Series: Youth for Jesus ,Number: Vol. 3, No. 40
“Absalom ordered his men, “Listen! When Amnon is in high spirits from drinking wine and I say to you, ‘Strike Amnon down,’ then kill him. Don’t be afraid. Have not I given you this order? Be strong and brave.”” (2Sam 13:28NIV)
Recently, I saw a viral video of a young man that cleverly put some substance in the cup of drink of another young man when they were all dancing together in a party. Why he did that or what became of the person whose drink he dropped that substance in, nobody knows? But something is clear, and it is that he could not have succeeded in doing that, if his victim had not been in that party and also in high spirits from the wine or beer or whatever it was that he was drinking.
Now this, of course, reminds me of the bible account of how Amnon, the first son of King David, was assassinated in cold blood. Of course, he was killed because of his own evil act. Nevertheless, killing him would not have been an easy thing for his murderers, if he had not attended Absalom’s party at all or got drunk there. Is that to say that it is wrong to attend parties? No! It all depends on the kind of party you want to attend. What is it about? What kind of individuals will be there? And what will they be doing there? If you go to a party where ungodly things are bound to be done or one that will be loaded with your enemies or those who want your fall, then, you can expect ungodly or wicked things to happen to you there.
Also, am I saying it is wrong to drink wine or beer? No! The bible never says it is wrong for people to drink wine or beer or anything alcoholic, even for pleasure. But it warns severally against drunkenness (Prov 23:29-35; Eph 5:18; 1Tim 3:3; Titus 2:2). It also warns against drinking or doing anything else that can destroy other people’s life or faith in God or our own very lives. So, you can drink wine or beer if you are confident that you won’t get drunk by doing so and that you will not be endangering your life or another person’s life or faith through it. (Cf. Rom 14:20-21; 1Cor 8:13)
But then, why does the bible warn us in particular about drunkenness? It is because it takes away our self-control and our ability to think clearly and make sound judgment. And once this happens, we become vulnerable to disgrace and all kinds of terrible things. For instance, the first recorded case of drunkenness in the bible was that of Noah. And though this man did not get drunk deliberately, he got drunk nevertheless and lay naked in his tent, unconsciously exposing himself to disgrace. Only God, then, knows the number of people who daily subject themselves, their families and other people in their lives to public shame because of drunkenness. (Cf. Gen 9:20-23)
Also, as we see in our opening text, the instruction that Absalom gave to his men was for them to wait until Amnon was high in spirits from drinking wine or drunk before they would strike him. Why? It was because he knew that killing the man, who was most likely a soldier himself, when he was in his right frame of mind may be an impossible task for them. So, he asked them to wait until wine took charge of him before attacking him. And because they followed his instruction, they succeeded in carrying out their wicked plot.
Why am I sharing all this with you? First, it is so that you will begin to watch closely where you go and the company you keep. Second, it is so that you will never again give yourself to anything that makes you lose your self-control or your ability to think clearly and judge wisely. These two things, of course, represent God’s wisdom for your safety. So, take them very seriously, and there are some miracles of protection you may never need in life.
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