Topical Bible: Wine: Intoxication From: Noah

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Introduction

Wine, a fermented beverage made from grapes, holds a significant place in biblical narratives and teachings. It is often associated with celebration, blessing, and covenant, yet it also serves as a cautionary symbol of excess and moral failure. One of the earliest accounts of wine consumption and its consequences is found in the account of Noah, a righteous man who found favor in the eyes of the Lord (Genesis 6:8).

Noah and the Vineyard

After the flood, Noah became a man of the soil and planted a vineyard. This act of cultivation marks one of the first recorded instances of viticulture in the Bible. Genesis 9:20-21 states, "Now Noah, a man of the soil, proceeded to plant a vineyard. But when he drank some of its wine, he became drunk and uncovered himself inside his tent."

Intoxication and Its Consequences

Noah's consumption of wine led to intoxication, resulting in a loss of self-control and dignity. The narrative highlights the vulnerability and shame that can accompany drunkenness. Noah's nakedness within his tent became a source of dishonor, particularly when his son Ham saw him and told his two brothers outside (Genesis 9:22).

The response of Noah's other sons, Shem and Japheth, contrasts with Ham's actions. They took a garment, walked backward, and covered their father's nakedness, demonstrating respect and discretion (Genesis 9:23). This incident underscores the moral and familial implications of Noah's intoxication.

Moral and Theological Implications

The account of Noah's drunkenness serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of overindulgence. While wine is often depicted as a gift from God, meant to gladden the heart (Psalm 104:15), it also carries the potential for misuse and moral failure. The account of Noah illustrates the fine line between the enjoyment of God's blessings and the pitfalls of excess.

Furthermore, Noah's experience with wine and its aftermath foreshadows later biblical teachings on sobriety and self-control. Proverbs 20:1 warns, "Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging, and whoever is led astray by them is not wise." The New Testament continues this theme, urging believers to be sober-minded and vigilant (1 Peter 5:8).

Conclusion

The narrative of Noah and his vineyard provides a foundational understanding of the biblical perspective on wine and intoxication. It serves as an early example of the complexities surrounding the use of wine, highlighting both its potential for blessing and its capacity to lead to moral lapses. Through Noah's account, the Bible offers a timeless lesson on the importance of moderation, respect, and the consequences of failing to exercise self-control.

Nave's Topical Index

Genesis 9:21
And he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent.
Nave's Topical Index

Library

Of Noah the Inventor of Wine, who First had Knowledge of the Stars ...
... XIV."Of Noah the Inventor of Wine, Who First Had ... are refuted who regard Bacchus as
the author of wine. ... become merry, he drank even to intoxication, and lay ...
/.../lactantius/the divine institutes/chap xiv of noah the inventor.htm

On Drinking.
... Wherefore also Noah's intoxication was recorded in writing, that, with the clear
and written ... all in one word: "To an instructed man sufficiency is wine, and he ...
/.../clement/the instructor paedagogus/chapter ii on drinking.htm

The Vow of Chastity, and Its Rites in the Law; vines, Christ, and ...
... of its natural tendency to produce intoxication and distraction ... gall, their clusters
are bitter: their wine is the ... Hence, also, in the time of Noah, men having ...
/.../chapter v the vow of chastity.htm

Talmage -- a Bloody Monster
... Noah took to strong drink. ... The Romans at their feasts fell off their seats with
intoxication. ... gallon of whisky made"if every flask of wine produced, should ...
/.../kleiser/the worlds great sermons volume 8/talmage a bloody monster.htm

The General Conference of 1832
... into the inner court.' The drunkenness of Noah, Lot, Nadab ... and denounced in the Bible,
that wine, used as a ... alcohol is the principle of all intoxication, and it ...
/.../chapter 11 the general conference.htm

Letter Lxix. To Oceanus.
... One hour's debauch makes Noah uncover his nakedness which ... Lot in a fit of intoxication
unwittingly adds incest to incontinence, and wine overcomes the man ...
/.../jerome/the principal works of st jerome/letter lxix to oceanus.htm

Homiletical.
... Noah became drunk because wine was new to him. ... Wo to those who are drunken, but not
with wine.' [628] Anger is the intoxication of the soul, and makes it ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/basil/basil letters and select works/iv homiletical.htm

Rom. vii. 14
... give it.) And yet Noah was himself also compassed about with ... by far than the former,
since the intoxication is more ... is not so sad to be drunk with wine as with ...
/.../chrysostom/homilies on acts and romans/homily xiii rom vii 14.htm

Letter xxii. To Eustochium.
... flesh nor to drink wine." [396] Noah drank wine ... they first drench themselves with
wine, and then joining the grossest profanity to intoxication, they say ...
/.../jerome/the principal works of st jerome/letter xxii to eustochium.htm

Turn or Burn
... come home alive; the men of Noah's generation laughed at ... therefore a fountain of
milk and wine always; one ... their intellects into a state of intoxication, so as ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 2 1856/turn or burn.htm