“The Lord then spoke to Aaron, saying, ‘Do not drink wine or strong drink, neither you nor your sons with you, when you come into the tent of meeting, so that you will not die.” (Lev 10:8-9)
God spoke these words to Aaron right after his two sons, Nadab and Abihu died while serving in the tent of meeting. They spoke where God was silent and offered strange fire which He had not commanded (Lev 10:1).
Though not implicitly stated, the nearness of this warning to those events makes one wonder about the sobriety of Nadab and Abihu on that fateful day. Regardless, the warning still stands – if someone is going to serve God, he must do so sober. There is too much at risk and “reverence and awe” (Heb 12:28) for the Lord requires a clear mind.
Every generation talks about how much you can drink, when you can drink, is it a sin to drink, etc. And every generation ends up learning the same thing the hard way – alcohol is not the friend of wisdom and clear thought. No matter how you wish to look at it, the alcohol industry is an industry of warning labels.
The phrase “be sober-minded” shows up seven times in the New Testament, and each time as a warning to be clear-minded because of the importance of the life and choices we are to make.
“Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” (1 Pet 5:8)
#Biblebites Matt 4:4