The first mention of wine in the Bible gives us a bit of foreshadowing concerning what we’ll see in the rest of the Old Testament: “Noah, a man of the soil, proceeded to plant a vineyard. When he drank some of its wine, he became drunk and lay uncovered inside his tent. Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father’s nakedness and told his two brothers outside. But Shem and Japheth took a garment and laid it across their shoulders; then they walked in backward and covered their father’s nakedness. Their faces were turned the other way so that they would not see their father’s nakedness.” (Genesis 9:20-23) Wine is a principal crop, a sign of fertility and well-being. At the same time, the misuse of wine can lead to shame (see also the story of Lot and his daughters in Genesis 19:30-38). In the usual style of Genesis, no moralizing is done in this story. However, it’s clear that Noah feels no responsibility for what has happened; the sin was Ham’s, and the consequence of that sin fell squarely on Canaan.

Wine also seems to have played a role in the sin of Nadab and Abihu, since it is in the context of this story that God announces that priests are not to drink when performing their temple duties. (Leviticus 10:9)

Nazirites were not to drink wine as part of their vow. (nor were they to eat any product made from grapes). This prohibition reminds us that consuming all of the products made from grapes was common at that time.

Wine occurs in lists of blessings that God gives to people (Genesis 27:28; Deuteronomy 7:13; 11:14; 33:28). As such, it was offered back to God as an offering, in daily offerings (Exodus 29:40), burnt offerings (Numbers 15:1-12; 28:7-10; 29) and the wave offering (Leviticus 23:13). Note that Numbers 28:7 talks about strong wine or strong drink; this would correspond to the principle that only the best was to be offered to God. This would be pure, undiluted wine, possibly “vintage stock.” One of the curses for disobedience to God was that the people would have no wine (Deuteronomy 28:39). Part of the hardship that the people suffered during the 40 years in the wilderness was the fact that they had neither wine nor strong drink (Deuteronomy 29:2-6).

Wine was part of the tithe that people ate to show their gratitude to God at harvest time (Deuteronomy 12:17). The description of this tithe sheds light on the use of alcohol in the Old Testament: “You shall tithe all the yield of your seed that comes from the field year by year. And before the LORD your God, in the place that he will choose, to make his name dwell there, you shall eat the tithe of your grain, of your wine, and of your oil, and the firstborn of your herd and flock, that you may learn to fear the LORD your God always. And if the way is too long for you, so that you are not able to carry the tithe, when the LORD your God blesses you, because the place is too far from you, which the LORD your God chooses, to set his name there, then you shall turn it into money and bind up the money in your hand and go to the place that the LORD your God chooses and spend the money for whatever you desire—oxen or sheep or wine or strong drink, whatever your appetite craves. And you shall eat there before the LORD your God and rejoice, you and your household.” (Deuteronomy 14:22-26) Both wine and strong drink were to be consumed as part of the worshiper’s response to God. God not only allowed their use; he instructed his people to consume them.

There’s one more thing that’s important to point out as we study the Pentateuch. Apart from the cautionary value of the stories of Noah, Lot, Nadab and Abihu, there is no condemnation of drinking nor drunkenness in the Law of Moses. [Edit, January 15, 2011: Daniel Haynes pointed out Deuteronomy 21:20; I should modify this statement to say “there is no direct condemnation of drinking nor drunkenness…”] In the first five books of the Bible, wine and other fermented beverages are a blessing from God, used in worshiping God. Their absence is seen as a hardship and a curse.

Let me go ahead and address the criticism that is coming: “So you’re advocating….” No, I’m not. For now, I’m trying to get a handle on what the Bible says. I’d ask that we wait for the discussions of the horrors of alcohol abuse or the examination of other biblical passages. If you have reflections on these passages or want to mention other passages from Genesis-Deuteronomy (there are more), please share your thoughts.

[I’m largely refraining from commenting on comments, trying to present my thoughts bit by bit. Toward the end of the series, I’ll try and be more interactive.]

Previous posts in this series:
The Christian and Alcohol (Alcohol abuse)
The Christian and Alcohol, Part 2 (Alcohol in the history of the U.S.)
The Christian and Alcohol, Part 3 (Seeing what the Bible says about alcohol)