Okay. First, this is not my first rodeo on discussing alcohol. I have talked at considerable length for about a couple of hundred of pages if you were to count up the total of my discussion on the various different Christian forums on this topic. I have learned many things about alcohol and the Bible in light of my ongoing study of it over the years.
Second, as I pointed out before, just because the word "wine" appears in the Bible does not mean it is talking about fermented wine in every case. I believe there three kinds of wines mentioned in the Bible. It depends on the context.
The word "
wine" in the Bible can refer to unfermented wine (i.e. grape juice).
In verse 7 of Isaiah chapter 65, the Lord is warning about how he is about to bring judgment upon Israel and repay them for the wickedness they had done (
Isaiah 65:7 KJV). In verse 8 (
Isaiah 65:8 KJV), the Lord compares this judgment upon Israel as if He is about to crush a grape within in His hand.
For the Lord says,
"As the new wine is found in the cluster"
And then a voice replies,
"Destroy it not; for a blessing is in it"
Then the Lord answers,
"So will I do for my servants' sakes, that I may not destroy them all."
The "new wine" is said to be within the cluster of the grape. This "
new wine" is obviously the fresh juice in the cluster. For the voice had pleaded with the Lord to destroy not the cluster of the grape that had the new wine because there was a blessing within it. In other words, there is a blessing within the cluster. Inside the cluster is juice. This juice is called a blessing and it is called "
new wine." The blessing within the cluster is not alcoholic wine. Grapes do not grow off the vine as alcoholic wine. They need time to ferment.
Let me put it to you another way.
Those Moderationists who propose that the word "wine" can only be a reference to "alcoholic wine", then this passage would not make any sense and it would be like me saying...
As new orange smoothy juice is found within the ball of an orange.
Then someone yells out,
Please, do not destroy the orange smoothy juice that is inside that orange. I beg you. I like smoothies. Especially when they are mixed with lots of creamy milk.
However, such a statement would not make any sense. It is only fresh and new natural orange juice that is within the ball of an orange. Orange smoothies are a result of something you do later to the orange juice. Orange smoothie juice is not found within the ball of an orange anymore than alcoholic wine is found within the cluster of a grape.
In other words, only new unfermented wine (Grape juice) is found inside the cluster of the grape; Not old fermented alcoholic wine.
For when the voice declared there is a blessing within the cluster, it lets us know that it is talking about the "fresh juice" and not an after effect or by product of the grape.