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| Waterkloof Wine Estate |
Here’s a question for all the knowledgeable folks out there: What was the first miracle that Jesus performed? Did he give sight to the blind, heal the cripple, raise the dead? Nope. It was a very significant miracle; one which brought happiness to a beautiful event – He turned water into wine at a wedding celebration.
Now this is
where the debating in religious circles begins - Was it alcoholic wine or plain
grape juice?
One of our
favorite weekend activities, before our children immigrated, was wine tastings
and pairings. Not only did we sample some of the most exquisite Western Cape
wines, but the pristine surroundings and beautiful vineyards made this a most
enjoyable social family gathering. And believe me when I say that we didn’t visit
half of the wine estates. This was one of the motivations for starting my wine
and gin bar. I wanted others to experience the same relaxed atmosphere in a
casual, yet upmarket, setting. I absolutely loved what Danie and I created. It
was so unique and quaint. Sadly, as mentioned before in a post (When Your Dream Crashes), the Covid-19 Plandemic single-handedly destroyed our dream and also
our means to follow our children, leaving us penniless and deprived of an
income.
My reason
for writing this post, however, is not to reminisce about our losses, but to
remember the good times we had as a family. Many people, especially in
religious circles, frown upon the use of alcohol. We did too when we were
there, but thankfully, no longer think of it as a mortal sin. Wine (and alcohol
in general), when consumed in moderation, is a real ice breaker. It relaxes
you, takes off the edge and breaks down your tightness, releasing your happy
hormones. Danie always says that he loves it when I drink a little wine, and not
because I’m an uptight person, but because it makes me laugh out of my stomach.
The flipside of the coin is when I drink just one glass too much, it releases
too much emotion and I end up crying my heart out about everything. I suppose
that is one way of getting all that pent-up emotional baggage out of your
system, but I prefer the happy part more.
For those
who think it’s a sin to drink wine, here’s a little biblical food (or wine) for
thought.
The earth
is destroyed by a flood but mercifully eight people and a ton of animals are
saved from the deluge. Stepping out of the stuffy, smelly ark after months of
quarantine, must have been a massive cause for celebration. So, one of the
first things Noah did (that guy who found favor in the eyes of God) was to
plant a vineyard, harvest the grapes, make some wine and get as drunk as a
skunk.
I read a
very interesting article written by a Christian pastor, Joe Thorn, in which he
says the following:
“Wine needs
to hire a new PR agency to help with its image in evangelical churches, as it
is often ignored or rejected by many (American) Christians today. I don't have
the time or interest in unpacking why it is that wine fell on hard times among
many bible-believing churches, but I am interested in helping to paint a more
biblical faithful picture of wine with the hope that I can encourage my
brothers and sisters to understand wine as a gift, an image used in scripture
to teach truth about God, and as an element of (our) Christian faith and
practice.
Most of us
know what wine is, though some teachers have attempted to explain that the wine
in scripture is sometimes wine, and sometimes grape juice. The plain truth is
the best biblical scholars argue consistently and clearly, that not only is the
"wine" of the bible alcoholic, but maintaining unfermented grape
juice would be a virtual impossibility.
It's
important … to understand the whole picture. Wine is seen as the blessing of
God, and as a potential means by which people bring destruction upon
themselves.
There are
247 references to alcohol in Scripture - 40 are negative (warnings about
drunkenness, potential dangers of alcohol, etc.), 145 are positive (sign of
God's blessing, use in worship, etc.), and 62 are neutral (people falsely
accused of being drunk, vows of abstinence, etc.) The Bible is anything but
silent on the issue of wine.”
Below are a
few biblical references:
Genesis 14
vs 18; John 2 vs 3
Wine was
the common drink of the Jews, enjoyed with meals and shared with friends. It
was also an essential part in the worship of the people of God in both
Testaments.
Exodus 29
vs 40; Leviticus 23 vs 13; 1 Samuel 1 vs 24; 1 Chronicles 9 vs 29
The “drink
offering” consisted of wine and the people of God brought wine when offering
sacrifices. The Jews even kept wine in the temple.
Isaiah 62
vs 9
We see the
people blessed by the Lord in such a way as is depicted in drinking wine in the
sanctuary before the presence of God.
Deuteronomy
14 vs 22–27
Instructions
are given regarding tithing and how to go about using it, should you find
yourself in a bind. “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 … And if
the way is too long for you … 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.”
Luke 22 vs 7-23;
1 Corinthians 11 vs 17-32
Wine was
used in celebrating the Passover and is used in celebrating The Lord’s Supper
in the New Testament.
2 Samuel 16
vs 2; Proverbs 31 vs 6; 1 Timothy 5 vs 23
It was also
used medicinally, to help the weak and the sick.
Judges 9 vs
13
It isn't a
stretch to say that God likes wine. It was associated with life, God’s
blessing, and God’s Kingdom. In it we read that wine is that “which cheers God
and men.”
Psalm 104
vs 15 portrays wine similarly, saying that wine “makes man’s heart glad”.
And so on,
and so forth. Sorry for the long bible study. I didn’t mean to lay that one on
you without reason, just to prove a point. But remember, there’s a balance in
life, a yin and a yang, a good side and a bad side to everything.
Of course,
not every reference to wine in the bible is positive. Drunkenness is condemned,
and God's people are warned against the danger of intoxication. (Isaiah 28
vs 1-7; Ephesians 5 vs 18; Isaiah 5 vs 11; Titus 2 vs 3).
Here’s one
last biblical reference before I go:
“So I
commend the enjoyment of life, because there is nothing better for a person
under the sun than to eat and drink and be glad. Then joy will accompany them
in their toil all the days of the life God has given them under the sun.”
(Ecclesiastes 8 vs 15)
There you
have it. One of life’s blessings, to be enjoyed with family and friends, and to
make life just a little more bearable.
Now go, and
enjoy a relaxing glass of wine, in moderation and without guilt.
I’ll raise a
glass to family, health and happiness.
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| Family wine tasting at Rust en Vrede Wine Estate 2018 |
Footnote: Danie insisted that I add a joke which he loves to tell – it’s biblical, but not written down in the scriptures, anywhere. Jesus and his disciples walk into a popular drinking spot after a long day of walking the dusty roads of Palestine. He walks up to the counter and, winking at his disciples, orders thirteen glasses of water. 😊
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