Study Material: I Timothy 5:23
Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and thine often infirmities.
Today’s Teaching:
Years ago, I was a very light drinker, drinking maybe a glass of wine a month and possibly a liqueur glass of Irish Cream at a frequency equivalent to twice a quarter. I would later increase to a glass of red wine every evening with dinner when my uncle informed me that after taking a glass a day, his blood pressure and LDL cholesterol (the bad one) had stabilized. In my mind, I thought that this was confirmation of the Scripture in which Paul tells Timothy to take a little bit for his stomach’s sake (v23).
The Bible describes different forms of wine similar to how we have them today. They had new wine and fermented wine which are non-alcholic and alcoholic wine. The original Hebrew version of the Bible has three key words that are used for wine: tiyrowsh and yayin. Unfortunately, in the English translation, tiyrowsh and yayin are used interchangeably, but the Hebrew definition for tiyrowsh means new or freshly pressed wine; while yayin is simply wine (understood as the fermented type which becomes alcoholic). Tiyrowsh is clearly used in Genesis 27:28 when Isaac asks God to give his son the fatness of the earth and plenty of grain and wine (fresh harvest).
Paul advises Timothy to drink wine because it helps with indigestion, constipation and other illnesses. Research by the University of Wisconsin shows that red wine OR purple grape juice both help to reduce chances of developing cardiovascular disease. The purple grape is rich in antioxidants and flavonoids, both of which provide relief for the stomach and other ailments. So in essence, if the issue of drinking alcoholic wine is justified by needing something to help with the frequent infirmities (illnesses), then grape juice is your solution. You do not have to drink red wine to get that medicinal effect. Get it from its source – the grapes. I stopped drinking wine years ago and the healing that I needed came directly from God. Your body is God’s temple. Make it habitable for Him.
Take Home Lesson: If it is for the stomach’s sake, eat grapes. They are the source of the medicinal effect of wine.
Homework: Ask God to open your eyes of understanding and allow you to be illuminated. Ask God to cleanse your temple from anything that would keep Him away from it.
Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and thine often infirmities.
Today’s Teaching:
Years ago, I was a very light drinker, drinking maybe a glass of wine a month and possibly a liqueur glass of Irish Cream at a frequency equivalent to twice a quarter. I would later increase to a glass of red wine every evening with dinner when my uncle informed me that after taking a glass a day, his blood pressure and LDL cholesterol (the bad one) had stabilized. In my mind, I thought that this was confirmation of the Scripture in which Paul tells Timothy to take a little bit for his stomach’s sake (v23).
The Bible describes different forms of wine similar to how we have them today. They had new wine and fermented wine which are non-alcholic and alcoholic wine. The original Hebrew version of the Bible has three key words that are used for wine: tiyrowsh and yayin. Unfortunately, in the English translation, tiyrowsh and yayin are used interchangeably, but the Hebrew definition for tiyrowsh means new or freshly pressed wine; while yayin is simply wine (understood as the fermented type which becomes alcoholic). Tiyrowsh is clearly used in Genesis 27:28 when Isaac asks God to give his son the fatness of the earth and plenty of grain and wine (fresh harvest).
Paul advises Timothy to drink wine because it helps with indigestion, constipation and other illnesses. Research by the University of Wisconsin shows that red wine OR purple grape juice both help to reduce chances of developing cardiovascular disease. The purple grape is rich in antioxidants and flavonoids, both of which provide relief for the stomach and other ailments. So in essence, if the issue of drinking alcoholic wine is justified by needing something to help with the frequent infirmities (illnesses), then grape juice is your solution. You do not have to drink red wine to get that medicinal effect. Get it from its source – the grapes. I stopped drinking wine years ago and the healing that I needed came directly from God. Your body is God’s temple. Make it habitable for Him.
Take Home Lesson: If it is for the stomach’s sake, eat grapes. They are the source of the medicinal effect of wine.
Homework: Ask God to open your eyes of understanding and allow you to be illuminated. Ask God to cleanse your temple from anything that would keep Him away from it.
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