.

.

Daily Devotional, Year 2 – May 3

.

.

.

.

Strong Delusion in Scripture,

.

Part 2:

“Drinking Wine”

To read Part 1, click here… “April 27 (Strong Delusion in Scripture)”

.

.

.

.

.

“…because they received not the love of the truth,

that they might be saved.

And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion,

that they should believe a lie:

That they all might be damned who believed not the truth,

but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”

2nd Thessalonians 2:10-12

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

This above passage from Paul’s Epistle to the Thessalonians is one of the most fearful of all Bible passages.

.

It reveals that we must be faithful to God, and not the least bit presumptuous about our Christianity!

.

Paul the Apostle – cropped & brightened photo – Artist – Valentin de Boulogne or Nicolas Tournier – circa 1500s – Wikipedia – Public Domain

.

.

.

.

.

 

.

TO DRINK, OR NOT TO DRINK?

.

One such area of the Bible, which God makes somewhat murky is whether or not the Believer should drink alcohol.

. 

Question Marks – At a loss – svg – Wikimedia Commons – Share-Alike License

.

.

.

.

.

.

VERSES SUPPORTING ALCOHOL…

.

“Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach’s sake and thine often infirmities.” 1st Timothy 5:23

.

Back in the days of the early church, the medications were few and simple.

.

And alcohol had its medicinal properties.

.

And certainly, during the Dark Ages, safe drinking water was not always available, requiring people to drink wine at times.

.

And so, Paul here was writing to Timothy, who apparently was weak physically.

.

Paul the Apostle – Artist – Valentin de Boulogne or Nicolas Tournier – circa 1500s – Wikipedia – Public Domain

.

.

.

.

.

BIBLE SYMBOLISM

.

Now listen to this next passage which also seems to condone wine…“He (God)…causeth wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and oil to make his face to shine, and bread which strengtheneth man’s heart.” Psalm 104:14, 15

.

The Bible can be very tricky, since much of it is written in allegories.

.

This above passage seems to have a literal connotation, which applies to the unsaved of the world.

.

But this above passage likewise has a spiritual application, referring to the “wine of Christ’s blood”, the “oil of the Holy Spirit”, and the “bread of life”, which is the life of Jesus.

.

Church Audience hands – Wikimedia – Public Domain.

.

.

.

.

.

.

WEDDING AT CANA

.

Now here’s the premier passage which is used to condone wine-drinking…“And…there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee…And when they wanted wine…Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water…When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine…saith…thou hast kept the good wine until now.”

(To read full account, click here… John 2:1-10)

.

This above account is perhaps the greatest argument in favor of alcohol drinking.

.

Jesus actually turned water into wine at a Jewish wedding celebration!

.

Wedding Feast at Cana – Bartolomé Esteban Murillo – 1617–1682 – Wikipedia – US Public Domain

.

.

.

.

.

VERSES THAT WARN AGAINST…

.

But listen to this seemingly contradicting passage…“Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes? They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine. Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright. At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder.” (To read entire passage, go here…Proverbs 23:29-34)

.

Not a very pleasant description, wouldn’t you agree?

.

And quite often, what begins with the tradition of a little glass of wine with dinner, eventually turns into full-blown drunkenness, a few years down the line, especially when problems arise!

.

Hangover – Dunfermline City Chambers – By Paul Mcllroy – cropped photo – Wikipedia – Creative Commons This carving is said to be of a Burgh official who gave the stone masons a hard time during the building

.

.

.

.

. 

WHAT WOULD JESUS DO?

.

In the areas of life which are not so clearly defined in Scripture, we have a safe-guard in the life of the Lord Jesus… “Jesus saith…I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me.” John 14:6

.

And when in doubt about what we should or shouldn’t be doing, we need to ask ourselves the question… “What would Jesus do if He was in my situation? How did He live His life on earth?”

.

Asking such questions will usually solve our dilemma, concerning the path we must take.

.

Transfiguration – Bloch – Wikimedia Commons – US Public-Domain

.

.

.

.

.

WHAT WOULD PAUL DO?

.

But listen to Paul, as he exhorts us to imitate himself…“Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.” 1st Corinthians 11:1

.

God has also graciously provided another role-model, the Apostle, Paul!

.

By the time a Christian filters his questionable situation through the exemplary lives of these two role-models, most cloudy and questionable situations will quickly clear up!

.

Paul Tentmaking – cropped photo – La Vista Church of Christ – Creative Commons License

.

.

.

.

.

AM I A ROLE-MODEL? 

.

Not only is Jesus and Paul to be a role-model for Christians, but every true Believer is also to be a role-model for the Church…

.

Listen… “Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.” 1st Corinthians 8:13

.

It’s literally impossible to completely hide our lifestyle.

.

And such matters as alcohol drinking will have its effects on others around us, as they decide whether or not they should or shouldn’t drink. 

.

.

.

.

.

“It is not for…kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink…”

.

.

.

.

.

.

TO CONTINUE READING, CLICK HERE…

“May 4 (Strong Delusion in Scripture, Part 2, Continued: Drinking Wine)”

Hands Toasting Drinks – Cheers! Wikimedia – Creative Commons Attribution 2.0

.

.

.

.

.

THE READER IS HIGHLY ENCOURAGED TO LISTEN TO THIS 25 MINUTE STUDY FROM JEREMIAH CONCERNING WINE, PRESENTED BY HAROLD CAMPING…

.

Prophet Jeremiah – www.christianimagesource.com – Public Domain

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

TODAY’S PRAYER…

“Dear Lord, Give me of Thy Holy Spirit, as I give Thee my entire life! Let me not be deceived by a false spirit. But bring me up the narrow pathway of truth…

Woman praying – Heinrich Seufferheld – 1893 – Wikimedia – Public Domain

.

.

.

.

.

READ MORE…

To explore deeper into this subject, please read… “Ark of the Covenant Constellation, Pt. 2: How To Enter The Most Holy Place”, or you can also read… January 18th (Jeremiah & the Smooth Prophets)

Question book magnify svg – Wikimedia – GNU license

.

.

 

.

.

THE END

 

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

TODAY’S FEATURED HEAVENLY SIGN

Info & pics of constellations on this site from Wikipedia & International Astronomical Union (click here)

.

.

.

REVELATION 12 WOMAN & NARROW GATE STARS

.

.

This most amazing phenomenon is seen throughout the winter. Although it can be observed most of the winter, it is seen best when it is the western part of the sky, at winter’s end (The end of winter being the final scene of this heavenly Gospel story). Orion , the Dragon, and the Glorious White Horse are beginning to descend into the western horizon (sketch to right is Winter Constellations descending into western horizon. This can actually be seen as early as December, in the pre-dawn hours).

.

And at this point it is apparent that the Fleeing Woman of Revelation 12 Constellation  is veering toward the two bright stars, known as Castor and Pollux (sketch to left). But the Wide Gate Stars are composed of the two brightest stars of the Auriga Constellation, known as the star, Capella, and the star, Menkalinan. The two stars, Castor and Pollux, make up the concept of the Orion’s Narrow Gate Stars.

.

This can even be observed into June in the western sky (for a short time just after dark). While a dark night is best for seeing the Woman Constellation, the 4 stars which comprise the Narrow Gate/Wide Gate Stars can be seen even under mediocre conditions. It begins with the Fleeing Woman of Revelation 12 Constellation (AKA Ursa Major) going towards these two doors.

.

The sketch to left shows, the two doors are each composed of two bright stars. The two bright stars that comprise the Narrow Gate are the two brightest stars of the Orion the Reaper’s sickle. The two stars that comprise the ‘Wide Gate’ Stars are the two brightest stars of the wave of water that comes out of the Dragon Constellation’s mouth (for explanation of “Wave of Water”, just click here). The stars that make up the ‘Narrow Gate’ are about half the width of the Wide Gate (see sketch to right).

.

.

(For more information on Orion’s sickle, just click here,“Orion The Reaper”.)

.

Editor’s note: These sketches on this page are merely sketches. The stars are not in their exact place. However, they are close enough to find them in the night sky. But as with most stars, it takes persistence to finally locate them.

.

.

.

.

.

READ MORE…

To explore deeper into this subject, please read… “Revelation 12 Woman & The Narrow Gate Stars (Orion’s Gate to Heaven)”

Question book magnify svg – Wikimedia – GNU license

.

.

.

.

.

.

TOMORROW…

“May 4 (Strong Delusion in Scripture, Part 2, Continued: Drinking Wine)”

Hands Toasting Drinks – Cheers! Wikimedia – Creative Commons Attribution 2.0

 

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

 

20+ MINUTE AUDIO STUDY IN JEREMIAH 

.

ALL‘NOBLE BEREANS’ (open-minded seekers of Bible truth) ARE ENCOURAGED TO BEGIN FOLLOWING THIS 650+ AUDIO BIBLE STUDY THROUGH THE BOOK OF JEREMIAH EACH DAY ON THIS DAILY DEVOTIONAL.

.

THIS STUDY #489 IS PRESENTED BY THE LATE HAROLD CAMPING, FORMER CEO OF FAMILY RADIO…

.

above picture: Prophet Jeremiah – www.christianimagesource.org – Public Domain

.

Those who are interested in using photos on this page may click on provided link below each photo, to get to Wikimedia Commons for various licensing details & tags, and all other necessary information on any particular photo.