

Billy Sunday (1862-1935) was an American pastor of the previous century who was known for his fiery sermons. One day, after preaching a sermon that focused on God's judgment of sin, a man who had sat in the congregation said, "Billy, why don't you preach more people-friendly sermons? You're rubbing the fur on the cat's back the wrong way."

Without missing a beat, Billy replied, "If the cat would turn around, the fur on his back wouldn't be rubbed the wrong way."

The fact of the matter is that God's chief characteristic is neither love nor judgment, but holiness. God never changes. But when we are walking contrary to Him, judgment is what we can expect. When, however, we know His Son Jesus and walk with Him, we can expect joy and the blessing of His love.

Who would have known that cat fur and God's holiness have something in common?

The Amazing Prophetical Detail of Daniel 11:1-12:3

• Gabriel explained that he had arisen to be an encouragement to 

   Michael in the first year of the kingship of Darius the Mede (538 

   B.C.). Gabriel declared that four more Persian kings were going 

   to arise, the last of which become strong and rich. Hewould 

   attract the attention of Greece, whose king (Alexander) would 

   cause Persia's downfall. The Greek kingdom would be broken

   into four pieces (11:1-4).

• The king of the South who would gain dominion is Ptolemy I 

   Soter (323-285 B.C.), the ruler of Egypt. This king's daughter 

   would be sent to the North to carry out a peaceful arrangement. 

    This refers to Berenice, Ptolemy's daughter being given to

    Antiochus II as a wife, but the arrangement would not last 

    because one of Antiochus's other wives would murder her and 

    her child (11:5-6). Protracted warfare between the South (the 

    Ptolemies) and the North (Seleucids) would be the result

    (11:7-15). After a while, Antiochus III would gain control of the 

    Beautiful Land (another term Israel), but eventually he would 

    be killed (187 B.C.) and succeeded by his son Seleucus IV 

    Philopator, who reigned from 187-175 B.C. (11:16-20). At the

    death of Seleucus IV, his younger brother Antiochus IV would 

    begin to reign. He would be an extremely wicked and cruel 

    person (11:21-35), as earlier chapters of the Book of Daniel 

    have outlined.

     • The next section (11:36-12:3) contains prophecies 

        concerning the antichrist and end times. The antichrist 

        will speak monstrous things against the God of gods, and 

        will prosper for a time (11:36). He will show no regard for 

        any gods or desire for women, but will magnify himself and 

        worship war (11:37-38).

       The antichrist will enter the Beautiful Land, and many 

       countries will fall, but Edom, Moab, and the foremost of the 

       sons of Ammon will be rescued out of his hand. Egypt, Libya, 

       and Ethiopia will become submissive to him, but he will hear 

       rumors from the East (cf. Rev. 9:13-19; 16:12) and the North 

       (Ezek. 38-39), and destroy many (11:39-44). Eventually, 

       however, the antichrist will come to his end because no one  

       will help him (11:45).

        The last days will be a time of unparalleled tribulation, but 

        Michael will guard the Jews. Dead believers will be raised to 

        everlasting life, while dead unbelievers will be raised to 

        disgrace and everlasting contempt (12:1-3).

   

Two Examples of Wisdom Psalms

A. Psalm 127: Prosperity Comes from the LORD (A Song of Ascents, of Solomon)

         • The house in mind in this passage is the Temple, and 

            without the LORD's power, it cannot be built, or the 

            city protected (vv. 1-2).

         • Just as the LORD causes a city to be prosperous, He 

           causes individuals to be prosperous. One way to be 

           prosperous is to have children, which are a gift from 

           the LORD (vv. 3-5).

B. Psalm 133: The Excellency of Brotherly Unity (A Song of Ascents, of David)

         • Believers should live in harmony with one another (v. 1). 

            Just as Aaron's head was anointed and the oil ran down 

            his beard and onto his garments (cf. Ex. 29:7), true 

            Christian unity spills out of its boundaries to touch others 

            (v. 2).

            Hermon was the highest mountain in Israel, and it was

            known for heavy dew. Unity is like the heavy dew, and

            causes blessings and life to come upon Zion (v. 3).