Tarrying Long at the Wine - Proverbs 23:30

In the book of Proverbs Solomon asked, “Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions? Who has babbling? Who has wounds without cause? Who has redness of eyes?”, and in chapter twenty-three and verse thirty of Proverbs Solomon answered his questions with the statement, “they that tarry long at the wine” where we read,

They that tarry long at the wine;

they that go to seek mixed wine.

The verse begins, “They that tarry long at the wine;” Solomon began with the words, “they that tarry long” or “the people whether male or female who delay, hesitate, defer and remain”“at the wine” which means “before intoxicating and fermented fruit of the vine”. Solomon shared about people who continue and remain before intoxicating and fermented fruit of the vine. 

The verse continues, “they that go to seek mixed wine.” Solomon added the words, “they that go to seek” or “the people whether male or female who proceed, enter and come in to search out, examine and explore” “mixed wine” which means “mixtures of drink”. Solomon referred to people who make their way to search for mixtures of drink. 

When we think through the words in this verse, we learn through Solomon about people who continually remain with intoxicating “wine” as they avidly search for “mixed drinks”. These people have “woe, sorrow, contentions, babbling, wounds without cause and redness of eyes”. God wants to protect us from the destructive effects of alcoholic beverages, and because He loves us, He sent His Son Jesus into the world to die on the cross for the sins of all mankind. When we yield to Him, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and give us the ability to keep from the horrific ruin that is caused when a person becomes addicted to intoxicating wine and mixed drinks.

Next time Solomon says, “look not upon the wine when it is red”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".