Examples from the Bible

Substance Abuse (alcohol and drug) is one of the leading precursors to treatment. It affects seven essential areas of life (family, finance, vocation, physical, psychological, social and spiritual).  The abuse of alcohol has been an age old problem and the Bible gave examples of this in the story of Noah and Lot.

Noah's Shame

Genesis 9:20-24 documents the story of Noah's shame when he became drunk:

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.  When Noah awoke from his wine and found out what his youngest son had done to him.

Drunkenness and Incest

In Genesis 19:30-38, Lot's daughter manipulated him (had him do something he would not have done if he was not drunk) into fathering their children by getting him drunk:

Lot and his two daughters left Zoar and settled in the mountains, for he was afraid to stay in Zoar. He and his two daughters lived in a cave. One day the older daughter said to the younger, "Our father is old, and there is no man around here to lie with us, as is the custom all over the earth. Let's get our father to drink wine and then lie with him and preserve our family line through our father."  That night they got their father to drink wine, and the older daughter went in and lay with him. He was not aware of it when she lay down or when she got up.  The next day the older daughter said to the younger, "Last night I lay with my father. Let's get him to drink wine again tonight, and you go in and lie with him so we can preserve our family line through our father." So they got their father to drink wine that night also, and the younger daughter went and lay with him. Again he was not aware of it when she lay down or when she got up.  So both of Lot's daughters became pregnant by their father. The older daughter had a son, and she named him Moab; he is the father of the Moabites of today. The younger daughter also had a son, and she named him Ben-Ammi; he is the father of the Ammonites of today.

Proverbs 23:29-35 gives a clear indication of the life of those who indulge in drunkenness:

Who has woe? Who has sorrow?  Who has strife? Who has complaints? Who has needless bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes? Those who linger over wine, who go to sample bowls of mixed wine.  Do not gaze at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly!  In the end it bites like a snake and poisons like a viper.  Your eyes will see strange sights and your mind imagine confusing things.  You will be like one sleeping on the high seas, lying on top of the rigging.  "They hit me," you will say, "but I'm not hurt!  They beat me, but I don't feel it! When will I wake up so I can find another drink?"

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