What other Scriptures warn against excessive indulgence similar to Isaiah 5:11? Isaiah 5:11—The Warning in View “Woe to those who rise early in the morning to run after strong drink, who linger into the evening to be inflamed by wine.” Old Testament Echoes of the Same Concern • Proverbs 20:1 — “Wine is a mocker, strong drink is a brawler, and whoever is led astray by them is not wise.” • Proverbs 23:20-21 — “Do not join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat, for the drunkard and the glutton will become poor, and drowsiness will clothe them in rags.” • Proverbs 23:29-35 — vivid lines about the physical, emotional, and spiritual toll of pursuing the next drink (“In the end it bites like a snake and stings like a viper.”) • Habakkuk 2:15 — “Woe to him who gives his neighbor drink, to pour out your wrath and even make them drunk in order to gaze on their nakedness!” • Hosea 4:11 — “Prostitution, wine, and new wine take away understanding.” • Isaiah 28:7-8 — priests and prophets “reel with beer and stagger with strong drink”; their judgment is clouded and they “err in their visions.” New Testament Reinforcements • Luke 21:34 — “Watch yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and the worries of life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap.” • Romans 13:13 — “Let us behave decently as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy.” • 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 — “...nor drunkards... will inherit the kingdom of God.” • Galatians 5:19-21 — drunkenness listed among the “acts of the flesh” that bar one from the kingdom. • Ephesians 5:18 — “Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to reckless indiscretion. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.” • 1 Thessalonians 5:7-8 — “Those who get drunk, get drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be sober...” • 1 Peter 4:3 — believers have spent enough past time in “drunkenness, orgies, carousing, and detestable idolatry.” The Heart Behind These Warnings • Protection — God shields His people from the physical harm, wasted resources, and relational damage that excess always brings. • Clarity — intoxication dulls spiritual perception; Scripture prizes a sober mind ready to discern truth. • Witness — God’s people are called to reflect His holiness; unchecked indulgence sends a conflicting message. • Worship — running to drink (or any excess) for comfort competes with running to the Lord; it becomes a functional idol. Putting It Into Practice Today • Check the Pattern: Is any substance or pleasure becoming the first place you run for relief, excitement, or escape? • Value Sobriety: Prioritize a clear mind for prayer, Scripture, and sound decision-making. • Set Boundaries: Predetermine limits or accountability partnerships before social settings, rather than deciding in the moment. • Model Freedom: Show that true joy and rest are found in Christ, not in the bottom of a glass or the next indulgence. |
    |