This morning I read the unique passage when God spoke directly to Aaron the high priest rather than through Moses in Leviticus 10. God forbade the priest Aaron and his descendants from drinking wine or strong drink during their times of service to the LORD in the tabernacle. This command was given right after Aaron's sons Nadab and Abihu were struck dead for offering "strange" or profane fire before the LORD. It is not known for certain, but the context suggests an overindulgence of drinking might have led to their lapse in judgment.
There is undoubtedly a connection between alcohol, risky behaviour, serious injury, and even death. That is why drink driving is a crime in Australia and drivers are often subjected to random breath tests. When it comes to drinking, some laud health benefits whilst others see drinking as a grave vice. The fact is, the drinking of alcohol is common among Christians and non-believers alike, and God have given people the freedom to follow their own convictions. My intent in this post is not to criticise people who drink or applaud those who abstain. What this passage prompted in me is to consider the reasons God gave for forbidding wine or strong drink to priests when "on the job," and these reasons are relevant for all today. Drinking brings with it universal and inevitable risk which children of God are wise to understand.
Leviticus 10:8-11 reads, "Then the LORD spoke to Aaron, saying: 9 "Do not drink wine or intoxicating drink, you, nor your sons with you, when you go into the tabernacle of meeting, lest you die. It shall be a statute forever throughout your generations, 10 that you may distinguish between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean, 11 and that you may teach the children of Israel all the statutes which the LORD has spoken to them by the hand of Moses." The drinking of wine would potentially cloud the good judgment of Aaron and his sons, and they needed to be wholly in their right minds to "distinguish between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean." Wine and strong drink had the power to affect their reasoning and ability to teach others God's statues. If we are uncomfortable with a surgeon drinking wine whilst performing delicate procedures on patients, it is reasonable those serving God in the tabernacle would abstain from drinking during the performance of their duties so they could be focused on God and their role.
I am also reminded of the words spoken to King Lemuel by his mother in Proverbs 31:4-5: "It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, nor for princes intoxicating drink; 5 lest they drink and forget the law, and pervert the justice of all the afflicted." Here we see other dangers of drinks which intoxicate: forgetfulness of God's Law, and perversion of justice. Forgetting is an interesting thing, because we cannot remember all we have forgotten. We might think our memories clear and sharp, but we likely forget more than we can recall. Forgetfulness and the twisting of the truth go together, and neither kings nor priests could afford this risk. We can forget when we drink only water, but the drinking of wine or strong drink certainly "takes the edge off" mental awareness, reflexes, tact, sound judgment, and memory.
Abstaining from drunkenness or completely from alcohol is only part of what God has commanded Christians, for there is much more we are commanded to do in Ephesians 5:15-21: "See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, 16 redeeming the time, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, 20 giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 submitting to one another in the fear of God." Following Jesus is much more than leaving the old life behind, but entering into new life through the empowerment of the Holy Spirit who guides us into all truth.
There is undoubtedly a connection between alcohol, risky behaviour, serious injury, and even death. That is why drink driving is a crime in Australia and drivers are often subjected to random breath tests. When it comes to drinking, some laud health benefits whilst others see drinking as a grave vice. The fact is, the drinking of alcohol is common among Christians and non-believers alike, and God have given people the freedom to follow their own convictions. My intent in this post is not to criticise people who drink or applaud those who abstain. What this passage prompted in me is to consider the reasons God gave for forbidding wine or strong drink to priests when "on the job," and these reasons are relevant for all today. Drinking brings with it universal and inevitable risk which children of God are wise to understand.
Leviticus 10:8-11 reads, "Then the LORD spoke to Aaron, saying: 9 "Do not drink wine or intoxicating drink, you, nor your sons with you, when you go into the tabernacle of meeting, lest you die. It shall be a statute forever throughout your generations, 10 that you may distinguish between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean, 11 and that you may teach the children of Israel all the statutes which the LORD has spoken to them by the hand of Moses." The drinking of wine would potentially cloud the good judgment of Aaron and his sons, and they needed to be wholly in their right minds to "distinguish between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean." Wine and strong drink had the power to affect their reasoning and ability to teach others God's statues. If we are uncomfortable with a surgeon drinking wine whilst performing delicate procedures on patients, it is reasonable those serving God in the tabernacle would abstain from drinking during the performance of their duties so they could be focused on God and their role.
I am also reminded of the words spoken to King Lemuel by his mother in Proverbs 31:4-5: "It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, nor for princes intoxicating drink; 5 lest they drink and forget the law, and pervert the justice of all the afflicted." Here we see other dangers of drinks which intoxicate: forgetfulness of God's Law, and perversion of justice. Forgetting is an interesting thing, because we cannot remember all we have forgotten. We might think our memories clear and sharp, but we likely forget more than we can recall. Forgetfulness and the twisting of the truth go together, and neither kings nor priests could afford this risk. We can forget when we drink only water, but the drinking of wine or strong drink certainly "takes the edge off" mental awareness, reflexes, tact, sound judgment, and memory.
Abstaining from drunkenness or completely from alcohol is only part of what God has commanded Christians, for there is much more we are commanded to do in Ephesians 5:15-21: "See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, 16 redeeming the time, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, 20 giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 submitting to one another in the fear of God." Following Jesus is much more than leaving the old life behind, but entering into new life through the empowerment of the Holy Spirit who guides us into all truth.
No comments:
Post a Comment
To uphold the integrity of this site, no comments with links for advertising will be posted. No ads here! :)