Bible Trivia: Boozing in the Bible

In Ephesians 5:20, the Bible specifically states that drinking to get drunk is:

A:  acceptable during celebrations

B:  acceptable after Passover

C:  acceptable if you are dying or mourning

D:  unacceptable

 ANSWER:  D

¹⁵ Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, ¹⁶ making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. ¹⁷ Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. ¹⁸ Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, ¹⁹ speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, ²⁰ always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

THE BREAKDOWN:

The Bible is pretty clear that drinking is bad, and the stories back it up.

In Genesis, Noah gets hammered and passes out drunk.  When his son sees him naked, Noah curses him and all of his descendants.

In Kings, Elah was the king of Israel until his officer Zimri struck him down while he was drinking with his friend Azra. 

In 2nd Samuel, King David gets his commander Uriah drunk intentionally so that he is hung over during the battle the next morning.  King David sends him to the front line to die so that he can steal his wife.

 In 1st Samuel, Nabel threw a party and got drunk in celebration.  Ten days later the lord struck him down.

In Genesis, Lot's daughter's get him drunk and then have sex with him...two nights in a row.

 In Leviticus, god warns Aaron and his sons not to drink wine or they will die.

In Numbers, god commands Moses to tell the Israelites that they must vow not to drink wine under the Nazirite vow.  They may drink wine however with approval from a priest.

In 2nd Samuel, Absalom waits for King Amnon to get drunk before having his men assassinate him.

Getting drunk has by far and away led to bad things in the bible, with only one story as the exception.