Don’t gaze at wine because it is red, when it gleams in the cup and goes down smoothly. In the end it bites like a snake and stings like a viper. Your eyes will see strange things, and you will say absurd things. Proverbs 23:31-33 HCSB
According to Market Watch, 31.4 billion bottles of wine are bought and sold worldwide every year. And according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the equivalent of 36 billion bottles of wine are produced worldwide each year. The United States is ranked fourth in the world with France being the number one producer of wine. Wine is appealing to the sight and to the taste. It is used as a drink with meals and for celebrations.
In Old Testament times Israel was a wine-producing country. Winepresses bursting with lots of wine were considered to be a sign of blessing. Wisdom is even said to have set her table with wine (Proverb 9:2-5). But Solomon is quick to alert one to the dangers of wine. It dulls the senses, it limits clear judgment, lowers one’s ability to control himself, it makes one less efficient. Too often people use alcohol as a means to escape from life. This invites the consequences of a drunkard as described in these verses. A drunkard will see strange things and will say absurd things.
Challenge: Don’t be deceived, in the end, when one least expects it, wine will cause pain like a snake bite or a bee sting. When you indulge in wine you can expect to suffer the consequences. Pray that God gives you wisdom and helps you avoid the painful effects of drinking wine.