Wisdom is to Keep Our Judgment – (Proverbs 20:1)
Daily Proverbs
Daily Bible Study
During this time wine was mixed with water to dilute its strength and was often used as a replacement for bad or unclean water. This type of wine, was not referred to as a strong drink, because the diluted wine did not have the alcohol content required for intoxication. Strong drink is a Jewish idiom for undiluted wine, a wine that has not been mixed with water. In other words, this passage is speaking about the purposeful drinking of wine at full strength in order to become intoxicated. This passage is speaking about someone who is purposely trying to get drunk. This would be an individual, who for whatever reasons, is seeking to alter their minds and lose their ability to control themselves. Moreover, this type of drinking was most often associated with pagan rituals and idolatry.
Therefore, the Bible speaks against the use of strong drink, specifically for the purpose of intoxication or drinking to the point of not being in control of our actions or senses. The Bible speaks against those who purposely intoxicate themselves with strong drink, thereby loosing their ability to function. The Bible considers those who purposefully intoxicate themselves, the same as fools or scoffers. This is in part because an intoxicated person wastes the blessings of God and can no longer follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit. In addition, it was considered especially wrong for rulers, leaders or parents to be intoxicated. The Bible speaks against such people using strong drink because of their need for the ability to correctly judge between right and wrong. Intoxication removes that ability, it also removes our ability for hearing the guidance of the Holy Spirit and it renders useless, God's gift of discernment and restraint.