Psalm 75
"There is a cup in the Lord’s hand, full of wine"
There's a startling image in Psalm 75. The judgment of God is described as being made to drink, to the last drop, a glass of spiced wine:
For there is a cup in the Lord’s hand,
full of wine blended with spices, and he pours from it.
All the wicked of the earth will drink,
draining it to the dregs.
This image of God's wrath as a cup of wine is echoed in both Jeremiah and the book of Revelation:
This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, said to me: “Take from my hand this cup filled with the wine of my wrath and make all the nations to whom I send you drink it. When they drink it, they will stagger and go mad because of the sword I will send among them.” (Jer. 25.15-16)
And another, a third angel, followed them and spoke with a loud voice: “If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, he will also drink the wine of God’s wrath, which is poured full strength into the cup of his anger." (Rev. 14.9-10)
The most obvious thing to point how is how wine is a multivalent symbol in Scripture. Wine is often presented as a good thing, from the miracle of Cana to the Eucharistic cup. But as seen in the texts above, wine can also be associated with judgment, wrath, and punishment.
What strikes me in these texts is the symbolism of intoxication in relation to God's judgment. The wine is "full strength." The cup is "drunk to the dregs." The wine causes the drinker to "stagger." The image here is less about pain and destruction than disorientation and confusion. No lightening bolts from heaven, but mass delirium, a drunken incoherence or an intoxicated frenzy. Basically, the judgment of God appears like people losing their minds. A culture, society, or nation drinks the cup to the dregs and starts staggering about.
I don't know about you, but when I look around the world today such images seem to me both timely and apt.
Peter Grach: Psalm 75
Both Jeremiah 25: 15-16 and Revelation 14: 9-10 indicate God will send the wine of His wrath to certain nations (Jeremiah) and people (Rev.) to stagger, confuse, and generally suffer turmoil.
I would like to ask:
First, could this action be understood metaphorically or symbolically, in that the people and nations that suffer turmoil, etc. really are bringing such suffering upon themselves by doing the wrong thing and thereby reaping the consequential results of their violations. They don't do what is right, and suffer the bad results of their wrong actions in not doing things God's way. They are in effect, learning right from wrong - much as a youngster learns to not touch a red hot stove after they have been burnt previously upon touching such stove.
Secondly, if the above is not the case, then how can God's wrath, judgment, punishment be understood where:
God created mankind imperfect, faulty, fallible, limited, one could even say 'dysfunctional', flawed (they could not see through satan's (the snake's) lies - the man did-but that's another discussion (1 Tim. 2: 14)), and
Rev.12: 9 The great dragon was hurled down-that ancient serpent called the devil, or satan, who leads the whole world astray. (NIV)
2 Cor. 4: 4 The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. (NIV)
If the world is deliberately deceived by satan - who God put there to do this - for satan cannot just do what he wants against God's creation and will - then is it surprising that people and nations who are deceived, and not called by God, will be doing the wrong thing?
This leads me to think the first interpretation - a learning process, with consequences for right and wrong - is probably the case.
Thanking you for reading my comment and question.
Best Regards,
Peter Grach
Insightful, perceptive, and provocative as always. Many thanks.