In Ecclesiastes, chapter ten, verse sixteen, “Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning!” It is a sad state of affairs when rulers and leaders are childish, and when their princes and assistants begin the day by satisfying their appetites (probably in drinking parties). How tragic it is throughout history that intoxicating drink has flowed so freely in the capital cities of the world. We need godly leaders who set a good example, as in verse seventeen, “Blessed art thou, O land, when thy king is the son of nobles, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!”
The theme pertains to the leaders who govern their country. “When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn,” as in Proverbs twenty-nine, verse two. Today, in this world, we have two sets of leaders: those who are willing to do good for the country’s sake, and those who are only doing for their own sake. The leaders who look after their country will not spend time focusing on drinking parties, but perform their duties to improve the country and themselves as leaders. However, on the other hand, some leaders focus on themselves before the people and their country, and eventually the results will come to light.
In the New Testament, wine helped to relieve ailments. “Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach’s sake and thine often infirmities, as in First Timothy five, verse twenty-three. However, at parties and other popular social events, wine is associated with drunkenness and may lead to other temptations that leaders should be mindful of. For a leader to govern a country well, they need to be wine-free.