Day 136 – Wisdom

Proverbs 20:1 Wine is a mocker, strong drink is a brawler, and whoever is led astray by it is not wise.

• God’s names:
• YAHWEH/JEHOVAH – Self-existent, Eternal
• Yeshuwa/Iesous – Jesus

• God’s character:
• Wisdom

Do you know how many bars are in the city, town, or village you live in? People flock to bars for any and every reason. You even find bars as the focus of many movies and television shows. People love to drink. They also love to fight when they get enough alcohol in them. Alcoholism is a major problem in society. Alcoholics Anonymous helps address the issue.

Solomon also saw it as a problem. He saw the effect it had on people.

Proverbs 23:29 Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions? Who has complaints? Who has wounds without cause? Who has redness of eyes? 30 Those who linger long at the wine, those who go in search of mixed wine. 31 Do not look at the wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it swirls around smoothly; 32 at the last it bites like a serpent, and stings like a viper. 33 Your eyes will see strange things, and your heart will utter perverse things. 34 Yes, you will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea, or like one who lies at the top of the mast, saying: 35 “They have struck me, but I was not hurt; they have beaten me, but I did not feel it. When will I awake, that I may seek another drink?”

Wine was part of the culture in Solomon’s time, just as it is part of our culture today. Every celebration had wine or mixed drink. Solomon didn’t say it was wrong to drink, only that it was wrong to drink too much because it caused trouble.

Solomon also knew YAHWEH included wine as part of the ceremonial laws.

Numbers 15:1 And YAHWEH spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘When you have come into the land you are to inhabit, which I am giving to you, 3 and you make an offering by fire to YAHWEH, a burnt offering or a sacrifice, to fulfill a vow or as a freewill offering or in your appointed feasts, to make a sweet aroma to YAHWEH, from the herd or the flock, 4 then he who presents his offering to YAHWEH will bring a grain offering of one-tenth of an ephah of fine flour mixed with one-fourth of a hin of oil; 5 and one-fourth of a hin of wine as a drink offering you will prepare with the burnt offering or the sacrifice, for each lamb. 6 Or for a ram you will prepare as a grain offering two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with one-third of a hin of oil; 7 and as a drink offering you will offer one-third of a hin of wine as a sweet aroma to YAHWEH.

Wine wasn’t forbidden; excess was not looked on favorably. It was the excess Solomon addressed because excess caused trouble.

Wine is part of church celebrations. Yeshuwa offered wine at Passover before His crucifixion and instituted the bread and wine as part of the communion rites in the church to remember Him and His sacrifice.

Yeshuwa also turned water into wine at a marriage celebration in Cana where He also celebrated with His disciples.

John 2:1 On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Iesous was there. 2 Now both Iesous and His disciples were invited to the wedding. 3 And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Iesous said to Him, “They have no wine.” 4 Iesous said to her, “Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come.” 5 His mother said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.” 6 Now there were set there six waterpots of stone, according to the manner of purification of the Jews, containing twenty or thirty gallons apiece. 7 Iesous said to them, “Fill the waterpots with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. 8 And He said to them, “Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast.” And they took it. 9 When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom. 10 And he said to him, “Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior. You have kept the good wine until now!” 11 This beginning of signs Iesous did in Cana of Galilee and manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him.

Drinking wine isn’t wrong. It’s only wrong when you drink to excess because then it causes trouble.

Has alcohol become a problem for you? Get help. Join Alcoholics Anonymous and turn your life around for the better.

Let’s pray: Father, help me to live my life with soberness, not with drunkenness that leads to trouble. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Copyright © 4 June 2026 by Valerie Routhieaux