Drunken Kings

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Yesterday's daily office reading was from Daniel 5. It is very much worth reading as it is a strange and intense story. The original "writing on the wall" story. A powerful king, under the influence of alcohol (v. 2) decided to bring out Yahweh's dishes for a drink.

So this brings up an interesting warning about drunkenness. Calvin says "we must use wine soberly, that it may invigorate not only the body but the mind and the senses, and may never weaken, or enervate, or stupify our bodily or mental powers." He goes on to tell of a vulgar and common proverb ---"pride springs from drunkenness. For this reason the poets supposed Bacchus (the god of wine) to have horns, since intemperate men are always puffed up, and the most wretched fancy themselves kings. What then must happen to monarchs, when in their forgetfulness they dream themselves kings of kings, and even dieties?" Read the rest of the story to see.

Calvin and the book of Daniel brings up an important warning about drinking to much ... it can lead to pride, often considered the chiefest of all sins and therefore a terrible danger to the human soul and the Christ follower.

Comments

Jeff Luce said…
an excellent point about drunkenness. I grew up in an extreme alcohol prohibition subculture. It's definitely true that the over-consumption of alcohol can produce the false pride described in Daniel. I experienced the opposite: false pride rooted in prohibition and self-righteousness. Pride will get you coming and going!
April 30, 2009 at 6:12 AM
jaypercival said…
Yep. That is a very good point as well. Pride grows among churches aplenty.
April 30, 2009 at 7:54 AM
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