Wine
In the ancient world water was a precious commodity, not as accessible as it is today but crucial for human life. In the absence of plentiful water, wine, or fermented grape juice, became an important part of daily life. It was produced by Noah after the flood (Gen. 9:21) and was brought to Egypt before 3000 BC. Wine was a daily beverage that was viewed by the Hebrews as a gift from the Lord to cheer their hearts (Judg. 9:13; Ps. 104:15). Grapes were gathered in baskets and trampled in a winepress to produce juice, then bottled for fermentation. Wine was stored either in clay jars or in wineskins made out of the skin of goats. Wineskins could not be reused because the fermentation process would cause old skins to burst (Matt. 9:17). Once it was bottled, wine became a significant trade item in places like Palestine (2 Chron. 2:10, 15) and Damascus (Ezek. 27:18).
Jesus’ first miracle was turning water into wine at a wedding feast in Cana.
The Blessings of Wine
Wine was the drink offering used throughout the Old Testament (Exod. 29:40; Lev. 23:13). It accompanied most offerings, including the daily offering, the offering of firstfruits, the burnt offering, and the freewill offering. Its use as a staple of daily life and its association with celebration made it an important element of sacrifice. The importance of wine in worship in the Old Testament made it a fitting symbol for Christ’s blood at the Lord’s Table in the New Testament. Jesus said as he served the Passover wine at the Last Supper, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new promise made with my blood” (Luke 22:20).
Wine is also used in the Bible as an image of celebration, much as it is thought of today. It was a key part in wedding festivities, as we see in the account of the wedding at Cana (John 2). The teacher in Ecclesiastes says, “Go, enjoy eating your food, and drink your wine cheerfully, because God has already accepted what you’ve done” (9:7). At the same time, moderation is mandated so that the celebration does not get out of hand (Deut. 21:20–21; Isa. 28:1–8; Eph. 5:18; 1 Pet. 4:3; 1 Tim. 3:3).
Because wine was so crucial to life, it became associated, together with grain and oil, with the covenant blessings promised by God in exchange for Israel’s obedience. One of the consequences listed if Israel were to break the covenant is clearly stated: “You will plant vineyards and take care of them, but you won’t drink any wine or gather any grapes, because worms will eat them” (Deut. 28:39). The daily provisions of life—produce and wine—would be freely available as long as the Israelites kept God’s covenant but would be withheld if they broke it. These items thus became a symbol of God’s blessing on the nation.
Wine is often associated in Scripture with celebration and the good life.
Wine in the End Times
Not surprisingly, wine also figures prominently in the new heaven and the new earth: “On that day new wine will cover the mountains” (Joel 3:18). Here wine is an image of abundance and the full blessing of God. The covenant is now fulfilled, and the promised wine is available to all. In Jewish thought an abundant supply of wine accompanied the messianic age (Gen. 49:11–12; Jer. 31:12). This sign of wine is made explicit when we read that the coming marriage supper of the Lamb will also feature wine: “On this mountain the LORD of Armies will prepare for all people a feast with the best foods, a banquet with aged wines, with the best foods and the finest wines” (Isa. 25:6). At the Last Supper, Jesus spoke of this future banquet of blessing: “Then he took a cup and spoke a prayer of thanksgiving. He said, ‘Take this, and share it. I can guarantee that from now on I won’t drink this wine until the kingdom of God comes’ ” (Luke 22:17–18).
A contrasting use of wine is as a symbol of God’s judgment. The cup is filled with the wine of God’s wrath, and evildoers are forced to drink that wine of wrath: “This is what the LORD God of Israel said to me: Take from my hand this cup filled with the wine of my fury, and make all the nations to whom I’m sending you drink from it” (Jer. 25:15; see also Isa. 63:6). In Revelation we read that “whoever worships the beast or its statue, whoever is branded on his forehead or his hand, will drink the wine of God’s fury, which has been poured unmixed into the cup of God’s anger” (Rev. 14:9–10). The image evokes thoughts of anger let loose, no longer held in check to await the people’s repentance. God will unleash his fury on the day of judgment.
Key Verse
Jesus told the servers, “Fill the jars with water.” The servers filled the jars to the brim. Jesus said to them, “Pour some, and take it to the person in charge.” The servers did as they were told.
The person in charge tasted the water that had become wine. He didn’t know where it had come from, although the servers who had poured the water knew. . . . Cana in Galilee was the place where Jesus began to perform miracles. He made his glory public there, and his disciples believed in him. (John 2:7–9, 11)