Temperance is a word that has gone out of style -- but it's something that could use a comeback. It means moderation or self-control and it is usually associated with alcohol. One group that led the movement toward Prohibition in the 1920s was the WCTU (the Womens Christian Temperance Union) -- and it is still active today. Gem #4 is about God's lesson of temperance on the Israelites in Isaiah 28:1-13. (Summary) The capital of Israel's Northern Kingdom is in for a fall. The people are drunk with wine and their own pride. Consequently, the Lord is going to send a mighty army to bring destruction upon it like a surging flood. Its glorious beauty will fade like a flower. Its leaders, priests and prophets are consumed with alcohol and are totally lacking in wisdom. They've ignored God's warnings and commandments, so He will send an oppressor to teach them a lesson and take them into captivity.
Read the full account of God's judgment in Isaiah 28:1-13 and reflect on its meaning. What can we learn from the mistakes of the Israelites in this passage? What can be said about the evil of alcohol? Why is there such a tolerance of alcohol in today's world? Check back soon.
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