Avoiding Revelry

It is hard to imagine a joyless wedding. There is a much greater danger in going to the other extreme and having too much unrestrained  revelry.  At many non-Witness weddings, things take place that dishonor God.  For example, the use of alcohol to the point of intoxication is common. Sadly, this has even happened at some Christian weddings.

The Bible warns that "intoxicating liquor is boisterous."  (Proverbs 20:1)  The Hebrew word translated "boisterous" means "to make a loud noise." if alcohol can make one  person noisy, imagine what it can do to a large crowd of people who get together and drink too much! Obviously, such occasions can easily  degenerate into "drunken bouts, revelries and things like these," which are  listed in the Bible as  "works of the flesh." Such practices disqualify any who are  unrepentant from inheriting everlasting life under the rule of God's Kingdom. -Galatians 5:19-21.

 The Greek word for "revelry" was used to describe a noisy street procession of semi drunk who sang, danced, and played music.  If alcohol flows too freely at a wedding, and if there is loud music and wild dancing, there is a real danger that the occasion will turn  into something like a revelry.   In such an atmosphere, weak ones may easily fall into temptation and commit other works of the flesh such as "fornication, uncleanness, loose conduct, [or succumb to] fits of anger."  What can be done to prevent such works of the flesh from marring the joy of a Christian wedding? To answer that question, let us consider what the Bible says about a certain wedding.

Next time: A Wedding That Jesus Attended

The Watchtower, 2000