“It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink: Lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted” (Pro 31:4-5 KJV).
We see much about drinking alcohol in the Book of Proverbs. Most of it is directed at the fool who either doesn’t know, or doesn’t care, what liquor can do to them. The passage in Proverbs 23:29-35 is the most complete picture of drunkard available in the Word of God.
But in this passage, the subject is kings. Now, this is not to say that a king cannot be a fool, but this is likely spoken by a mother to a young prince Lemuel that would one day become a king as a warning to heed. Lemuel ascribes his wisdom to what his mother had taught him.
A king, in order to rule his domain, must always have full access to his reasoning abilities. He cannot be impaired in his judgment, for he may be called upon at any time to render a judgment that will affect the lives of the people. Kingdoms have been overthrown because of liquor.
What of Ben-hadad and the thirty-two kings that were with him, who were defeated at the hands of Israel, because they were drunk (I Ki 20:16-21); or Belshazzar and his drunken feast, when the handwriting on the wall appear and his kingdom was lost that very same night (Dan 5:1-5, 25-28). Further, “Blessed art thou, O land, when thy king is the son of nobles, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!” (Ecc 10:17 KJV).
Christian, whether you be a preacher or a Christian worker, you also need to have sound judgment and sobriety for you may be called upon at any moment to render spiritual aid to a lost man, or advice to one in need of a clear word from the Lord. God says that you too need to be ready at any moment: “Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation” (1 Thes 5:6-8 KJV).
Someone might be thinking, “Whew! That leaves me out! I’m neither a king nor a prince!”
John, writing to the seven churches in Asia, to the pastors first, and through them, to the saints, wrote:
“And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen” (Rev 1:5-6 KJV).
Father, impress upon us the great responsibilities that You have placed upon us that name the name of the Lord, teach us through Your Word that we can only accomplish what You would have us do through a sound mind and good judgment. Use us in Your service as we are filled with Your Spirit, and not drunk with wine. Amen.
