Page7 nations , the Moabites and the Ammonites who later became the bitterest enemies of the Hebrew race .
LOW STANDARDS
The Jews turned to wine and strong drink for their happiness . “ And if the way be too long for thee , so that thou art not able to carry [ tithe of increase of seed ] … Then shalt thou turn [ tithe ] into money … And thou shalt bestow that money for whatsoever thy soul lusteth after ... for wine , or for strong drink , or for whatsoever thy should desireth : and thou shalt rejoice , thou and thine household .”
[ Deut 14:24-26 ] This counsel to purchase strong drink , as their souls lusted after , is along the lines of God allowing situations such as polygamy , divorce and slavery . Low was the patriarch standards compared with NT believers and Christians today . “ The spoiler is fallen upon thy summer fruits and upon thy vintage … and I have caused wine to fail from the winepresses : none shall tread with shouting ; their shouting shall be no shouting .” [ Jer 48:33 ] It is hard to imagine anything today , short of someone winning the lottery , where shouting for joy is the norm . But such was the reward for harvesting the pure fruit in the making of fermented wine . Hard punishment to the Old Covenant heart is the taking away of their wine . It is like taking a soother away from a baby , candy from a child , or the bottle from the drunkard . Be certain a rebellion will ensue . “ The Lord of hosts shall defend them and they shall drink [ shathah - imbibe , drunk ] and make a noise as through wine [ yayin - fermented ]. And the Lord God shall save them in that day as the flock of His people .” [ Zech 9:15,16 ] If anyone doubts the mercy of God in the Old Testament , look no further than this verse which demonstrates God ‟ s willingness to save a polygamous , murderous , often idolatrous , nation of drunks . Once saved by grace , it was God ‟ s plan to sanctify this people .
Buying and selling wine had become vital to the Jewish economy . “ Judah , and the land of Israel , they were thy merchants : they traded in thy market . Damascus was thy merchant in the multitude of the wares of thy making , for the multitude of all riches ... in the wine of Helbon , and white wool .” [ Ez 27:17,18 ]
“ Forasmuch therefore as your treading is upon the poor ... ye have planted pleasant vineyards , but ye shall not drink wine of them .” [ Amos 5:11 ] Those who oppress the poor shall not reap the joy of drinking wine . Symbolically , the Jews were given every conceivable clue to their Messiah but when He came they rejected the Husbandman of the vineyard .
Examine these Old Testament qualifications for suggested alcohol consumption in Proverbs 31 verses 6 & 7 : “ Give strong drink unto him …
[ 1 ] Ready to perish - A person who is on his deathbed without hope in the resurrection . Christians do not call out for liquor as they lay on their deathbed dying . This is more in harmony with the practice of mercifully giving stupefying drink to those criminals in great pain who were being crucified
[ 2 ] wine unto those that be of heavy hearts - Those who do not trust in Jesus to lift the burden of a heavy heart . The KJV Bible margin on this verse suggests heavy hearts are those bitter of soul .
[ 3 ] Let him drink , and forget his poverty - those who do not trust in God ‟ s promises to deliver from temporal want .
[ 4 ] Remember his misery no more - If someone told you that victorious Christian living consisted of possessing heavy hearts living in poverty and misery - who would join this movement ? Fermented drink is for the weak in mind , body and spirit .