Wine is a symbol of God’s blessing, a rich drink that represents the best of all that which earth has to offer. Well did Isaac bless his son with these words:
“May God give you of the dew of heaven and of the fatness of the earth and plenty of grain and wine.”
Wine was regularly presented to God in tithes and ritual offerings, and even the Lady Wisdom offers mixed wine back to her guests. Jesus’ first miracle was turning water (which sustains life) into wine which gladdened the heart.
But like everything in this fallen world, wine can be abused. Noah, Lot, and many other righteous men have been led as lambs to debauchery when wine overcame them. This is why Scripture is replete with warnings about the dangers of loving wine more than God:
“Woe to those who are heroes at drinking wine!”
“He who loves wine and oil will not be rich.”
For those who reject these common-sense warnings, earthly sorrow and suffering are the inevitable result:
“Do not look at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup and goes down smoothly. In the end it bites like a serpent and stings like an adder.”
But this earthly affliction is nothing when compared to the eternal danger of the penalty of sin that weighs upon our souls. God’s wrath is described as a cup of bitter wine that must be drunk by all the wicked:
“For in the hand of the LORD there is a cup with foaming wine, well mixed, and he pours out from it, and all the wicked of the earth shall drain it down to the dregs.”
Just as it is written of those who have the mark of the beast upon their foreheads, so will it be done to all whose sin remains uncovered:
“He also will drink the wine of God’s wrath, poured full strength into the cup of his anger.”
If it were not for Jesus, this would be the universal human fate. But when Jesus took our place on the cross, he was given bitter wine, mixed with gall. This wine represented the cup of God’s wrath, and even though he would have refused it, divine judgment filled him to the full and He met his end. As it is written:
“God will send His burning anger against him and rain it upon him into his belly.”
But because of the Christ’s self-sacrifice and resurrection, Christians need no longer fear the cup of God’s wrath. Indeed, for those who love God, there another cup that is reserved for us, one that Jesus first gave to His disciples and still offers us today:
“My blood is true drink.”
The cup of communion that we partake of is a special vintage reserved for us, and is far than even the wine of Cana. And it is offered free of charge to all who would accept Him as Lord:
“Come to me, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.”
Just as the hill of Cavalry flowed with his blood, so now the Scripture stands fulfilled as heaven rejoices in His presence:
“The mountains shall drip sweet wine, and all the hills shall flow with it.”
Lord, thank you for drinking the cup of wrath that was rightfully ours, and giving us the richest of all wines in its place! Thank you for your blood, which is the source of our greatest blessings and the proof of your boundless love for us. No earthly blessings can compare with the joy that You give. As it is written,
“Your love is better than wine.”