Scripture consistently warns against intoxication, highlighting how substance abuse weakens judgment and opens individuals to spiritual deception. While various herbs were used in biblical worship, they were only burned as incense, never smoked or ingested. Additionally, there is no historical record of marijuana being used in ceremonial worship, either in the Bible or among ancient civilizations.
Warnings Against Intoxication and Loss of Judgment
- Proverbs 20:1 – "Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise."
- Proverbs 23:29-35 – "Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has strife?... In the end it bites like a snake and poisons like a viper."
- Ephesians 5:18 – "Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit."
- 1 Corinthians 6:10 – "Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God."
- Luke 21:34 – "Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness and the anxieties of life..."
Demonic Influence in Vulnerable States
- Mark 9:17-18 – "A spirit seizes him, and he suddenly screams; it throws him into convulsions so that he foams at the mouth."
- Luke 9:42 – "Even while the boy was approaching, the demon slammed him to the ground in a convulsion."
- 1 Peter 5:8 – "Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour."
These passages reveal that demonic possession and spiritual attack often target weakened states, whether due to intoxication, emotional distress, or physical exhaustion.
Biblical Herbs Were Burned, Not Smoked or Ingested
- Exodus 30:23-25 – "Take the following fine spices: liquid myrrh, fragrant cinnamon, fragrant cane, cassia, and olive oil. Make these into a sacred anointing oil."
- Leviticus 2:1-2 – "Put incense on the offering and take it to the priests."
- Numbers 16:46-47 – "Take your censer and put incense in it, along with burning coals from the altar."
- Psalm 51:7 – "Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow."
These scriptures confirm that herbs were never smoked or ingested in worship—they were burned as incense for purification and prayer.
No Scriptural or Historical Evidence of Marijuana in Ceremonial Worship
- While some claim biblical references to herbs could include cannabis, scholars agree there is no direct link between marijuana and formal worship.
- Genesis 1:29 speaks of seed-bearing plants, but does not mention marijuana or intoxicating substances for religious purposes.
- Exodus 30:23 refers to "kaneh-bosm," which some speculate could be cannabis, yet linguistic studies identify it as calamus instead.
Native American Peyote vs. Marijuana
- Peyote (not marijuana) was used in vision quests and spiritual ceremonies by certain Native American tribes.
- Marijuana was not historically part of Native American rituals. Their traditional peace pipes contained tobacco, kinnikinnick, and medicinal herbs, but not cannabis.
Final Connection: Satan’s Strategy Through Substance Abuse
• Intoxication weakens self-control, allowing spiritual deception to take hold. • Drunkenness and drug use distort judgment, leading individuals away from righteousness. • Demonic influence targets vulnerable states, including those caused by substance abuse. • Biblical herbs were burned, not smoked or ingested, contradicting claims that marijuana was a ceremonial herb. • Marijuana was never used in scriptural worship, and only peyote appears in Native American spiritual practices.
Estephan