Nerdlets

Despite more recent developments to the contrary, drinking and enjoying wine is still regarded as somewhat taboo in evangelical circles. In the course of preparing an article for the upcoming Baker Bible Dictionary I have found this attitude to be increasingly suprising, given the biblical evidence to the contrary. Even if we exclude all the technical details, such as the impossibility of maintaining large amounts of grape juice without refrigerators, it is interesting that the abundance of wine is a pretty prominent symbol of God’s blessing upon his covenant people.

Here is a small sample of verses to that effect:

Genesis 27:28 May God give you of heaven’s dew and of earth’s richness– an abundance of grain and new wine.

Isaiah 25:6 On this mountain the LORD Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples, a banquet of aged wine– the best of meats and the finest of wines.

Isaiah 55:1 “Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost.

Amos 9:13 “The days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when the reaper will be overtaken by the plowman and the planter by the one treading grapes. New wine will drip from the mountains and flow from all the hills.

1 Corinthians 11:25 In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.”

Correspondingly, when God wants someone to know that they are under his curse, he denies them wine (Hos 2:8, 21-22; 9:2; Joel 1:10).

Of course there are two sides to this coin; the abuse of wine is a persistent symbol of God’s curse. This is also an interesting pattern in Scripture: when someone falls into persistent sin, God’s response of judgment is somewhat paradoxical. Rather than deny them their heart’s desire, he gives it to them in great abundance.

Isaiah 63:6 I trampled the nations in my anger; in my wrath I made them drunk and poured their blood on the ground.”

Jeremiah 25:15 This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, said to me: “Take from my hand this cup filled with the wine of my wrath and make all the nations to whom I send you drink it.

Jeremiah 51:7 Babylon was a gold cup in the LORD’s hand; she made the whole earth drunk. The nations drank her wine; therefore they have now gone mad.

So was it blessing or curse that Jesus received when he drank wine on the cross (Matt 27:34ff)? The ambiguity is informative, for Jesus on the one hand foresees in Gethsemane that he will have to drink a cup of judgment (Luke 22:42)–and perhaps this drink symbolizes that cup (and, of course, Elijah does not come to Jesus’ rescue). On the other hand, it is by receiving this cup that Jesus receives the great Joy of covenant blessing (Heb 12:2), and it is in that rich inheritance that we receive the blessings of the covenant.

All this to say, wine should be enjoyed with thanksgiving! Why? Not just because it “delights the hearts” of men and women (Ps 104:15), but more importantly because it is one of many symbols that God uses to remind us of the abundance of blessing he has provided in Jesus Christ. To put it another way: Christians actually have more reason to enjoy wine than non-Christians!

On a lighter note: readers interested in a more practical exploration of theology might (somewhat ironically) find Seven Deadly Zins to be an affordable start.