Reference

Isaiah 49:26

Symbolic / Non-Fermented Wine Ritual / Sacred Use

“And I will feed them that oppress thee with their own flesh; and they shall be drunken with their own blood, as with sweet wine: and all flesh shall know that I the Lord am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob.”

Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captive delivered?

But thus saith the Lord, Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered: for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will save thy children.

And I will feed them that oppress thee with their own flesh; and they shall be drunken with their own blood, as with sweet wine: and all flesh shall know that I the Lord am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob.

Counter-Arguments

The strongest case that this verse does not belong in this theme.

Symbolic / Non-Fermented Wine

The verse explicitly states "drunken with their own blood, as with sweet wine." The term "sweet wine" (עָסִיס - asis) in Hebrew often refers to freshly pressed grape juice or new wine, which is naturally sweet and has not yet fermented or has only begun to ferment. However, the context here is being "drunken" with blood, which is a metaphor for extreme violence and destruction, not for the intoxicating effects of alcohol. The "sweetness" of the wine is used to emphasize the intensity and perhaps

Ritual / Sacred Use

The verse uses "blood, as with sweet wine" as a metaphor for the intensity of divine judgment and retribution, not as an actual beverage for ritual or sacred consumption. The context is one of violence and punishment, not ceremonial use.

Symbolic / Non-Fermented Wine

Cross-References

Isaiah 43:3Thematic

“For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee.”

Isaiah 9:20Thematic

“And he shall snatch on the right hand, and be hungry; and he shall eat on the left hand, and they shall not be satisfied: they shall eat every man the flesh of his own arm:”

Revelation 16:6Thematic

“For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy.”

Ezekiel 34:16Thematic

“I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment.”